Strategic Communication Joint Integrating Concept (PDF)

Strategic Communication Joint Integrating Concept Version 1.0 07 October 2009   STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 ii This page is intentionally left blank  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 Table of Contents Executive Summary ...............................................................................ii 1. Introduction ......................................................................................1 2. Purpose.............................................................................................1 3. Scope ................................................................................................2 4. The Military Problem .........................................................................3 5. The Operational Solution...................................................................9 6. Required Capabilities ......................................................................21 7. Potential Risks of Adopting this Concept..........................................22 8. Potential Implications of Adopting this Concept ...............................24 9. Conclusion......................................................................................29 Appendix A: References..................................................................... A-1 Appendix B: Glossary and Acronyms.................................................B-1 Appendix C: Table of Capabilities, Tasks and Measures.....................C-1 Appendix D: Illustrative Vignette: Strategic Communication with Mesonesia, 2016-2028 ..................................................D-1 Appendix E. Communication Theory ................................................. E-1 Appendix F: Plan for Assessment ...................................................... F-1 i  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Strategic Communication Joint Integrating Concept proposes how a joint force commander circa 2016-2028 might plan and execute joint operations to achieve strategic communication objectives within the context of a broader national effort. Strategic communication is focused United States Government efforts to understand and engage key audiences to create, strengthen, or preserve conditions favorable for the advancement of United States Government interests, policies, and objectives through the use of coordinated programs, plans, themes, messages, and products synchronized with the actions of all instruments of national power. A clear strategic-level policy and a desired endstate, originating with the Executive Branch with Congressional approval, and supported by U.S. Government departments and agencies, are central to success. Strategic communication is the alignment of multiple lines of operation (e.g., policy implementation, public affairs, force movement, information operations etc) that together generate effects to support national objectives. Strategic communication essentially means sharing meaning (i.e., communicating) in support of national objectives (i.e., strategically). This involves listening as much as transmitting and applies not only to information, but also physical communication—action that conveys meaning. The concept deals with the challenge of influence—convincing others to think and act in ways compatible with our objectives, whether this means causing others to adopt a specific course of action or simply understand us better and accept us more. The future joint force commander must be able to plan and execute joint operations to affect the actions or behaviors of selected populations, governments or other decision-making groups to accomplish the mission and promote broader national interests in a socially complex and globally interconnected information environment. A key dimension of this challenge is integrating all the various actions of the joint force with each other and with other operational capabilities to maximize their combined effect and likewise to coordinate these actions with those of any partners. Based on the situation, joint force partners may include various U.S. Government departments and agencies, multinational governments to include a host- nation, non-state organizations, academia and commercial industry. Strategic communication is a continuous function that occurs across the full range of military operations. The joint force communicates strategically with friends, adversaries and others alike. The joint force communicates strategically with general populaces, governments, and other organizations. The joint force communicates strategically in the context of conflict, competition and cooperation. Strategic communication includes efforts to communicate with domestic audiences within statutory restrictions, through public affairs channels. ii  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 Influence can cover a wide range of activities including simple informing, educating, persuading, inducing and coercing through words and actions. The term influence sometimes carries negative connotations because the term is often associated with deceptive manipulation or exploitation. Influence will not have that connotation in this concept. Influence is a pervasive and fundamental form of any social interaction, as essential to cooperation as it is to competition or conflict. One mechanism for exerting influence is communication. Communication has always been a complex phenomenon; in the future, it will only get more complex as digital communication networks increasingly interconnect the globe. The joint force will have four basic strategic communication goals:  Improve U.S. credibility and legitimacy  Weaken an adversary’s credibility and legitimacy  Convince selected audiences to take specific actions that support U.S. or international objectives  Cause a competitor or adversary to take (or refrain from taking) specific actions The central idea describing how a joint force commander could plan and execute joint operations to achieve strategic communication