April Leaflet Drop from PSYOP Veterans Association

 

POVA LEAFLET DROP - MARCH 2023 

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 

Greetings and welcome to your April Leaflet Drop. 

In April we welcomed two new members: Jordan Hamilton and Bill Holland. 

Your Board of Directors held our second monthly meeting on 12 April.Attending were Larry Dietz; Mike Robbins, Brett Cox, Herb Friedman and Dan Wood. 

Anyone who would like a copy of the minutes can email me at: Dietz.POVA@gmail.com and I will send a copy. The Board agreed to meet monthly. Our next meeting is 17 May at 1900. 

Some highlights from our meeting were: 

The March Leaflet Drop was sent to 578 email addresses. 

We had a 59% open rate which is well above the industry rate of between 17 and 28% 

We are still evaluating moving our banking relationship and are considering Wells Fargo and Edward Jones. Anyone with input please let me know. 

The Association will also be moving our official mailing address from Michigan to California in the near future. 

Our next virtualBoard meeting is scheduled for 17 MY at 1900 Eastern Time. If you would like to attend please let me know via email. 

Our President Emeritus, Chad Spawr, has just published a memoir about his personal experience in Viet Nam. I have read it and it is a deeply moving and personal account of his time there. Interestingly enough, Chad and both spent time at Quan Loi and Dau Tieng, but our experiences were quite different. 

Entitled "Memoir of a Hard Time: Memories from my Time at War," the book is available on Amazon in either paperback or Kindle-reader format. 

Chad's book is purely personal. It is neither a war story, nor a history of the Viet Nam War. It shares several memories from his time in-country. To access the book you can visit Amazon and search for the title, or click on the following link:

https://a.co/d/cfpCggy" 

Thanks to our colleagues at the PSYOP Regimental Association (PRA), I was put in contact with the Director of Doctrine at JFK Special Warfare Center and School (SWC) at Fort Bragg. He is in the process of trying to get me on the SWC CG’s calendar for a virtual office visit. 

Speaking of PRA, I had a very productive and cordial conference call with Neil Heupel, President and Ed Burley, Vice President of PRA (Both of whom are POVA Life Members). Our discussion focused on how we can best serve PSYOP soldiers and veterans. If you have any thoughts on this critical topic, please email them to me at: dietz.pova@gmail.com 

We still have several Board and Committee positions vacant. Filling these positions is critical to moving the organization forward. I have put the titles and job descriptions at the end of this message. We need members to step forward and help us lead the organization. If you are interested, please send me an email @ dietz.pova@gmail.com. 

Our POVA FaceBook page continues to be quite popular and we have a particularly rich collection of material in our PSYOP News this month. 

If you missed the March Leaflet Drop, you can find it at: 

https://conta.cc/3Z40oiP 

Together POVA we will support the PSYOP Regiment - soldiers and veterans - to ensure that we maintain our legacy of excellence. 

Larry 

Lawrence D. Dietz 

President 

PSYOP NEWS - APRIL 2023 

19 Apr 23 

What is Discord and Why the Platform Matters in National Security 

Last week the news broke of theyoung airman leaking classified documents about Russia and Ukraine on Discord. While almost all of you are familiar with Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Reddit (Hootsuite says the average person has seven social media accounts), unless you are under the age of 25 or have an affinity for a specific topic such as gaming, Discord may be unfamiliar territory. It was originally made for gamers and up until three years ago, was focused narrowly on that subject. Truth be told, I always heard it was a much cleaner, better mannered version of 4Chan with far more features.

https://bit.ly/3opJhv5 

Cyber Espionage: Israeli Mercenary Spies Attack iPhones with Malicious Calendar Invites 

The world of cyber espionage has experienced an increase in the sophistication and complexity of its tools. A clear example of this is the recent discovery of a group of Israeli mercenary spies that have attacked iPhones through malicious invitations to calendar events. The QuaDream company, responsible for creating these tools, has been identified as responsible for these attacks, according to reports from Microsoft and Citizen Lab. https://bit.ly/3mS1m4f 

Real-Life Spies Pick Their Top 100 Spy Books from Box 889 to the Quiet American 

Imagine having access to the personal bookshelves of top intelligence operatives, including CIA, FBI, Mossad, and KGB-trained agents. Well, we did just that and asked them to share their all-time favorite spy books. Get ready to discover the ultimate reading list for anyone who loves the world of espionage and covert operations. 

