APRIL 21, 2016, SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii – Soldiers from 8th Theater Sustainment Command and its subordinate units 8th Military Police Brigade and 130th Engineer Brigade, conducted intelligence exercise Perspicuous Provider April 18-22 at Mission Training Complex — Hawaii here.
Approximately 55 Soldiers participated in the training, which was meant to prepare units for intelligence operations focused around sustainment and humanitarian aid rather than combat.
‘It’s about preparing intelligence Soldiers to think how they can help in a real world Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief mission,” according to Maj. Alex Marrone, the intelligence plans officer with 8th TSC.
“Its specific training in the kinds of things that we as Intelligence Soldiers are expected to be able to do,” Marrone said. “In a HA/DR environment, how can we supply information to our commanders of where supplies need to go, like medical supplies and food and water, then those commanders can better plan or make adjustments where they see the need.”
Along with 8th TSC were intelligence Soldiers from 9th Mission Support Command from Japan, Army Sustainment Command,196th Infantry Brigade from Fort Shafter, Hawaii and 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
Some of the different scenarios the Soldiers analyzed were flood ingress and egress, criminal activity, anti-American demonstrations and volcanic activity and eruption.
“I am learning to think about logistics in a HA/DR,” says Sgt. First Class Marlene Noel an Intelligence Planner with 196th Infantry Brigade. “I like how this training helps junior Soldiers to think outside of the box and it also is developing junior Soldiers into leaders.”
Noel stated that the training was less focused with force-on-force scenarios and more along sustainment and humanitarian aid situations.
“The key thing there is sustainment-centric intelligence,” Marrone said. “Anything that affects the amount of resources that are available to go through the ports, the capacity of roads; basically freedom of movement is a key consideration for sustainment centric intelligence.”
“I am learning how important our role is in a HA/DR and how I can help a commander help those in need,” said Spc. Gisela Paz, an intel analyst with 593rd ESC. “I’m actually, really liking it, this is my second time doing this exercise.”
Paz, one of eight 593rd ESC Soldiers who participated in the training, said she enjoyed being able to work with other units for the exercise.
Next year, Maj. Marrone hopes to see the exercise grow into a joint exercise and to have Perspicuous Provider included in the Army Foundry Intelligence Training Program.