objectives is this: In the context of a broader national strategy and in conjunction with other agencies and organizations as appropriate, the joint force commander of 2016-2028 will employ the full range of informational and other capabilities available to the force in an integrated and timely way to: (1) identify, segment, study and listen to potential audiences; (2) conceive, produce and coordinate signals through both information and actions designed to affect the perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and thus the behaviors of selected audiences in ways that support the accomplishment of the mission and promote broader national and international interests; (3) monitor, measure and assess the effects of these signals; and (4) iteratively modify actions and information products based on feedback on the effects of the signals. This concept posits that strategic communication will not be an adjunct activity, but will be inherent in the planning and conduct of all operations. It should be proactive, not just reactive. The concept elaborates the central idea above with 11 supporting ideas:  Integrate joint force actions to maximize the desired effect on selected audiences. iii  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009  Coordinate joint strategic communication efforts with the efforts of other agencies and organizations within guidance provided by higher authority.  Conduct a continuous engagement program within the joint operations area with respect to selected key audiences, as the foundation for all other communication efforts.  Conceive every action based on its potential cognitive impact, consequences and effects on various audiences in the joint operations area and beyond.  Actively engage in the debate over joint actions.  Anticipate, monitor, understand and quickly counter or exploit the influence efforts of adversaries and competitors.  Develop deep knowledge of selected audiences to the point that courses of action start to become intuitive.  Formulate and produce tailored, resonant and culturally attuned signals that reach intended audiences through the surrounding noise.  Focus on the opinion leaders and moderates.  Adapt continuously and iteratively based on feedback about the effects of our signals.  Decentralize strategic communication at each level within broad parameters established by higher authority. The document derives 11 future capabilities required to fully implement strategic communication according to this concept: SC-001C. The ability to integrate all joint force actions to maximize desired effects on selected audiences. SC-002C. The ability to coordinate joint force actions with the efforts of other agencies and partners within the context of a broader national strategy. SC-003C. The ability to access, produce and maintain information and knowledge on the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of potential audiences. SC-004C. The ability to access, produce and maintain information and knowledge on complex social communication systems, to include the characteristics of various media channels and the intentions, capabilities and efforts of other influencers within and having an effect on the joint operations area. SC-005C. The ability to detect, monitor, translate and assess the effects of the strategic communication efforts of others—to include friendly governments, non-state groups, neutrals, competitors and adversaries—as the basis for responding to those effects. SC-006C. The ability to estimate the direct and indirect effects of potential actions and signals on the perceptions, attitudes, iv  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 beliefs and actions of selected audiences, both intended and unintended. SC-007C. The ability to conceive and formulate timely and culturally attuned messages. SC-008C. The ability to quickly produce and deliver information designed to influence selected audiences as desired. SC-009C. The ability to conceive and coordinate physical actions or maintain physical capabilities designed to influence selected audiences as desired. SC-010C. The ability to document, through various means, joint force actions, down to small-unit levels, and to disseminate this information in real or near-real time as required. SC-011C. The ability to coordinate, monitor, measure and assess the effects of friendly signals with other partners on intended and unintended audiences in relation to expected effects. This concept further identifies an extensive list of potential institutional risks and implications associated with its implementation on pages 22-29. In summary, this concept proposes one possible approach to the conduct of strategic communication by joint forces. It defines strategic communication essentially as sharing meaning with others in support of national interest. It suggests that the fundamental challenge of strategic communication is to influence and that an important aspect of this challenge is effectively integrating all available means. It proposes that strategic communication should be an adaptive, decentralized process of trying to understand selected audiences thoroughly, hypothesizing physical or informational signals that will have the desired cognitive effect on those audiences, testing those hypotheses through action, monitoring the actual result through feedback, and disseminating the best solutions quickly through the force. There will be multiple strategies in play that need to be coordinated and balanced—from long- term country strategies to short-term operational and tactical strategies. Strategic communication is a process that supports strategies, all of which involve attaining effects and objectives through the actions of people. v  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 vi Synopsis of the Concept Operational Environment The operational environment will be characterized by:  Increased volume and speed of information  Increased number of competing information sources  A globally interconnected information environment  Increased