US Army Psychological Operations Forces

The US Army maintains Active Component (AC) and Reserve Component (RC) forces to plan and conduct PSYOP. These units are available to support combatant command training exercises and to furnish advice and assistance (JP 3-53).

US Army PSYOP forces plan and execute the Joint Force Commanders’ PSYOP activities at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels; support all special operations missions; and conduct PSYOP in support of consolidation missions. Specially trained units support enemy prisoner of war (EPW) missions. US Army PSYOP group and battalion headquarters are structured to provide command and control of subordinate units that conduct PSYOP missions.

All AC and RC US Army PSYOP forces are assigned to the US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (USACAPOC), a major subordinate command of the US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The AC forces are organized under the 4th Psychological Operations Group with four regionally oriented battalions, a tactical support battalion, and a PSYOP dissemination battalion.

 

PSYOP Group (POG)

The Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Group plans and conducts PSYOP activities authorized and implemented worldwide in support of all non-mobilization contingencies during crisis and open hostilities short of declared war. It also develops, coordinates, and executes peacetime PSYOP activities. In addition, should war be declared, the PSYOP Group assists in the planning and execution of strategic and operational PSYOP for the unified command CINCs.

 

PSYOP Dissemination Battalion (PDB)

The PSYOP Dissemination Battalion provides audiovisual and printed material production, signal support, and media broadcast capabilities to support the PSYOP group, Regional Support Battalions (RSB), and the Tactical Support Battalions (TSB). This battalion is capable of deploying these capabilities or can produce products at Fort Bragg. If host nation support agreements are in place, PSYOP personnel can print on foreign presses and broadcast from surrogate stations in theater. The PSYOP Dissemination Battalion also provides many non- PSYOP specific support service to the PSYOP Group like communications and electronic maintenance services.

 

PSYOP Regional Support Battalion (RSB)

The PSYOP Regional Support Battalion (RSB) consists of a headquarters element, a support company, and one or more regional support companies. Each regional battalion divides geographic responsibility between their subordinate companies and further to the individual Product Development Centers (PDC) at the Operational Detachment (OPDET) level. A PDC consist of a team of 10-15 soldiers who develop audio, visual, and audiovisual product prototypes in support of the PSYOP campaigns. Each RSB is supported by a Strategic Studies Detachment (SSD) that is staffed by civilian analysts and produces PSYOP studies for the regional CINCs.

 

PSYOP Tactical Support Battalion (TSB)

A Tactical Support Battalion (TSB) provides tactical PSYOP support for one rapid deployment corps’ contingency requirements and, as required, the SOF community. The battalion consists of a headquarters and support company and one or more tactical support companies. The Tactical Support Battalion serves as the Corps PSYOP Support Element (CPSE) and assigns its subordinate Tactical Support Companies (TSC) to serve as the Division PSYOP Support Elements (DPSE). DPSEs are further supported by their platoons in the form of Brigade PSYOP Support Elements (BPSE). The smallest unit of tactical PSYOP support is the three-soldier Tactical PSYOP Team (TPT).

 

Reserve Component Psychological Operation Forces

The majority of the Army’s PSYOP forces rest in the Army Reserve. During peacetime, RC PSYOP personnel will actively participate with AC PSYOP personnel in an integrated planning and training program to prepare for regional conflicts or contingencies. RC personnel and forces will also be involved with the AC in the planning and execution of peacetime PSYOP programs. In wartime, RC PSYOP personnel or units may be mobilized by the service, as required by combatant commanders, to augment AC PSYOP forces. RC PSYOP forces can also continue peacetime PSYOP programs in the absence of AC PSYOP forces when mobilized or directed. RC PSYOP Groups and Battalions possess the capability to deploy a PSYOP task force if required.

 

Psychological Operation Equipment

US Army PSYOP equipment is instrumental in the development and dissemination of PSYOP products. Unique equipment assets include 10 kilowatt and 50 kilowatt TV and radio broadcast transmitters, print systems, loudspeakers, and mobile audiovisual vans.

 

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U. S. Army Civil Affairs
and Psychological Operations Command Fact Sheet

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About 96 percent Of USACAPOC (Abn)'s approximately 10,000 are in the Reserve component and are located in 25 states. The Army Reserve major subordinate units include the 350th, 351st, 352nd, and 353rd Civil Affairs Commands, each with subordinate brigades and battalions, and the 2nd and 7th Psychological Operations Groups, each with four battalions and subordinate companies

The command has one active duty Psychological Operations unit, the 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), with six battalions; and one active duty Civil Affairs unit, the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), with six companies. Both units are located at Fort Bragg, N.C.

USACAPOC(A), also headquartered at Fort Bragg, is one of four major commands comprising the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. USACAPOC(A) soldiers maintain the highest standards of training and physical readiness in order to be prepared to deploy anywhere in the world on short notice.

Although Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations activities often complement each other, each battle system operates individually in support of field commanders.

Civil Affairs soldiers are the field commander's link to the civil authorities in his area of operations. With specialists in every area of the government, they can assist a host government meet its people's needs and maintain a stable and viable civil administration.

Civil Affairs soldiers possess unique training, skills and experience. Since the majority of the Civil Affairs forces are in the Reserve component, these soldiers bring to the Army finely honed skills practiced daily in the civilian sector as judges, physicians, bankers, health inspectors, fire chiefs, etc.

Psychological Operations soldiers use persuasion to influence perceptions and encourage desired behavior. The cornerstone of PSYOP is truth, credibly presented to convince a given audience to cease resistance or take actions favorable to friendly forces. During Desert Storm, the effective use of PSYOP was a combat multiplier that directly contributed to the surrender of thousands of Iraqi soldiers. It is clear its effectiveness saved countless coalition and Iraqi lives.

Psychological Operations units also have soldiers with unique skills. These soldiers are communicators who provide the commander with the ability to communicate information to large audiences via radio, television, leaflets and loudspeakers. The PSYOP soldier's language skills, regional orientation and knowledge of communications media provide a means of delivering critical information to host-nation audiences.

USACAPOC (Abn) units provide support to all theater commanders in meeting their global commitments. USACAPOC (Abn) soldiers have contributed significantly to Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, recent humanitarian missions and a variety of other operations. They assisted victims of Hurricane Andrew in Florida, coordinated refuge for Cubans and Haitians in Cuba, and were among the first soldiers sent to Somalia and Haiti. CA and PSYOP specialists have been an integral part of peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Kosovo and are among the most frequently deployed soldiers in the Army today.

The unique training, experience and abilities of USACAPOC (Abn)'s soldiers make them an ideal asset in dealing with national priorities.