Lost in the commotion over ISIS's invasion of Sunni territories in Iraq: the other theater of war, Afghanistan, has seen an upsurge of violence against NATO troops. It is the summer now, but the annual Taliban "spring offensive" continues, with fierce fighting in the Helmand province.
Yesterday, a NATO soldier died in an as-yet-unspecified combat incident.
On June 20, three Marines from Camp LeJeune — one just 19 years old — died in combat in Helmand province.
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A week before, five special operations forces soldiers operating in Zabul province died during a friendly fire incident; air support they ordered to help them escape misidentified them as enemy forces.
That brings to 13 the number of combat fatalities this month in Iraq. That's the most since last December.
And the U.S. continues to plan for a robust strategic deception role after the end of the year. I've come across the following job postings for information operations specialists and electronic warfare planners. The contractor is Leonie:
EW PlannerLeonie is currently seeking a qualified EW Planner to join our world-class team of exceptionally skilled, ethical and committed professionals providing Information Operations, Intelligence and Analytical Services. Since 2004, Leonie has made the customer the top priority while maintaining a culture of industry thought leadership that has translated into unmatched mission accomplishments.Job Description:· Synchronize and integrate EW efforts with military information support operations (MISO) in support of political and military objectives.· Coordinate external EW support mission requirements.· Provide support and subject matter expertise to maximize successful execution of EW plans.· Develop and execute EW policies and procedures for supported organizations.· Provide expertise in the development and evaluation of EW execution.· Provide direction for operations and ensure compliance with EW policies, plans, and procedures.Requirements:· BA/BS Degree; a total of 9+ years of experience may be substituted for a degree· Certified in EW with attendance at service/branch equivalent of an EW Operations Course such as the Army EW 29-series career field course with an identifier (FA29, 290A, 29E); USMC EW MOS (7582, 9634, 2691); Navy EW rating (CTTC/EW); Air Force EW/IO rating (12XX, A14XX, E1A4XX, 1A8XX)· IO/PSYOP/MISO discipline, Strategic Communications, or Public Affairs-related Joint or service school coursework in field of expertise (documented and verifiable 5+ years EW planning experience; 9+ years in lieu of degree· 5+ years of experience with EW ground and airborne systems/platforms, tactical/civilian radio communications, and working knowledge of frequency de-confliction· Ability to plan, integrate and synchronize EW platforms and equipment into support and execution of maneuver force operations· In-depth knowledge of Joint/Service EW doctrine and Electronic Attack (EA) systems· Planning experience with JOPES or service equivalent· USCENTCOM, Joint Staff, OSD-related experience in functional area of expertise· Strategic/Joint planning and targeting: extensive joint military planning in area of expertise· Experience working with one or more of the following: Joint/Coalition/SOF integration and de-confliction; Irregular Warfare; Special Access Programs; COIN; C-IED· Proficient in MS Office SuiteClearance Requirement:· TS/SCI RequiredReports To:· Program ManagerLocation:· Kabul, AfghanistanAnd...Leonie is currently seeking a qualified MISO (PSYOP) Plannerto join our world-class team of exceptionally skilled, ethical and committed professionals providing Information Operations, Intelligence and Analytical Services. Since 2004, Leonie has made the customer the top priority while maintaining a culture of industry thought leadership that has translated into unmatched mission accomplishments.
Job Description:Planners will develop behavioral influence strategies and implementation plans; produce OPLANs, annexes, appendices, FRAGOs, white papers, scripts for MISO products and other military documents; present long and short term strategic communication overviews; prepare and present strategy assessments; and critically review higher headquarters' plans and FRAGOs. Planners support product development; implementation and management of demographic analysis, as well as synthesizing information into persuasive dialogue form for basis of supporting strong concepts and resulting production.Requirements:• 5 + years experience as a MISO/PSYOP Planner (MILDEC, EW, or CNO experience may count toward the total)• Experience developing multimedia influence products in line with strategic programs and plans• Recent (within 5 years) experience in OIF, OEF, or other named operation preferred• Experience living, working for extended periods in cross-cultural environments (living or working abroad, learning the host nation language, etc.) preferred• Understanding of Military Decision Making Process (MDMP)• Understanding PSYOP/MISO Planning process• Familiarity with Afghanistan, its culture, and U.S. involvement there• Demonstrated proficiency in both oral and written communications• Ability to prioritize, organize, and adapt planning to mission requirements• Ability to critically review and analyze issues in a vague, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment• Ability to manage multiple product development projects with accuracy on a tight deadline• Good listener and ability to translate loose guidance and meet desired effect of the client• Working knowledge of MS Office Suite, particularly Word and PowerPoint
The war continues.
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Marc Ambinder is TheWeek.com's editor-at-large. He is the author, with D.B. Grady, of The Command and Deep State: Inside the Government Secrecy Industry. Marc is also a contributing editor for The Atlantic and GQ. Formerly, he served as White House correspondent for National Journal, chief political consultant for CBS News, and politics editor at The Atlantic. Marc is a 2001 graduate of Harvard. He is married to Michael Park, a corporate strategy consultant, and lives in Los Angeles.
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