Here are the Top 100 Spy Books both fiction and non-fiction selected by spies, our True Spies team and our SPYSCAPE bookshop - you won't find another list like this anywhere in the world. 

https://bit.ly/3GZ4PoK 

12 Apr 23 

Leaked Pentagon Documents May Herald a New Era of Revelations 

Researchers say the leak ranks high among other prominent recent revelations about clandestine US government activity—a list that includes information from Edward Snowden about the NSA's bulk surveillance activity, details of the CIA's hacking capabilities in the Vault7 revelations published by WikiLeaks, and NSA hacking tools revealed in the Shadow Brokers leak. But this latest leak has some specific characteristics reflective of the current moment: It is relatively small and contains fresh information rather than a large trove of months- or years-old data. And while it is not yet clear who leaked the documents or what their motivation was, initial indications from Discord activity suggest that the leaker may have been trying to show off to their gaming friends, and might even be a teenager or young adult. 

http://bit.ly/3MHCdnn 

7 Apr 23 

Russians Accused of Doctoring Leaked Western Documents on Ukraine War Classified U.S. and NATO planning documents related to the war in Ukraine have appeared on social media, prompting officials in Washington to scramble to have them removed from Twitter and other online platforms. Officials in Kyiv, meanwhile, cautioned that the documents were altered by the Russians, in part to cover up the true extent of casualties suffered by

Moscow’s forces and inflate the number of Ukrainians they killed. http://bit.ly/3mholFP 

6 April 

The U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan 

To view the document outlining the key decisions and challenges surrounding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, visit: 

http://bit.ly/3KmVTKD 

5 Apr 23 

China, Russia propaganda wither as cameras multiply, US admiral says The proliferation of cameras now in use around the world make it increasingly difficult for China and Russia to control the narrative in international disputes, according to a senior U.S. Navy intelligence official. 

Photographs and other documentation of run-ins between Chinese and Russian forces and those of other countries have proven critical to debunking propaganda, establishing factual timelines and holding Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin to account, Rear Adm. Mike Studeman said April 5 at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space conference in National Harbor, Maryland. http://bit.ly/3UgTO7p 

4 Apr 23 

The US Army moves to tweak its formations for future conflicts The U.S Army plans to spend roughly the next two years finalizing key decisions on what its future formational design will look like in the 2040s, the service’s four-star general in charge of modernization and requirements said at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium last week. http://bit.ly/40TAgJ6 

1 Apr 23 

Security News This Week: ‘Vulkan’ Leak offers a Peek at Russia’ Cyberwar Playbook 

The Russian government and military remain the most aggressive in the world when it comes to disruptive acts of cyber-sabotage against civilian infrastructure. But documents leaked by a whistleblower inside a Russian intelligence contractor seem to reveal some new and alarming pages of the Kremlin’s hybrid war playbook. 

http://bit.ly/410OWp4 

1 Apr 23 

National Counterintelligence & Security Center: Don’t Be a Paw of Repressive Foreign Governments 

Foreign intelligence entities (FIEs) and elements working on behalf of repressive 

regimes have sought to use U.S.-based persons to facilitate their efforts to threaten or 

harm perceived critics and opponents in the United States. 

https://bit.ly/3KsU3cw

27 Mar 23 

Fast Five with Adm (Ret) William McRaven, former USJSOC Commander Ukraine, China, DOD Budget & Implosion of Silicon Valley Bank http://bit.ly/3K4VIn2 

24 Mar 23 

Dozens of graduates from Chinese 'defence universities' working in British arms firms could be spying for Beijing, new investigation reveals Dozens of graduates fromChina's 'defence universities' – which are suspected of harvesting foreign research for its military – work for leading British companies. 

