4th Psychological Operations Group
The 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) (or 4th POG)(A) is one of the United States Army's active military information support operations units along with the 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), which was activated 26 August 2011 at Fort Bragg. The 8th Group has responsibility for the 1st, 5th and 9th Psychological Operations battalions. The 4th Group has responsibility for the 3rd, 6th, 7th and 8th battalions, with a total of about 800 soldiers.[2]
| 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 7 November 1967 – 2 October 1971 13 September 1972 – present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Role | Psychological operations |
| Size | 1,000 |
| Part of |  1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Bragg, North Carolina |
| Motto(s) | "Verbum Vincet" ("The Word Will Conquer") |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Colonel Christopher D. Stangle |
| Insignia | |
| Group beret flash |  |
| 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) shoulder sleeve insignia, worn by all subordinate units[1] | .png.webp) |
| Former combat service identification badge |  |
On 21 June 2010, an announcement was made that the military intends to rename psychological operations, or PSYOP, to Military Information Support Operations. The decision, made a few days earlier by Admiral Eric Olson, Commander, United States Special Operations Command and Army's Chief of Staff General George Casey, was propagated through a memo dated 23 June 2010.[3] By October 2017, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) reverted its decision changing their name back to PSYOP stating, "Psychological operations refers to the name of units, while MISO refers to the function that soldiers in PSYOP units perform".[4]
The unit is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and is a part of the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), under the United States Army Special Operations Command. The 4th POG was constituted 7 November 1967 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Psychological Operations Group. Originally activated 1 December 1967 in Vietnam, it was inactivated 2 October 1971 at Fort Lewis, Washington, and reactivated 13 September 1972 at Fort Bragg. [5]
Operations
The 4th POG’s mission is to degrade hostile morale to persuade the hostile to not carry out operations, as well as influencing global populations to “fight, to surrender, to BELIEVE.”
4th POG is known to dispatch operators around the world to any place SOCOM or the Department of State needs them to deploy to.
4th POG’s instagram page has posted photos of where their operators have performed around the world, locations include:
- Hagia Sophia Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey[6]
- Unknown, Ukraine[7]
- Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt[8]
- Ludwigsburg Residential Palace, Germany[9]
- Palace Tomb, Jordan[10]
- Unknown, Tajikistan[11]
Campaign participation credits
Vietnam
- Counteroffensive, Phase III
- Tet Counteroffensive
- Counteroffensive, Phase IV
- Counteroffensive, Phase V
- Counteroffensive, Phase VI
- Tet 69/Counteroffensive
- Summer-Fall 1969
- Winter-Spring 1970
- Sanctuary Counteroffensive
- Counteroffensive, Phase VII
- Consolidation I
Southwest Asia
- Defense of Saudi Arabia;
- Liberation and Defense of Kuwait
- Southwest Asia Cease-Fire
Organization
4th POG(A) currently consists of a headquarters company and three regional PSYOP battalions (POB) and one dissemination battalion. The 3rd POB is currently part of 4th POG(A) that supports both 4th POG(A) and 8th POG(A) and provides both with radio, television, digital-audio-visual and print assets for developing MISO products such as leaflets, posters, handbills, newspapers, radio and television broadcasts.[12] The three regional POBs are regionally oriented and support the regional combatant commands in the planning and production of MISO programs:
3rd POB(A) - Dissemination
6th POB(A) – United States European Command (EUCOM)
- Constituted 20 October 1965 in the Regular Army as the 6th Psychological Operations Battalion
- Activated 1 November 1965 in Vietnam
- Inactivated 30 June 1971 in Vietnam
- Activated 13 September 1972 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
- Reorganized and redesignated 16 March 1990 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 6th Psychological Operations Battalion
- Reorganized and redesignated 16 November 1995 as Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, 6th Psychological Operations Battalion (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated with personnel from provisional units)
7th POB(A) – United States Africa Command (AFRICOM)
- Constituted 23 December 1943 in the Regular Army as the 3rd Mobile Radio Broadcast Company
- Activated 29 December 1943 at Camp Ritchie, Maryland
- Inactivated 27 April 1946 at Verdun, France
- Reorganized and redesignated 16 October 2010 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 51st Psychological Operations Battalion
- Redesignated 16 March 2011 as Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, 7th Psychological Operations Battalion (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated with personnel from provisional units)
- Activated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on 18 October 2011
8th POB(A) – United States Central Command (CENTCOM)
- Constituted 7 November 1967 in the Regular Army as the 8th Psychological Operations Battalion
- Activated 1 December 1967 in Vietnam
- Inactivated 27 June 1971 at Fort Lewis, Washington
- Activated 13 September 1972 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
- Reorganized and redesignated 16 March 1990 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 8th Psychological Operations Battalion
- Reorganized and redesignated 16 November 1995 as Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, 8th Psychological Operations Battalion (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated with personnel from provisional units)
- In 1997, 8th POB's B Company (with a PACOM area of operations) was split-off from the 8th POB and designated PACOM Battalion (A); PACOM Bn. later formed the nucleus of 5th PSYOP Battalion when it was reactivated in 2003.
