United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command - Psychological Operations

Psychological Operations

Psychological operations are a vital part of the broad range of U.S. political, military, economic and ideological activities used by the U.S. government to secure national objectives. PSYOP is the dissemination of truthful information to foreign audiences in support of U.S. policy and national objectives.

Used during peacetime, contingencies and declared war, these activities are not forms of force, but are force multipliers that use nonviolent means in often violent environments. Persuading rather than compelling physically, they rely on logic, fear, desire or other mental factors to promote specific emotions, attitudes or behaviors. The ultimate objective of U.S. military psychological operations is to convince enemy, neutral, and friendly nations and forces to take action favorable to the U.S. and its allies.

Psychological operations support national security objectives at the tactical, operational and strategic levels of operations. Strategic psychological operations advance broad or long-term objectives. Global in nature, they may be directed toward large audiences or at key communicators.

Operational psychological operations are conducted on a smaller scale. They are employed by theater commanders to target groups within the theater of operations. Their purpose can range from gaining support for U.S. operations to preparing the battlefield for combat.

Tactical psychological operations are more limited, used by commanders to secure immediate and near-term goals. In this environment, these force-enhancing activities serve as a means to lower the morale and efficiency of enemy forces.

Both tactical and theater-level psychological operations may be used to enhance peacetime military activities of conventional forces operating in foreign countries. Cultural awareness packages attune U.S. forces before departing overseas. In theater, media programs publicize the positive aspects of combined military exercises and deployments.

In addition to supporting commanders, PSYOP units provide interagency support to other U.S. government agencies. In operations ranging from humanitarian assistance to drug interdiction, psychological operations enhance the impact of those agencies' actions. Their activities can be used to spread information about ongoing programs and to gain support from the local populace.

Psychological operations units in the U.S. Army Reserve are language and culturally oriented. Seventy one percent of the Department of Defense's PSYOP capability rests within USACAPOC (A)'s 2nd and 7th Psychological Operations Groups located in Ohio and California respectively.

Psychological Operations units
Unit Unit Insignia Commander Headquarters Subordinate Units
2nd Psychological Operations Group Col. David Frisone Twinsburg, Ohio
  • 11th PSYOP Bn. – Upper Marlboro, MD
    • 305th PSYOP Co. – Ft. Story, VA
    • 312th PSYOP Co. – Upper Marlboro, MD
    • 351st PSYOP Co. – Fort Totten, NY
    • 360th PSYOP Co. – Jersey City, NJ
  • 13th PSYOP Bn. – Arden Hills, MN
    • 319th PSYOP Co. – Arden Hills, MN
    • 321st PSYOP Co. – Grand Rapids, MI
    • 339th PSYOP Co. – Arden Hills, MN
    • 350th PSYOP Co. – Twinsburg, OH
  • 15th PSYOP Bn. – Cincinnati, OH
    • 310th PSYOP Co. – Forrest Park, GA
    • 325th PSYOP Co. – Nashville, TN
    • 340th PSYOP Co. – Garner, NC
    • 346th PSYOP Co. – Columbus, OH
  • 16th PSYOP Bn. – Ft. Sheridan, IL
    • 303rd PSYOP Co. – Pittsburgh, PA
    • 316th PSYOP Co. - Peru, IN
    • 338th PSYOP Co. – Ft. Jackson, SC
    • 393rd PSYOP Co. – Aurora, IL
7th Psychological Operations Group LTC Miguel A. Castellanos Mountain View, California
  • 10th PSYOP Bn. – St. Louis, MO
    • 307th PSYOP Co. – St. Louis, MO
    • 308th PSYOP Co. – Belton, MO
    • 318th PSYOP Co. – St. Louis, MO
    • 362nd PSYOP Co. – Fayetteville, AR
  • 12th PSYOP Bn. – Mountain View, CA
    • 320th PSYOP Co. – CP Withycombe, OR
    • 324th PSYOP Co. – Aurora, CO
    • 349th PSYOP Co. – Aurora, CO
    • 361st PSYOP Co. – Bothell, WA
  • 14th PSYOP Bn. – Mountain View, CA
    • 301st PSYOP Co. – San Diego, CA
    • 304th PSYOP Co. – Sacramento, CA
    • 315th PSYOP Co. – Upland, CA
    • 353rd PSYOP Co. – Las Vegas, NV
  • 17th PSYOP Bn. – Austin, TX
    • 341st PSYOP Co. – San Antonio, TX
    • 344th PSYOP Co. – Austin, TX
    • 345th PSYOP Co. – Lewisville, TX
    • 399th PSYOP Co. – Baton Rouge, LA
  • 306th PSYOP Co. – Los Alamitos, CA

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