IDC collaboration site

The IDC has started a collaboration site on MilSuite. Check it out here:

https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/navy-information-dominance-outreach

I'd encourage all people, even non-IDC personnel, to check it out.

They had two articles of interest for me.  One discussed the Pacific Fleet Intelligence Federation, which I left a positive comment on since I'm working in it right now.

The other was EIDWS.  I'm not a huge fan of how I've seen EIDWS rolled out anywhere, since it does not resemble how the Navy does normal qualification processes, and the changes aren't good.  I left the following comment:


I take issue with a few points and a lot of how EIDWS has been implemented.

- The mandatory part hasn't really taken hold. Plenty of commands are struggling with Sailors that think "EIDWS is stupid." This happens in all communities, but what isn't happening in the IDC is the punishment of Sailors that don't or can't qualify. Those that choose not to qualify should be told to go elsewhere, and those that can't qualify should find a new community where perhaps they can better serve. On the officer side, my command had to non-attain four officers (which ended their naval careers) because we held a standard, and while it's sad to let people go, the Navy is better off opening those slots to more motivated and better qualified officers.
- This bulletin makes EIDWS out like a completely separate program from the officer's qualification. That is not how any other warfare area runs, and it's stupid. For example, in the submarine community most of the qualification signatures come from enlisted personnel, who are the experts on their systems, and it's only at the tail end that you find signatures that only officers sign. Enlisted submarine quals are similar, where many signatures can come from any JO qualified as an OOD. This helps build trust between officers and enlisted, and it makes each side invested in each others training. The thought that this doesn't hold true in the IDC is completely out of line.

How to fix this? The Navy has a great model for warfare quals. Let's try using it. You must earn your place in the IDC, and failure to qualify should mean you are told to leave. Get all parties involved in training, officer and enlisted, since we are in the fight together and can benefit from each others knowledge.