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Introduction
Army leaders at all levels emphasize readiness, professionalism, and ensuring Soldiers have all available tools at their disposal to effectively carry out the mission the Army entrusts them to conduct. Army counterintelligence (CI) has taken a step to increase readiness with a new initiative-the Army Intelligence Development Program-Counterintelligence (AIDP-CI). In June 2016, military personnel message 16-160 announced the first iteration of AIDP-CI. Established by the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), Army Intelligence Development Programs intend to produce "qualified junior officers who understand how to bring national and theater intelligence systems to the fight-supporting warfighters at the corps and below level." More specifically for counterintelligence, the message states AIDP-CI "develops officer counterintelligence and management skills in preparation for leadership roles in CI assignments."
Army Regulation 381-20, Army Counterintelligence Program, directs Army CI to conduct aggressive, comprehensive, and coordinated activities worldwide in the five functional areas of-
* Investigations.
* Operations.
* Collection.
* Analysis and production.
* Technical services and support activities.
The efforts of CI activities through these functions are to detect, identify, assess and counter, neutralize, or exploit the foreign intelligence and international terrorist threat to the U.S. Army and Department of Defense, and to identify and counter the collection efforts and activities of any other foreign adversary which presents a threat to lives, property, or security of Army forces.
challenge stems from the number of CI officers in the Army compared with the number of authorized billets. This number is consistently at a ratio of more than two-to-one that creates a large population of CI officers trained to conduct the counterintelligence mission but with no available positions. Now, officers selected for the AIDP-CI program attend the CIOC and receive the 35E AOC then immediately immerse in additional CI training followed by a utilization tour in a CI assignment.
There were previous efforts to create a selection process for CI officers. The original concept presented a simple premise. Enlisted Soldiers submit an application packet that includes an interview, background check and suitability assessment (per AR 381-20 and DA Pam 611-21). Therefore, officers who wanted to serve in the CI field should also undergo some type of selection process. However, one solid argument against this particular initiative...