Episode 637
“U.S. Army Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT)” – with Dennis Eger & Shawn Nilius
June 11, 20241h 3m
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Show Notes
Summary
Dennis Eger (LinkedIn) and Shawn Nilius (LinkedIn) join Andrew (X; LinkedIn) to discuss open-source intelligence. Combined, the two have over six decades of service to the U.S. Army.
What You’ll Learn
Intelligence
- What is Open-Source Intelligence
- How the US Army utilizes and collects OSINT
- OSINT across the Intelligence Community
- How OSINT has impacted the War in Ukraine
Reflections
- The power of information and how you use it
- Cyber ethics
And much, much more …
Quotes of the Week
“If [civilians are] taking a video and posting it, they become in the cycle … The amount of things that people do on the internet that leaves their data or their information out there – Their data becomes big part of the intelligence cycle and they probably don't even know that they're doing it.” – Dennis Eger.
Resources
SURFACE SKIM
*SpyCasts*
- My Life in American Intelligence with Barry Zulauf (2023)
- Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy with Michael Vickers (2023)
- Ukraine & the Alliance with NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence David Cattler (2023)
- Irregular Warfare & Intelligence with IWC Director Dennis Walters (2023)
*Beginner Resources*
- A Brief History of the US Army, R. Guina, The Military Wallet (2024) [Short article]
- What is Open-Source Intelligence? OSINT Dojo, YouTube (2023) [7 min. video]
- A Brief History of Open Source Intelligence, C. Colquhoun, Bellingcat (2016) [Short article]
DEEPER DIVE
Books
- OSINT Techniques: Resources for Uncovering Online Information, M. Bazzell (2023)
- Deep Dive: Exploring the Real-world Value of Open Source Intelligence, R. L. Baker (Wiley, 2023)
- Open Source Intelligence Methods and Tools: A Practical Guide to Online Intelligence, N. A. Hassan & R. Hijazi (Apress, 2018)
Primary Sources
- The IC OSINT Strategy (2024)
- Invasion of Ukraine on Google Maps (2022)
- Ethical Frameworks in Open-Source Intelligence (2022)
- Open-Source Intelligence, Department of the Army (2012)
- Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (2004)
*Wildcard Resource*
- While OSINT may seem like the new kid on the intelligence block, its foundations have actually been around perhaps longer than any other -INT.
- During the Civil War, the Bureau of Military Information collected open-source information from Southern newspapers to track the Confederate army. Check out this letter from Abraham Lincoln citing intelligence gathered on the location of Southern troops.