References
- 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) change of command, 4th POG(A)'s official Facebook page, dated 5 June 2018, 9 July 2019
- 8th Military Information Support Group (Airborne) activated at Fort Bragg
- "Military Information Support Operations". Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- The Army's psychological operations community is getting its name back, Army Times, by Meghann Myers, dated 6 November 2017, last accessed 4 March 2018
- Globalsecurity.org, 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne)
- "4th PSYOP Group (Airborne) on Instagram: "You never know where you will end up but remember to enjoy the journey! . . . 4th PSYOP Group Officers and NCOs deploy around the world 🌍 in support of SOCOM and the Department of State. Every experience is a bit different but all of them are rewarding. For #motivationmonday we highlight the unique experiences of our Psychological Operators. Special Operations is looking for adventurous and determined individuals to lead our ranks. Do you have what it takes? #wearepsyop #4thpog #usasoc #warriorswanted #goarmysof #1stsfc #psychologicaloperations . . ⚡🐎⚡"". Instagram. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- "4th PSYOP Group (Airborne) on Instagram: "A Psychological Operations NCO from 4th POG (A) advises and communicates with key leaders from US and Ukrainian Special Operations. PSYOP Soldiers operating in Ukraine communicate with the SOCOM Commander, SOCEUR Commander, US Ambassador, and Ukrainian SOF Leadership during a visit to training facilities in Ukraine. Visit @GoArmySOF to find out more on how to be a part of the #PSYOP community. #PsychologicalOperations #1stsfc #usasoc #ussocom #arsof #sof #airborne (This photo has been altered for security purposes by blurring out faces)"". Instagram. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- "4th PSYOP Group (Airborne) on Instagram: "Be Proud; Be Mission Oriented; Be Trustworthy & Loyal; Be Audacious!!! #followme #lookgoodfeelgood #innovation #trainhard #winit #SOF #DarkHorse #Change #Persuade #Influence #ARSOF #GOAT #🐐 #thirty7 #PSYOP #psychologicaloperations"". Instagram. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- "4th PSYOP Group (Airborne) on Instagram: "Where will your job take you? PSYOP Soldiers have the opportunity to travel to many places around the world. Taking in the local culture and history along the way. Unforgettable experiences. #psyop #psychologicaloperations #37f #thirty7 #arsof #sof #goarmysof #armysof #specialoperations #usasoc #goarmy #warriorswanted #sorb #influence #persuade #change #joinsof #4thPSYOP #experiences #culture #travel #freetravel"". Instagram. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- "4th PSYOP Group (Airborne) on Instagram: "The experiences are endless. Where will PSYOP take you? #experience #travel #culture #history #sightseeing"". Instagram. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- "4th PSYOP Group (Airborne) on Instagram: "Psychological Operations personnel routinely deploy and travel to countries across the globe, affording them the opportunity to experience foreign cultures while accomplishing the mission. All of this from one PSYOP Soldier's experiences. Great opportunities. Greater experiences. #psyop #psychologicaloperations #37f #thirty7 #arsof #sof #goarmysof #armysof #specialoperations #usasoc #goarmy #warriorswanted #sorb #influence #persuade #change #joinsof #4thPSYOP #deployment #experiences #travel #culture #fortbragg"". Instagram. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- Military Information Support Operations Command (Airborne) (Provisional)
