Operationalizing Information Operations

All military operations utilize information operations (IO). The Joint Staff and Services have written doctrine on IO. The cornerstone documents of the Joint Staff and Services, all refer to IO. Information Superiority is a core competency of the United States Air Force. Yet, there is virtually nothing written on how one actually operationally employs IO in support of a Joint Force Commander. The purpose of this paper is to address the question: How, at the operational level, does one employ offensive counter information operations (OCIO)? This researcher decomposed the problem of employing OCIO into constituent parts. This methodology revealed that successful employment of OCIO requires a force application process similar to that used when employing traditional forms of military force (e.g. air power). One still needs to establish objectives, identify targets, recommend capabilities, apply these capabilities against specific targets and after applying them assess their level of success. Having established the requirements of a process for employing OCIO, this paper then analyzes what aspects of the current joint targeting process need modification, and how to modify them in order to apply that process to OCIO.OCIO can use the existing joint targeting process with only minor modifications. To enhance the OCIO targeting process there are seven recommendations. These are: creating IO Target Materials, developing IO critical elements, establishing IO target folders requirements, formulating joint IO weaponeering methodologies, integrating IO and non-IO planning efforts, ensuring adequate access to IO capabilities and refining terminology.