Improving PSYOP (and CA as a tangent)

[ODB]

kville79 Another point contended in this post hits kinda close to home...

I'm not an elegant writer so I'm not going to use euphemism and literary tools like "rolled sleeves", "burned by brass" and their like, but I will try to convey my experiences and opinions as concisely as possible.

Has nothing to do with "euphemisms" or "literary tools". Simple answers to simple questions, nothing more, nothing less.

When it comes down to the effectiveness of the "Tactical Corporal" being the end user of PsyOp Product or the deliverer of the message to the mass populace, he's just as good as the next guy. When it comes down to it 90% of an average low income Iraqi's image of the USA is that American soldier. He doesn't have MTV, he doesn't know enough English to understand what 2Pac is saying on that CD, even though he likes the beat. What he knows is the guys in ACU's who drives around his village once a week.

Actually kinda funny. Didn't know low income Iraqi's only image of the US was us soldiers. If memory serves me right these same low income families are the ones who are the most manipulated in the country. They are bought by a number of players on the ground in Iraq, be it us, local sheiks, foreign influences, criminals, the list goes on. Understand these "low income Iraqis" are where the fight is being won and lost on many levels. Sometimes it is as easy as employing them to wear PT belts and guard the highway, but to continue to foster that relationship sometimes one must "persuade" the local sheik to not be so greedy with his "take" of their profits. There are so many different levels to this, do not start to group them and put percentages on them. Last time I checked there were more houses with Satellite dishes than without. Do not underestimate their knowledge or perceptions.

That being said, PsyOps is way more effective in handling situations that the "Tactical Corporal" can not, or should not be involved with. For example, dealing with local black marketers or gun/drug runners without shooting or arresting them. For you commanders out there... PLEASE use us like this!
There are thousands of ways that PsyOps can be utilized, and we only get used in 1% of our many facets. This is usually due to a bad CAPEs breif, but sometimes by the supported unit's commander's choice.

Serious heartburn forming here, but will not diminish the effectiveness of this forum. Just remember that competency can go a long way. In reality I want to know what you can do for me, quite simply with you or without you I will change what is happening in my AOR. I will deal with the gray area guys, might already be doing so. Yes my perspective is different than others on here, but if you can't sell your abilities/capabilities then you end up not being utilized, but to pull security. Seems like you acknowledge the fact that it usually do to a bad CAPEs brief, so one only has to look as far as ones own product. For my own knowledge what quantifies PsyOps to deal with the black market/gun dealers/smugglers more so than the "Tactical Corporal"? This gets at the heart of my point about competency. Don't take this the wrong way, but if the info in your briefs resemble the info you post I can see why your under/misutilized.....just remember competency.

Another facet of the Grunt Vs. PsyOp, etc... argument is the mental capacity that is required for each task... and something about fight vs. flight adrenaline... reaction determined by training... blah, blah, etc.. etc...

Never have claimed to be a smart man. Obviously if I was I wouldn't be doing what I do for the same paycheck others get for doing less. Unfortunately I love what I do and wouldn't change it for the world. Has nothing to do with mental capacity of one vs the other. Simply some are more adept to things than others.

OK, first off... from my personal experience, which is actually next to nil (only had rounds go my direction once), I can say training doesn't determine your actions. Training makes you instinctively ask questions, i.e. where are the shots coming from, All sorts of situation awareness questions like where am I situated amongst my comrades, are there any adjacent units, the list can go on, but I believe someone posted up a pretty good list of things earlier on in the thread. All this happens in a split second, I think only one question get asked after you start firing back... "What where those dang ROE's?"

Violent disagreement here. Training does determine your actions. Human instinct is flight. No one in their right mind wants to stay around to be shot at. Luckily we overcome this instinct through training. Sorry but no questions arise here. Going in already know what I have available, the only thing is how I'm going to utilize it. Situational awareness should be constant, not something that you suddenly realize when the bullets start flying. I already know who is where and what assets I have. Through training I make the decision how to employ them and where. One reacts instinctively based on training, we rewire our brains, some better than others and then some just are not wired right to begin with, just ask my wife.

Again apologize if this seemed outta context, not eloquent with words like some are, but working on it.

[reed11b]

Violent disagreement here. Training does determine your actions. Human instinct is flight. No one in their right mind wants to stay around to be shot at. Luckily we overcome this instinct through training. Sorry but no questions arise here. Going in already know what I have available, the only thing is how I'm going to utilize it. Situational awareness should be constant, not something that you suddenly realize when the bullets start flying. I already know who is where and what assets I have. Through training I make the decision how to employ them and where. One reacts instinctively based on training, we rewire our brains, some better than others and then some just are not wired right to begin with, just ask my wife.

