Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) conducted the third iteration of the SOCEUR Tactical Intelligence Course (STIC) for 21 NATO and International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnel from 11 nations at the Lithuanian Military Academy in Vilnius, Lithuania from 11 April through 24 May 2012.
The intent of the course was to provide a robust intelligence capability at the Special Operations Task Unit/Group (SOTU/SOTG) level by training Non-Commissioned Officers or Intelligence Operators who can independently plan and execute full spectrum intelligence and targeting as well as provide an intelligence capability for contingency operations and training. There are seven areas of study: intelligence and data mining, link analysis and tactical exploitation operations (TEO), human intelligence (HUMINT), biometrics, country study, network analysis and target intelligence package (TIP) production. The course finished with a culmination exercise (CULEX) using the Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System (BICES) computer network.
This training will prepare nations to conduct tactical intelligence operations at the SOF unit and drive bottom-up targeting. Throughout the training instructors solicited information from the students to draw on personal experiences, share best practices, and increase interoperability between the forces. Additionally, the skills taught in this course will prepare these operators to conduct operations in support of homeland defense or future coalition missions.
LITHSOF
