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A ‘FIR-st’ for SCS

SUMMARY

The Special Collection Service site in Damascus issued the first-ever First Instance Report (FIR), which is an expedited way to share signals intelligence gathered at an SCS location with other members of the intelligence community; it also eliminates the need for certain kinds of follow-up reporting.

DOCUMENT’S DATE

Jan 20, 2005

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE

Feb 05, 2018

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Page 1 from A ‘FIR-st’ for SCS
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (U) A 'FIR-st' for SCS FROM: Analysis & Production Operations Staff (S2041) Run Date: 01/20/2005 SCS Damascus issues the first-ever First Instance Report (S//REL) (S//REL) The First Instance Reporting Working Group (FIRWG) -- fondly known to its S1, S2 and SCS members as the "furwig" -- is pleased to announce the publication of the first SCS First Instance Report, issued by the SCS site in Damascus on 6 January 2005 (3/3R/1-05 DTG 060830Z JAN 05). Cross-SID teaming with the Special Collection Service (SCS) allowed this transformational breakthrough to occur in just over 6 months from the inception of the idea to the issuance of the first reports. (S//REL) In DIRgram-385 , the Director praised SCS as a model expeditionary SIGINT force -- a group of dedicated, multi-disciplined professionals globally deployed in the Intelligence Community (IC) customers' information and physical space. First Instance Reporting harnesses this valuable resource. (U//FOUO) What does the transition to First Instance Reporting mean to IC customers? It means customers will have access to intelligence earlier in the analysis stream -- which customers have clamored for. It means that customers will immediately be able to use this first instance information in follow-on activities such as briefings, summaries, and assessments.The Iraq IMT characterizes it this way: "There is just too much demand, too much information, too much urgency to not do FIRs." (S//REL) But what about me, the NSA analyst? What does the transition to First Instance Reporting mean to me? It means that customers will receive First Instance Reports directly, eliminating the need to "turn around" local support reports (LSRs) into end-product reports. In fact, FIRs are end-product reports! FIRs can be cited in any end-product report that contains amplifying information, thus avoiding circular reporting. This initiative also opens opportunities for developing relationships with our SCS partners, whose skill and expertise -- not to mention their 24/7 presence worldwide-can be leveraged to provide round-the-clock and round-the-globe SIGINT reporting to customers. (S//REL) The first phase of FIR reporting is occurring right now in the Iraq theater. SCS sites in Damascus, Kuwait City and Baghdad are currently issuing FIRs; Mosul is set to come on line next. The remaining SCS sites will be phased in over the coming weeks and months, and preparations are taking place to begin First Instance Reporting at the sites in Tbilisi, Baku, Bangkok, and Rangoon. To view the FIR implementation schedule, or to find out more about First Instance Reporting, please visit ("go scs-reporting"), or contact the A&P Operations Staff (DL S2041_policy), . We welcome your comments! (U//FOUO) For related info, see the article (U//FOUO) SCS Local Support Reporting to Evolve into 'First Instance' End Product Reporting . "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)." DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
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DERIVED FROM: 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108