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by Cpt. Brad Foreman, 304th Military Intelligence Battalion
FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. — In early February, the 111th Military Intelligence (MI) Brigade (BDE) launched the Threat Immersion Program, an initiative to remind students in the 304th MI Battalion (BN), 305th MI BN, 309th MI BN, and 344th MI BN, that the threat from our adversaries is real, and it is present. Parts one and two of this series explored the genesis and implementation of 111th MI BDE Commander Col. Patrick Schorpp’s initiative, but where does the program go from here?
The program continues to evolve, with structural plans already taking place. The materials will be kept in a repository, so each unit has access as needed. Schorpp is also open to the idea of a central database available to the larger MI community, though implementation is currently difficult in the resource-constrained environment of today.
“We want to introduce real equipment too. RPGs, AK-47s… some of it will cost money that we don’t currently have,” Schorpp explained.
According to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Scott Worley, larger equipment is also on the table. “There is a possibility that we will see the adversary’s vehicles [on the Nicholson Hall back pad],” he said. “Of course, given the fiscal limitations of today’s training environment, it might be a while before we see that.”
The program goes beyond physical materials, integrating digital tools into students’ daily lives. According to Worley, “We’re developing quizzes [on the student network]. When you log on to your computer, something will pop up and say, ‘what kind of vehicle is this?’ And it will be a T-72 or T-90 or 9A51. You will pick the correct answer, and then it will let you log in. If you select the wrong answer, it will give you the right answer and an explanation before moving to the login screen.”
Chief Warrant Officer 4 John Livesey, 35G Committee Chief and one of the architects for the digital systems quiz, is already part of the beta test G6 has started putting on student network home screens. He and several of his committee members are conducting quality control as part of the program’s rollout.
“[The digital systems quiz] is still being developed. Students will identify vehicles, symbology, and nations before being able to proceed. It’s meant to be minimally invasive, so it doesn’t create additional stress,” he said.
Livesey expects this quiz to be on all students’ computers after login within a few months, depending on how fast the relevant information can be compiled and quality controlled.
CONCLUSION
The Threat Immersion Program is the 111th’s vision to develop the most professional intelligence warfighters. In the classroom, students learn theory, but outside of it, they build their understanding of the real-world modern adversary.
Worley is confident the program will enhance the quality of MI Soldiers arriving at their units from Fort Huachuca. “I’m hoping that this program lets them know that those threats are out there. I think we forget that sometimes as a country. Ukraine now knows that these threats are real. Taiwan is very close to finding out that those threats are real. Israel—the Iranian strikes that are happening back and forth—I mean, it’s real. It’s happening. And understanding the baseline of what is out there and what your adversary has and how they fight are probably the best part of this program. The threat is real, and we need to know how to defend or fight it,” he said.
Schorpp echoed this sentiment. “Everywhere you go, you don’t forget that the threat is out there, and the adversary is real. It shouldn’t be this nebulous construct that’s out there somewhere. Everybody needs to understand what information the commander is after, and everyone has a role in extracting that,” he said.
Although the Threat Immersion Program is just finding its footing, it has gained strong support from those building it. “I get excited about the meetings. I like watching it evolve. It’s one of the meetings where I show up 20 minutes early. I don’t normally get excited about meetings after 26 years of them, but this [program] has changed that,” Worley said.
As the program continues, Soldiers will become more accustomed to recognizing adversary threats in their daily environment. Through passive exposure and active learning, the Army is shaping its most technically proficient intelligence warfighters in its 250-year history—ready from day one. The 111th is leading the charge to make this a reality for commanders across the U.S. Army.
| Date Taken: | 02.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.27.2025 11:09 |
| Story ID: | 491682 |
| Location: | FORT HUACHUCA, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 102 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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