Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The World Basic Information Library Program
The World Basic Information Library (WBIL) Program enables Reserve Component (RC) personnel of all services, military specialties and ranks to perform research in support of the Intelligence Community (IC) and military command requirements through telecommuting--working at a time and place of their choosing. The WBIL Program was conceived in 1996 by Mr. Ed Waller then of the IC Open Source Program Office (COSPO) which developed and proved the concept, and then asked the Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) to manage the personnel, production, and telecommunications architecture. The founding premise was to better engage and utilize the civilian acquired skills of members of the Reserve Component (RC), especially members of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), by engaging them regardless of branch of service, military skills, rank or specialty, in research that supports the IC's requirements. Since its inception the WBIL program has been and remains a joint program with participants from all military services, and presently has RC, Active Component (AC), and retiree members participating as well as a group of contracted researchers--all supporting IC and unit requirements.
The ability to perform this work requires only that one have access to a computer with Internet access. All other required materials and software are provided by the FMSO office in conjunction with the Intelink Management Office which provides access to the Open Source Information System (OSIS) network. Research, collection, and archiving documents via the WBIL program are done at a time and place of the individual's choosing. That can be from a Reserve center, the individual's home or place of work, or at a Joint Reserve Intelligence Center (JRIC). The Internet is a means of contributing researched material to the WBIL, as well as for accessing the Library. The Internet is only one source of information to support the IC requirements. As long as source material can be converted to an electronic format it can be archived into the WBIL. The Internet is a principal source for the WBIL program only because of its ease in accessing and archiving.
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The WBIL is hosted on the OSIS network and replicated on the Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNET) and the Joint Worlddwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS). To access the OSIS virtual private network (VPN) one requests an account from the unit's "OSIS Trusted Agent" or directly from the IMO/OSIS [accounts@intelink. gov], configures the computer, and then logs on. For personnel working in the WBIL program the FMSO provides initial training material to walk a person through the process of getting OSIS access, OS information research, use of the Pathfinder software, and the methods and standards for archiving material into the WBIL. More advanced training is provided by the Open Source Information Research and Analysis (OSIRA) course described below.
The WBIL program researchers address requirements that are based upon a "sanitized" or unclassified version of the IC's requirements. Subject areas range from anthropology and culture to economics, politics, government, military, biographies, and science and technology as well as all of the emerging or transnational threats such as terrorism, drug trafficking, and information operations. Additionally, many commands and agencies make specific requests of the WBIL Program for information to support their requirements which they are not able to fulfill due to a lack of personnel or competing priorities.
The WBIL program uses intuitive and highly "user friendly" commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software to collect, catalog, and archive source documents in their entirety, thus the use of the term "library" rather than database or portal. In order to ensure that the source document remains accessible to the analyst, the WBIL archives the full original document--text, imagery, sound and video--that addresses the requirement. In that way although the original Internet website may disappear, the WBIL will retain the information for perpetual use by the IC.
An individual, whether in an intelligence organization or not, accesses the WBIL by using the Pathfinder analytic suite of software. This version of Pathfinder is hosted by the FMSO on its OSIS website and is replicated on SIPRNET and JWICS by the Ground Intelligence Support Activity (GISA) and National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC). Pathfinder permits the user to not only search and retrieve source material but also to support their analytical interests via tools such as map plotting geo-referenced materials, and conduct link analysis, establish personal databases, and perform temporal and matrix analyses. For the uncleared person this utilization of Pathfinder is an additional training and the NORTHCOM detachment developed a close, cooperative arrangement around the exploitation of open source information. NORTHCOM appreciated the advantages derived from the close association between its detachment and the FMSO analysts and assisted in the relocation and expansion of the Fort Leavenworth JRIC into its new, three-story facility with enhanced connectivity, thanks to the support of the Joint Reserve Intelligence Program (JRIP). This expanded facility has created opportunities for more reserve intelligence units to drill at the JRIC and other agencies to locate there. Thanks to the team's efforts, FMSO has also forged productive partnerships in the area of OSINT with the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS)--now the Open Source Center--and the Border Patrol's Field Intelligence Center (BORFIC). Recognizing the need to train personnel in open source methodology, FMSO in conjunction with the NORTHCOM J2 Detachment developed the Open Source Intelligence Research and Analysis (OSIRA) course. FMSO has also supported the National Guard Bureau's training effort in the same area.
