Subj: INTERNSHIP AFTER ACTION REPORT: (OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE)
Subj: INTERNSHIP AFTER ACTION REPORT: OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
1. I spent four weeks interning at the Office of Naval Intelligence in Suitland, Maryland. Its overall mission as part of the National Maritime Intelligence Center is to provide timely, relevant, and predictive intelligence on worldwide maritime issues.
2. While technical experience gained at ONI in dealing with classified information was extremely interesting and enriching, the most important aspect of my internship was being able to stand right on the sidelines of intelligence production and dissemination to see how the process really works. From source to analyst to consumer, the actual workings of the intelligence cycle are far more complex than the models that describe it. Seeing intelligence produced and disseminated first-hand showed me how vital intelligence is to war-fighters on the front lines.
3. All projects that I worked on during my internship at ONI are classified.
4. The best part about the ONI internship was certainly the security clearance; being able to look at highly classified information taught me far more about how intelligence drives national security policy than any book could ever hope to describe.
5. Hopefully, USNA will be able to supply at least some modest funding to provide the most meager of help defraying food, transportation, and housing costs. If not, USNA should try to coordinate with ONI better, possibly setting up some kind of “sponsor” program with employees. As for prospective interns, if no assistance is provided, housing and transportation plans need to be made well in advance of showing up for the first day of work. Suitland is in one of the worse areas of D.C. crime wise, so it might be smart to try to live in one of the surrounding suburbs and either drive to work or ride the Metrorail.
6. I gave up four weeks of leave time I could have spent at home to intern at ONI, and it was the best way I could have spent that time. I learned more in that four weeks about national security than in my first two years at USNA. Despite the obstacles presented by having no funding, it is well worth any Midshipman’s time.
Subj: INTERNSHIP AFTER ACTION REPORT: (OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE)
Subj: INTERNSHIP AFTER ACTION REPORT: OFFICE OF NAVAL
INTELLIGENCE
General Information
From 26 JUN to 21 JUL 2006, I had the privilege to work at the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) as an intern. ONI is located in Suitland, Maryland, just outside Andrews AFB. The internship proved to be a valuable experience for me and gave me insight into the intelligence community life, my prospective service selection.
Experience Gained
My first two days at ONI involved participating in the Command Indoctrination class. I found this class very valuable for reacquainting me with security protocol. Even though I used to possess a TS//SCI security clearance, this class helped to refresh me in current security standards. Following the class, I was issued a temporary TS//SCI clearance badge.
I was then assigned to the Collections Advisory Center (CAC), under the supervision of LCDR Neil Harmon. LCDR Harmon did not waste time setting me up with several classified internet accounts and getting me read into several classified compartments. This really helped me to fully engross myself within the ONI organization.
LCDR Harmon really did not give me any definitive duties that I was required to perform. I was given a lot of flexibility with what I wanted to do. He basically told me that if there was something within ONI that interested me, he would set up some time with that area so I could go visit them. While not visiting other parts of ONI, I was in the CAC, learning their duties and responsibilities. LCDR Harmon had me shadow the CAC watch officer and assist him or her with routine tasks that were involved with that watch.
My typical day during this period was as follows:
0700 – Arrive at ONI
0715 – Attend the ONI intelligence brief on the watch floor
0740 – Attend the divisional brief in the CAC
0830 – Attend the Collections Department intelligence brief in the department’s
conference room
0900 – 1500 Conduct work with watch officers and visit other entities within ONI
1500 – Depart ONI for the day
Projects
Several key projects I was tasked with and completed were:
- Drafted a document to aid a foreign intelligence service in proper photograph intelligence techniques. Document was passed to the naval attaché in that specific country, and ultimately forwarded to the foreign intelligence service.
- Prepared a presentation that summarized the systematic intelligence collection of a specific foreign naval vessel of interest over a time period covering its transit. The presentation was eventually briefed to the commander of ONI.
- Updated the collection requirements document that was released daily by the CAC.
Highlights
While not working in the CAC, I visited the following areas of ONI and talked with the people from those areas extensively about their duties and responsibilities:
- Acoustic Intelligence (ACINT) Lab
- Foreign Materials Exploitation (FME) Lab
- Signals Intelligence Collection Requirements
- Imagery Intelligence Collection Requirements
- China Collection Requirements
- Iran Collection Requirements
- Cryptologic Support Group
- Fleet Intelligence Support Team (FIST)
- ONI servers room
- ONI watch floor
Some of the highlights of the internship include:
- Observing a video tele-conference (VTC) with intelligence officers from Central Command, Bahrain.
