U.S. Joint Forces Army Command Commander's Handbook for Strategic Communication and Communication Strategy (Joint Warfighting Center), Afghanistan, Iraq, al-Qaeda, War on Terror, Petraeus, Media

As U.S. Joint Forces Command continues to interact with the combatant commands and Services, we recognize that there is no universal agreement on the best way to plan and execute a strategic communication and related activities strategy. Additionally, there is very little doctrinal guidance, consequently we have updated this pre-doctrinal handbook to help joint force commanders and their staffs understand alternative perspectives, techniques, procedures, "best practices," and organizational options.

Strategic communication must be at the heart of U.S. Government efforts to inform and influence key audiences in support of U.S. national interests, policies, and objectives. We seek to achieve this influence by understanding and engaging them with coordinated programs, plans, themes, messages, images, and products synchronized with the actions of all instruments of national power.

The U.S. military plays an instrumental supporting role in strategic communication, primarily through information operations, public affairs, visual information, and defense support to public diplomacy. Strategic communication considerations should be associated with every military operation across the entire range of military operations from routine, recurring military activities in peacetime through major operations. Every commander should develop a coordinated and synchronized communication strategy and provide guidance for the support and execution of a coherent effort. Effectively synchronized strategic communication has the potential to achieve national, theater-strategic and operational-level objectives in a manner that could lessen the requirement for combat in many operations. This is especially the case in circumstances where the focus of operations is on gaining and maintaining support of the relevant population, such as in counterinsurgency and other operations associated with irregular warfare.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY * CHAPTER I * STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES * • Preserving Influence * • Providing Unified Action * • Guidance and Capability Shortfalls * • Addressing Shortfalls * CHAPTER II * ESTABLISHED POLICY AND GUIDANCE * • National Strategic Communication * • Department of State Organization, Processes, and Products * • Department of Defense Organization, Processes, and Guidance * • Joint Doctrine * • Definition Inadequacies * • Nesting * • The Battle of the Narrative * CHAPTER III * CURRENT PRACTICES AND INITIATIVES * SECTION A: JOINT FORCE PRACTICES * • General * • Option 1: Increased Command Emphasis * • Option 2: Tasking an Existing Staff Leader * • Option 3: Direct Planning Team Integration * • Option 4: Centralized Control of All Communication Strategy-Related Activities Under a Separate Directorate * • Option 5: Communication Strategy Director With Small Coordination Staff and Supporting Communication Strategy Working Group * • Key Leader Engagement * • Cards * • Dialogue * • MNF-I Best Practices * • Operational-Level Challenges and Enablers * • USSOUTHCOM's Mani Effort * SECTION B. OTHER STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION INITIATIVES * • Strategic Communication Joint Integrating Concept Development * • Strategic Communication Education * CHAPTER IV * PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT * • General * • Understanding the Operational Environment * • Planning Sequence and Key Considerations * • Some Short, Medium, and Long-Term Planning Techniques * • Assessment * CHAPTER V * OPERATIONAL IMPLICATIONS * • General * • Policy * • Doctrine * • Organization * • Training * • Materiel * • Leadership and Education * • Personnel * • Facilities * • Conclusion