US Army Project Foundry Advanced Geospatial Intelligence
Project Foundry is a training and operational program designed to sustain perishable intelligence capabilities and provide regional focus, technical training and functional expertise for the tactical MI force through live environment training. Project Foundry addresses the need for focused MI training in a real-world environment and special certifications not offered by TRADOC or FORSCOM for all intelligence disciplines. Project Foundry supports the Army Chief of Staff’s (CSA) mandate for “MI to maintain contact with the enemy.” The intent is to provide operational level intelligence experience throughout all phases of the Army Force Generation Model (ARFORGEN).
Conceptually, Project Foundry provides tactical MI Soldiers the opportunity to maintain contact with an adaptable adversary in a complex operating environment. This experience will maintain MI Soldiers at a high state of readiness to enable intelligence driven operations for warfighting commanders. In addition to the training and operational opportunities with theater and national level units, MI Soldiers will be better prepared for deployment, receive functional and regional expertise, and create linkages to the broader intelligence community. Lastly, Foundry will train MI Soldiers as they are expected to fight, using Commander driven requirements to sustain their readiness.
In Jan 2006, a Department of the Army Implementation Message designated the Army Intelligence & Security Command (INSCOM) to lead the new Foundry Program in order to create a single “hub” for advanced skills training and live environment collection/analysis opportunities across the Army’s tactical MI force. Thus far, INSCOM has created over 60 Foundry opportunities across all intelligence disciplines in support of ongoing regional and national intelligence missions.
The proliferation of “flat” network access and workstations across the Army helps facilitate these programs, which include Tactical Overwatch operations of units in OIF/OEF. Foundry training significantly assists G2/S2’s preparing for wartime deployment by training their MI Soldiers’ across all intelligence disciplines in courses similar to those above.
The INSCOM Project Foundry office is continuing to expand relevant training opportunities to include additional national agency training support. The INSCOM CG’s vision for Foundry includes increased Reserve and National Guard MI participation through regional Foundry-supported training and production centers, such as at INSCOM Headquarters itself and the National Ground Intelligence Center. Project Foundry initiatives will lead to training centered on established MI standards and certifications, with dedicated cadre from all intelligence disciplines represented at local and regional training centers. In the future, Foundry will establish unit and functional partnerships between tactical and strategic MI units. Foundry significantly contributes to MI Soldiers’ wartime readiness, ensures that MI is never held in reserve, and is critical to the creation of Actionable Intelligence.