Out there, somewhere, are men and women collecting Human Intelligence (HUMINT). You don’t know their names, and you won’t see them as national heroes on the news, but their job is one of the most important ones in the world. These collectors of secrets risk their lives every day in an attempt to give the United States all the information needed to keep its citizens safe; however, a HUMINT collector is only as good as the analysts which process the data back home. It is the desk-bound, unsung heroes that validate all of the hard work conducted during field operations in dirty, dusty places all over the globe.

Currently we are officially waging war in two countries (Iraq and Afghanistan) and unofficially in many, many more. HUMINT collectors are on the ground in every single location digging and clawing for every scrap of viable intelligence possible, but regardless of how well they perform their duties, we seem to still have a problem with ending conflicts. This is where intelligence schools come into play. These institutions are few and far between, but extremely valuable. For it is they who are responsible for training the next generation of analysts who will synthesize the data collected by HUMINT elements.

Like it or not, the world has changed drastically since September 11th, 2001. The way that the world works, how combat is approached, and the way the intelligence cycle operates have all undergone massive upheavals. Traditional warfare as we know it is dead for the foreseeable future, and what has taken its place is much more complex and fluid with overlapping networks and complicated motivations and alliances. These changes are continuing to occur and the best way to stay in front of a constantly changing battlefield is a constant education of operatives and continual reassessment of policy, procedure and technique.

Intelligence schools are an absolute operational necessity as they are the cornerstone of a continued process of reevaluation. As current operatives gain new insights from their courses at one of these intelligence schools, or a new analyst gets trained for the first time, it allows for the opportunity for a new perspective to be brought to the Intelligence Community. And because the world around us is evolving so rapidly, if we are to keep ahead of the game, then we must not remain stagnant. We need information to flow freely. We need open, honest discussion about current issues. These can only be achieved in an education setting where intelligence professionals are unencumbered by career concerns. An academic environment is the most effective venue for reevaluating current practices.

Without an analysis system which has the ability to evolve as quickly as the tactics of our enemies, then the sacrifices of those men and women working in the field, risking their lives, to gather intelligence is completely worthless. It is the absolute responsibility of those whose lives are not in peril to ensure the validity of those whose lives are on the line. Only through the proper and continual education of analysts can we ever truly expect to adequately support and honor those whose sacrifices have been ultimate.

Dan Sommer works for Henley-Putnam University, a leading educational institution in the field of Strategic Security. For more info on Henley-Putnam University, intelligence schools, HUMINT, call 888-852-8746 or visit us online at http://www.Henley-Putnam.edu

Dan Sommer works for Henley-Putnam University, a leading educational institution in the field of Strategic Security. For more info on Henley-Putnam University, intelligence schools, HUMINT, call 888-852-8746 or visit us online at http://www.Henley-Putnam.edu

Author Bio: Dan Sommer works for Henley-Putnam University, a leading educational institution in the field of Strategic Security. For more info on Henley-Putnam University, intelligence schools, HUMINT, call 888-852-8746 or visit us online at http://www.Henley-Putnam.edu

Category: Advice
Keywords: intelligence schools, HUMINT