HISTORY OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS REGIMENT

The U.S. Army Psychological Operations Regiment traces its origins to the early experiments in military persuasion and propaganda during World War I. Leaflets and broadcast messages were used to influence enemy morale, but these efforts were largely ad hoc and lacked a formal organization.

During World War II, psychological warfare became more structured. The U.S. Army established specialized units within the Allied Psychological Warfare Branch to conduct propaganda and deception operations. Major General Robert A. McClure emerged as a key figure, helping to develop doctrine and integrate psychological methods into modern warfare.

After the war, the Army’s Psywar capabilities diminished, but the outbreak of the Korean War renewed interest in organized psychological operations. In 1951, the Office of the Chief of Psychological Warfare (OCPW) was created in the Pentagon to oversee doctrine, training, and research. That same year, the Army opened its first Psychological Warfare Officers Course at Fort Riley, Kansas.

In 1952, the Army activated the Psychological Warfare Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This became the hub of U.S. Army Psywar activities and eventually evolved into the U.S. Army Special Warfare Center and School. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, multiple Psywar units were formed, including the 4th and 7th Psychological Operations Groups, which supported operations in Korea, Vietnam, and beyond.

During the Vietnam War, psychological operations expanded significantly. Leaflets, radio broadcasts, and loudspeaker missions were employed to weaken enemy morale and encourage defection. The Army’s Psywar units gained valuable experience that helped formalize doctrine and refine the art of influence.

Following Vietnam, PSYOP became an enduring component of the Army’s special operations community. Psychological operations played important roles in Cold War deterrence and later in conflicts such as the Gulf War, where targeted messages encouraged Iraqi soldiers to surrender.

On November 18, 1998, the U.S. Army officially constituted the Psychological Operations Regiment, recognizing its distinct lineage, traditions, and professional identity. This move established a regimental home for all PSYOP soldiers and units.

On October 16, 2006, PSYOP was designated a full branch of the U.S. Army, marking its elevation to a permanent and recognized specialty within the force. Around this time, active-duty PSYOP units came under the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), while reserve PSYOP units were managed by the U.S. Army Reserve Command.

In the 2010s, the term “Psychological Operations” was temporarily replaced with “Military Information Support Operations” (MISO) for official use, in an attempt to modernize and broaden the perception of the field. However, in October 2017, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command restored the traditional “PSYOP” designation, reaffirming its heritage.

Today, the Psychological Operations Regiment continues its mission to influence, persuade, and inform — shaping perceptions and behavior in support of U.S. national objectives. 

From early leaflets to digital media campaigns, PSYOP remains the critical tool on the modern battlefield of information and ideas.

For more on this regiment, click the graphic.