For those of you who may live in a cave, or who are not
familiar with the state of the PSYOP force within the Department of Defense, the
“Divorce” in the context of MISO and PSYOP means the bifurcation of AC and RC
MISO under two different chains of command. The AC is designated Special
Operations Forces (SOF) and falls under the Special Operations Command through
the Army Special Operations Command (ASOC) while the RC is (at least for the
moment) part of the “Big Army”.
This split exists in spite of the fact that SOCOM is
responsible for providing MISO specific equipment and that a SOF School (the
Fort Bragg based JFK Special Warfare Center) is the proponent and trainer of
all soldiers in the PSYOP Branch/Career Field.
This week I had the pleasure of portraying the senior
Information Operations (IO) Officer for a notional joint task force (JTF)
performing a Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO). While the exact doctrine
I employed may not have been the latest, I was able to act as the orchestrator
of MISO, PA, and EW to insure the synergistic effects of these functions, avoid
information fratricide and provide guidance as to implementation options and
capabilities.
As an unplanned for ‘crisis’ event the MISO support for the
NEO was provided by the AC MISO force. However, as the CDR evaluated his
evolving situation he tasked his staff to come up with alternative courses of
action (COA) just in case the President ordered the TF to transition to
stability operations.
I figured that part of what I needed to do was to determine
the MISO requirements to support this new mission and the best way to get them
for the boss.
Fortunately I have some very good friends who are on top of
these things and so I was able to get incredibly quick responses to my
inquiries. It would appear that the level of manning and the skills I projected
for the mission was about right.
The question of where they would come from was another
matter.
My analysis came up with the following alternatives:
1.
While the AC is not doctrinally or officially
tasked with providing long-term (more than 30 days) support to the Conventional
Force (CF), they could provide the support if they wanted to and the Command
agreed.
2.
The RC would not be able to provide personnel
unless they were mobilized and that could take as long as 3 to 6 months
extending beyond the actual need.
Given this is a hypothetical situation. The question remains
– where does it leave the force if this type of contingency arises as it very
well might in the not too distant future?
6 comments:
This appears to have posted twice-one above the other. Hope this helps.
@ William, similar headlines, but different posts.
No...within the body of this blog, the material is posted twice. After your "analysis" - the blog repeats itself.
I'm going to plead 'senior moment' and small screen on laptop. Thanks to my sharp eyed readers!
Is there any update on this? I know its moving around at command level pretty rapidly, any insight?
Word is the MISOC will take full PSYOP control (2, 4, 7, 8) within the next year and will finalize implementing within the next 2 years.
Verify?
@ Anon - I have no new information on the status.
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