NAVY INFORMATION DOMINANCE FORCES, SUFFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- For the first time in the Navy, there will be a fleet-wide qualification standard for personnel providing intelligence support to theater anti-submarine warfare (TASW) operations. The new qualification standards will also enable the Navy to track, and if necessary, recall, qualified personnel who have trained to the same standards.
As the global submarine threat grows, the Navy recognized the need for a fleet-wide personnel qualification standard (PQS) that qualified personnel to the unique skillsets necessary for effective intelligence support to TASW operations. As potential adversaries continue to invest in their submarine forces, it's important to note that the U.S. Navy is the only military service capable of performing the TASW mission.
The Navy must be prepared to provide full-spectrum situational awareness of this threat to fleet and combatant commanders. To answer that call, Navy Information Dominance Forces (NAVIDFOR) Command and Commander, Submarine Forces Atlantic (SUBLANT), joined forces to develop a new qualification standard that going forward ensures fleet and combatant commanders have the qualified personnel necessary to provide intelligence support to TASW operations.
As Capt. Tim Unrein, director of Intelligence for Submarine Forces Atlantic (SUBLANT), stated, "This is a mission set that will be with us for a long time. It is definitely a growth industry. We have to be ready."
Background
Prior to having a common TASW qualification standard, various commands had disparate 'Intel for TASW Qualification Cards'. These Intel for TASW Qualification Cards detailed the skillset and expertise necessary to stand the Intel Watch for TASW operations.
The issue was that different Intel for TASW Qualification Cards existed in at least six different commands. Navy Mine and ASW Command (NMAWC), SUBLANT/Commander Task Forces (CTF) 84, SUBPAC/CTF-34 and CTF's-54, 69 and 74 all had qualification cards that were very extensive and covered much of the same content, but there lacked a fleet-wide standardization they all could adhere to. Because standards were not the same, varying standards meant that a person qualifying on one command's set of qualification cards risked having to unnecessarily requalify at another command.
In addition to this less-than-ideal situation, the Navy had no way to track personnel who had completed their TASW qualifications. The issue was further exacerbated by the fact that a majority of TASW watch floors (with the exception of CTF-74) are manned almost exclusively by part-time reservists. The result was the Navy was losing significant readiness opportunities by not having the ability to track (and if necessary) recall fully qualified reservists who had invested a substantial amount of time completing the requirements to stand watch - which sometimes took up to 18 months to qualify.
The Solution
A New "Intelligence Support to Theater ASW PQS" Leading to an additional qualification designator (AQD) (for officers) or a tracking Navy enlisted classification (NEC).
SUBFOR Commander Vice Adm. Michael Connor's guidance to the undersea warfare enterprise was, to "get on the same page." It was the catalyst that drove the effort to find a solution to the dissimilar TASW qualification standards.
Beginning in the spring of 2014, the leadership of COMSUBLANT N2's Navy Reserve component (NR SUBLANT INTEL), with the support of the COMSUBLANT N2, began to engage with key stakeholders. The intent was to build consensus around fleet-wide standards and methods for tracking qualifications under a new AQD and NEC. While on a coordination visit to NMAWC in March 2014, Cmdr. Nate Bailey, commanding officer, NR SUBLANT INTEL, researched the numerous intelligence-related AQD's in the Navy.
"It was startling to discover, and quite frankly somewhat embarrassing to realize, that there were over two dozen intelligence support-related AQD's covering everything from targeting, HUMINT (human intelligence) management, support to SOF (special operations forces), collection Management, etc. - and not one covering the undersea warfare domain — and ASW in particular — a Navy-only mission."
Bailey went on to say, "Considering the growing threat, it became obvious that, from a combat readiness perspective, we not only needed a robust, fleet-wide qualification standard in the form of a PQS to support this mission, but a new AQD and tracking NEC in order to provide the Navy with the means to identify and supply qualified IDC (Information Dominance Corps) personnel to support this mission when required."
A Trifecta: Total Force Approach / Two-TYCOM Collaboration / Cost-Effective Solution
After the stand-up of NAVIDFOR on Oct. 1, 2014, the SUBFOR N2 reached out to NAVIDFOR N7 about collaborating on the development of new intel support for the TASW PQS. That December, Lt. Karen Beth Jasper, NAVIDFOR's lead for Intelligence Training and Requirements, coordinated a PQS Working Group consisting of active and reserve TASW stakeholders. In addition to having subject matter experts who had cross-functional IDC expertise in the meteorology and oceanography (METOC) communities, the working group brought together key stakeholders from SUBLANT/CTF-84, NR SUBLANT INTEL, SUBPAC, CTF-76, NMAWC and Commander Undersea Surveillance System (CUSS).
Within two months of its establishment, the group had developed a PQS that was then released for the required 30-day fleet review. The review was completed in early February and is expected to be implemented by the summer of 2015.
NAVIDFOR and SUBLANT's efforts to create a standardized PQS shows how type commands (TYCOMs) can work together to improve efficiencies and fill gaps and seams to improve readiness across the Navy. As a TYCOM, NAVIDFOR was able to leverage expertise across IDC communities to support the needs of SUBFOR, while also addressing a critical readiness need to better train intelligence personnel supporting the TASW mission. These efforts also show the value TYCOMs bring to ensure the Navy has recall-ready personnel available as operational requirements dictate.
Additionally, tracking NEC's earned after completion of a rigorous PQS is a cost-effective solution as opposed to an expensive 'C' school. Bailey concluded. "Anticipating the threat, increasing Total Force readiness, addressing operational needs, and developing innovative cost-effective solutions has been the foundation of this initiative from the beginning. It's great to see it come to fruition." Bailey said.