by William Bryant
Introduction
“Information technology is expected to make a thousandfold advance over the next 20 years. In fact, the pace of development is so great that it renders our current materiel management and acquisition system inadequate. Developments in information technology will revolutionize-and indeed have begun to revolutionize-how nations, organizations, and people Interact. The rapid diffusion of information, enabled by these technological advances, challenges the relevance of traditional organizational and management principles. The military implications of new organizational sciences that examine internetted, nonhierarchical versus hierarchical management models are yet to be fully understood. Clearly, Information Age technology, and the management Ideas It fosters, will greatly Influence military operations in two areas – one evolutionary, the other revolutionary; one we understand, one with which we are just beginning to experiment. Together, they represent two phenomena at work in winning what has been described as the information war – a war that has been fought by commanders throughout history.” – Force XXI Operations
The quotation above was written in 1994. During this period, the Army attempted to marshal its resources to prepare for the future operating environment in anticipation of the information age. While Force XXI Operations correctly identified the characteristics of the information age and the need for adaptation, the Global War on Terror blindsided the United States and interrupted this effort. Now, 31 years later, the U.S.’s adversaries effectively retain the capabilities to outcompete it in the information environment (IE), as seen in modern conflict and within strategic competition. In response, the U.S. military must adapt now to ensure future relative advantages across competition, crisis and armed conflict.
Field Manual (FM) 3-05 defines information warfare as “the integrated employment of lethal and nonlethal capabilities to disrupt, degrade, deceive, or destroy enemy command and control systems while protecting friendly forces from the same.” Traditionally, Special Operations Forces (SOF) conducted information warfare alongside a multitude of other conventional components. However, the speed of the modern information age necessitates adaptation to dominate in the IE. To effectively shape this environment, the Army must transform its Information Forces into a cohesive, agile entity capable of countering and dominating sophisticated threats.
This article explores the first steps towards modernizing and unifying Army Information Forces by establishing an IWar branch. Ultimately, it emphasizes the strategic integration of Functional Area (FA) 30 Information Operations (IO) officers with the Army Psychological Operations (PO) branch to create a unified and more effective capability in support of operations in the information environment (OIE).
Figure 1: Domains and Dimensions of an Operational Environment. Source. Department of the Army. (2023). ADP 3-13, Information. Army Publishing Directorate.
The Current State of Army Information Forces
Our current state of Army Information Forces is marked by fragmentation and limited coordination (and, in some instances, redundancies) across key capabilities, including cyber, civil affairs (CA), public affairs (PA), electronic warfare (EW), IO, space, and PO. Different units often operate in silos, with limited integration of their capabilities. This creates gaps in response speed, strategic coherence, and effectiveness in countering adversaries’ malign influence campaigns.
Concurrently, the threat landscape is evolving rapidly. Adversaries now employ sophisticated information warfare, including social media manipulation, cyber intrusions, disinformation, and targeted propaganda, to sway public opinion and undermine allied cohesion. These tactics exploit weaknesses in the Army’s existing capabilities, often leaving critical vulnerabilities unaddressed.
Figure 2: Russian Activities Vignette. Source: Department of the Army. (2023). ADP 3-13, Information. Army Publishing Directorate.
Bottom line: the traditional force structure is no longer sufficient for modern conflict. It lacks the flexibility and agility needed to effectively counter or disrupt current threats. The limited integration among IO, PO, CA, cyber, space, EW, and PA hinders a unified response, reducing the Army’s ability to proactively shape the IE. The absence of a dedicated, cohesive force specialized in influence and IO means that the Army cannot maximize its potential in the information dimension. This fragmentation risks strategic failures in conflicts where information dominance is a decisive factor.
Figure 3: Current Army Information Forces, per ADP 3-13 Source. Created by author. (2025).
The Path Forward: Establishing the IWar Branch
To address these gaps, the Special Operations Center of Excellence (SOCoE) is pursuing a transformative initiative: consolidating, streamlining, and modernizing our IWar capabilities through a dedicated, integrated force. The new IWar path will integrate the FA 30 IO officer community with the Army PO branch. This new path will create a unified, multidomain capability that enhances the Army’s capacity for information warfare and strategic communication.
An IWar branch will expand the Army’s information warfare capabilities by combining the integration expertise of IO officers with the operational experience of PO soldiers. This will enhance coordination across various influence and cyber activities, enabling rapid and tailored responses to emerging threats. It will also foster increased IWar specialization, allowing personnel to develop a deeper understanding of the diverse tools required for modern information warfare.
Developing a dedicated cadre of IWar soldiers with diverse expertise aligned to current threats is essential. These IWar soldiers will be trained in advanced influence techniques, military deception, how to leverage and employ cyber and electronic warfare technical enablers, Information Force integration, and strategic communication, ensuring they are prepared for the complexities of modern conflict. Organizational redesign, doctrine updates, and training modernization programs will be necessary to institutionalize this branch establishment. These changes will support the broader goal of enabling effective OIE, ensuring the Army can conduct deception, influence, precision messaging, and other information warfare capabilities more effectively.
Figure 4: Proposed IWar Branch Establishment, Phase 1. Source: Created by author. (2025).
Modernized forces will be better equipped to counter adversary disinformation, conduct information warfare campaigns, and support friendly information initiatives. Additionally, the establishment of IWar will optimize the delivery of integrated capabilities that increase the Army’s effectiveness on the battlefield. Enhanced battlefield visualization, deception capabilities, and a more holistic integration of information forces into the targeting process will facilitate lethality and survivability. The integration of modern tools, such as artificial intelligence capabilities, will further enhance our Army’s effectiveness as a fighting force, capable of achieving information/ decision advantage for Army and joint commanders.
Implementation and Future Steps
Implementing this transformation requires a phased, comprehensive approach. Key steps include updating doctrine to integrate influence activities with cyber and space operations, developing leadership with specialized expertise, and conducting Army and joint training exercises to ensure interoperability. Pursuant to this initiative, an operational planning team (OPT) is conducting analysis and planning for the integration of FA30 and PO Soldiers already in our formations, at each echelon, under a consolidated IWar branch. This analysis also includes planning for the phasing and timelines of future recruitment, selection, training, and education of future IWar soldiers.
This is only the first step of this transformative initiative. In the coming months the Army will move fast, but deliberately. Leaders must continue to iterate on the analytical steps required to enact this change in an expeditious manner. However, the Army will not compromise core functions. Any potential changes to current force structure will be done to enhance IWar capability and capacity to increase the lethality, survivability, and effectiveness of the Army on the battlefield of tomorrow.
Conclusion
The need to transform and modernize the Army’s Information Forces is clear. As adversaries become more adept at weaponizing information, the Army must evolve to meet these challenges head-on. Establishing the IWar branch is a strategic step toward creating a more agile, responsive, and effective force. The SOCoE’s efforts will enable the U.S. Army to shape the IE, counter adversary influence, and support national security objectives. Proactive leadership and sustained commitment are essential for implementing this vital transformation without compromising core functions, ensuring the Army remains dominant in the complex and contested information landscape of the future.
This is an important initiative, one that recognizes the talent within the force and seeks to invest in and elevate such talent to the benefit of the Army. As work on this initiative continues, feedback from leaders throughout Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) is needed. ARSOF’s talented community is ready to meet the challenges ahead and it can, and will, rapidly innovate to create the streamlined, agile, and effective Information Forces needed for future conflicts.