http://bit.ly/40SO323 

24 Mar 23 

Visualized: The Head of State of Each Country by Age & Generation Infographic showing countries by median age and the age of their head of state. 

http://bit.ly/3Mnrb6Q 

21 Mar 23 

Mapped: The World’s Legal Government Systems 

With over 200 countries existing across the world with unique cultures and traditions, one might assume that there are hundreds of types of government systems. But both historically and in modern times, that’s not the case. Even while political regimes across these countries havechanged over time, they’ve largely followed a few different types of governance. Today, every country can ultimately be classified into just nine broad forms of government systems. 

This map by Truman Du uses information fromWikipedia to map the government systems that rule the world today. 

https://bit.ly/40SyCqG 

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MAY Leaflet Drop from PSYOP Veterans Association

 

POVA LEAFLET DROP - MAY 2023 

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 

Greetings and welcome to your May Leaflet Drop. 

Your Board of Directors held our monthly meeting on 17 May. Attending: Larry Dietz, Mike Rogers, Ray Ambrozak, and Ham Salley. 

Anyone who would like a copy of the minutes can email me at: Dietz.POVA@gmail.com and I will send a copy. Our next meeting is 28 June at 1900 Eastern Time. 

Some highlights from our May meeting were: 

Statistics for the April Leaflet Drop 

Sends: 580 

Opens: 293 (51%) 

Clicks: 12 (2.1%) 

Bounces: 5 

Unsubscribes: 1 

To better serve the needs of our Community we have expanded the responsibilities of the Scholarship Committee to include Veterans Services, our charitable and philanthropic efforts. 

A new official POVA financial relationship has been established with Edward Jones. Transfer of our account from Michigan should be completed in the next month or so. 

The new POVA mailing address is: 117 Bernal Road, Suite 70-338, San Jose, CA 95119 

We did not welcome any new members in the past month. 

A very hearty well-done and congratulations to Joseph Miessner and Dennis Bartow for the outstanding issue of Perspectives that was sent out to the membership earlier this month. We had 579 sends with 330 opens for an open percentage of 57.8%. 

If you missed the Leaflet Drop, it’s at: https://conta.cc/3q5k1uZ 

The industry average for newsletter email opens is only 17%, so we are doing well in the publications arena.

We have not been able to get on the JFK Special Warfare Center (SWC) CG’s calendar for a virtual office visit, however, I am still attempting to do so. 

There have been no further discussions with the Psychological Operations Regimental Association (PRA) since my report last month. If you have any thoughts on this critical topic, please email them to me at: 

dietz.pova@gmail.com 

Member involvement is the lifeblood of associations. While your Board continues to make progress, the organization cannot move forward without the involvement of members to replace the aging Viet Nam era leadership. 

We need members to step forward and help us lead the organization. If you are interested, please send me an email @ dietz.pova@gmail.com and we can discuss the best fit for you and POVA. 

Unless new leadership comes forward, POVA, like the VietNam Veterans Association will be forced down the path of a ‘last person standing’ organization on a slow trajectory to dissolving itself. 

(See: https://www.vvaveteran.org/41-6/010-11085_nov21.pdf) 

If you missed the April Leaflet Drop, you can find it at: 

https://conta.cc/3WyGeO8. 

Larry 

Lawrence D. Dietz 

President 

PSYOP NEWS - MAY 2023 

22 May 23 

Ukraine War: Vast hacker ‘militias’ do little damage - but can rally mass support, says study 

A new study, due out Thursday from the thinktank CSIS and previewed exclusively by Breaking Defense, delves deep into the role that non government groups have played in the ongoing cyber conflict. It grapples with how their role blurs traditional lines between civilian and non combatant, neutrality and intervention, peace and war — and, most importantly, what effect they actually have. 

