PSYOP Used against Visiting Officials? Military Says No

The military command in Afghanistan says it is investigating claims that LTG Caldwell used psychological operations personnel (Lt.Col. Michael Holmes) to prepare briefings for visiting lawmakers.  However, initial reports indicate that this investigation that will not reveal much.  The United States Army Special Operations Command says that the primary officer asked to prepare the briefs did not receive any training in this PSYOP from the United States Army JFK Special Warfare Center. There are other reports that indicate he received training in PSYOP at other military locations; but probably as part of a Information Operations course. It does appear that the officer is an "Information Operations Officer" or FA30.  The story was first broke by Michael Hastings writing for The Rolling Stone magazine.  See "Another Runaway General: Army Deploys Psy-Ops on US Senators" - February 23, 2011.

Several news media outlets are commenting on the story.  The general consensus appears to be that the article was a hatchet job.  Others have indicated that the article contained a number of inaccuracies - one being the confusion between Psychological Operations and Information Operations.  Then again - was it inappropriate to use an IO team to research info on visiting CODELs?  Hmmmmmm.

 "Army: Gen. Caldwell's Accuser Had No Psy-Ops Training", The Wall Street Journal, February 25, 2011.

"Army manipulated visiting VIPs in Afghanistan", Afghanistan Crossroads, February 24, 2011.