Public Affairs Qualification Course

Public Affairs and Information Operations

Public Affairs and Information Operations Throughout your public affairs career, you will work with information operations to achieve the commander’s communication objectives. One measure of your success will be how well you understand and work with IO to support the mission.

PA and IO are related capabilities whose respective career field specialists must understand when and how to work closely together, but also when and how they must remain separate and distinct. The doctrine for PA and IO interaction is always evolving, but this lesson will give you a basic understanding of how the

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Public Affairs Qualification Course

Public Affairs and Information Operations

TPFN: DINFOS-PAQC-ADL-007-001-012

Define Information Operations Information is a strategic resource, vital to national security. Military operations depend on information and information systems for many simultaneous and integrated activities. Information operations is described as the integrated employment, during military operations, of information related capabilities in concert with other lines of operation to influence, disrupt, corrupt, or usurp the decision making of adversaries and potential adversaries while protecting our own. The principal goal of IO is to achieve and maintain information superiority for the U.S. and its allies. IO is not about ownership of individual capabilities, but rather the integrated application of those capabilities as force multipliers to create a desired effect in order to achieve a joint forces commander’s end state. Information superiority is defined as the operational advantage derived from the ability to collect, process and disseminate an uninterrupted flow of information while exploiting or denying an adversary's ability to do the same. Information superiority is not static; during operations, all sides continually attempt to secure their own advantages and deny useful information to adversaries.

Cognitive dimension: This dimension encompasses the mind of the decision maker and the target audience where people think, perceive, visualize and decide. It is the most important of the three dimensions. Numerous factors affect this dimension, among them are leadership, cohesion, morale, training level, experience, situational awareness, public opinion, perceptions, media, public information and rumors. Now that you have a broad understanding of information operations, let’s take a look at the specific capabilities that comprise IO. Success in military operations depends on collecting and integrating essential information while denying it to the adversary and other target audiences. IO encompasses planning, coordination, and synchronization of the employment of current capabilities to deliberately affect or defend the information environment to achieve the commander’s objectives.

These actions take place within an “information environment.” The information environment is the aggregate of individuals, organizations and systems that collect, process, disseminate, or act on information. The information environment is made up of three interrelated dimensions: physical, informational, and cognitive. Physical dimension: This dimension is composed of the command and control systems and supporting infrastructure. It enables organizations to conduct operations across air, land, sea and space. It consists of physical platforms and networks and is the easiest to measure. Combat power is traditionally measured in this domain. Information dimension: Within this dimension, information is collected, processed, stored, disseminated, processed, displayed and protected; command and control of modern military forces is communicated and commander’s intent is conveyed.

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Public Affairs Qualification Course

Public Affairs and Information Operations

Information-Related Capabilities Information-related capabilities are the tools, techniques or activities that affect any of the three dimensions of the information environment. It is critical that all DOD military information activities are conducted in a manner that reinforces the credibility, veracity and legitimacy of DOD and U.S. government activities. Joint Interagency Coordination Group: A staff group that establishes regular, timely, and collaborative working relationships between civilian and military operational planners. Public Affairs: Those public information, command information, and community engagement activities directed toward both the external and internal publics with interest in the Department of Defense. In a deployed environment community engagement is often the realm of civil-military operations. Civil-Military Operations: The activities of a commander that establish, maintain, influence, or exploit relations between military forces, governmental and nongovernmental civilian organizations and authorities, and the civilian populace in a friendly, neutral, or hostile operational area to facilitate military operations and to consolidate and achieve U.S. operational objectives. Space Operations: Space capabilities are a significant force multiplier when integrated with joint operations. Space operations support IO through the space force enhancement functions of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; missile warning; environmental monitoring; satellite communications; and space-based positioning, navigation, and timing. The IO cell is a key place for coordinating the space force enhancement functions with other IRCs. Cyberspace operations: Cyberspace is a global domain within the information environment consisting of the interdependent network of information technology infrastructures and resident data, including the Internet, telecommunications networks, computer systems and embedded processors and controllers. Cyberspace operations are the employment of cyberspace capabilities, where the primary purpose is to achieve objectives in or through cyberspace. Cyberspace capabilities, when

