A company FSO's IO experiences in OIF III.

Information operations (IO) and effects-based operations (EBO) were new terms to many students when I attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the summer of 2004. As eager lieutenants ready to deliver the "Rain of Steel," the sound of anything unrelated to the observation post (OP), fire direction center (FDC) or the gun line seemed dull.

We asked, "Are fire support officers (FSOs) really conducting IO and EBO in Iraq and Afghanistan?" The answer was, "Yes."

At that time, IO was confusing to much of the FA community, especially ground commanders. After serving nine months in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) III, I learned that IO and EBO correlate to familiar FA targeting methods and that both can be rewarding missions for FSOs as assets to maneuver and force protection units.

After nine months in Iraq as a maneuver company IO officer in the Al-Anbar Province (which includes Fallujah), I define the EBO I conduct as the following: "Offensive, defensive stability and support operations (SASO) planned and executed to achieve the commander's desired effects on a threat element, civil leader or population group. Desired effects are achieved through the synchronized, sequential or simultaneous application of maneuver, firepower, IO and civil military operations (CMO)." This definition is a slight revision of that given in the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) Handbook No. 04-14 Effect-Based Operations: Brigade to Company Level, dated July 2004. My observer/controller at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Fort Polk, Louisiana, gave the handbook to me just before I deployed.

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As the IO officer in Iraq, I search, develop, assess and disseminate actionable intelligence applicable to the success of the overall gain of information to support the mission. The key is to help the commander achieve information superiority and seize the ground truth.

For example, an incident will occur in my area of operations (AO) and the commander will ask questions that lead me into my AO's civilian population to probe for information. As the IO officer, I must know exactly what information I need to retrieve concerning the particular incident to formulate my plan of action regarding with whom I must interact.

It is very helpful to use the rapport I have built in my Iraqi communities to investigate or request information tactfully. It is also important that I analyze and propose how to negotiate with "targets" if any were determined for a particular IO mission. Nonlethal targeting is primarily centered on IO in my AO.

IO Officer Operations. I plan carefully when setting engagements with the communities. I do not set a pattern of arrival dates, timeframes and routes taken. It is possible that, either intentionally or unintentionally, any of the population may be able to give those key bits of information to insurgents. Such information could allow the enemy to plan an ambush or complex coordinated attack.

Insurgent activities truly can be interdicted by effective IO. Actionable intelligence through IO helps decide the commander's course of action to deter and disturb the enemy by having information superiority.

Most enemy attacks against Coalition Forces within my AO are carried out indirectly. A commander can set up a textbook operation conducive to search for and retaliate against those responsible after an improvised explosive device (IED) or indirect fire attack. However, IO provides the commander with a specific targeted zone, area or sector of a town and allows for concentrated and decisive operations on smaller areas with exact names and houses to close in on the enemy expeditiously.

Importantly, operating in this manner sustains the hearts and minds of the populace. After a successful rapport is built with a community, the IO officer should not be overly aggressive and show readiness to search and attack citizens without enough information.

Interacting with and understanding the Iraqis and their culture are interesting privileges of being the IO officer. Traits of a successful IO officer include the ability to develop a relationship with the nationals, quality interpersonal skills, a sense of empathy, and a willingness to learn and respect their culture.

The most valuable information that will come the IO officer's way is volunteered information. The populace must trust him.

When I engage with the locals, I always have my trusted interpreter by my side. All IO officers are provided an interpreter who is a great asset not only for transcending the language barrier, but also for helping me understand the people, their moods and expressions plus providing his own insights and perceptions. My interpreter always keeps me on top of my "A-Game" by ensuring I learn the Arabic salutations and key phrases to enhance my relationship with the populace.

As I constantly interact with the community, it is important that I maintain my spheres of influence (SOIs) and identify new SOIs, if any, that may have a profound effect on the populace. All SOIs automatically become targets. In targeting the SOIs, I (and others) recommend nonlethal operations to the commander as tools, which determine how I will engage the populace and conduct decisive IO. Although the population resides in a very small portion of the overall company area of responsibility (AOR), IO influences operations throughout the entire area. As the IO officer, I contribute across several company lines of operations (LOOs).

CMO. I quickly realized how CMO can be a factor in IO and that I had a role in tracking CMO projects for the company. I learned how to read and execute a "sewer, water, electricity, academic, trash-medical and security/culture, religion, economic and government" (SWEAT-MS/CREG) report. This report is executed after an analysis of the status of the town's SWEAT-MS/CREG.

CMO became a bigger factor in the mix with my IO duties; however, IO was still my main area of concentration.

