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January–April 2014 52 Engineer hardware or software packages, but provides an overview of Army geospatial systems and common geospatial software packages used by Army personnel at the tactical level. Also, the GETOC is not a geospatial intelligence course but it does explain what geospatial engineers do with respect to tactical geospatial intelligence operations. Although the course does not train students to conduct in-depth geospatial analysis, it does outline what is required to develop geospatial products that best enable tactical-level (squad to corps) mission sets. The GETOC educates students in nine fundamental concepts and one capstone exercise: ■ Geospatial information and services. ■ Geospatial data accuracy and data error. ■ Formats for digital geospatial data. ■ Geographic information systems. ■ Satellite imagery and remote sensing. ■ Global positioning system and digital surveying. ■ Digital terrain modeling. ■ Digital mapping. ■ Geospatial analysis. ■ Operation Caspian Tiger. For the capstone exercise, Operation Caspian Tiger, stu- dents apply their geospatial knowledge to develop a geo- spatial operations brief for a Stryker brigade combat team movement to contact into an urban environment. The exer- cise challenges students to use real-world geospatial data in the area of interest. Students use Esri ArcReader ® software for basic geospatial analysis. ArcReader is a free viewer that is compatible with Esri ArcGIS ® software, which is res- ident on the Digital Topographic Support System and will remain as the geospatial suite of software embedded in the Distributed Common Ground System–Army. Students are required to work in small teams and complete the capstone exercise brief to receive full credit for the GETOC. The sce- nario further challenges students to support the brigade combat team civil affairs mission in subsequent phases of the operation. G raduates from the GETOC have measurably improved their geospatial engineering aptitude, based on the results of the course examination. Based on the course after action review, 24 hours provide the proper amount of time and information to meet the baseline requirements for an introductory geospatial engi- neering course. This is also optimal for any Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve personnel who want to use the course as a option for their geospatial engineer- ing training. The nine fundamental concepts can be cov- ered over a training weekend using certifed instructors. The fnal exercise can be completed later, at a subsequent drill weekend or via digital media, at the discretion of the course director. To add an element of credentialing, students who achieve all course requirements will receive a certifcate of completion (suitable for framing) signed by the course director and a signed Department of the Army Form 87, Certifcate of Training. 2 Also, personnel who require docu- mentation for geographic information systems professional certifcation requirements will receive a memorandum signed by the course director, who is a certifed geographic systems professional. Impact of GETOC A critical responsibility of any senior commander is to train junior offcers on the engineering requirements .expected of them, and a concern in our brigade was the minimal amount of geospatial engineering curriculum currently available to offcers. Major Stevens stated "the expert understands the limits and capabilities of [geospa- tial information and services] and can integrate them into the appropriate tactical language and processes." 3 It is not expected that company grade offcers will become techni- cal geospatial experts or software gurus, but it is expected that they will possess a baseline expertise on the applica- tion of geospatial engineering when working within a bri- gade combat team, on a joint exercise with partner services or nations, or with a federal agency such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency in disaster relief opera- tions. Educating engineer offcers in geospatial engineer- ing is nothing new. However, given the current resource- constrained environment, geospatial engineer education is an area that requires more immediate solutions while expending minimum funding and resources. The cata- lyst for the GETOC was to present company grade off- cers assigned to the brigade with the relevant geospatial engineering knowledge required for Army- and land-based operations at the tactical level. With the development and implementation of the GETOC, graduates of the course can use what they learn to confdently tailor their future geospatial knowledge to what is required across the full spectrum of tactical operations, with the beneft of receiv- ing a quality educational course at a cost of just 24 hours of their time. Endnotes: 1 R. Wendell Stevens, "Enabling Engineer Offcers as Ter- rain Experts," thesis for master's degree in military art and science, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 6 June 2003, p. 23. 2 Department of the Army Form 87, Certifcate of Train- ing, 1 October 1978. 3 Stevens, p. 24. Lieutenant Colonel Ware serves as the deputy brigade 20th Engineer Brigade Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He holds an advanced degree in defense geographic the Royal School of Military EN Ware.1.indd 55 3/12/2014 1:43:38 PM