Defense Disrupted

Ret. Lt. Gen. Bob Ashley on the Commander-Analyst Relationship

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Ret. Lt. Gen. Bob Ashley's career spans the complete transformation of military intelligence, from alcohol pens and map boards in 1987 to tactical Internet access at the squad level today. He witnessed and shaped how intelligence operations evolved across six combat tours and two decades of conflict. 

 

His insights highlight critical vulnerabilities in our communications-dependent approach to warfare and the fundamental relationship dynamics that determine intelligence effectiveness. Bob's framework for commander-analyst relationships challenges conventional wisdom about information flow in military organizations. 

 

Bob also emphasizes that commanders must brief analysts before analysts brief commanders, establishing mission context that drives effective intelligence collection and analysis. His perspective on the flattening of intelligence hierarchies exposes both opportunities and risks in modern warfare, particularly the tension between information accessibility and operational security in contested environments.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • The symbiotic relationship between commanders and intelligence analysts that requires mission briefings before intelligence briefings.
  • Intelligence hierarchy transformation from multi-echelon request processes to direct tactical access of national-level databases.
  • Temporal decision-making challenges across tactical, operational, and strategic levels where threat detection speed varies dramatically.
  • The evolution from stovepiped intelligence databases requiring liaison officer intermediaries to direct query access for tactical units in combat.
  • Communications dependency vulnerabilities in modern warfare where network access enables capability but creates exploitable attack vectors.
  • Ambiguous versus unambiguous warning indicators in strategic intelligence, including the decision-making process for releasing invasion predictions.
  • Priority intelligence requirements methodology for managing information overload and ensuring relevant data collection aligned with operational objectives.
  • The National Intelligence Priorities Framework cascade through Defense Intelligence Analysis Program (DIAP) for strategic-level intelligence planning and resource allocation.
  • Automation concerns in weapons systems particularly around maintaining human decision-making authority for kinetic actions while scaling defensive capabilities.
    • ...more
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