DIA Director for Analysis briefs Congress on tradecraft

Defense Intelligence Agency’s Director for Analysis, Neil Wiley, testified before the House Armed Services Committee on February 28 about DIA’s standards and policies on tradecraft, DIA public affairs announced March 7.

DOD Instruction 3115.17 (Oversight and Management of DoD All-Source Analysis”) directs DIA to monitor the state of Defense Intelligence analytic capabilities and establish training, education and certification programs for DoD analysts. Wiley discussed many of DIA’s investments in creating a strong foundation for objective, high-quality intelligence.

“We’ve been aggressively investing in initiatives to strengthen analytic tradecraft and analytic processes. We established the Defense Analytic Tradecraft Council to coordinate and implement analytic tradecraft and process improvements across the Enterprise – most noteworthy thus far have been the implementation of an enterprise-wide analytic ombudsman program, and a common process for analytic product evaluations. We’ve expanded professional analysts career education through the addition of a 10-day course for DIA analysts offered both in the national capital region and at the combatant commands, stressing and exercising Intelligence Community Directive 203 tradecraft standards and analytic design,” said Wiley.

Tradecraft – the standards of analysis that guide production and evaluation of intelligence products – is the foundation of a strong intelligence community. Tradecraft standards reinforce integrity and rigor in analytic thinking and are maintained by the Defense Intelligence Agency for all DOD analysts in accordance with Intelligence Community Directive 203.

“I have made it very clear – and I know DIA is supporting me on this – analysts that are from DIA that work at combatant commands, work for the combatant commander; they work for J2,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Quantock, director of intelligence for U.S. Central Command, who also stressed that analysts must be aware of the requirements and tradecraft standards set by ICD 203.

Analytic standards are the core principles of intelligence analysis. Applied across the entire intelligence community, tradecraft standards serve as a common foundation for assessment criteria, ethic for analytic rigor, and personal integrity in analytic practice. The standards also promote protection of privacy and civil rights by ensuring objectivity, timeliness, relevance and accuracy of sensitive information used in analytic products.

“The support to national security decision-making requires the best intelligence, knowledge, advice and recommendations that can shape strategic outcomes. As we look to the future to ensure we have this capability, we will continue to work with USD(I), DIA, and combatant command J2s to find ways to improve the defense intelligence enterprise’s analytic policies, processes, training and education,” Maj. Gen James Marrs, Joint Staff J2.

The Directorate for Intelligence, J-2, is a DIA directorate supporting the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff and Unified Commands.

“Integrity is at the foundation of everything we do – no matter what your role.  It has been, and will remain, one of our top priorities. I am committed to ensuring analysts have the tools, resources and support needed to continue speaking truth to power,” said DIA Director Lt. Gen Vincent Stewart.

Source: DIA