SEKONDI, Ghana -- U.S. service members completed a Tactical Intelligence Support To Maritime
Operations Centers for the Ghanaian Navy Oct. 12-23 at Ghana’s Navy Trade
Training School at Sekondi, Ghana.
This two-week introduction to intelligence was the
first of four planned “train-the-trainer” courses for the fiscal
year.
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps service members taught Sixteen Ghanaian
sailors, along with two senior members of Ghana’s Marine Police Unit of the
Ghana Police Service.
The course was designed as both an introduction to
the intelligence process, particularly in support of their media operations centers, and to prepare
the students to become intelligence instructors for the Ghanaian Navy's internal
intelligence courses.
"It is envisioned that the knowledge from this
course, when put to use, will help improve the operational efficiency and
effectiveness of the Ghana Navy," stated Lt Cdr. Kwasi Kyerematen Donkor,
commanding officer of Ghana’s Navy Trade Training School.
Marines with
U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa and Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task
Force-Crisis Response-Africa focused on tactical collections such as patrol
briefing, debriefing, site exploitation and intelligence reporting during the
first week.
The second week consisted of students teaching back the first
week of courses to the instructors. Students focused on how to effectively teach
to a student body by creating lesson plans, and using personal stories and
practical applications.
Combined Task Force-68, led by U.S. Navy Chief
Petty Officer Torivio Hall and Petty Officer 1st Class Brett Pippen, both
intelligence specialists, focused on understanding and utilizing multiple
sources of intelligence, matching it to an indicators and warning system and
then more effectively utilizing this intelligence in support of Ghana’s current
MOC processes.
“We are all from different departments and as such,
information flow in the area of Intelligence will [now] be easier,” said
Ghanaian Navy Lt. Michael Agyare Asiamah, a student-officer taking part in the
training. “Training our personnel in the departments will also be much easier.
Intelligence gathering within the Ghana Navy will be greatly improved after this
course.”
The Africa Partnership Station-supported training is the second
joint intelligence engagement in West Africa. Further collaboration in
intelligence security cooperation among U.S. Marine Forces Africa and
SPMAGTF-CR-AF, U.S. Naval Forces Africa and CTF-68 will occur in other West
African maritime nations throughout 2016. The outcomes of these
skills-development efforts will be tested during exercises, such as Obangame
Express.
By building this partnership, Ghana can continue to engage in
collaborative missions in support of U.S. objectives and interests in the
region, said Capt. Jeremy Phillips, the intelligence security cooperation
Officer with SPMAGTF-CR-AF.
“This event is slightly different because we
are establishing an instructor cadre and helping them create a curriculum,” said
Phillips. “The Ghanaian Navy will use this to teach the rest of their
intelligence sailors how to become effective collectors and analysts in the near
future. We are impressed with the quality and dedication of the Ghanaian
officers and sailors that will make up their instructor cadre and we are looking
forward to continuing this partnership over the next year.”
Story
courtesy of U.S. Marines Maj. Oliver C. Talbott and Capt. Jeremy A. Phillips
with U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa and Special-Purpose Marine
Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa, respectively.