in support of IO, deny or manipulate adversary or potential adversary decision making, through targeting an information medium (such as a wireless access point in the physical dimension), the message itself (an encrypted message in the information dimension), or a cyber-persona (an online identity that facilitates communication, decision making, and the influencing of audiences in the cognitive dimension). Information assurance: Measures that protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and nonrepudiation, which includes providing for restoration of information systems by incorporating protection, detection, and reaction capabilities. Military Information Support Operations: Planned operations to convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups and individuals in a manner favorable to the originator’s objectives. Intelligence: The product resulting from the collection, processing, integration, evaluation, analysis, and interpretation of available information concerning foreign nations, hostile or potentially hostile forces or elements, or areas of actual or potential operations. The term is also applied to the activity which results in the product and to the organizations engaged in such activity. Military Deception: Actions executed to deliberately mislead adversary military, paramilitary, or violent extremist organization decision makers, thereby causing the adversary to take specific actions (or inactions) that will contribute to the accomplishment of the friendly mission. Operations Security: A process of identifying critical information and subsequently analyzing friendly actions attendant to military operations and other activities. Also called OPSEC. Special Technical Operations: Special technical operations are classified, compartmented operations within the headquarters. IO needs to be synchronized

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Public Affairs Qualification Course

Public Affairs and Information Operations

TPFN: DINFOS-PAQC-ADL-007-001-012

Information-Related Capabilities (continued) with STO. Detailed information related to STO and its contribution to IO can be obtained from the STO planners at the combatant command or service component headquarters. IO and STO are separate, but have potential crossover, and for this reason a STO planner is a valuable member of the IO cell.

policy or supporting the commander’s objectives. These engagements can be used to shape and influence foreign leaders at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels, and may also be directed toward specific groups, such as religious leaders, academic leaders and tribal leaders.

Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations: Those activities consisting of electronic warfare and joint electromagnetic spectrum management operations used to exploit, attack, protect, and manage the electromagnetic operational environment to achieve the commander’s objectives.

Some information-related capabilities are of more concern to PA than others. These require close coordination, planning and synchronization to ensure all speak with one voice and contribute to the commander's objective. These include MISO, MILDEC and OPSEC. Let's take a more in-depth look at these capabilities.

Key Leader Engagement: Key leader engagements are deliberate, planned engagements between U.S. military leaders and the leaders of foreign audiences that have defined objectives, such as a change in

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Public Affairs and Information Operations

Discuss Synchronization Between IRCs Military Information Support Operations (MISO): MISO are planned operations to convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups, and individuals in a manner favorable to the originators' objectives. The purpose of MISO is to induce or reinforce foreign attitudes and behavior favorable to the originator’s objectives. ● During Peace: MISO is planned and integrated to further national defense strategies through the geographic combatant commander's theater campaign plan. Combatant commanders incorporate MISO programs and integrate them into the broad range of activities required for military engagement, security cooperation and deterrence. MISO reinforces U.S. policies that center on preventing hostilities and advocating peaceful resolutions when possible. MISO is key in furthering U.S. endeavors to deter aggression and to maximize the commander’s efforts to shape the operational environment. ● During Combat Operations: MISO sets conditions for insertion of combat forces, neutralizing threats, facilitating efforts to contain conflict, stabilizing the operational area, and enhancing efforts to achieve conditions that allow a return to steadystate operations. MISO can inform, direct, educate and influence targets to increase U.S. combat power and decrease enemy hostile aggression. Civil Authority Information Support Element: MISO forces can provide a civil authority information support element within the U.S. and its territories. When authorized for employment in this manner, MISO forces use their media development, production, and dissemination capabilities to deliver public and critical disaster information to populations in the impacted area. MISO forces deliberately exclude their development capability and support dissemination of messages developed by civil authorities. To execute its mission, MISO performs the following five traditional roles to meet the intent of the supported commander.

