DOUALA, Cameroon – Commander Task Force 68 provided training on basic tactical intelligence processes to Cameroon forces, Sept. 19-25, at Douala Naval Headquarters Base in Cameroon.

The training, the first joint intelligence engagement in West Africa, was a coordinated effort between CTF 68 Navy Intelligence personnel and Marines from U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa and Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa (SPMAGTF-CR-AF).

“This course assists our maritime operations center personnel by teaching them and demonstrating how to process information from littoral forces,” said Cameroon Navy Capt. Ndzana Mvonvo. “Understanding how to collect and to disseminate this information is crucial to supporting our Maritime Operations Center.”

The intelligence task group focused their training on tactical collections such as patrol briefing, debriefing, site exploitation and report writing. The exercise marks the first intelligence training mission for CTF 68 designed to standardize reporting for collecting and processing information during operations. This intelligence will help support the Maritime Operations Center in the execution and planning of operations.

“This training focused on turning tactical information into a clear, simple intelligence product, and how that product should be disseminated so that it supports awareness through multiple domains from the maritime domain to the shoreline,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Chris Jordan, CTF 68 officer in charge. “This is unique to CTF 68 as we have forces that specialize in these zones and can relate to the problems our African partners are faced with. This training was well complemented by what our brothers and sisters in the Marine Corps provide.”

Further collaboration in intelligence security cooperation between SPMAGTF-CR-AF, U.S. Naval Forces Africa, and CTF 68 is scheduled in other West African maritime nations during 2016, and skills will be tested through exercises such as Obangame Express.