Organizing for Information Warfare at the Geographic Combatant Commands

📖 The Scoop

Information power is increasingly recognized as a critical source of national power and a key component of military operations. Between 2020 and 2023, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) made changes to better integrate information and information warfare issues into its battle rhythm. These activities rely on cross-functional staff integration groups, referred to as boards, bureaus, centers, cells, and working groups (B2C2WG) and operational planning teams. The meetings and processes generated by the B2C2WG are part of a command's routine cycle of command and staff activities that synchronize current and future operations. These changes have resulted in several USCENTCOM operations notably integrating information and information power into planning and execution, which offers opportunities for assessment and learning. Thus far, the extent to which these operations succeeded in integrating information as a joint function has not been well documented, nor have the effects been fully captured. This report documents the processes and information activities of these operations and assesses their effectiveness. In addition, the report includes lessons for distribution to relevant elements within the joint force and presents a framework for drawing further lessons from the commander's decisionmaking cycle and for the execution of future operations. Research methods included a comprehensive review of relevant documentation and literature, both internal and external to the command; more than 35 interviews with subject-matter experts drawn from current and previous USCENTCOM and CENTCOM service component command personnel; and case studies of three instances of operations planned under the USCENTCOM joint effects process (JEP).

Genre: Political Science / Intelligence & Espionage (fancy, right?)