- Participating in a Counter Intelligence brief given by an employee from the CIA
- Participating in a family picnic with members from the Collections department held at Andrews AFB.
- Getting a personal tour of the servers at ONI by the former Intelligence Officer of my old ship, CAPT Darren Sawyer. Despite his busy schedule as a department head at ONI, he was able to take the time to sit down with me and talk about the future of naval intelligence and give me an extensive tour of the complex servers at ONI.
Recommendations
Specifically for ONI, I felt that although the security training given during the Indoctrination class was vital, some of the other information was not needed. I feel that the three day class should be broken up into two parts, security and command specific information. People like the contractors and me that were sitting in on the class should only have been required to sit in on the security portion of the class, whereas new members of the command should sit in on both. I found myself listening to speakers talk about the command’s police force, MWR services, the history of ONI, and command counseling. While important for ONI employees, I felt I could have done without that information and have spent the time better in the CAC.
As far as which part of ONI I would be assigned, I was not asked for any preferences. I think that during the mandatory Indoctrination class, the internship coordinator should ask the interns specifically what it is that interests them. This would assist the coordinator in placing interns in an area of ONI that is best suited for him or her. I myself was very happy working with the CAC, but I think allowing interns to choose where they would like to work would be a good idea.
Logistically, I was not supported by the Academy at all. I understand these were no-cost orders, but some sort of support would have been appreciated. I was forced to live at the Academy when there was ample military housing at Andrews AFB or Naval Station Anacostia. Consequently, I had to spend a lot of money out of pocket for gas. Not only that, but traveling to and from ONI each day was very time consuming. In order to cut down on the transit time, I requested to park on the Academy, however this request was denied by my chain of command despite ample parking spaces on the Yard during the summer. I felt like my chain of command would not support me at all, even though I was trying to further my professional development. When I approached my battalion officer regarding why this request was denied, I was not given a reason for the denial, only that I would not be permitted to park on the Yard. I was also required to purchase my lunches at ONI, without any sort of reimbursement. I would suggest either providing military housing at Andrews AFB or Naval Station Anacostia for Midshipmen, or allowing Midshipmen to live at the Academy and reimbursing them for gas. Even though this internship was voluntary as a 2/C, I don’t think it’s right to have to force Midshipmen to pay for these expenses when trying to advance themselves professionally. I also feel that the Midshipman’s chain of command should be more flexible with issues like parking privileges, especially for something like an internship.
While at ONI, I had the pleasure of sitting down with former NAPS English professor and graduate of the Naval Academy, LCDR O’Hara. LCDR O’Hara is a former S-3 NFO and is now serving as Executive Assistant to the Commander of ONI as a designated Intelligence Officer. He discussed with me the internship program that ONI has with the Academy. He was surprised that despite being so close to the Academy, more Midshipmen cannot participate in internships there. I agreed with him. During my for 4-week internship, there were only a few other Midshipmen there. I understand that most Midshipmen are not eligible to go into the Intelligence field, but I feel that ONI has a lot to offer Midshipmen of all majors and prospective service selections. A Midshipman looking for a more professional internship can work with one of the many Surface, Submarine, or Special Warfare officers there. Midshipmen interested in a more academic internship have plenty of opportunities as well. Humanities majors have great opportunities working with intelligence analysts or foreign intelligence officers at ONI. I was also surprised to see just how many engineers of all disciplines work at ONI, trying to solve some very important questions – a great opportunity for engineering majors. The ONI homepage spouts its Naval Academy Summer Intern Program, yet very few participate in it each summer. I feel that ONI is an untapped resource that can benefit many Midshipmen, and the internship program should really be expanded.
Summary
To reiterate, I felt this internship was very worthwhile. The entire staff at ONI that I had the opportunity to interact with was very accommodating and willing to take the time to work with me. LCDR Harmon was an outstanding sponsor and assisted me anyway he could. He always made sure that I had something to do, whether it was working with the CAC watch officer on a specific project, or sending me to other parts of ONI to learn a little more about what ONI does. Despite the logistical hurdles I had to overcome, I feel that an internship at ONI would be an outstanding experience for Midshipmen of all majors and prospective service selections.