transparency  Multilateral action in the form of dynamic coalitions and partnerships Military Problem How could a future joint force commander plan and execute joint operations to affect the behaviors of selected populations, governments or other decision‐making groups to accomplish the mission and promote broader national interests in a socially complex and globally interconnected information environment? Central Idea In the context of a broader national strategy and in conjunction with other agencies and organizations as appropriate, employ the full range of informational and other capabilities available to the force in an integrated and timely way to: (1) identify, segment, study and listen to potential audiences; (2) conceive, produce and coordinate signals through both information and actions designed to affect the perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and thus the behaviors of selected audiences in ways that support the accomplishment of the mission and promote broader national and international interests; (3) monitor, measure and assess the effects of these signals; and (4) iteratively modify actions and information products based on feedback on the effects of the signals. Success Mechanism Affect behaviors by influencing underlying perceptions, attitudes and beliefs through a combination of informing, educating, persuading, urging, inducing or even coercing as appropriate. Supporting Ideas  Integrate joint force actions to maximize the desired effect on selected audiences.  Coordinate joint strategic communication efforts with the efforts of other agencies and organizations within guidance provided by higher authority.  Conduct a continuous engagement program within the joint operations area with respect to selected key audiences, as the foundation for all other communication efforts.  Conceive every action based on its potential cognitive impact, consequences and effects on various audiences in the joint operations area and beyond.  Actively engage in the debate over joint actions.  Anticipate, monitor, understand and quickly counter or exploit the influence efforts of adversaries and competitors.  Develop deep knowledge of selected audiences to the point that courses of action start to become intuitive.  Formulate and produce tailored, resonant and culturally attuned signals that reach intended audiences through the surrounding noise.  Focus on the opinion leaders and moderates.  Adapt continuously and iteratively based on feedback about the effects of our signals.  Decentralize strategic communication at each level within broad parameters established by higher authority.  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 vii Synopsis of the Concept (Continued) Required Capabilities SC‐001C. The ability to integrate all joint force actions to maximize desired effects on selected audiences. SC‐002C. The ability to coordinate joint force actions with the efforts of other agencies and partners within the context of a broader national strategy. SC‐003C. The ability to access, produce and maintain information and knowledge on the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of potential audiences. SC‐004C. The ability to access, produce and maintain information and knowledge on complex social communication systems, to include the characteristics of various media channels and the intentions, capabilities and efforts of other influencers within and having an effect on the joint operations area. SC‐005C. The ability to detect, monitor, translate and assess the effects of the strategic communication efforts of others—to include friendly governments, non‐state groups, neutrals, competitors and adversaries—as the basis for responding to those effects. SC‐006C. The ability to estimate the direct and indirect effects of potential actions and signals on the perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and actions of selected audiences, both intended and unintended. SC‐007C. The ability to conceive and formulate timely and culturally attuned messages. SC‐008C. The ability to quickly produce and deliver information designed to influence selected audiences as desired. SC‐009C. The ability to conceive and coordinate physical actions or maintain physical capabilities designed to influence selected audiences as desired. SC‐010C. The ability to document, through various means, joint force actions, down to small‐unit levels, and to disseminate this information in real or near‐real time as required. SC‐011C. The ability to coordinate, monitor, measure and assess the effects of friendly signals with other partners on intended and unintended audiences in relation to expected effects.  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 1. INTRODUCTION The Strategic Communication (SC) Joint Integrating Concept (JIC) describes how a joint force commander (JFC) circa 2016-2028 might plan and execute joint operations to achieve strategic communication objectives within the context of a broader national effort. The joint force is an instrument of national power. It exists to create or maintain conditions that support U.S. national interests—although it is certainly not the only instrument that does this and can rarely succeed alone. The most obvious and extreme way that joint forces do this is through direct physical compulsion in the form of combat operations that seek to impose the desired conditions upon an adversary by force. There will be many situations, however, in which compulsion is neither desirable nor feasible. Joint forces must therefore also be able to indirectly affect the choices that other political actors or groups make—although, again, joint forces can rarely do this alone. To do this, joint forces must be able to plan and execute operations to achieve strategic communication objectives, the subject of this concept. 2. PURPOSE This concept comprises three objectives:  First, to inform operational decision-making in current and future joint operations. While the concept’s primary aim is to influence force planning, it also provides ideas that could help operational commanders plan and execute joint operations to achieve strategic communication objectives more effectively with current capabilities.  