How do We Train to Match our Actions to Our Narrative?

[Jim Rodgers]

I want to chew this one over for a while, but think a few things are worth talking about right now.

I don't know that anything gets you to where you need to be other than accepting that Information Operations is a core war fighting function - then training, and perhaps organizing, accordingly. This goes for every level of command, down to the company level (and would probably require at least a full understanding at the platoon leader\commander level). If IO is a core function - then you're going to plan for it, synch it with your other functions, and perhaps even build around and take initiative with it.

We talk a lot about how important IO is, but I'm not sure how much it's really sunk in yet. At this point most everyone gets the importance of talking to the locals, but that instinct, though a prerequisite, isn't the end all. We're starting to staff for it at higher levels - but if something is an operating system\function for a division commander, than it probably should be for the company commander as well, at least in this kind of a fight.

I've been fairly surprised by how many very experienced officers had relatively little experience with PSYOPS, narratives\themes\talking points, etc. I just did a quick review of the drafts of the new 3-0 and 5-0. A doctrinal move in the right direction is the emphasis on "information engagement" (PSYOPs, roughly speaking) as something that belongs under scheme of maneuver, instead of buried down in Annex P, which is either deemphasized or eliminated all together. A small thing, perhaps, but train enough of the Captains who are going to be your junior commanders and assistant 3s on it, and it may start to spread through the force. Or maybe not. We'll see. I would have liked to have seen it explicitly included as one of the new Warfighting Functions (replaces the old Battlefield Operating Systems), but I suppose I'm splitting doctrinal hairs at this point.

Other things to think through are staffing. LTC\Dr. Kilcullen addressed in the 28 Articles the identification of a cultural advisor to, key point, shape the environment rather than analyze it. Maybe that could be formalized at the company level - we have ASI producing IO courses right now, and not just at Sill. Formalizing it too much could be counterproductive in terms of identifying the right personality, but it's something to consider.

A little bit of a rambling reply. I'll try and sort it out a little better and post back later.