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ISR Effects initiative connects intel Airmen with outcome of efforts

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Eboni Prince
  • 480th ISR Wing Public Affairs

Intelligence analysts are often the driving force behind mission successes worldwide. Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Airmen take data from all domains, analyze it and turn it into decision quality information for countless customers on a daily basis. 

One of the issues in providing intelligence with a continuous operations tempo is that analysts often do not receive feedback regarding the fruits of their labor. 

Consequently, a few members of the 8th Intelligence Squadron launched an initiative to scour systems of records and build communication bridges with mission partners to instill the true impact and effectiveness of intelligence analysts’ hard work. 

Thus, ISR Effects was created. 

Designed to provide individual and meaningful feedback to Airmen within the squadron, the initiative directly supports the 480 ISR Wing’s interdependent priority to make the wing an assignment of choice by investing in ways to connect Airmen to the outcome of their efforts. 

Senior Master Sgt. Charles Edwards, 8th IS operations superintendent, launched the initiative by selecting two subject-matter experts with diverse operational backgrounds who shared a passion to innovate the best way to empower Airmen. These two Airmen, Staff Sgts. Dora Saladee and Jhonathan Jimenez conceptualized the foundations, tactics, techniques and procedures necessary to create a program that contributes to Airman morale and resiliency. 

“The work this team does, closes the feedback loop of the intelligence process and builds compelling narratives backed by deep qualitative and quantitative impacts of daily intelligence tasks that help eliminate the drudgery that can build without an effort of this kind,” said Edwards. 

Saladee and Jimenez spend every workday dedicated to researching missions, communicating with mission partners, compiling and managing data, as well as brainstorming innovative acquisition methods. 

“I think this is an amazing program that helped scratch an itch intel analysts have had for a long time,” said Jimenez. “Many times, they feel they simply produce products and reports to no end and rarely understand the importance of how those reports are being utilized within the intelligence community. With this program, we have witnessed firsthand the surprise in Airmen as they learn the level to which their intelligence efforts are being implemented.” 

ISR Airmen like Tech. Sgt. Nicole Boggs, 8th IS intelligence analyst, have already felt the impact of what ISR Effects can bring to the unit in the few short months. 

“The ISR Effects reports bring awareness to Airmen with our unit which demonstrations how their actions, no matter how seemingly small, have a bigger purpose, and increases individual knowledge of how far-reaching the ISR enterprise impression really is,” said Boggs. 

Mission partners rely on these Airmen and their cognitive abilities, coupled with high-end technologies, to help provide an advantage. It seems only fitting that the significance of their work be understood, highlighted and emphasized. 

“ISR Effects efforts reinforces the teamwork necessary to secure these outcomes,” said Edwards. “Our team has done a fantastic job in emphasizing that the work we do means people who never knew we were there are safe to continue defending the U.S. and its interests.”