The Leaflet Drop
The Newsletter of the Psychological Operations Veterans Association (POVA)
Founded 1988
1 May 2020
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Fellow Psywarriors,
If you aren't already aware of our national COVID-19 crisis, you live in a very remote place where you are probably very safe from its effects....both medical and social. I hope you are safe and healthy in this time of crisis.
Planning will soon resume for our rescheduled POVA Biennial Reunion to be held in Fayetteville, NC from 9-12 June 2021. The reunion will be shortened by one day, but it will still be a busy and special time together.
Whatever else you do, be safe and take all necessary precautions to prevent exposure. A brief period of inconvenience is worth the effort!
Oh........the picture above. While serving as PSYOP Team Leader for 2d Brigade of the 1st Cav, I often operated an Armed Propaganda Team (APT) based in An Loc. This team, composed of enemy soldiers who had defected to the Allies, was literally armed and trained to perform PSYOP missions in contested villages and hamlets. All team members were experienced combat veterans. The team I led was composed entirely of former North Viet-Namese combat soldiers. They were tough, hardened, good soldiers. On 2 February 1969, this team successfully captured three enemy soldiers fleeing US air strikes between An Loc and the Cambodian border. These POW's were a gold mine of tactical (Order of Battle) information. In this picture, several of the team members were being moved into new and more secure quarters near the ARVN compound south of An Loc. I was proud to lead these men, and still am to this day.
Chad Spawr
President
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Lest we Forget.......
Please remember that American men and women are deployed in many places around the world and are in constant danger. Please save a thought and prayer for our fellow Americans deployed. They are our Brothers and Sisters!
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POVA 18TH Biennial Reunion Rescheduled for 2021
Our Biennial Reunion has now been rescheduled, and will be held from
Wednesday 9 June 2021 through and including 12 June 2021.
The reunion will be held in Fayetteville, NC, and our hotel will once again be the Ramada Plaza Bordeaux Convention Center. Here is the hotel contact information.
Ramada Plaza Bordeaux Convention Center
1707-A Owen Drive
Fayetteville, NC 28304
PH: 910-323-0111
No reservation or room rate information is yet available, but when it is, we'll publish it here and on our POVA website.
Reunion calendar and agenda are now being developed. More to follow.
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POVA Life Member Stanley Michelsen's New Book Available
Stan Michelsen served with the 7th PSYOP Battalion of the 4th PSYOP Group during the Viet-Nam War from 1969-1970. He was assigned to the 3d Marine Division at Dong Ha Combat Base fighting the North Viet-Namese Army along the Demilitarized Zone in northern I Corps. He's been a POVA Life Member for over 20 years! Stan recently published an excellent work of fiction entitled "Hypersomnolence?" Here is the summary taken from Amazon.com, where the book is offered in print or Kindle versions:
The definition of hypersomnolence is: excessive daytime sleepiness despite sufficient night time sleep. Treatment for the condition with CPAP improves quality of life, vigilance and cognitive function. For Sidney Krogh the condition is a double-edge sword; a curse and a blessing, intensified by the fact that Sidney lives in Alaska where the days and nights are extremely irregular. Stanley Michelsen has created a high-powered story filled with believable characters who become involved in carefully crafted sequences of events. He takes advantage of his tactical training and his knowledge of technical weaponry, spicing-up his story by involving world leaders and international bad guys in his plot. Stanley uses the condition of hypersomnolence in order to transport the reader’s imagination to an elevated level of understanding how the mind works during a dream state of mind.
Your Editor has read the book, and it is an enjoyable read! Stan has brought some strong creative talent to this writing, blending his military knowledge and experience into a good story!
You can find Stan's great book by searching for "Hypersomnolence?" on the Amazon.com website.
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Introducing MAJ Stuart Gallagher....Russian/Ukrainian Subject Matter Expert
Prior to enlisting in the military, Major Stuart Gallagher worked in various capacities in the international business world. After graduating college he served as a manager at a freight forwarding company in Seattle, Washington that shipped project cargo to Alaska, Hawaii and the Russian Far East. In 1994 he founded a company that specialized in Russian translation and consultation, supporting companies conducting business in the former Soviet Union. In 1995, his company was awarded a contract that led him to work in St. Petersburg, Russia managing Russian personnel and overseeing project cargoes shipping throughout the former Soviet Union, Mongolia and China. Upon completion of this contract he returned to the United States, contracted to work in Dallas, Texas providing advisory support to the executive staff, training stateside personnel and assisting in the set-up of additional corporate offices throughout the former Soviet Union.