Second, to provide a common intellectual framework for all subsequent force planning with respect to strategic communication, including (1) experimentation into future strategic communication methods and capabilities, (2) identification and implementation of required institutional changes, and (3) programmatic, budgetary, organizational and other force planning decisions.  Third, to provide the conceptual basis for performing a capability- based assessment (CBA) within the Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS). The concept will do this by identifying an initial set of required strategic communication capabilities, with associated tasks and measures, and providing the logical basis for these capabilities. 1  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 3. SCOPE This concept describes how a joint force commander might plan and execute joint operations to achieve strategic communication objectives in 2016-2028 within the context of a larger, national or coalition effort. Strategic communication is defined as “Focused United States Government efforts to understand and engage key audiences to create, strengthen, or preserve conditions favorable for the advancement of United States Government interests, policies, and objectives through the use of coordinated programs, plans, themes, messages, and products synchronized with the actions of all instruments of national power.”1 Strategic communication essentially means sharing meaning (i.e., communicating) in support of national objectives (i.e., strategically). This involves listening as much as transmitting. It applies not only to information, but also to physical communication—that is, action that conveys meaning. While strategic communication is a national effort involving much more than military actions, this concept will concentrate on the joint force’s contribution to this broader effort. The applicability of this concept is very broad. Strategic communication occurs across the full range of military operations. It is a continuous function that applies to greater or lesser extent to all joint operating concepts and operational (vice functional) joint integrating concepts and to all phases of a campaign.2 Joint forces communicate strategically with friends, adversaries and others alike. Joint forces communicate strategically with general populaces, governments, and other organizations. Joint forces communicate strategically in the context of conflict, competition and cooperation. Strategic 1 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, Joint Pub 1- 02, 30 May 2008 revision. 2 In particular, strategic communication plays an important role in the following concepts:  Military Support to Stabilization, Security, Transition, and Reconstruction Operations (SSTRO) JOC (v2.0, Dec06)  Deterrence Operations JOC (v2.0, Dec06)  Irregular Warfare (IW) JOC (v1.0, Sep07)  Military Contribution to Cooperative Security (CS) JOC (pending SECDEF approval)  Joint Urban Operations (JUO) JIC (v1.0, 23Jul07). The SSTRO JOC lists “conduct strategic communication” as one of six “major mission elements.” Deterrence operations can be thought of as a highly specialized form of strategic communication that has the purpose of convincing others not to threaten vital U.S. interests. The IW JOC defines irregular warfare as a “violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant population(s).” The CS JOC describes strategic communication as an important tool of cooperative security. The JUO JIC has as one of its main supporting ideas “persuad[ing] municipal governments, groups and population segments to cooperate with joint force operations.” 2  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 communication includes efforts to communicate with domestic audiences within statutory restrictions, mostly through public affairs.3 For scoping purposes, this concept discusses strategic communication in universal terms that integrate and synchronize specific disciplines or organizations. It will not prescribe the individual execution of public affairs (PA), psychological operations (PSYOP), defense support to public diplomacy (DSPD), or other activities that contribute to strategic communication. Appendix D provides a comprehensive vignette that illustrates strategic communication efforts in a futuristic scenario. 4. THE MILITARY PROBLEM: INFLUENCING OTHER REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ACTORS This strategic communication concept deals with the challenge of convincing others to think and act in ways compatible with our objectives, whether this means causing them to adopt a specific course of action or to simply understand us better and accept us more. The future joint force commander must be able to plan and execute joint operations to affect the behaviors of selected populations, governments or other decision-making groups to accomplish the mission and promote broader national interests in a socially complex and globally interconnected information environment. A key dimension of this challenge is integrating all the various communication activities of the joint force with each other and with other operational capabilities to maximize their combined effect and likewise to coordinate these actions with those of any partners. The Military Problem How could a future joint force commander plan and execute joint operations to affect the behaviors of selected populations, governments or other decision‐making groups to accomplish the mission and promote broader national interests in a socially complex and globally interconnected information environment? The joint force is primarily an instrument of compulsion, which is the act of imposing a desired effect upon an adversary, regardless of his interests or efforts. Additionally, the joint force commander must also be able to exert influence, which is the act of affecting another’s attitudes, opinions or behaviors— causing the other to support or not frustrate joint force actions. Influence thus requires volition on the part of the other. The desired 3 By definition, psychological operations target only foreign audiences. The U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (Public Law 80-402) prohibits domestic dissemination of information intended for foreign audiences. 