got geoint?

Welcome once again to our Friday’s Food for Thought post. We hope you had a productive work week and are ready for a couple of days of rest. For many of our readers, it may not be a restful weekend. Next week, many schools around the country are opening their doors – that is right, summer is over. So, what better theme for the FFT post than the concept of going back to school. And, speaking of school, be sure to check out our segment on the GEOINT 101 course, as well as some classic humor from Rodney Dangerfield’s “Back to School.” Scroll down to read more.

GEOINT 101 Course: Don’t Miss It!
USGIF, in conjunction with the Intelligence and Security Academy, is hosting the first ever GEOINT 101 course, which is a one-day course providing an introduction to the fundamentals of the geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) community, core GEOINT technologies and operations, and the role of GEOINT in national security affairs supporting decision makers and operations. The course theme is “We are all GEOINTers,” draws on everyday experiences across all experience levels. Click here to learn about enrollment, also stay tuned for an exclusive podcast with Mark M. Lowenthal, President & CEO, The Intelligence & Security Academy.

GeoEye Opens Its Doors To DC Students
In keeping with the educational theme of this post, last week a group of Washington, D.C. students got a rare inside look into the workings of one of USGIF member company GeoEye. The students have spent the summer working in DC’s Geographic Information System department, and Aug. 14 took one of their last educational trips to GeoEye. We applaud GeoEye for opening the the minds of young people to the possibility of careers in GEOINT. And, GeoEye has been a top performer lately with major sales increases.

Flights to San Antonio for GEOINT 2009 Are Getting Cheaper! Book Your Travel
That is right. In order for the airlines to stay competitive and ensure that they increase the demand for flights, many are projected to cut their fares significantly this fall. American and Southwest both launched fare sales this week, and United is running several sales, according to this Yahoo! News article. So, be sure to book your travel for GEOINT 2009!

USGIF Awards Program Deadline is Next Week!
Speaking of GEOINT 2009, the USGIF Awards program deadline is next week. Members of the community are encouraged to nominate colleagues as well as their own work for recognition of outstanding efforts in advancing the tradecraft. Each year, the USGIF Awards Program acknowledges the accomplishments of industry, academia, government and military with multiple awards in its three awards categories. So, click here for the nomination forms and don’t miss the deadline!

Tips for the Non-Traditional Student
They say that education is a life-long process that does not end at graduation. For many, unfortunately, real life often gets in the way, and we don’t have the time or resources to focus on adult level courses and education. Well, we came across this About.com article that has tips and resources for the non-traditional student (i.e., adult). So, it is never too late to hit the books again and go back to school. Hey, if Rodney Dangerfield could do it, couldn’t you?

Back to School
Speaking of Rodney Dangerfield, how could we not include a clip from his 1986 classic comedy “Back to School”? And, what better way to get inspired to go back to school than the scene where Dangerfield does Dylan Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.” Rage into the dying of the light…happy Friday and enjoy!

Tags: Adult Education, Back to School, GEOINT 101, GEOINT 101 Course, GEOINT 2009, Mark M. Lowenthal, Rodney Dangerfield, USGIF, USGIF Awards Program