What event, person, place, or thing affects military intelligence history today?

2016-01-17T13:43:20-05:00

I know its such a broad question, but my professor posed this question for an assignment and I'm looking for ideas?

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 1:53 PM

2016-01-17T13:53:13-05:00

If it's for an assignment, maybe the Enigma Machine and the process of cracking codes? A lot of the process is still in use today, I think the last Enigma code from WWII was cracked a couple years ago.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 17 at 2016 1:53 PM

2016-01-17T13:53:17-05:00

The printing press was used in the Revolutionary War.

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Jan 17 at 2016 1:59 PM

2016-01-17T13:59:18-05:00

I would say satellites. That has allowed nations to collect information on things we could not have done before without placing our pilots at great risk. Perhaps next to that, I would add UAVs since those are even down to company level now.

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Jan 17 at 2016 2:04 PM

2016-01-17T14:04:12-05:00

How about the advent of any of forms of electronic communications? Starting with cabled transmission (telegraph), then wireless (radio) transmission, and now with decentralized (not true point to point) internet communication. Military intelligence historically often focused on identifying movements of large troop formations through visual observation (scouts, etc.), identifying weakness in an enemy's tactics, and sometimes to surface intent. Human intelligence is still critical for the latter, but some of the historical innovations in technology over the last 150 years greatly influences our focus.

Response by 1SG Steven Stankovich made Jan 17 at 2016 2:05 PM

2016-01-17T14:05:42-05:00

I would go with cyber SSG Private RallyPoint Member. The cyber domain is an evolving arena that requires an ever changing and adaptable intelligence package to counter and/or defeat. Cyber covers a very broad area, but in my opinion, how we counter this threat now and in the future will be the means that history will judge the military intelligence profession.

Response by SFC Pete Kain made Jan 17 at 2016 2:06 PM

2016-01-17T14:06:43-05:00

D.H.S. 9-11, etc. crap read a news article and pick one. Said in a pain filled moment.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jan 17 at 2016 2:14 PM

2016-01-17T14:14:11-05:00

The balance between Humint, Sigint, Elint, and Imint. Each one was thought to be the end all, but only really work when used together

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 2:20 PM

2016-01-17T14:20:32-05:00

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Aldrich-Ames

Aldrich Ames | American spy

Aldrich Ames,in full Aldrich Hazen Ames (born June 26, 1941,River Falls, Wis., U.S.),American official of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) who was entrusted with discovering Soviet spies, and who himself became one of the most successful double agents for the Soviet Union and Russia.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 2:27 PM

2016-01-17T14:27:10-05:00

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/21/bradley-manning-35-years-prison-wikileaks-sentence
This security breach really gets me mad for all of those who are fugitives or dead.. Hopefully the army will punish him and not let him have a government- paid sex change. His leaks have caused, hundreds if not thousands of Afghan/Iraqi people who helped give info to u.s. forces who are still stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan, a death sentence in the theory of trying to reveal injustices.

Bradley Manning given 35-year prison term for passing files to WikiLeaks

Manning to forfeit pay and to be dishonorably discharged as civil liberties campaigners lament 'sad day for all Americans'

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 2:32 PM

2016-01-17T14:32:18-05:00

just think..now ISIL and Al Quaida use video game counsels to chat and/or make up their own encrypted dark nets due to Snowden's Pentagon powerpoints making open source to all our enemies like China, Russia and the terrorist groups...I am really pissed off!
http://news.yahoo.com/intel-heads-edward-snowden-did-39-profound-damage-205332038--abc-news-topstories.html;_ylt=A86.JyRV65tW7zMAJEAPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTByNDZ0aWFxBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwM2BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--

Intel Heads: Edward Snowden Did 'Profound Damage' to U.S. Security

Fugitive NSA Leaker Edward Snowden Described As Public Enemy No. 1 for Aiding Terrorists

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 2:34 PM

2016-01-17T14:34:28-05:00

Be careful, wikileaks and other open source documentation of stolen information from Manning and Snowden and brought to the attention of your command and S2 is still prosecutable under UCMJ for spillage of classified information unless cleared by the agencies. Even if its public knowledge, you bringing it forward makes it a crime.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 2:38 PM

2016-01-17T14:38:06-05:00

sorry SGT Anthony..Im preaching to MI..I did not see you were MI. LOL...SORRY

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jan 17 at 2016 3:45 PM

2016-01-17T15:45:22-05:00

I would compare the efficacy of military intelligence prior to and subsequent to the formation of the CIA. Although I'm not prepared to defend any opinion, it "seems" to me that the CIA greatly affected the military intelligence gathering arms of the individual branches (stole their funding and resources?). It also seems that a single agency cannot properly address the diverse intelligence requirements of military branches with diverse missions, especially when that agency must also focus on political intelligence which does not directly relate to military resources and operations. Again, this is pure conjecture but may prove fruitful ground for study. Then again, it may already have been studied to death. I'd love to know if someone else put in the time and effort.