● Influence foreign populations by expressing information subjectively to influence attitudes and behavior and to obtain compliance, non-interference or other desired behavioral changes. ● Advise the commander on MISO activities, MISO enabling actions and targeting restrictions that the military force may execute. ● Provide public information to foreign populations to support humanitarian activities, restore or reinforce legitimacy, ease suffering, and maintain or restore civil order. ● Serve as the supported commander's voice to foreign populations to convey intent and establish credibility. ● Counter enemy propaganda, misinformation, disinformation and opposing information to portray friendly intent and actions correctly and positively for foreign target audiences, thus denying others the ability to polarize public opinion and political will against the United States. MISO coordination with PA: MISO and PA are separate and unique activities that are governed by policy and practice in terms of audience, focus and scope. PA and MISO activities are separate and distinct, but they must support and reinforce each other, which requires coordination, synchronization, and deconfliction. Joint force commanders must ensure that appropriate coordination between MISO and PA activities are consistent with the DOD Principles of Information. Normally the MISO and PA activities are coordinated in an IO working group or cell. However, when there is no IO coordination capability, PA and MISO coordinate directly with each other. MISO units in support of homeland civil authorities act to inform rather than influence. In this role, all civil authority information support element efforts are coordinated with lead federal agency PA efforts (JP 3-61 pp II-10).

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Public Affairs Qualification Course

Public Affairs and Information Operations

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Discuss Synchronization Between IRCs (continued) Military Deception (MILDEC): Actions executed to deliberately mislead adversary military, paramilitary, or violent extremist organization decision makers, thereby causing the adversary to take specific actions (or inactions) that will contribute to the accomplishment of the friendly mission. MILDEC is intended to deter hostile actions, increase the success of friendly defensive actions, or to improve the success of any potential friendly offensive action. Use of MILDEC during any phase of an operation should help to mislead adversaries as to the strength, readiness, locations, and intended missions of friendly forces. The functions of MILDEC include: ● Causing ambiguity, confusion, or misunderstanding in adversary perceptions of friendly critical information, such as unit identities, locations, movements, dispositions, weaknesses, capabilities, strengths, supply status, and intentions. ● Causing the adversary to misallocate personnel, fiscal, and material resources in ways that are advantageous to the friendly force. ● Causing the adversary to reveal strengths, dispositions, and future intentions. ● Conditioning the adversary to particular patterns of friendly behavior to induce adversary perceptions that can be exploited by the joint force. ● Causing the adversary to waste combat power with inappropriate or delayed actions. MILDEC Techniques: MILDEC operations apply four basic deception techniques: feints, demonstrations, ruses, and displays. ● Feints. A feint is an offensive action involving contact with the adversary conducted for the purpose of deceiving the adversary as to the location and/or time of the actual main offensive action. ● Demonstrations. A demonstration is a show of force where a decision is not sought and no contact with the adversary is intended. A demonstration’s

intent is to cause the adversary to select a course of action favorable to U.S. goals. ● Ruses. A ruse is a cunning trick designed to deceive the adversary to obtain friendly advantage. It is characterized by deliberately exposing false or confusing information for collection and interpretation by the adversary. ● Displays. Displays are the simulation, disguising, and/or portrayal of friendly objects, units, or capabilities in the projection of the MILDEC story. Such capabilities may not exist, but are made to appear so (simulations). MILDEC coordination with PA: Safeguarding MILDECrelated information is critical to the success of the operation. Details are classified accordingly. ● PA operations should be planned, coordinated, and deconflicted with MILDEC operations consistent with policy, legal limitations and security. The coordination between PA and MILDEC operations must safeguard the essential elements of deception plans and maintain the integrity, reputation, and credibility of PA as a source of truthful information. ● MILDEC activities, including planning efforts, do not explicitly or implicitly target, mislead, or attempt to influence the U.S. Congress, the U.S. public, or the U.S. news media. All MILDEC activities eliminate, minimize, or mitigate the possibility that such influence might occur. ● Using PA to misinform the media about military capabilities and intentions in ways that influence U.S. decision makers and public opinion is contrary to DOD policy. ● MILDEC and PA must coordinate MILDEC operations that have activities potentially visible to the media or the public with the appropriate PA officers to identify any potential problems. ● Coordination between MILDEC and PA reduces the chance that PA officers will inadvertently reveal information that could undermine ongoing or planned MILDEC operations.