RELATED: Cyber lessons from Ukraine: Prepare for prolonged conflict, not a knockout blow

https://bit.ly/3BPTbJM 

16 May 23 

Combating US cyber adversaries calls for whole of government approach As the dynamics on the world stage get more complicated, our adversaries only get bolder in their attempts to bring the U.S. to its knees. And they aren’t relying on a traditional stratagem to do it. That’s why we must prepare for a new kind of warfare. The next global conflict won’t occur on the battlefield but in the “cyber field,” and we aren’t ready. 

The last several years have shown us concerning developments in our adversaries’ approach to cybercrime. While reported cyber incidents decreased last year, our adversaries have grown more sophisticated in their approach. As we evolve our defenses, our adversaries evolve their tactics. 

https://bit.ly/3OD0TPa 

12 May 23 

NATO must codify these lessons from Ukraine while motivation is there A year after Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine began, there are still vital lessons to be learned — with the most important question being how the alliance can encode these lessons into its collective mindset, so its leaders can avoid repetition of past mistakes. NATO failed to deter the attack on Ukraine, and wasn’t ready to support Kyiv when the attack came. We need to look back, see what worked, what failed, and draw serious conclusions before we settle back into routine. 

11 May 23 

How Special Operations Forces Must Meet The Challenges of a New Era 

Discussions and debates about how U.S. and allied SOF must become more capable and ready for an era of growing strategic tensions and conflicts are central to this year’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida. For U.S. SOF, the National Defense Strategy priorities of integrated deterrence, campaigning, and building enduring advantages highlights the direction we must take, but it is our people, and partners, who must ensure our thinking, investments, training, and mindset are optimal for the demands of this strategy: to win without fighting when we can and prevail in combat when we must. Here is our start point for SOF Week. History shows SOF is at its very best when we define ourselves by “how well” we solve extraordinarily complex, wicked, and sometimes lethal problems. Some of these require us to win by fighting, but in today’s environment, the challenges our nation faces globally are often not solved by kinetic power alone. 

https://bit.ly/3I4ZsVt 

8 May 23 

Avril Haines: New ODNI Office Oversees Intelligence Community’s Fight Against Disinformation 

Avril Haines, director of national intelligence and a 2023Wash100 awardee, said a new organization within her office oversees the intelligence community’s efforts to counter threats posed by foreign actors seeking to influence the U.S. government, The Intercept reported Friday.

Established in September 2022, the Foreign Malign Influence Center is charged with countering foreign disinformation that compromises U.S. election security and might sway the general public’s opinion. 

The office uses all elements of the intelligence community, including departments and agencies with diplomatic and law enforcement functions, to combat disinformation campaigns. 

“It encompasses our election threat work, essentially looking at foreign influence and interference in elections, but it also deals with disinformation more generally,” Haines told the Senate Armed Services Committee. 

Haines added that the FMIC is also analyzing intelligence from other foreign adversaries besides Russia to help inform interagency efforts against foreign malign influence. 

“What we have been doing is effectively trying to support the Global Engagement Center and others throughout the U.S. government in helping them to understand what are the plans and intentions of the key actors in this space: China, Russia, Iran, etc.,” Haines said. 

https://bit.ly/430th20 

8 May 23 

Ukrainian Soldiers Using WWI Tech to Combat Against Cold War Russia 

Ukrainian Soldiers Using WWI Tech to Combat Against Cold War Russia While the trenches are much the same as those from 1916, the Ukrainian troops are using 21st-century technology including satellite-enabled Internet service, smartphones, and drones to spot enemy positions. But according to a recent report from the BBC, one piece of equipment is right at home in the trenches – old wind-up phones. 