3  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 effect can be an observable behavior or an unobservable emotion, opinion, belief or attitude. Examples of desired influence effects on particular audiences include assuring existing allies and supporters, attracting new allies and supporters, deterring potential enemies, and discrediting adversaries. The term influence sometimes carries negative connotations because the term is often associated with deceptive manipulation or exploitation. Influence will not have that connotation in this concept.4 Many influence attempts are open, straightforward and even virtuous. Education can be very influential. Many forms of influence can be mutually beneficial. Any form of cooperation, for example, is a form of mutual influence. Influence is a pervasive and fundamental form of any social interaction, as essential to cooperation as it is to competition or conflict. Affecting the behaviors of people who retain freedom of action is a very challenging undertaking, especially if these people are initially disposed against us. In most circumstances, there are very definite limits to one actor’s ability to cause another to think or do what he otherwise would not. In the future, the challenge of influence will be critical because success in the globally interconnected information environment will frequently be less a matter of imposing one’s will and more a matter of ideas and example. The requirement to influence through strategic communication is pervasive. The joint force commander will be required to engage adversaries, friends, and others alike. He will be required to engage general populations, governments and a variety of other state and non- state bodies. He will be required to communicate in cooperative, competitive and conflict situations. He will be required to communicate proactively in support of established objectives, in anticipation of uncontrollable events, and in reaction to unforeseen events. He will be required to coordinate a variety of joint capabilities in support of strategic communication goals. He will be required to do any of these things deliberatively or rapidly, depending on circumstances. Efforts to influence others range from gentle and indirect to forceful and direct. See Figure 1, The Influence Spectrum. On the gentle/indirect end of the spectrum is simple informing—providing objective information in an unbiased way, in the belief that the facts will indirectly lead to the expected response. On the forceful/direct end is straightforward pressure, which pushes directly for a specific outcome— either inducement by promises of rewards for compliance or coercion by 4 This does not mean that the joint force will not take measures to deceive an adversary. Military deception can be thought of as a form of persuasion based on intentionally misleading information. See Appendix B for the definitions for deception and military deception. 4  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION JIC V1.0 07 October 2009 threats of punishment for defiance. In between are education, open advocacy, urging and other forms of persuasion that attempt to change the considerations that affect attitudes and decisions. Figure 1. The Influence Spectrum Communication as the Mechanism of Influence Influence is exerted through communication, specifically through reception, comprehension and acceptance of a message. The ability to influence is only as strong as the ability to communicate preferences. Influencing effectively means communicating effectively. In fact, the fundamental purpose of all purposeful communication is to influence—to cause some intended effect, which might be an observable behavior or an unobservable attitude.5 Communication is the act of sharing meaning by sending and receiving messages. Anything that can be interpreted as a symbol— actions as well as words and images—can be used to communicate. This includes physical communication, in which actions rather than data convey the intended message. Importantly, the act of transmitting a message does not constitute communication. Communication occurs only when the signal is received and interpreted, so it is not sufficient merely to “get our message out.” Communication works this way: A source puts out a signal intended to convey a meaning.6 The receiver recognizes and selects the signal, if he chooses, from among the various signals available to him; he interprets the signal based on his own frame of reference and interests to create meaning.7 While the source may have an intended meaning in 5 David K. Berlo, The Process of Communication: An Introduction to Theory and Practice (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1960), p. 11-12. “Our basic purpose in communication is to become an affecting agent, to affect others, our physical environment, and ourselves, to become a determining agent, to have a vote in how things are. In short, we communicate to influence—to affect with intent.” [Italics in original.] Likewise, according to noted psychologist Carl Hovland, communication is “the process by which an individual (the communicator) transmits stimuli (usually verbal symbols) to modify the behavior of other individuals (communicates).” Quoted in Dick Lee, “Developing Effective Communications,” University of Missouri Extension, http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/comm/cm0109.htm [accessed 11Apr04]. 6 For simplicity, we use the singular. A communication node could be a group or organization with a collective attitude, belief, or mind. 7 There is no guarantee that an intended receiver will even recognize or choose to accept and interpret a signal. 5