Civil Affairs (CA). Among other things, the outgoing unit told us how to maintain the CA operations that were just beginning within the entire battalion AOR. As the IO officer, I was to ensure CA projects were being carried out properly. In the beginning of my tour, I had a logical concern. I did not want to mix my role as IO officer with CA and confuse the community.

The battalion does have a CA officer who is our S5. It works out perfectly that while I engage IO in the town, I can monitor and question how the projects are progressing and report any findings of substance to the S5. As I engage more with the community, I have become a liaison between the contractors and (or) community and the S5. At the same time, I am "up to speed" on projects within the company AO that I brief to the commander and Soldiers.

Regardless, CA and IO do correlate in some aspects for the purpose of aimed effects. Both CA and the local populace understand that I have the authority only to temporarily halt any of the projects if I deem the construction unsafe or a lack of adherence to agreements or if I believe the project is targeted for attack.

Serving as an IO officer in the Al-Anbar Province has been a valuable experience during OIF III. My particular AO consists of two small towns and one fair-sized former resort town along the eastern shore of a lake west of Fallujah. More than 120 large families are pretty much supportive of Coalition Forces operating within their community with a few neutral. The rest of the AOR's population is isolated from this group as the remaining live closer to Fallujah at the battalion's eastern outermost boundary.

Qadisiyah is the larger of the two small towns in my AO that benefited the most from my efforts. Successes achieved during my tenure include the supervision and completion of many residential improvement projects while sustaining low insurgent activities and a stronger pro-coalition populace. Even though these projects are CA essential, they have positive effects in IO.

One success through my IO plan was having the first town in the battalion AOR to establish a town council. The council has proven to be very effective in keeping the town in good order and discipline. A key in starting the council was ensuring there was a representative for all the Sunnis, Shi'a and even for a few Christians residing in the town. I meet with the council during every engagement in the town. Regardless of a set agenda or general visit, it is very important that I maintain relations in Qadisiyah and the other two towns.

Company Intelligence. Besides my duties out of the camp, I have other important responsibilities as the FSO/IO inside the camp. My primary mission (when not operating within the towns) is to inform and update the Soldiers, platoon leaders and the commander of all significant events and new intelligence, not just within our AO, but anywhere that could affect our AOR. In doing so, it is important that I have a working relationship with my battalion S2 to keep up to date on all events.

In turn, I become the "company S2." I assess, develop and disseminate information I learn and provide recommendations to the company and platoon leadership regarding patrols outside the communities. I provide recommendations of how to conduct operations other than IO engagements to deter enemy activities, such as transporting weapons, emplacing IEDs or conducting small arms fire or indirect fire.

In my company AO, there are five main roads; one is a busy alternate supply route. Recommendations I may be able to provide include: where to emplace a snap vehicle checkpoint or a trap vehicle checkpoint, when to execute patrols or checkpoints, or where named areas of interest (NAIs) are to execute a screen or observation post.

To track what specific missions are being conducted in EBO, I created and use a two-week patrol tracker. All elements of the company can see the tracker to reduce any repetition of EBO and evaluate how the previous EBO affected the area they will operate in the day after.

Lastly, as the company S2, it is imperative that I ensure the maneuver elements are updated on new tactics, techniques or procedures (TTPs) of the enemy so Soldiers know what specifics to be aware of during patrols. I do this while I conduct the patrol briefs and debriefs. My intent is to ensure every Soldier understands the current IO themes and messages, priority intelligence requirements (PIRs), serious incident reports (SIRS) and indicators to observe.

Army operations on and off the battlefield will continue to change. The Field Artillery has adopted tactical IO, and it makes sense. Redlegs are experts in using the traditional decide, detect, deliver and assess ([D.sup.3]A) targeting methodology. IO uses the same familiar target listing, target numbering, and task, purpose, method and effects (TPME) template to get the job done.

On today's battlefield, the FA has proven itself effective using our own TTPs to conduct IO and EBO for nonlethal targeting or lethal effects. No matter the changes in time, the FA will adapt and roll on as the King of Battle!

Second Lieutenant Trent R. Colestock continues to serve as a Company Fire Support Officer and Information Operations Officer at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, assigned to the 3d Battalion, 133d Field Artillery (3-133FA), 56th Brigade Combat Team, which is part of the 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG). He was a Sergeant in the 10th Mountain Division Artillery before attending Texas Christian University in the Army ROTC. In May 2004, he graduated and received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery.

By Second Lieutenant Trent R. Colestock, TXARNG