I have to violently disagree with you on this. If only training and drills kept soldiers from fleeing when they made contact w/ the enemy then M day National Guard soldiers would have all broken in Iraq. It is the sense of duty and the support of your peers that keeps us in the fight. I also feel that saying that "you must always have situational awareness, not just when the bullets start flying" is a cop out. While it is technically true, once the bullets start flying, obviously the situation has changed and how it has changed must be assessed. You do think in combat. The ability to make choices in high stress situations is what separates good leaders from bad ones and the ability to make far reaching decisions under stress is what separates great leaders from the merely good ones.
Reed

[RTK]

Violent disagreement here. Training does determine your actions. Human instinct is flight. No one in their right mind wants to stay around to be shot at. Luckily we overcome this instinct through training. Sorry but no questions arise here. Going in already know what I have available, the only thing is how I'm going to utilize it. Situational awareness should be constant, not something that you suddenly realize when the bullets start flying. I already know who is where and what assets I have. Through training I make the decision how to employ them and where. One reacts instinctively based on training, we rewire our brains, some better than others and then some just are not wired right to begin with, just ask my wife.

I think you've both got a good point. I cannot speak from the perspective of the 19-year-old rifleman, because I never was one. But I can speak from the perspective of the LT and CPT. The thought of fleeing enemy contact never entered my head. In hindsight, with our training and doctrine in mind, it probably should have a couple of times. But, the "flight" reaction never kicked in (aside from physiological responses) because of a sense of duty and responsibility to my Soldiers. The duty is ingrained through organizational culture. The responsibility, in my opinion, is instinctive. We are pack animals. So, I think you're both right - training and instinct. Most of the time, I think the pack animal instinct reigned. But whenever I needed to think through a decision, the sense of duty seemed to dominate in my brain - "if I don't think through this properly, some of my guys are going die due to my stupidity."

I have to violently disagree with you on this. If only training and drills kept soldiers from fleeing when they made contact w/ the enemy then M day National Guard soldiers would have all broken in Iraq. It is the sense of duty and the support of your peers that keeps us in the fight. I also feel that saying that "you must always have situational awareness, not just when the bullets start flying" is a cop out. While it is technically true, once the bullets start flying, obviously the situation has changed and how it has changed must be assessed. You do think in combat. The ability to make choices in high stress situations is what separates good leaders from bad ones and the ability to make far reaching decisions under stress is what separates great leaders from the merely good ones.
Reed

I think you're all talking on the same level. What I'm getting from all three of you is violent agreement with:

Have you been trained to place yourself in the proper mindset, sense of duty, loyalty to ones fellow Soldiers/Marines, and innoculated yourself of the stress that hinders decision making to the vast majority of people?

That begins on day 1 of basic training. I think each of you are on point. As they say in Arabiya "Al-tikrar yi'allim al-shuttar" - repetition teaches the clever ones.

[ODB]

From FM 7-8 Chapter 4

FM 25-101 defines a battle drill as "a collective action rapidly executed without applying a deliberate decision-making process."

a. Characteristics of a battle drill are--

They require minimal leader orders to accomplish and are standard throughout the Army.

Sequential actions are vital to success in combat or critical to preserving life.

They apply to platoon or smaller units.

They are trained responses to enemy actions or leader's orders.

They represent mental steps followed for offensive and defensive actions in training and combat.

b. A platoons ability to accomplish its mission often depends on soldiers and leaders to execute key actions quickly. All soldiers and their leaders must know their immediate reaction to enemy contact as well as follow-up actions. Drills are limited to situations requiring instantaneous response; therefore, soldiers must execute drills instinctively. This results from continual practice. Drills provide small units with standard procedures essential for building strength and aggressiveness.

They identify key actions that leaders and soldiers must perform quickly.

They provide for a smooth transition from one activity to another; for example, from movement to offensive action to defensive action.

They provide standardized actions that link soldier and collective tasks at platoon level and below. (Soldiers perform individual tasks to CTT or SDT standard.)

They require the full understanding of each individual and leader, and continual practice.

What one has to look at is at what point in the fight we are putting into context. I'm sensing a reoccuring theme here of late.......training.

Originally posted by reed11b

I also feel that saying that "you must always have situational awareness, not just when the bullets start flying" is a cop out.

How so? It's a cop out that I am constantly aware of my surroundings and changes to it. Be it everyday life, driving down the road, going out to dinner, the mall, you name it, to combat it constantly applies. If any thing I'd say it's the product of being properly trained somewhere along my career.

RTK.....I was getting there, just took me longer to type than you!

[Ken White]

I'm sensing a reoccuring theme here of late.......training.

marry you

(Well not really -- but I could fall in love with your sensing. Particularly since you said it so I didn't need to... )

[ODB]

marry you

(Well not really -- but I could fall in love with your sensing. Particularly since you said it so I didn't need to... )

but I promised myself if this one runs away I'm marrying extremely rich and younger the next time.

I did have to consult the thesaurus because I myself am getting tired of the same word......training. Found the synonyms quite interesting:

background
basics
buildup
chalk talk
coaching
cultivation
discipline
domestication
drill
education
exercise
foundation
grounding
groundwork
guidance
indoctrination
instruction
practice
preliminaries
principles
readying
schooling
seasoning
sharpening
teaching
tuition
tune-up
tutelage
upbringing

Sums it up nicely.

[Ken White]

Good list. My wife likes that 'domestication' bit...

I like the 'sharpening.'

[ODB]

in between domestication and indoctrination. Between the wife and daughter and the fact all pets are females it's a constant battle that I try to incorporate foundation, education, and principles.