An Cosantóir the official magazine of the Irish Defence Forces and Reserve Defence Forces.
Issue link: https://digital.jmpublishing.ie/i/535716
www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 17 Ironically from an Irish perspective, weapons techni- cal intelligence has been part of the Ordnance Corps' culture going back over 40 years to the commencement of the 'The Troubles'. It was put to some of us as students back in 2011 that we have in fact been compiling WIT Level 2 reports for years, although not in the modern C-IED context. The Defence Forces has sole responsibility for EOD opera- tions within the state and is legally engaged as aid to the civil power for EOD operations. Therefore, the relationship with our police force is not ad hoc in nature, which often characterises weapons intel- ligence exchange relationships when it comes to in other juris- dictions and theatres. The Irish experience conveys the long established practicalities of the interagency relationship, which is evidence that it is achievable conceptually. Ideally, a WIT Team is part of a holistic, coordinated approach incorporating multiple units, disciplines, functions, and processes that support technical and forensic exploitation. Level 1 teaching provides the basics and of its own has proven responsive practical utility given the right combination of skills to examine scenes, collect evidence and exploit. The preventative function at level 1 is covered by training. The existence of specialist facilities such TELD and JDEAL brings us up to the realms of triage, bio- metrics, electronics and intelligence fusion, which requires indoctrination at national and European level. The scope of such facilities is of national and European import and their function and vision needs to be known by a wider technical and intelligence audience. Finally, it is the duty of a WIT investigator to inform and educate. (It actually says so in the WIT Manual 2011.) The Irish Defence Forces have just trained 12 more WIT personnel and the enthusiasm at the course debrief was palpable. Soldiers have instinctive survival traits that Weapons Intelligence in its complexity, when taught properly, grasps. It is essential that this expertise is not wasted or skills al- lowed to fade, and that the successful completion of WIT courses is comprehended by the soldier and his superiors as having lasting worth and intrinsic value.