Army ASI 3Q: Strategic Debriefer and Interrogator

In today’s post, we are going to look at the Army ASI 3Q: strategic debriefer and interrogator. This is a skill that is needed as information needs to be attained through sources in which only skilled interrogators can manage.

I will tell you about this additional skill and the training required to have the Army ASI 3Q in your Army portfolio. I also request that any Army personnel that are ASI 3Q qualified “pipe in” in the comments area and tell us more. Throughout this post, you will see the term HUMINT. HUMINT stands for human intelligence. While the Army can get intelligence from various sources, HUMINT is one of the highest used forms.

The HUMINT bible is Army Field Manual 34-52: Intelligence Interrogation. I suggest that if you have any questions on debriefing and interrogation, you should first refer to the FM 34-52.

The Difference Between Strategic Debriefing and Interrogation

To make this as simple as possible for your understanding, strategic debriefing is normally the act of gaining information from a willing source. Interrogation is normally the act of questioning non-willing sources.

Naturally, the ASI 3Q will treat each system differently. When strategic debriefing is used, the person is normally willing to provide the information, it is just up to the Debriefer to extract that information through viable questions. With an interrogation, many other tactics are used that would not be used to gain information from a willing source.

Strategic Debriefing

There is an art to strategic debriefing. The environment where it is done is an utmost priority. The person being debriefed must feel safe and comfortable. The goal is to obtain intelligence information with a high credibility rating. Some examples of humans who would be strategically debriefed are refugees, immigrants and selected United States sources.

There are even instances where strategic debriefing formats are used with known enemy sources to essentially “fool them” into thinking we do not know they are with the enemy.

There are certain regulations that must be followed in strategic debriefing. These rules can also vary depending on the location, whether in U.S. borders or out. And, of course this holds true with interrogation too.

Before strategic debriefing takes place, there is a large amount of planning and preparation. If the Debriefer has maps and other items with them, it can help the process. Specific questions must be developed so that the information will be attained in a way that aids the whole process. The Debriefer needs to use a system in which they develop trust and a rapport with the person being interviewed.

In Strategic Debriefing, intelligence is attained within one of 8 zones. The acronym BESTMAPS is used which tell us the 8 zones:

Biographic Intelligence. This consists of learning about other humans.
Economic Intelligence. This consists of learning the economic situation of a country or region.
Sociological Intelligence. This consists of the customs and behaviors of a people on a whole.
Transportation and Telecommunications Intelligence. This consists of mainly peacetime intelligence and covers a wide area.
Military Geographical Intelligence. It covers all the geographical factors as relating to the military.
Armed Forces Intelligence. This consists of learning all there is about a country’s armed forces.
Political Intelligence. As it says, learning about the politics of a country.
Scientific and Technical Intelligence. This helps us learn about all the technical capabilities of a country.

Interrogation

In many ways, interrogation follows the same basic principles of Strategic Debriefing. The main difference is the person being interviewed. Many other tactics are used to extract information, but unlike many 3rd world countries, the U.S. Army does not condone torture techniques.

Again, there are many rules and regulations on interrogation. This is why the courses Army personnel are so in depth.

Training For The Army ASI 3Q: Strategic Debriefer and Interrogator

Training to achieve this ASI takes place at the HUMINT Training Joint Center of Excellence at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. There are many training programs offered towards interrogation and strategic debriefing. I am going to tell you these courses. At the end of it I will have a link where you can look further into taking these courses if you would like to have the Army ASI 3Q qualifications.

The Defense Advanced Tradecraft Course (DATC): Collection, HUMINT and Intelligence Studies.

Defense Strategic Debriefing (DSDC): Collection

Joint Analyst and Interrogator Collaboration (JAICC): HUMINT

Joint Foreign Material Acquisition (JFMAC): Intelligence Operations and Intelligence Studies.

Joint HUMINT Analysis and Targeting (JHATC): HUMINT

Joint HUMINT Officer (JHOC): Intelligence Operations and HUMINT

Joint Interrogation Management (JIMC): HUMINT

Joint Senior Interrogator (JSIC): Intelligence Studies

Source Operations Course (SOC): Collection, HUMINT and Intelligence Studies.

Final Thoughts

Having the qualifications to interrogate and strategically debrief humans can be quite helpful in your Army career as well as your civilian career.

The Army is always in need of personnel capable of performing this kind of work.

I would love to hear from others who have taken any of these courses and have the ASI 3Q. Tell us more about this additional skill and why Army personnel would want to have it.

If you have comments or questions, just post them in the comments area below. We will attempt to answer your questions, or lead you somewhere where you can get them answered.

I am installing links to resources I used in the writing of this post. Thank you for visiting and thank you for your service.