Major Gallagher entered the United States Army in April 1998. He completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri, Russian language training at the Defense Language Institute Presidio of Monterey (DLIPOM) and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Goodfellow Air Force Base qualifying as a Cryptologist/Linguist in the Military Intelligence Corps. After serving at Fort Huachuca, Arizona in various capacities (Team Leader, Squad Leader and Instructor), Major Gallagher attended Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Benning, Georgia, commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in the Transportation Corps in December 2001.
Major Gallagher graduated from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York in June 1993, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Area Studies with a concentration in Business Management. During his time at Marist, he also participated in a study-abroad program at Kiev State University in Kiev, Ukraine. He has also earned an Associates of Arts in Russian Linguistics from Monterey Peninsula College, a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies from National Defense University.
Major Gallagher has served in a multitude of leadership and staff positions throughout his career. He currently serves as the Senior PSYOP Observer Coach Trainer (OC/T) at the Joint Multinational Training Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, where he oversees all training associated with US and multinational PSYOP units.
He is also the subject matter expert on Russian/Ukrainian affairs to JMRC. In this capacity he serves as a Senior trainer to the Joint Multinational Training Group – Ukraine (JMTG-U) and a Special Operations Forces (SOF) planner for the Rapid Trident exercises conducted annually in Yavoriv, Ukraine.
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Did you Know?
Here are some interesting historical facts about US military PSYOP, going back to the time of the American Revolution. This history is beautifully reported on Life Member Ed Rouse's Psywarrior website (
www.psywarrior.com
) It is our history, and every one of us has either added to our history, or will during our military career. So, did you know...........
US Army psychological operations literally did not exist until the US was deep in the midst of World War I? Adding to its "luster," its very use was opposed on apparent ethical concerns by then-President Woodrow Wilson. Here is an excerpt from POVA's history describing in part this history:
President Woodrow Wilson vehemently opposed the idea of military-run propaganda, so Blankenhorn's low-key activities were initially limited to research and planning. He spent ensuing weeks walking the halls and knocking on doors throughout the War Department, trying to get support for his idea of waging "leaflet warfare" overseas in support of Gen. John J. Pershing's American Expeditionary Forces in France.
Having received little support for his concept, Blankenhorn bypassed several layers in his chain of command and secured a meeting with Secretary of War Newton D. Baker on June 21, 1918. At the meeting, Baker was surprisingly open to military propaganda. "I think we should do this," he said. "I give my approval to it right now, subject to one condition. The President has had some misapprehensions about this ... [but] I will take this matter up with him ... If I say nothing further, it's approved."
Even at its very beginnings, PSYOP was not understood or valued by those in our political leadership sphere. Seems not much has changed! Our Regimental history and culture are founded on such efforts from our historic past. We are all part of a very specialized profession that is focused on three things.......
Persuade...Change...Influence.
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Sprint 2020 Edition of Perspectives is Outstanding
POVA's brother organization, the PSYOP Association (POA), recently published its spring edition of
Perspectives. As usual, it is an excellent publication with great information for all Psywarriors. This particular issue features reminiscences from Rich Hosier and Chad Spawr based on their experiences in "combat PSYOP" during the Viet-Nam War.
POVA encourages all Psywarriors to make notes, texts, books, pamphlets and other records of their experiences so these important events will not be lost to history.. It is part of the way we continue to develop and share our strong sense of Regimental values, participation, and esprit d'corps. Here is a link to the full issue of
Perspectives.
Great job, as always, from our brethren in the POA.
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PSYOP Regimental Honors and Awards Program:
The MG Robert A. McClure Medallion
The Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Regiment has the Regimental Honors and the Regimental Awards programs which are intended to recognize individuals who have significantly contributed to the welfare of the PSYOP Regiment. It is important that all members of the regiment and those who support it know about these awards and understand that they are open for nominations of Soldiers; currently serving or former service, active or reserve as well as Department of the Army Civilians or civilians in a private capacity that have supported, improved, or contributed to the welfare of the regiment through their actions. These actions can be during their military or civilian service or after.
Here is an excellent explanation of this Award submitted by PRA President Neil Heupel (also a POVA member):
The PSYOP Regimental Award is the Major General Robert A. McClure Medallion (here after referred to as the McClure Medallion). The program was founded in 2009 and named after MG Robert A. McClure as he is considered the founder of modern Psychological Operations. There are three levels of the McClure Medallions; Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Criteria for each McClure Medallion can be found in SWCS Regimental Honors, Awards, and Affiliation Program Policy 01-20 and the PO Proponent Policy 01-20.
There can be 2 Gold McClure Medallions and 5 Silver McClure Medallions awarded at large annually. Also three Bronze McClure Medallions are allocated to each PSYOP Group and two to each of the following organizations: USAJFKSWCS, 1
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Special Forces Command, USACAPOC, Marine Corps Information Operations Command (MCIOC), and the Branch Proponent annually. SWCS and the proponent office do not receive nominations numbering anywhere near the allocated number of awards.