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Discuss Synchronization Between IRCs (continued) Operations Security (OPSEC): A process of identifying critical information and subsequently analyzing friendly actions attendant to military operations and other activities.

adequately protect critical information from adversary intelligence exploitation during planning, preparation, execution, and post-execution phases of any operation or program.

Purpose of OPSEC: The purpose of OPSEC is to reduce the vulnerability of U.S. and multinational forces from successful adversary exploitation of critical information. It applies to all activities that prepare, sustain, or employ forces.

OPSEC coordination with PA: PA releases information to the public and must be aware of OPSEC considerations. Security at the source is the primary means of protecting classified and sensitive material and should govern discussions with the public.

The OPSEC process is a systematic method used to identify, control, and protect critical information and subsequently analyze friendly actions associated with military operations and other activities.

PAOs should provide their assessment on the possible effects of media coverage of the joint operation. They should work closely with OPSEC planners to develop guidelines that can be used by military and media personnel to avoid inadvertent disclosure of sensitive information.

OPSEC Counter Measures: OPSEC countermeasures are used to prevent the adversary from detecting indicators or exploiting vulnerabilities, provide an alternative analysis of a vulnerability or indicator, and/or attack the adversaries collection system. OPSEC countermeasures include, among other actions, cover, concealment, camouflage, deception, intentional deviations from normal patterns and direct strikes against the adversary's intelligence system. OPSEC countermeasures entail costs in time, resources, personnel, and interference with normal operations. If the cost to mission effectiveness exceeds the harm that an adversary could inflict, then the application of the measure is inappropriate. OPSEC Assessments and Surveys: OPSEC assessments are conducted annually to evaluate an operation, activity, exercise, or support function to determine the likelihood that critical information can be protected from the adversary’s intelligence collection systems. An OPSEC assessment is normally run by the OPSEC program manager and performed by the unit’s OPSEC working group.

PA representatives should be involved in OPSEC planning, surveys, and security reviews to protect critical information from public release. A typical OPSEC survey team contains multi-disciplined expertise and should include PA. There is a natural tension between OPSEC and the need to release information and imagery. Decisions as when to release information and imagery must reflect an understanding of OPSEC. Ground rules allowing temporary transmission delays of potentially sensitive information have proven to be acceptable to the media and effective in balancing short-term security concerns with media coverage requirements. PA should consider OPSEC issues relating to the use of media and information technology capabilities, such as blogging, cell phones, social networking sites, portable media players, multimedia smart phones, and streaming media.

A survey usually requires a team of external subject matter experts from multiple disciplines to simulate adversary intelligence processes. An OPSEC survey should focus on the organization’s ability to Home | Define Information Operations | Define IRC | Synchronization IRCs | IOWG Process | PA input to Appendix 3 - Annex C

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Public Affairs Qualification Course

Public Affairs and Information Operations

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Discuss Synchronization Between IRCs (continued) Now let’s look at the Information Operations Working Group, where all of this coordination and synchronization occurs.

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Public Affairs Qualification Course

