ARSOF military information support operations (MISO) are organized under 1st SFC (A) (P).
Background
In December 2009 the USSOCOM Commander directed a comprehensive review of USSOCOM MISO organizational structures and how they execute their responsibilities to organize, train, equip, and execute MISO. On 10 June 2010, the USSOCOM Commander approved a new operating concept and special opera- tions organizational structure to better support the force. Subsequent amplifying guidance on 11 April 2011 directed the deactivation of the USSOCOM Joint Mili- tary Information Support Command (JMISC) and the
reorganization of the 4th Military Information Support Group (MISG) to form a military information support operations command. U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) submitted a Force Design Update (FDU) to U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) on 13 April 2011 to establish the MISOC. In October 2014, the MISOC was deactivated and former command elements were incorporated into the 1st SFC (A) (P) and redesignated as MISO.
Composed of two groups of three battalions each, and a dissemination battalion in general support, the MISO is organized and trained to rapidly deploy units worldwide in support of SOF and conventional forces. Five battalions are aligned with GCC AORs with two regional companies. These battalions provide linguistic
Figure 3-19. Task Organized MISO
EUCOM
TSOCs TSOCs
SOUTHCOM
CENTCOM AFRICOM PACOM
TACTICAL HHC MISB (A) 3rd MISG (A) (DISSEM) HSC ACO (Print) BCO (Broadcast) CCO (ProdDistr) DCO (MediaProd) MISB (A) HSC MIS-C MIS-C TMIS-C HSC MIS-C MIS-C TMIS-C MISB (A) MISB (A) HSC MIS-C MIS-C TMIS-C HSC MIS-C MIS-C MIS-C MIS-C TMIS-C HHC MISB (A) HSC MIS-C MIS-C TMIS-C HSC MIS-C MIS-C TMIS-C MISB (A)
4th MISG (A) 8th MISG (A)
HHC MISO Planning & Advisory Tm MISO Planning & Advisory Tm
and culturally attuned military information support teams (MIST) in support of U.S. Ambassadors and Embassy country teams. These regionally aligned bat- talions also form MISO task forces in support of JFCs. A sixth battalion composed of five tactical companies provides global support to JSOTF, other SOF units, and conventional forces units during crisis and contin- gency operations. Also fielded are MISO planning and advisory teams (MPATs) that provide direct support to TSOCs and GCC commanders and their staffs. The first TSOC MPAT was fielded in fourth quarter, FY11, with subsequent MPATs fielded in second and third quarter FY12. Component MPATs are fielded to support selected USSOCOM components. The first component MPAT was fielded in fourth quarter FY11, with subsequent MPATs fielded in second and third quarter FY12. Purpose
Every action has potential psychological impacts that may be leveraged to influence foreign individuals and groups. MISO contribute to the success of wartime strategies and are well-matched for implementation in stable and pre-conflict environments. MISO are applied across the range of military operations. As an influence capability, MISO consist of actions executed for psychological effect and messages delivered to selected foreign targets and audiences to achieve desired changes in attitudes and behaviors. MISO are also used to establish and reinforce foreign perceptions of U.S. military, political, and economic power, credibility, legitimacy, and resolve.
MISO are integrated to shape the security environ- ment to promote bilateral cooperation, ease tension, and deter aggression. In peacetime, MISO are fully integrated with U.S. ambassador and GCC theater-wide priorities and objectives, and are used in conjunction with other U.S. measures to stabilize the region. MISO are an ideal means of conveying the intent of the GCC through supporting public diplomacy efforts, whether to foster relations with other nations or to ensure their collaboration to address shared security concerns.
In conflict, MISO as a force multiplier can degrade the enemy’s relative combat power, reduce civilian inter- ference, minimize collateral damage, and maximize the local populace’s support for operations.
