News From USJFCOM: JTC-I targeteer named USJFCOM’s junior officer of the quarter


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JTC-I targeteer named USJFCOM’s junior officer of the quarter

Marine Capt. William Diggons, a targeteer with Joint Transformation Command-Intelligence's (JTC-I) Functional Intelligence Directorate, received top honors as the command's Junior Officer of the 4th Quarter.

By Jacob Boyer
USJFCOM Public Afairs

(NORFOLK, Va. - Jan. 5, 2010) -– A targeteer with the Joint Transformation Command-Intelligence’s (JTC-I) Functional Intelligence Directorate has distinguished himself as U.S. Joint Forces Command’s (USJFCOM) Junior Officer of the Quarter.

Marine Capt. William Diggons, a native of Houston, primarily works at the Joint Warfighting Center’s Joint Exercise Division, both helping to develop training scenarios for intelligence targeting warfighters preparing to deploy to Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas worldwide and actually training those service members.

“On the one hand, we coach, train and mentor,” Diggons said. “If we have a brand-new targeting shop or unit that’s coming together for the first time, we might be responsible for actually teaching them the [standard operating procedures] or the theater standards. On the other hand, we’re also responsible for running the game. We have our hand in all of the storylines and all of the events that relate to targeting.”

Diggons said looking at how different services and commands prioritize their intelligence targeting is a unique challenge.

“[My] job is to understand facilities, infrastructure, networks, individuals and how to most effectively disable, disrupt, degrade or destroy those targets,” he said. “Each theater has its own lens that you have to put on and understand.”

That challenge is what Diggons, who has served in the Marine Corps for seven years, really enjoys about his job, he said.

“It’s interacting with all the services,” Diggons said. “We get to meet people from all the different services and all different levels of command who are just interested in getting ready to go overseas and do their part for [Operation Enduring Freedom] or [Operation Iraqi Freedom].

“The greatest benefit for us is when the training audience comes back and says they really got something useful out of it,” he continued. “Because we have ties and keep in touch with the people who are downrange already, we’ve been able to introduce a new SOP or highlight a new procedure or give them a new vignette that they weren’t aware of or maybe they overlooked.”

Navy Lt. Ryan Hart, who has worked as a targeteer with Diggons since the latter arrived here more than a year ago, said Diggons deserves the recognition because of his professionalism, his leadership and his presence.

“He comes into the room and he’s very knowledgeable and has that presence that just dictates knowledge and an understanding of the mission and tasks at hand,” he said.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Charles Occhipinti, a targets exercise planner who works for Diggons, said he allows his subordinates to do the work they are capable of without interfering.

“Working for him is very easy” Occhipinti said. “He isn’t an overbearing person. He allows the people in the shop to go about their daily business without having to micromanage everything. If you have a job to do, you get it done without him bugging you every hour or so. That’s a pretty effective way to lead here.”

Diggons said his job – preparing people to do their job on today’s battlefield – is its own reward.

“Just knowing those people are really prepared to go downrange is really the benefit at the end of the day,” he said. “That’s why all of us keep coming back. Even though we’re not the ones going over, we’re making sure the people who do are prepared.”