Response by SSG James Arlington made Jan 17 at 2016 5:15 PM

2016-01-17T17:15:11-05:00

Benedict Arnold.

Response by SPC Christopher Perrien made Jan 17 at 2016 7:54 PM

2016-01-17T19:54:36-05:00

I would suggest Joseph Rochefort or Edward Layton, and their associated bio's and works , both commercial, and their military writing's on the Pacific War.

Response by 1SG Nick Baker made Jan 17 at 2016 8:19 PM

2016-01-17T20:19:41-05:00

I agree with MAJ Stephen Conway, Snowden has changed the game.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 2:41 AM

2016-01-18T02:41:59-05:00

The MQ-1 or more broadly the UAS/RPA as well as other manned sensor platforms. It brings a capability that we have not had in our history. The asset can stay on target for almost a whole day and we can gather a very detailed look at a target area and asses with an exponential amount of detail on what is going on.

Response by SGT John " Mac " McConnell made Jan 18 at 2016 9:07 AM

2016-01-18T09:07:40-05:00

Fiber Optics... The most secure media....fiber optics is used for many things such as perimeter fences, camera systems, alarm systems and this is just touching on the subject of light speed. Fiber is high security , splicing it is not easy without someone knowing it , and signals are contained within the fiber optic media.

Response by CMSgt Mike Esser made Jan 18 at 2016 9:52 AM

2016-01-18T09:52:32-05:00

Chief petty officer spy , John Walker and his son........

Response by SPC David S. made Jan 18 at 2016 10:16 AM

2016-01-18T10:16:00-05:00

Secured forms of communication -

I would start with Alan Turning and the use of brute force hacking that allowed his team to break a code with 150 trillion total possibilities. Also as well the first use of a machine being used to defeat a machine and thus creating an early form of cyber intelligence. You could bring this forward to the use of quantum entanglement, satellites and secured comm.

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/532216/how-entanglement-generating-satellites-will-make-the-quantum-internet-global/

How Entanglement-Generating Satellites Will Make the Quantum Internet Global | MIT Technology...

Sending entangled photons to opposite sides of the planet will require a small fleet of orbiting satellites, say physicists.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 2:30 PM

2016-01-18T14:30:34-05:00

Ethics? How far are you going to go for that intel? Would you cross the line and lose it all?

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jan 18 at 2016 3:44 PM

2016-01-18T15:44:42-05:00

SSG Private RallyPoint Member C4ISR platforms

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 4:41 PM

2016-01-18T16:41:12-05:00

Look up the foreign intelligence surveillance act.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jan 18 at 2016 4:55 PM

2016-01-18T16:55:45-05:00

Electronic Communication, bar none.

I would suggest reading the book "Lights out" by Ted Koppel, and perhaps looking at the concerns of John Macafee (Presidential Candidate) [caveat, he will appear to be a whackjob. Read the the book or articles regarding the book, before making a determination regarding his platform]

Electronic Communication, literally, and figuratively connects all of the United States together. It has the potential to create "catastrophic" damage, and it gives our "Threats" (we no longer have enemies or allies, just those who have interests that are aligned or not currently aligned with us) amazing amounts of leverage to use against us. The entire US Power, Water, and Communication structure is a "weakness." The entire "global" INFRASTRUCTURE relies on the US.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 5:01 PM

2016-01-18T17:01:21-05:00

I would say two areas of technology have had tremendous affect on military intelligence:
1. The ubiquitous presence of social media
2. The rapid rise of miniaturized remote surveillance technology (drones and other remote devices)

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2016 8:16 PM

2016-01-21T20:16:00-05:00

Operation Dragon Strike, the largest land operation in Afghanistan. The entire operation was based off actionable intelligence. The entire operation has made history. The majority of successful operations across the Armed Forces start from the intel analysis. Therefore, I would argue the history comes for their outcomes.