POVA, PRA and POA are joining in an effort to publicize information to our rank and file to try to increase nominations of people who should be recognized for their work in and on behalf of the PSYOP Regiment. Nomination packet requirements can be found in the PO Proponent Policy 01-20 which can be seen on the PRA website
http://psyopregimentalassociation.org
under the Regimental Honors tab. Some information regarding the Honors and Awards Program can be found on the SWCS site
https://www/soc.mil/SWCS/RegimentalHonors/PsychologicalOperations.htm
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The PRA, as the PO association recognized by the Army, supports the PSYOP Regimental Awards program by funding the purchase of McClure medallions.
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Letter from POA President Dennis Bartow
LTC-Ret. Dennis Bartow is an outstanding friend, contributor, and partner in the PSYOP community, and is a real stalwart in helping to grow our Regiment and its esprit d'corps for all past and present Psywarriors. A key member of the National PSYOP Organizing Council, Dennis shared this letter:
Greetings to my friends of POVA,
A few weeks ago, the leadership of POVA, POA and PRA were joined in a teleconference. One of the subjects brought up was, “how can each organization help the others?”.
Since POA focuses on PSYOP education and history, I asked that POVA and PRA encourage its members to provide articles for our publication, Perspectives and submissions for our e-newsletter, FrontPost.
Since I have had many conversations with Chad and Rich, I asked if they would be the first to provide articles on their experience in Viet Nam. I knew that they had them and that there would be great value in documenting them formally through Perspectives.
Both Chad and Rich delivered! And their articles are featured in our current issue of Perspectives which you all now have access to (and in the future!). I will not regurgitate my article in Perspectives (page 10) explaining the importance of people sharing their experiences in war and training, but I do wish to share what I mentioned to Chad and Rich in a phone conversation last week after the current Perspectives issue was released.
I started to discuss about the examples of the lessons learned “golden-nuggets” that I quickly picked up in their articles. I then commenced to explain that, by far, the most important “golden-nugget” I drew from their articles came not from words, but from a photo in Chad’s article (page 5): The photo of Jack O’Neil (RIP) with his loudspeaker. I went on to explain that Jack is not out risking life and limb for nothing. He perceives a value in his effort. And we must still put value in his efforts. Thus, in my article, I comment that we as PSYOPer’s should always bear in mind that “one man with a speaker can make a difference”.
Truly, I mean this observation to metaphorically convey that the efforts by all PSYOPers are important and critical to our national security and success on the battlefield. Thus, in my opinion, Jack, from the grave and from long-ago history, now provides inspiration for all current and future PSYOP Soldiers to accept the fact that we can make a difference.
I may be dumb, but I am not plum-dumb, soooo – I know that there are many other POVA members who have stories to share from your experiences in war as well in training. I invite you to write your story and get them to POA to include in our future issues of Perspectives. Photos are always welcome, too.
Finally, to all POVA members, I wish to thank you for what you do for the PSYOP community – you do make a difference – and I hope to see you at the 2021 Reunion!
Dennis W. Bartow
President, PSYOP Association
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1
st Quarter POVA Financial Report
Beginning this issue, POVA will report its financial status in a summary report at the end of each calendar quarter. POVA is on a calendar-year fiscal year basis. Our financial operations are handled extremely well by VP-Finance Rich Hosier and Trustee Hammond Salley. Between these two committed Life Members, POVA's assets are in great hands!
2020 1st Qtr
Beginning Month Cash on Hand $6,612
Incoming Revenue
Dues $1,800
Donations $3,444
Product Sales $275
Scholarship Donations $1,000
Other income sources $0
2020 Reunion $1,450
Total Incoming Revenue $7,969
Recurring Expenses
Postage & Shipping $210
Website / Electronic Support $255
Office/Admin Expenses
Charitable Donations $0
Scholarship Donations $0
Merchandise $527
Marketing Advertising $0
Office/Admin Supplies $46
Travel $98
2020 Reunion $0
Other $1,421
Total Expenses $2,557
Net Income-Expenses $12,024
End of Month Cash on Hand $6,612
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**
POVA CONTACT INFORMATION **
PRESIDENT & NEWSLETTER EDITOR
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT/CHAPLAIN
VICE PRESIDENT FINANCE
VICE PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP
VICE PRESIDENT AT LARGE
VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING
GATEWAY CHAPTER PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT EMERITUS & BOARD MEMBER
POVA HISTORIAN
POVA ARCHIVIST
POVA TRUSTEES
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