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Information Operations Cell/Working Group IO is not about ownership of individual capabilities but rather the use of those capabilities as force multipliers to create a desired effect. The IO cell chief is responsible to the joint force commander for integrating IRCs into the joint operation planning process (JOPP). Thus, the IO staff is responsible for coordinating and synchronizing IRCs to accomplish the commander’s objectives. The IO cell chief is not a commander. He coordinates with the respective IRCs to gain the effect required to accomplish the commander's objective. The IO cell integrates and synchronizes IRCs to achieve national or combatant commander-level objectives. Normally, the chief of the combatant commander’s IO staff will serve as the IO cell chief. However, at the joint task force level, someone else may serve as the IO cell chief. Some of the functions of the IO cell chief are: ● Coordinate the overall information operations portion of the plan for the joint force commander. ● Coordinate IO issues within the joint force staff and with counterpart IO planners on the component staffs and supporting organizations. ● Coordinate employment of information-related capabilities and activities to support the commander’s concept of operations. ● Recommend IO priorities to accomplish planned objectives. ● Determine the availability of information-related capability resources to carry out IO plans. ● Request planning support from organizations that plan and execute information related capabilities. The IO cell comprises representatives from a wide variety of organizations to coordinate and integrate additional activities in support of a joint force command. When considering the notional example in the chart, note that the specific makeup of an IO cell depends on the situation. It may include representatives from organizations outside DOD, even allied or multinational partners.

PA participation in the IOWG: The joint task force public affairs officer must send a representative to attend IO cell/working group meetings to gather and share information in order to synchronize efforts among different staff sections and provide PA input for various IO products. PA participation in IO involves no completely new tasks but does require a broadened scope of operations. PA coordination with IO requires analysis of the information environment and the operational environment, as well as synchronization of efforts with other organizations and agencies to ensure themes and messages are consistent and deconflicted. PA activities focus on meeting the commander’s communication objective. They include the entire spectrum of communication strategies to reach our targeted publics. This includes regular talking points and themes for commanders and preparing service members to interact with the press. PA actions and events that support IO include print and electronic products, news releases, press conferences and media facilitation. PA advises the commander on how the operation is being perceived and portrayed and also provides guidance to unit commanders and service members. This includes regular talking points and themes for commanders and preparing service members to interact with the press. It’s a means of emphasizing selected issues and positions — speaking with one voice. The public affairs estimate contains a wealth of information that will be valuable to other IRCs as you begin planning and coordination within the IO cell. We've looked at specific IRCs and their interaction with PA and at the workings of the IO cell and working group. Where is this information codified in the OPLAN/ OPORDER?

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Public Affairs Qualification Course

Public Affairs and Information Operations

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PA input to Appendix 3 - Annex C (Information Operations) PA input to Appendix 3-Annex C (Information Operations) is found in paragraph 3b, tasks. This information is cross-referenced to the PA annex, paragraph 3b, tasks.

Additionally, PA may be addressed in subordinate tabs for specific IRCs in paragraph 3.a.4, coordinating instructions. This information will also be crossreferenced in the PA annex.

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Public Affairs Qualification Course

Public Affairs and Information Operations

Conclusion Information Operations is continually evolving and changing. Many times, doctrine has not caught up with what is happening on ground, especially in a combat theater of operations. This is a good time to start tracking current events and articles on real-

world events. The one thing you can count on is that when you deploy, you will work with IO to accomplish your commander's objective. How well you do this depends on your knowledge of and working relationship with IO.

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Public Affairs Qualification Course

Public Affairs and Information Operations

TPFN: DINFOS-PAQC-ADL-007-001-012

References and Additional Resources JP 2-0 (2007) Joint Intelligence JP 3-61 (2010) Doctrine for Public Affairs in Joint Operations JP 3-13 (2012) Joint Doctrine for Information Operations JP 3-13.1 (2007) Electronic Warfare JP 3-13.2 (2010) Military Information Support Operations JP 3-13.3 (2012) Operation Security JP 3-13.4 (2012) Military Deception JP 5-0 (2011) Joint Operation Planning JP 3-57 (2008) Civil Affairs DODD 3600.01 (2006) Information Operations, Change 1, 23 May 2011 DODI 5400.14 (1996) Procedures for Joint Public Affairs Operations DoD Memorandum (25 Jan 2011) Strategic Communication and Information Operations in the DoD CJCSI 3205.01C (2010) Joint Combat Camera ADP 3-0 (2012) Operations FM 3-05.30 (2012) Psychological Operations FM 3-61 (2014) Public Affairs Operations

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