Military Information (MILINFO)
The use of MISO to inform and influence foreign TAs in support of DOD activities and operations is MILINFO. The MILINFO mission is conducted across the range of military operations. MILINFO enhances operations during peacetime military engagements and is a combat multiplier during major combat operations. MISO are planned, integrated, synchronized, and executed as part of operations to defeat the enemy and influence the various TAs that shape OEs. Special operations MISO forces execute MILINFO while supporting special operations core activities as an integrated capability or as a main effort. When directed, special operations MISO forces also can support conventional units during the initial phase of contingencies. These forces can rapidly deploy (within 24 hours) to support crisis and contingency operations.
Interagency/Intergovernmental Support (IIS)
MISO forces conduct the IIS mission to support interagency and intergovernmental operations and activities. IIS shapes and influences foreign decision making and behaviors in support of U.S. regional objectives, policies, interests, theater military plans, and contingencies. IIS is a special operations MISO forces’ mission that leverages their regional and language expertise, planning capability, and media knowledge and capabilities. They conduct IIS in support of non- DOD information and public diplomacy efforts to communicate the U.S. narrative, and further regional, interagency, partner, and country team initiatives. IIS leverages regional expertise, planning capability, and media knowledge to support non-DOD information efforts to convey the U.S. narrative and further regional and country team initiatives and strategic communi- cation. IIS facilitates non-DOD missions that support the GCC’s theater campaign plan, Defense Support to Public Diplomacy, and Department of State (DOS) programs and activities. Special operations MISO forces conduct IIS when operating in foreign countries under the guidance of the American Embassy or simi- lar USG entity, in association with the U.S. Embassy and the HN government, in permissive, uncertain, and hostile environments. Execution of this mission by conventional MISO forces is constrained both by their limited regional language training as well as Army
manager, who will enter them in the community online intelligence system for end users and managers system for managing intelligence production requirements.
MISO studies are unique in format; however, other military intelligence products can contain this type
of intelligence information. In general, they profile the salient features of a country or its people; provide an analysis of the influences that lead different social, occupational, and ethnic groups of that country to act as they do; discuss issues that elicit strong responses from the indigenous population; assess attitudes; identify vulnerabilities; and suggest ways and means to influ- ence people.
4th and 8th Military Information Support Operations Groups The 4th and 8th MISGs organize, equip, and collectively train assigned and attached forces to rapidly deploy anywhere in the world and conduct MISO and other specified influence and communication tasks in any environment in support of combatant commanders and the interagency as directed by the President and the SecDef. Both MISGs are capable of conducting the following tasks:
a. Deploy/redeploy and sustain all assigned and attached forces
b. Execute tactical operations in support of rapid deployment forces, SOF, and other contingencies c. Organize and deploy operational level task-
forces in support of JFCs
A Soldier hands children MISO-produced posters as part of influence efforts in Afghanistan. Reserve mobilization policies that necessitate detailed
planning to support a persistent presence required to establish the relationships within both the supported American Embassy or other government agencies as well as relationships within the HN and partner nation government that are required for successful MISO. Civil Authority Information Support (CAIS)
MISO Forces execute the CAIS mission as part of defense support of civil authorities when DOD infor- mation dissemination capabilities are requested by a lead federal agency in support of relief operations in the wake of natural and man-made disasters within the geographical area of the United States territories. The CAIS mission strictly consists of advising the commander on the use of MISO forces, planning the dissemination of public information for the lead federal agency, and delivering public information approved and provided by the lead federal agency to the local populace in affected areas. By DOD policy and prac- tice, influence activities directed toward U.S. citizens are prohibited. Typically, information delivered during CAIS covers public safety issues and relief efforts, and is intended exclusively for those populations effected by the disaster and its related occurrences. Due to what are typically critical needs for timely action, special operations MISO units may be directed to deploy ini- tially during relief operations as task-organized civil authority information support elements to provide direct support to the federal agency.
Studies Programs
The cultural intelligence element (CIE) is an important source of finished analytical intelligence products that are tailored to the needs of the entire MISO force, the GCCs, and the intelligence community. Finished prod- ucts are primarily intended and designed to support the operational requirements of the combatant com- mands and of U.S. MISO forces worldwide, although they also are used by a variety of other organizations, such as the DOS.