To make outgoing calls, the Ukrainian soldiers must literally wind up the device with a handle. It is also wired, with cables running back to the headquarters. https://bit.ly/3pnlFr7 

6 May 2023 

King Charles: Royal Patron of Intelligence Agencies Has A Long History With Spies 

King Charles has long been fascinated with secret operations and spying. He served in the Royal Air Force and Navy for five years and as Colonel-in-Chief of the Parachute Regiment. So when news photographers staked out the Royals on holiday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland in 1982, the paparazzi were hoping for a few lively, candid shots and a front page exclusive. Instead, while photographers hid in the long grass, Charles stretched out on a riverbank at Balmoral Castle reading physicist Reginald Victor Jones' memoir, Most Secret War, about WWII and the origins of electronic espionage. 

https://bit.ly/433vQQJ 

5 May 2023 

An Information strategy for the United States 

It is within the information domain that autocrats — in Moscow and Beijing, but also elsewhere — have leveraged some of the sharpest asymmetries. Vladimir Putin

and Xi Jinping deliberately spread or amplify information that is false or misleading. Both operate vast propaganda networks that use multiple modes of communication to disseminate their preferred, often slanted, versions of events. Both spread numerous, often conflicting, conspiracy theories designed to deflect blame for their own wrongdoing, dent the prestige of the United States, and cast doubt on the notion of objective truth. And both frequently engage in “whataboutism” to frame the United States and its way of doing business as hypocritical, while using a network of proxy influencers to churn up anti-American sentiment around the world. For Putin and Xi, the goal of these pursuits is to tighten their grip on power at home and weaken their democratic competitors abroad. For Xi, it is also about positioning China as a responsible global player. 

https://bit.ly/42FuxXv 

5 May 2023 

Paper - Evolution of Russian Information Warfare 

Information technology has significantly enhanced human interaction around the globe and elevated the importance of information as an instrument of power wielded by individuals and societies in politics, economics, and warfare. Advances in information technology have significantly changed the generation of, transmission of, reception of, and reaction to information. – Joint Concept for Operations in the Information Environment July 2018 

The Russian concept of Information Warfare (IW) began to develop in the post WWII Soviet Union. However military theory on the concept gained traction with the USSR’s Military Research Institute (MRI), through the writings of Dr. Vladimir Lefebvre. [1] Lefebvre is credited with developing Reflexive Control (RC) Theory in the 1960s, while working for the MRI. His book, “The Algebra of Consciousness”, was the foundation for classifying the theory and establishing a Soviet research institute to assess its applications. [2] 

https://bit.ly/3HJqIsB 

3 May 23 

Pentagon chief AI officer ‘scared to death of potential for AI in disinformation 

While the US military is eager to make use of generative artificial intelligence, the Pentagon’s senior-most official in charge of accelerating its AI capabilities is warning it also could become the “perfect tool” for disinformation. 

“Yeah, I’m scared to death. That’s my opinion,” Craig Martell, the Defense Department’s chief digital and AI officer, said today at AFCEA’s TechNet Cyber conference in Baltimore when asked about his thoughts on generative AI. 

https://bit.ly/3NGLXyQ 

1 May 23 

War in 2050: The Army’s Concept After Next 

The Army cannot afford for its future-focused operating concept to confuse the hell out of the force. The operating concept should establish the basis for reasoned exploration of emerging operational approaches, tactics, techniques, and procedures that are observable in ongoing conflicts, that develop as a function of new technologies, and that bubble up from the field as units train with what is in the

motor pool right now. An operating concept must establish the conditions and provide a framework for the testing of ideas, technology, and even outside-the-box ideas about warfare. The concept must enable experimentation to push the boundary of what is possible with what we have in the force and what might be possible coming from technology and adaptation of new systems. Finally, the concept must offer solution paths to operational problems across the global range of military operations. This is a tall order, to be sure, and we must bear in mind the admonition of Michael Howard that while any concept we are working on now is most likely wrong, the challenge is to not be too badly wrong. And, perhaps most importantly, concepts should not be confused with doctrine. 

https://bit.ly/3LL8UhZ 

26 April 23 

USAJFKSWCS Heritage Week 2023 and Inductee Ceremony for the Regiments An Induction Ceremony for three Army Special Operations Regiments was held in the JFK Auditorium on April 20, 2023 on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Thirteen people were named as Distinguished and Honorary Members to the Regiments of the Special Forces, Civil Affairs, and Psychological Operations community. They were honored during the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS) inaugural Heritage Week. 

