NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA
CJOA-A COIN MISSION ESSENTIAL TASK: Conduct Information Operations
(Information Management Centers (Fusion Cells), The People are the Prize, Develop
Learning Organizations)
DESCRIPTION: Tailor local AO Information Operation engagement plan to address the specific concerns of the populace of a district. Units identify actors within the district and the means to pass information, marginalize or separate (both physically and psychologically) the insurgency and its leaders from the population; influence the population’s perception of events and the Host Nation’s legitimacy, as well as insurgent decisions and decision-making processes; compose a unified message that exploits the negative aspects of the insurgent efforts and reinforces the credibility and legitimacy of the counterinsurgent efforts, which can be referred to as the dominant narrative; message
Coalition Forces, ANSF to ensure understanding of missions and themes. All information gathered and observed concerning perceptions, recommended improvements and unintended effects are communicated (and documented) horizontally and vertically.
CONDITION: Given an appropriately task-organized battalion or smaller unit partnered with ANSF, with some GIRoA presence, operating in a multi-national environment in your local AO and a mission to conduct COIN operations.
REFERENCES:
Tasks and Standards
1. Task Title: Develop local IO Plan/Integrate themes and messages
Task Description: To identify affected internal and external audiences and their information requirements. Determine available communication channels to all audiences.
Develop command messages derived from the overall Information strategy. Acquire information to support messages. Process information for delivery through appropriate communication systems. The force applies operational culture information developed during mission analysis to shape the attitudes and behaviors of a foreign population, societal authority networks and structures, and security institutions. Direct and indirect interaction between the force and the population and institutions is designed and executed to purposefully develop rapport and cultivate relationships or to reinforce negative characteristics of influence. Such influence will likely not be consistent across the battlespace and may include combinations of characteristics across the spectrum of human interaction from cordial and friendly to dominance and fear. The term population refers to the entire spectrum of individuals in a foreign operating environment, from government and military to local leaders to private citizen to hostile forces. The entire population is a target for influence using operational culture and language skills.
Measures:
Measures: Scale: Description:
NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA

NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA
M1
M2
Yes/No
Themes and Messages in Commander’s Guidance are implemented and interpreted down to lowest level (based on
SC Plan)
Yes/No Messages are tailored to area of operational unit
2. Task Title: Conduct Soldier Engagement
Task Description: To collect intelligence and develop relationships in support of commander’s intent, in a formal or informal setting, and a local civilian population.
Interaction with a foreign population is the culmination of planning and the commander’s intent for how the population perceives the force as well as how the population behaves with respect to the influence exerted by the force. The term population refers to the entire spectrum of individuals in a foreign operating environment, from government and military to local leaders to private citizen to hostile forces. The entire population is a target for influence using operational culture and language skills.
Measures:
Measures: Scale:
M1 Yes/No
Description:
Unit synchronizes, informs and educates Coalition Forces of IO
M2 plan
Yes/No Unit IO plan supports higher headquarters IO and intent
M3
M4
M5
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Unit synchronizes IO plan with adjacent units
Unit synchronizes, informs and educates ANSF of IO plan
Unit synchronizes, informs and educates GIRoA of IO plan
M6 Yes/No Unit disseminates IO message to individual level
3. Task Title: Conduct Key Leader Engagement (KLE)
Task Description: To conduct Key Leader Engagements (KLE), which are planned to convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups and individuals, in order to collect intelligence, develop relationships in support of commander’s intent, and obtain mutually satisfying outcomes within constraints existing in partnered nation’s cultural belief system.
Measures:
Measures: Scale:
M1 Yes/No
Description:
Unit identifies and protects secure location for KLEs, shuras
M2 and jirgas
Yes/No Unit identifies key host nation personnel that will participate in
M3
KLE at the village, village cluster, or district
Yes/No Unit coordinates with other attending agencies
M4
M5
Yes/No Unit identifies personnel that will participate in the KLE
Yes/No Primary speaker identifies location
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M6
M7
M8
M9
Yes/No Primary speaker establishes Agenda
Yes/No Interpreter identifies those able to understand English
Yes/No Interpreter translates accurately and only advises or explains when requested
Yes/No Subject Matter Expert / Visitor advises primary speaker before and during
M10
M11
M12
M13
M14
M15
M16
M17
M18
Yes/No Subject Matter Expert / Visitor acts as lead on subject area of responsibility
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
PSYOP provides close force protection
PSYOP serves as the primary note taker
PSYOP observes inputs and reactions from others
PSYOP assesses inputs and reactions from others
Unit develops KLE techniques
Unit establishes rapport amongst key leaders
M19
M20
M21
M22
M23
M24
M25
Yes/No Unit understands negotiation techniques
Yes/No Unit rehearses KLE agenda with ANSF and GIRoA partners
Yes/No Unit establishes KLE rules of engagement
Yes/No Unit establishes personnel that will speak
Yes/No Unit has a checklist of information requirements
Yes/No Unit understands and identifies non-verbal communication during KLEs
Yes/No Unit assigns individual to listen to side conversations
Yes/No Unit assigns language qualified personnel to monitor side conversations
Yes/No Individual records side conversations from key and non-key leaders
M26
M27
M28
M29
M30
Yes/No Individual reports side conversations to key speaker
Yes/No Individual debriefs KLE party on side conversations
Yes/No Unit effectively utilizes local IO themes and messages into
KLE
Yes/No Unit identifies key village, village cluster, and district level topics for discussion
Yes/No Unit enables GIRoA/ANSF partners as the lead agent during
KLE
Yes/No Unit conducts a KLE debrief M31
4. Task Title: Develop IO Battle Drill that addresses Civilian Casualties
Task Description:
IO Campaign Plan supports the commander’s intent and addresses
Civilian Casualties in order to mitigate negative perceptions within the population and
GIRoA.
Measures:
Measures: Scale: Description:
NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA

NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA
M1
M2
Yes/No Unit executes civilian casualty reporting in accordance with
COMISAF Tactical directives
Yes/No Understands command message (Strategic Communication?) for CIVCAS
M3 Yes/No Unit conducts KLE to address CIVCAS incidents if appropriate
5. Task Title: Train/inform ANSF information collection from population
Task Description: To enhance the effectiveness of foreign security forces in conducting
Information Operations.
Measures:
Measures: Scale:
M1 Yes/No
Description:
Unit has an information collection training plan for the
M2 partnered ANSF element
Yes/No Unit identifies ANSF key personnel to serve as an Afghan
Information Dissemination Officer (AIDO)
6. Task Title: Synchronize local and higher echelon messages and themes across all
LOEs
Task Description: Unit uses Afghan personnel to develop appropriate themes and messages that resonate amongst the local population. Unit conducts Information
Operations (IO) preparation and shaping of the environment. Shaping is all activities conducted throughout the environment to influence a threat capability, force or the adversary’s decision process. This enables planners to determine friendly actions that influence how the adversary will react to proposed friendly COAs.
Measures:
Measures:
M1
Scale: Description:
Yes/No Translate brigade themes and messages to the operating area
M2
M3
Yes/No Conduct assessment of messaging effectiveness
Yes/No Unit identifies ANSF personnel to gather information on the effectiveness of CF local messaging
M4
M5
Yes/No Unit identifies an Afghan (Interpreter or ANSF) to monitor and conduct independent monitoring of messages from the RIAB station
Yes/No Provide feedback on perception of population’s view/reaction of messages
M6 Yes/No Identify target population literacy rates
7. Task Title:
Understand population’s current perceptions
NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA

NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA
Task Description: The commander considers the perception of the population and institutions in the battlespace towards the force. He uses his understanding of the cultural aspects of the operating environment and his mission to project any combination of postures of the force (strength, friendliness, tolerance, professionalism, dominance, fairness, willingness to provide aid, compassion, dependability, etc.) necessary for mission accomplishment. However, each situation is unique. The plans and policies developed to manage the population’s perceptions, as a result of a cultural evaluation, vary based on the size of the unit, time available, intelligence requirements (IRs), and characteristics of the mission and AO. The term population refers to the entire spectrum of individuals in a foreign operating environment, from government and military to local leaders to private citizen to hostile forces. The entire population is a target for influence using operational culture and language skills.
Measures:
Measures: Scale:
M1
Description:
Yes/No
Unit understands population’s perception towards Coalition
M2
M3
M4
Forces
Yes/No
Unit understands population’s perception towards ANSF
Yes/No
Unit understands population’s perception towards GIRoA
Yes/No
Unit understands population’s perception towards Insurgents
M5 Yes/No Identify mediums that enable ISAF and ANSF to inform the population
M6 Yes/No Unit identifies word of mouth capability and reach
M7
M8
M9
M10
M11
M12
M13
M14
M15
M16
M17
M18
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Unit identifies cellular network capability
Unit identifies cellular network providers
Unit knows cellular coverage areas
Unit knows location of cellular towers
Yes/No Unit knows if cellular towers are influenced by insurgents
Yes/No Unit identifies Radio in a Box (RIAB) capability and propagation
Yes/No Unit understands how to operate a RIAB
Yes/No Unit maintains RIAB capability
Yes/No
Unit has RIAB “disc jockey”
M19
M20
M21
M22
M23
M24
Yes/No Unit has RIAB facility
Yes/No Unit has live RIAB messaging
Yes/No Unit understands radio programming
Yes/No Unit has local Afghan specific radio messages
Yes/No Unit identifies Host Nation Television capability and reach
Yes/No Unit identifies television broadcast content
Yes/No Unit identifies local print capability (Newspapers, Handbills,
Posters)
Yes/No Unit identifies district specific modes of communication other than local print capability (Verbal, Face-to-face, Signal,
Written, Visual)
Yes/No Unit identifies that population is tied to sunrise and sunset
NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA

NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA
M25
M26
Yes/No Unit begins messaging at sunrise
Yes/No Unit messages a times that are gender appropriate
8. Task Title: Understand Enemy IO campaign
Task Description: To evaluate and assess Enemy IO campaign capabilities, limitations, centers of gravity, and critical vulnerabilities. To identify the threat or potential threat’s of the Enemy IO campaign.
Measures:
Measures: Scale:
M1
M2
Yes/No
Description:
Unit knows enemy IO techniques
Yes/No
Understand the enemy’s messaging in anticipation to counter and win the war on ideas
9. Task Title: Conduct Target Audience Analysis (TAA)
Task Description: This information supports contingency planning in areas assigned to
U.S. forces.
Measures:
Measures:
M1
Scale: Description:
Yes/No Unit requests PSYOP assets to conduct a TAA
M2
M3
M4
Yes/No Unit receives a TAA from the Tactical PSYOP Team (TPT)
Yes/No Unit requests reassessment of TAA
Yes/No Unit collects observations/ lessons learned from population and disseminates to partners and up the chain of command
NATO/ISAF UNCLASSIFIED REL GIRoA