These studies provide combatant commanders with MISO perspectives on issues of direct significance to peacetime strategy, joint operation planning, and opera- tional preparations. Studies on all topics of interest can be requested through a combatant command’s MISO staff officer or intelligence request for information
d. Employ MIST to achieve SOF and GCC theater campaign plan objectives in conjunction with U.S. country teams and partner nations
e. Execute multimedia development, production, distribution, and dissemination in support of all operations
f. Operate a CONUS-based multimedia opera- tions center as the digital and analog backbone of the global CT network
g. Produce special studies, analyses, and assess- ments of foreign threat assessments in support of assigned units or as otherwise directed h. Execute civil authority information support The 4th and 8th MISGs currently contain the fol- lowing organizations:
a. CIE. The group manages the CIE’s strategic and operational analysis efforts necessary for mis- sion planning. The CIE is organized into region- ally focused cultural intelligence cells comprised of civilian analysts holding advanced degrees and regional expertise. Analysts specialize in target regions and provide MISO-relevant infor- mation, strategic analysis, and advice during the planning and execution of missions. The CIE publishes and disseminates finished studies.
Sailors assist PSYOP soldiers in preparing leaflets for distribution.
b. Battalion. The battalion is organized, trained, and equipped to provide supported command- ers with planning, product development, pro- duction, and dissemination from operational to tactical levels. These battalions are regionally oriented and maintain a functional support rela- tionship with their respective GCCs and TSOCs. The battalions support other regions as directed. The 8th MISG maintains one globally focused battalion.
c. Tactical Company. A tactical company plans, integrates, and executes MISO in support of a JSOTF/SOTF. Each tactical company sub- ordinated to a regional battalion is regionally aligned to support a SFG in executing a GCC’s mission. However, the tactical companies sub- ordinated to the globally focused battalion are not regionally aligned.
3rd Military Information Support Battalion
The 3rd MISB provides regional and tactical MISO units with audio, visual, and audiovisual production support, product distribution support, signal support, electronic maintenance support, and media broad- cast capabilities. The battalion provides production support to MISO forces from the media operations center (MOC) location at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and through teams deployed with units around the world. The MOC is the media production and product archives hub for MISO and is critical to achieving the commanders’ objectives.
MISO Operational Concept
MISO forces can be tailored as planning and advisory teams (PAT) and as MIST to plan, synchronize, and execute influence activities in support of operational and strategic objectives.
MISO Planning and Advisory Team (MPAT)
Each TSOC is the primary point of entry for ARSOF MISO in support of the GCC’s TSCP and regional war plans. MPATs plan, integrate, and synchronize opera- tional MISO for those plans.
Military Information Support Team (MIST)
A MIST plans, integrates, and executes MISO to achieve military objectives in conjunction with other U.S. coun- try team agencies and partner nation counterparts.
meeting civil requirements, executing governance, creat- ing influence, and maintaining or expanding legitimacy as part of a comprehensive strategy.
Foreign Humanitarian Assistance
Foreign humanitarian assistance programs are con- ducted in support of HN authorities or agencies to relieve or reduce the results of natural or man-made disasters or other endemic conditions that might pres- ent a serious threat to life or result in great damage to or loss of property. These activities can be quick impact and short term in nature or support a broader developmental strategy. Because these activities have the longest lasting influence on relevant populations, SOF CA elements must understand the supported com- mand’s desired effects and target projects to achieve specific results.
Nation Assistance
Nation assistance addresses a “by, with and through” approach in support of indigenous authorities to build capacity and capability for sustainable stability. FID, joint/combined exchange training (JCET) events, and other partner capacity-building programs serve as venues to assist partnered forces in creating increased capacity and capability in those forces, and expand- ing legitimacy and influence within the relevant populations. ADVISE S U P P O RT STAB ILIZ E
95th Civil Affairs Brigade soldiers coordinate local security operations with indigenous officials and local villagers.