Engaging future leaders from across the Americas, the National Intelligence University (NIU) joined the Inter-American Defense College (IADC) last month to offer the first educational “Strategic Intelligence Day” at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. The event — designed for senior-level and future national-level leaders — featured special guest speaker and DIA Deputy Director David Shedd and graduate-level lessons on strategic intelligence by the NIU faculty.
“The students, who represented 15 countries, were impressed that intelligence professionals, not to mention the deputy director of DIA, spoke so candidly on such current and relevant issues, and answered all their questions without pulling any punches,” said event host Eric Hammersen, NIU vice president of the Office of Outreach. Students in attendance were from participating countries that included Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the United States.
DIA Deputy Addresses Intelligence Challenges
Shedd concentrated on the challenges of intelligence at the national strategic level in today’s ever-changing world. Students, IADC faculty and senior leadership welcomed the interactive exchange of questions and ideas.
“Students also recognized the high quality of the content of the material and the outstanding professionalism and engagement,” Hammersen remarked about the feedback he received from students after the conclusion of the program.
Four faculty from the NIU College of Strategic Intelligence provided graduate-level lectures on strategic intelligence and its application to strategy for the students who are preparing for roles as strategic advisers to national policymakers. Gerry Sherrill addressed the nature of intelligence in the modern era and its role in national security.
LTC Alex Stephenson and Dr. Bill Spracher led an interactive discussion, “The Intelligence Process, Integration, and Collaboration,” looking at the intelligence cycle and the issue of intelligence integration and collaboration. Bill Colligan taught “Strategic Intelligence and National Security” tackling the critical issue of the relationships between strategic intelligence, strategy and strategic planning; and between the policymaker, strategist and strategic intelligence analyst.
The program concluded with a challenge to students to consider how strategic intelligence should be used to support the political leadership in their own nations, as well as their role in supporting their own national policymakers.