Phil Taylor's papers
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BACK TO : PSYOPS IN IRAQ 2003-6
Minds, Not Guns, Were Weapons Of Local Soldiers by Dave Bellows 
Sun, Mar 14, 2004 Minds, Not Guns, Were Weapons Of Local Soldiers Psyops forces waged war with information By Dave Bellows The Morning News/NWAonline.net"dbellows@nwaonline.net HIGHFILL-- Most of the 17 Northwest Arkansas natives who returned from a year in Iraq late Friday night will resume ordinary civilian jobs. The Army reservists have positions waiting for them at factories in Lowell, Fayetteville and Rogers. There's a farmer, a postal worker. Several soldiers said it will take some time to get used to such normal jobs after their extraordinary role in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Members of the Fayetteville-based 362nd Psychological Operations Company fought to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis. Soldiers from Psychological Operations, or "psyops" in military shorthand, worked to reduce the friction between coalition forces and civilians. "Our main job was to go out on the town and meet key communicators (sheiks, police, elders, religious leaders), and explain to them what the Army was trying to do, get them to see things from our point of view," said 1st Sgt. Tom Bercher of West Fork. Several members of the company speak Arabic. Psyops talked to Iraqis in hope of getting cooperation. "We were kind of a liaison between the Army and the Iraqis," Bercher said. Psyops forces were called on to distribute thousands of copies of 160 different leaflets. Most messages were like public-service announcements -- "a bridge is closing, a school is opening, Iraqi police are looking for recruits," Bercher said. Other fliers advertised rewards for the capture of Saddam and his deputies. Psyops also made announcements over loudspeakers. "Overall I felt we changed a lot of people's minds," said Bercher. "We weren't there threatening people," he said. "We were there to establish a rapport so they would feel comfortable with us being there." They also advised fellow soldiers about ways to build trust with Iraqis. One lesson was to show more respect for cultural values while searching homes for weapons and suspects. Specifics of some of the company's missions are classified. "The enemy watches TV and reads the papers, too," quipped one soldier. "For the most part I feel we did an excellent job," Bercher said. The nature of their assignments were often peaceful, but psyops forces were constantly in harm's way. Bercher said gunshots and mortar shells were common. Homemade bombs were especially dangerous. Of the company's 35 members, four were decorated with Purple Hearts for war injuries. |