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DISTINCTIVE UNIT INSIGNIA |
COAT OF ARMS |
SGM Herbert A. Friedman (Ret.)
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DISTINCTIVE UNIT INSIGNIA |
COAT OF ARMS |
Description: A silver color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02cm) overall consisting of a silver scroll of black enamel letters with the words, "MINDS WORDS DEEDS," surrounding an arrowhead equally divided into bands of gray, white and black: at top, a black torch with red flame on a light gray background; in center, a green disc on a white background emitting a silver stylized representation of a sound tract superimposed on a silver horizontal line; and at bottom, a white quill on a black background.
Symbolism: The colors green and silver gray (silver) are for Psychological Operations organizations. The symbol of the torch is representative of knowledge and is expressive of the word "MINDS." The stylized sound tract symbolizing oral and mechanical sounds, expresses "WORDS." The quill, alluding to graphic persuasion and the printed word, expresses the word "DEEDS" and refers to the use of the printed word and graphic art to give a selected message the greatest impact. The arrowhead is symbolic of war or conflict and alludes to the struggle for the minds of men, the ancient use of psychological operations (warfare) in the history of man, and the fact that psychological operations is a weapons system that complements conventional weapons systems. The arrowhead with the colors gray, white and black is symbolic of the types of propaganda which may be employed in psychological operations campaigns.
Background: The distinctive unit insignia was originally authorized on 21 Jun 1967. On 14 August 1996, the description and symbolism were revised.
Shield: Vert, an arrowhead point up tierced in Gray, Argent and Sable fimbriated White charged with in chief a torch of the last flamant Gules; a pomeis charged with a sine wave White and to base a quill bendwise sinister of the last.
Crest: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Army Reserve: From a wreath Argent and Vert the Lexington Minute Man Proper. The statue Captain John Parker (H.H. Kitson, sculptor), stands on the common in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Motto: MINDS, WORDS, DEEDS.
Shield:The colors green and silver gray are for Psychological Operations organizations. The symbol of the torch is representative of knowledge and is expressive of the word "MINDS." The stylized sound tract symbolizing oral and mechanical sounds, expresses "WORDS." The quill, alluding to graphic persuasion and the printed word, expresses the word "DEEDS" and refers to the use of the printed word and graphic art to give a selected message the greatest impact. The arrowhead is symbolic of war or conflict and alludes to the struggle for the minds of men, the ancient use of psychological operations (warfare) in the history of man, and the fact that psychological operations is a weapons system that complements conventional weapons systems. The arrowhead with the colors gray, white and black is symbolic of the types of propaganda which may be employed in psychological operations campaigns.
Crest: The crest is that of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Background: The coat of arms was authorized on 14 August 1996.
HISTORY
HEADQUARTERS AND SERVICE COMPANY
15th PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS BATTALIONConstituted 29 October 1965 in the Regular Army as the 15th Psychological Operations Battalion.
Activated 20 December 1965 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Inactivated 13 September 1972 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Redesignated 30 October 1975 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 15th Psychological Operations Battalion; concurrently withdrawn from the Regular Army, allotted to the Army Reserve, and activated at Fort Thomas, Kentucky.
Location changed 31 August 2000 to Cincinnati, Ohio.
Reorganized and redesignated 16 June 1997 as Headquarter and Service Company, 15th Psychological Operations Battalion.
Ordered into active military service 10 September 2008 at Cincinnati, Ohio; released from active military service 14 October 2009 and reverted to reserve status.
(Additional elements ordered into active military service for the War on Terrorism).
War on Terrorism
National Resolution
Iraqi SurgeThe Battalion has had numerous PSYOP Companies assigned to it over the years. Some are:
Oct 2002: 321st, 346th, 350th
Aug 2007: 345th, 346th, 350th
Jun 2008: 345th, 346th, 350th
May 2009: 316th, 325th, 340th, 350th
Sep 2009: 310th, 325th, 340th, 346thPrior to 2004, elements of the Battalion mobilized and supported missions in Kosovo and Sarajevo (KFOR/SFOR).
The Command team of Lieutenant Colonel Stovicek and Command Sergeant Major Gray took the Battalion Headquarters to Iraq in 2004 (OIF3) with the 350th PSYOP Company and two other companies.Its Headquarters was the palace in the center of Lost Lake, formerly belonging to Uday Hussein, in Camp Victory, Baghdad Iraq.
The 15th deployed again to Iraq in 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08. The commander at the time was Lieutenant Colonel Scott Brown. The Command Sergeant Major was James Allen.This deployment was unique as it was a merged the PSYOP Task Force (POTF) between the 15th POB and the 11th POB. The 310th was one of the Companies and elements of the 346th went too.
Between 2007 and 2009, there was a restructure of the PSYOP Groups. The 15th PSYOP Battalion became the primary battalion for Airborne operations and gained the airborne companies in the group, including the 325th PSYOP Company (ABN) and the 310th PSYOP Company (ABN).
The 15th PSYOP Battalion, as a Headquarters element, deployed in 2008 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Commander was Lieutenant Colonel Robert "Rowdy" Yates, and the Command Sergeant Major was Donald Langworthy. The 345th PSYOP Company (ABN) was on that rotation.
The 15th PSYOP Battalion has not deployed since 2009 as a headquarters element, but has supported units deployed to theaters since then. The 325th PSYOP Company (ABN) deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2011.The Higher HQ was the Combined Joint PSYOP Task Force.
15th Psychological Operations Battalion (USAR), T.H. Morrow United States Army Reserve Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, Now commands the following PSYOP Companies:
310th Psychological Operations Company
Fort Gillem Enclave, Fort Gillem, Forest Park, Georgia.325th Psychological Operations Company
William F. Lyell Armed Forces Reserve Center, Nashville, Tennessee.340th Psychological Operations Company
BG James Moore United States Army Reserve Center, Garner, North Carolina.346th Psychological Operations Company
83rd Division Memorial United States Army Reserve Center, Whitehall, Columbus.
