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Civil Affairs Psychological Command realigns from SOC to Army Reserve Command

May 24, 2006

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, May 24, 2006) – The U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command transferred operational command and control from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command to the U.S. Army Reserve Command May 23.

“Today’s transfer of command is about recognizing the critical civil affairs and psychological operations mission support requirements for both special operations and conventional operations,” said Lt. Gen. Robert W. Wagner, USASOC commanding general and co-host of the ceremony.

“I will miss not having CAPOC as a part of Army Special Operations Command, nevertheless, the transformation is the right thing to do and I fully support it. The focus is not on the transfer, it is on the importance of the mission,” he said.

The move will enable the Army to maximize the effectiveness of these forces by reducing the number of coordinating headquarters, enabling closer and more direct care for the Army Reserve Soldiers and family members assigned to these units.

Referring to the Army Song “The Army Goes Rolling Along,” Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, commander of U.S. Army Reserve Command, stressed the importance of modernization. “I think we have to streamline and flatten our command and control structure to push more resources into the operational pool.”

The realignment impacts 9,000 Army Reserve Soldiers located in 25 states. The Army Reserve major subordinate units include the 350th, 351st, 352nd, and 353rd Civil Affairs Commands, each with subordinate brigades and battalions, and the 2nd and 7th Psychological Operations Groups, each with four battalions and subordinate companies.

“We are proud of our heritage, we’re proud of our roots in specialized military operations, and we are especially proud to have been apart of SOCOM and Army Special Operations at this time in our country’s history,” said Maj. Gen. Herbert L. “Buz” Altshuler, commanding general, USACAPOC.

Wagner and Altshuler presented the Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command with the Army Superior Unit Award by placing a streamer on the command’s flag.

Citing the value of CAPOC’s contributions, Wagner explained that the Army Superior Unit Award is very important, but only a token of recognition for the command’s exceptional service from Sept.15, 2004, to Sept. 15, 2005. The award recognized the difficult and challenging mission of supporting civil affairs and psychological operations units, individual soldiers, USASOC and the Regional Combatant Commander, worldwide.

USASOC will retain proponency for civil affairs and psychological operations -- including doctrine, combat development and institutional training. Additionally, the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Provisional) and the 4th Psychological Operations Group, which were part of USACAPOC, will remain assigned to USASOC.

On May 16, the Department of Army announced the Department of Defense-directed decision to realign Army Reserve civil affairs and psychological operations forces to USARC.