Among the inductees are a former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict (ASD SO/LIC), former acting Secretary of Defense, a Medal of Honor Recipient, and an Ambassador and Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. Each of the inductees has contributed to the history and legacy of the regiments both were serving in uniform and after their service in the military. 

Inducted as Distinguished Members of the Psychological Operations Regiment: Col. Richard D. Springett, US Army Retired 

1st Lt. Daniel J. Edelman, US Army (Posthumous) 

Inducted as Distinguished Members of the Special Forces Regiment: Maj. John J. Duffy, US Army Medal of Honor 

Major Gen. David A. Morris , US Army Retired 

Col. Ronald Johnson, US Army Retired 

Col. Christopher Miller, US Army, Retired 

Col. Mark Mitchell, US Army, Retired 

Lt. Col. Roger D. Carstens, US Army, Retired 

Sgt. 1st Class E. Riley Lott Jr., US Army, Retired (Posthumous) Inducted as Honorary Member of the Special Forces Regiment: 

Ms. Azadeh Aryana 

Inducted as Distinguished Member of the Civil Affairs Regiment: Col. Ernesto L. Sirvas, US Army, Retired 

Inducted as Honorary Members of the Civil Affairs Regiment: 

Mr. Donald C Barton, US Army, Retired 

Dr. Spencer Meredith III 

https://bit.ly/3nfAlYH 

25 April 23 

Army Chief of staff pick would bring insights from earlier Russian invasion to role 

Gen. Randy George, who commanded troops in Afghanistan and played a key role in reconstituting the Army’s mission in Europe after Russia’s initial invasion of

Ukraine in 2014, is in line to become the service’s next top officer. President Joe Biden nominated the four-star general Thursday to replace Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville, who is retiring after four years in the position. George, the current Army vice chief of staff, previously was the senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. 

George would assume leadership as the Army is focused on an array of modernization programs designed around better positioning the military to counter threats posed by China and Russia. 

https://bit.ly/41NW1dG 

20 April 23 

Local Partners Are Not Proxies: The Case for Rethinking Proxy War 

Work on security partnerships is expanding in response to a shifting US defense posture emphasizing the benefits of working “by, with, and through” allies and partners. This research is essential, but it is worth reconsidering if we should call 

strategic military engagements fought in coordination with local forces “proxy wars.” While the term is pervasive, it is conceptually problematic, at least in the post colonial era. Describing local partners as “proxies” minimizes complex coalition bargaining dynamics, risks overemphasizing the influence of US resources, and insufficiently accounts for US political dependencies. 

https://bit.ly/3ANMp6O 

19 April 23 

9 military operations that sound like Taylor Swift songs 

Pop queen Taylor Swift is known for her vague, oft ethereal-sounding song titles. Her most recent album, “Midnights,” boasts tracks with names like “Lavender Haze,” “Vigilante Sh-t” and “Midnight Rain.” 

Reading such titles makes it hard not to liken the naming pattern to the U.S. military’s own operation naming conventions, which are typically indistinct adjective noun combinations that evoke anything from absurd patriotism to complete confusion. 

As such, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite U.S. military operation monikers that could easily pass as Taylor Swift song titles. 

https://bit.ly/3Ll7hs9 

18 April 23 

Combating propaganda information warfare in the sea services (video) Leaders of the Navy and Marine Corps spoke at the Sea-Air Space expo on how to counter Chinese and Russian disinformation. 

https://bit.ly/3mVhrq4 

12 April 23 

The disturbing trend of state media use of deepfakes.

Social media has been awash with fake images of astylish Pope Francis, Elon Musk protesting in New York and Donald Trump resisting arrest. 

An AI-generated image of Pope Francis wearing a white puffer jacket went viral online, with users wondering if it was real. (Reddit) 

Such AI-generated images and videos, ordeepfakes, have become increasingly accessible due to advances in artificial intelligence. As more sophisticated fabricated images spread, it will become increasingly difficult for users to differentiate the real from the fake. 

https://bit.ly/43WlT8q 

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