An intelligence team with U.S. Marine Forces Africa began sharing intelligence application tactics with about a dozen officers and senior enlisted members of the Armed Forces for the Defense of Mozambique (FADM) here July 29, 2010. The shared tactics are part of a five-day course designed to serve as a primer for a command post exercise taking place next week as part of SHARED ACCORD 2010, a 10-day event coordinated by U.S. Marine Forces Africa, and designed to increase partner nation capacity for peace and stability operations.
The mentoring package is provided to demonstrate the value of using intelligence gathering to predict and counter enemy activity. One of the curriculum points being extensively demonstrated is the reading and marking of terrain features, such as hills, swamps, and other earth formations that may affect troop movements, according to Capt. Wilfredo Crave, an intelligence officer with MarForAf.
“Hopefully they can identify if movements are unrestricted, restricted or severely restricted,” said Crave.
Many of the Mozambican troops were already familiar with the concept of key terrain features, but few had had the opportunity to practically apply their knowledge in producing maps, according to Crave. So, during the course, the students were given an opportunity to test their new skills. With pens in hand, they marked features on practice maps.
“They’re thinking like intelligence professionals,” said Crave, noting the enthusiasm and teamwork his students showed. “This practical application where they get hands-on (experience) is what makes all the difference.”
The training provided the Mozambican soldiers the chance to refresh basic soldiering skills, according to FADM Maj. Agostinho Joequin, class leader.
“It is a good exchange of experience,” Joequin said. “This reminds us of what we are as soldiers.”
A larger, week-long mentoring package is scheduled to follow the initial training.
SHARED ACCORD is an annual, scheduled exercise coordinated by U.S. Africa Command’s Marine component – U.S. Marine Forces Africa. This year’s exercise is a bi-lateral U.S.-Mozambican exercise. Previously, SA has taken place in Benin and Ghana. The 10-day exercise, which officially commences Aug. 3, will include staff training, small unit tactical training, and humanitarian civic-assistance programs to include medical services, dental services, and engineering projects.