The ability to perform this work requires only that one have access to a computer with Internet access. All other required materials and software are provided by the FMSO office in conjunction with the Intelink Management Office which provides access to the Open Source Information System (OSIS) network. Research, collection, and archiving documents via the WBIL program are done at a time and place of the individual's choosing. That can be from a Reserve center, the individual's home or place of work, or at a Joint Reserve Intelligence Center (JRIC). The Internet is a means of contributing researched material to the WBIL, as well as for accessing the Library. The Internet is only one source of information to support the IC requirements. As long as source material can be converted to an electronic format it can be archived into the WBIL. The Internet is a principal source for the WBIL program only because of its ease in accessing and archiving.
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The WBIL is hosted on the OSIS network and replicated on the Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNET) and the Joint Worlddwide Intelligence Communications System (JWICS). To access the OSIS virtual private network (VPN) one requests an account from the unit's "OSIS Trusted Agent" or directly from the IMO/OSIS [accounts@intelink. gov], configures the computer, and then logs on. For personnel working in the WBIL program the FMSO provides initial training material to walk a person through the process of getting OSIS access, OS information research, use of the Pathfinder software, and the methods and standards for archiving material into the WBIL. More advanced training is provided by the Open Source Information Research and Analysis (OSIRA) course described below.
The WBIL program researchers address requirements that are based upon a "sanitized" or unclassified version of the IC's requirements. Subject areas range from anthropology and culture to economics, politics, government, military, biographies, and science and technology as well as all of the emerging or transnational threats such as terrorism, drug trafficking, and information operations. Additionally, many commands and agencies make specific requests of the WBIL Program for information to support their requirements which they are not able to fulfill due to a lack of personnel or competing priorities.
The WBIL program uses intuitive and highly "user friendly" commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software to collect, catalog, and archive source documents in their entirety, thus the use of the term "library" rather than database or portal. In order to ensure that the source document remains accessible to the analyst, the WBIL archives the full original document--text, imagery, sound and video--that addresses the requirement. In that way although the original Internet website may disappear, the WBIL will retain the information for perpetual use by the IC.
An individual, whether in an intelligence organization or not, accesses the WBIL by using the Pathfinder analytic suite of software. This version of Pathfinder is hosted by the FMSO on its OSIS website and is replicated on SIPRNET and JWICS by the Ground Intelligence Support Activity (GISA) and National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC). Pathfinder permits the user to not only search and retrieve source material but also to support their analytical interests via tools such as map plotting geo-referenced materials, and conduct link analysis, establish personal databases, and perform temporal and matrix analyses. For the uncleared person this utilization of Pathfinder is an additional training and the NORTHCOM detachment developed a close, cooperative arrangement around the exploitation of open source information. NORTHCOM appreciated the advantages derived from the close association between its detachment and the FMSO analysts and assisted in the relocation and expansion of the Fort Leavenworth JRIC into its new, three-story facility with enhanced connectivity, thanks to the support of the Joint Reserve Intelligence Program (JRIP). This expanded facility has created opportunities for more reserve intelligence units to drill at the JRIC and other agencies to locate there. Thanks to the team's efforts, FMSO has also forged productive partnerships in the area of OSINT with the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS)--now the Open Source Center--and the Border Patrol's Field Intelligence Center (BORFIC). Recognizing the need to train personnel in open source methodology, FMSO in conjunction with the NORTHCOM J2 Detachment developed the Open Source Intelligence Research and Analysis (OSIRA) course. FMSO has also supported the National Guard Bureau's training effort in the same area.
# posted by Medical Information : 4:37 AM
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