15 Psychological Operations Group

Former British Army unit June 2016 June 2016 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group 1991–2015 United Kingdom United Kingdom Psychological warfare ~ 150 personnel Denison Barracks, Berkshire 15 (United Kingdom) Psychological Operations Group was a tri-service, or "purple", military unit formerly parented by 1 Military Intelligence Brigade but from April 2014, part of the Security Assistance Group within the British Army's Force Troops Command.https://www.army.mod.uk/structure/28213.aspx Headquarters Force Troops Command British Army 4 March 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20150110005954/https://www.army.mod.uk/structure/28213.aspx 10 January 2015 dead dmy-all Since April 2015, it has been subsumed into 77th BrigadeNew British Army unit 'Brigade 77' to use Facebook and Twitter in psychological warfare https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/return-of-the-chindits-mod-reveals-cunning-defence-plan-10014608.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/return-of-the-chindits-mod-reveals-cunning-defence-plan-10014608.html 1 May 2022 subscription live Kim Sengupta 31 January 2015 The IndependentArmy sets up new brigade for the 'information age' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31070114 BBC News Online 31 January 2015British army sets up social media 'brigade' http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/digital/2015/01/31/British-Army-ventures-into-social-media-sets-up-special-unit.html Al Arabiya News 31 January 2015 within 6th (United Kingdom) Division.15(UK) Psychological Operations Group http://army.mod.uk/15psyops/ British Army http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20041129050450/army.mod.uk/15psyops/ 29 November 2004 9 January 2015 History Following the Gulf War of 1991, the UK formed a shadow PSYOPS unit called 15 (UK) PSYOPS Group (Shadow). A double digit prefix was selected to avoid any confusion with the U.S counterparts of the 2nd, 4th, 7th, and 8th MIS/Psych Ops Groups, and the number 15 was chosen because PSYOPS battlefield activities in support of 21 Army Group during WW2 were conducted by Amplifier Units (numbered 10-14). The Group adopted the stag's head formation sign used by the World War II Indian Field Broadcast Units (IFBU). Reputedly the deer's antlers symbolize both the combat support function of PSYOPS and the antennae associated with a major means of dissemination of psychological warfare messages. 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group was established immediately after the 1991 Gulf War when the success of US military psychological operations convinced the Ministry of Defence that the UK required a similar capability. Initially, it was composed of just a single desk officer with the intention that it would be augmented by additional personnel when required. As such, the group was referred to in military terminology as a 'shadow' unit.Jolly Stephen October 2000 Wearing the Stag's Head Badge: British Combat Propaganda since 1945 Falling Leaf 170 86–89 The Psywar Society David Minshall 0956-2400 Subsequently, conspiracy theorists have suggested incorrectly that 'shadow' was a covert code name for the group and members of the group have been targeted in the press.Master of black propaganda gets top job at MoD Hugh Muir https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/dec/13/hugh-muir-diary-jolly-mod The Guardian London 13 December 2012 26 April 2013 During the 1990s, for a short period, the name was altered to 15 Information Operations Group (Info Ops) - it being deemed a more generic term suited to its role within the UK's newly formed Information Operations umbrella group which included Media Ops. Since 1991, the group expanded significantly in size to meet operational requirements and participated in every major UK military operation since that period. The Black and White Association (formerly club) is the regimental association for the group and for the first time, in 2013, members paraded on Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph.Cenotaph Ceremony & March Past 10 November 2013 Royal British Legion http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/media/1373502/2013cenotaphorder_of_march.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20140102192037/http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/media/1373502/2013cenotaphorder_of_march.pdf 2 January 2014 Leading members of the Black and White Association include Colonel Colin Mason (ret'd),Colonel Colin Mason http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/1646/Colin-Rees-MASON Debrett's Tony Rowlands (former Foreign Office official), Commander Steve Tatham RN,Commander Steve Tatham RN http://www.x-iap.com/commander-steve-tatham.html Influence Advisory Panel 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20170118173604/http://www.x-iap.com/commander-steve-tatham.html 18 January 2017 and the UK's former two-star Director of Defence Communications, Stephen Jolly.November 2021 In October 2012, the group was awarded the Firmin Sword of Peace for its "valuable contribution to humanitarian activities by establishing good and friendly relations with the inhabitants of any community at home or overseas". The citation noted that: A small team from 15 POG has been continuously deployed to Helmand for six years. Working predominantly with the Afghan civilian population, it has sought to inform, reassure, educate and through the promotion of free and unbiased discussion persuade Afghans that their futures are best served not with the Taliban, nor with ISAF, but with themselves and their elected government. The unit runs a network of radio stations employing local Afghans as DJs, broadcasting music, poetry, debate programmes and even a Helmandi soap opera, as well as producing graphical posters and leaflets to communicate in an area where literacy rates are only around 20%. Recent projects include information campaigns to prevent children picking up spent ordnance they find, disseminating information from farming and veterinary workshops using their radio stations, and promoting debate on political issues of the day. The sword was presented to the group's then commanding officer, Commander Steve Tatham RN at a ceremony in London by the Chief of Defence Staff General Sir David Richards.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/firmin-sword-of-peace-awarded-to-15-uk-psychological-operations-group Firmin Sword of Peace awarded to 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group Ministry of Defence 26 April 2013 The award was covered by the BBC which was granted exclusive access to the group.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-20096416 Psy-ops: Tuning the Afghans into radio Wyatt Caroline Caroline Wyatt 27 October 2012 BBC News Online BBC News 28 October 2012 The group's honorary colonel Lieutenant General Sir Paul Newton, formerly Commander of Force Development and Training for the British Army, stepped down in 2014.http://www.psywar.org/psywar/reproductions/15POG_Annual_Report_2008.pdf 15 (United Kingdom) Psychological Operations Group: Annual Report 15 (UK) PSYOPS Group 29 May 2011 In 2016, 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group was moved from Chicksands to Denison Barracks, Hermitage, Berkshire, where it was integrated into 77th Brigade, formerly the Security Assistance Group.http://www.militarysurvey.org.uk/Newsletters/2014/Newsletter%2053%20Summer%202014.pdf Hermitage – The Next Chapter Military Survey (Geographic) Association Newsletter August 2014 53 8 22 December 2014 Role 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group had over 150 personnel under its command, approximately 75 from the regular Armed Forces and 75 from the Reserves. The Group supported deployed commanders in the provision of psychological operations in operational and tactical environments.http://www.army.mod.uk/15psyops/index.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20060620154544/http://www.army.mod.uk/15psyops/index.htm 20 June 2006 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group Ministry of Defence 23 August 2008http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/psychological-ops-group https://web.archive.org/web/20100702002020/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/psychological-ops-group 2 July 2010 Psychological Ops Group Royal Navy 28 May 2013 References Category:Military history of Berkshire Category:Group sized units of the British Army Category:Organisations based in Berkshire Category:Psychological operations units and formations Category:West Berkshire District Category:Units of the Intelligence Corps (British Army) Category:Military units and formations established in 1991 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2015