a. Functional VI support is the capabilities (systems and equipment) organic to functional units and organizations. Functional VI is user-owned and operated and does not include COMCAM. The primary purpose of functional VI is to support the unique information and decision-making requirements of the functional commander. Examples of functional VI are the organic VI activities of MI, PSYOP, PA, medical, and Special Forces.
b. VI supports functional areas with graphics, still photography, DSV, motion media, and when required, motion picture. These services include-
- Ground, sea, and aerial coverage.
- Image processing.
- Image transmission.
- VI equipment repair.
c. COMCAM provides functional commanders, who may not necessarily be on the scene of deployment, the ability to visualize ongoing operations. COMCAM requirements are not PA or press media pool requirements. While COMCAM imagery may eventually be used for PA purposes, its primary use is as an operational decision-making tool. COMCAM personnel must be allowed to photograph all aspects of an operation or event regardless of classification or sensitivity. Decisions on classification, sensitivity, or release may be made afterward through command, intelligence, operations, and PA staff coordination. COMCAM imagery requirements include, but are not limited to-
- Key actions before, during, and after mobilization, deployment,
force generation, and force employment.
- Assessing the effectiveness of force preparations, support
operations, and attainment of objectives; problem identification;
evaluating the effectiveness of weapons systems; intelligent related
activities; medical support; PA purposes; and countering enemy
propaganda.
- Historical documentation.
- Stock footage.
d. In operational documentation, it is important to maintain realism and spontaneity. COMCAM personnel are documenting the action as it appears; they must not attempt to influence a situation or impose control over the action. Most military operations documentation is not intended for public release. It is normally intended for internal operational and information uses within the Army and the Marine Corps.
a. The staff signal officer or the MEF COMCAM officer must-
- Establish VI policies and procedures.
- Coordinate VI support not available through organic functional
assets.
- Provide technical assistance and standardization of VI
equipment and systems.
b. Functional systems must-
- Interface with wide area network (WAN).
- Use frequency spectrum of battlefield spectrum management (BSM).
c. The functional staff must-
- Develop their own VI requirements and standardize VI equipment
and systems to DOD and COMCAM unit standards.
- Manage organic VI systems and equipment.
- Coordinate WAN interface and BSM requirements with the
signal officer.
- Coordinate VI requirements external to organic capability
with the signal officer or the MEF COMCAM officer.
- Establish VI policies and procedures in accordance with directives of the signal officer or the MEF COMCAM officer.
d. The users must-
- Install, operate, and maintain user-owned and -operated
VI equipment to include the coordination of COMCAM unit processing,
transmission, and repair support.
- Coordinate VI requirements along functional lines to avoid duplication of VI assets in the same mission area.
a. The inherent qualities of COMCAM prompt its use in many ways to accomplish and document the Army and Marine Corps mission. VI systems are employed if capabilities make it the most suitable means of meeting an operational communication need.
b. The S3/G3 operations staffs of maneuver and combat support units have organic VI assets which include VI soldiers and equipment. These assets are used to operate training support centers (TSCs) and produce graphic illustrations, briefing charts, and map overlays. They also operate maneuver control systems in support of the operational decision-making process. These VI soldiers operate independently of the supporting COMCAM unit within their approved capabilities. COMCAM unit support is required for equipment repair support and image acquisition, processing, transmitting, reproducing, and distributing operational and training products required to support the mission.
-
(1) Organic capabilities include-
- Advanced computer graphics and color printer capability.
- Drafting table and required illustration and art supplies.
- User-operated television and l/2-inch VHS players.
- Library data management system for control of operational and training still images and video reports.
(2) The operations VI staff section manages and coordinates headquarters VI work orders which task the supported COMCAM unit.
c. COMCAM personnel support the commander by documenting specific types of VI support operations.
-
(1) Medical.
- MP activities are documented to show handling of EPW.
This includes identification of prisoners and their state of care,
morale, and welfare.
- The adequacy of prisoner control procedures includes the
initial handling of EPW, construction of enclosures, layout of
camps, and security arrangements.
- Documentation of rear area protection procedures includes
camouflage discipline, potential fields of fire, barrier preparation,
and fighting positions.
- Augmentation of MP capabilities for investigations and other activities are provided as requested.
- Graphic illustrations, still photography, and videotape
reports provide PSYOP support coverage and increase the value
of printed and broadcast PSYOP material.
- PSYOP effect coverage shows the effectiveness of those operations such as a large number of deserters or hastily abandoned fortifications and materiel.
- Documentation of ralliers, deserters, enemy soldiers,
or refugees being given humane treatment, food, shelter, and medical
care.
- Documentation showing evidence of friendly superiority
in clothing, weapons, ammunitions, tanks, vehicles, aircraft,
missiles, and other combat materiel.
- Documentation obtained from enemy sources that would discredit
enemy leaders and activities.
- Aerial photographs that show destroyed enemy installations,
fortifications, cities, factories, and communications facilities.
- Documentation that gives evidence of friendly guerrilla
and unconventional activities behind enemy lines.
- Documentation that shows unpatriotic behavior by enemy
civilians.
- Documentation that depicts scenes of reconstruction and rehabilitation with respect to installations, housing, and people-connected facilities in war-devastated areas under friendly control.
- CI is a proven combat multiplier and is the most important
PA function on the battlefield. The commander, through his public
affairs officer, uses CI to keep soldiers and Marines informed
of where they fit in, what is expected of them, and how they help
accomplish the mission. CI is normally disseminated through field
expedient newpapers, fact sheets, VI reports, and AFRTS outlets.
- PI is the gathering and dissemination of information directed toward US and international publics through civilian news media. PI includes the planning and coordinating of news media coverage; responding to media queries; releasing news and feature stories, photos, and audio and videotapes; and supervising the Hometown News Release program.
- COMCAM units augment and provide processing, editing,
reproducing, distributing, and equipment maintenance support to
PA organizations at all echelons.
- COMCAM units may have access to areas and operations which
PA units will not. When this situation arises, DOD Directive 5040.4
provides for PA exploitation of COMCAM imagery.
- Release of COMCAM products is accomplished through PA channels in accordance with published PA guidance and appropriate operational security channels.
-
(a) Although medical documentation is normally accomplished
by medical personnel, COMCAM units augment this service using
all documentation formats-still, motion picture, video, audio,
and graphic arts. High resolution videotape is the desired medium.
(b) Medical requirements call for a sterile field around the patient. Documentation personnel must comply with medical personnel instructions prior to documenting a procedure.
(c) Equipment must be close enough to record the procedure, but far enough away so as not to interfere with medical personnel.
(d) Any lights used to supplement available lighting must be shielded to remove heat and retain arty exploding glass.
(e) Film-based still, DSV, videotape, and motion picture cameras with required lenses are capable of documenting medical procedures. Microphotography, microphotography, and microcinematography are accomplished with special adaptors which match optical systems to the camera.
(2) Military intelligence.
-
(a) General intelligence support is limited to documentation
required by activities of the G2 and supporting MI units at division
and corps or MEF levels. Individual assignments deal with such
functions as coverage of prisoners of war; captured enemy equipment
reproduction of enemy documents; detailed documentation of captured
enemy installations, armament delivery recording, and other special
targets. COMCAM units will process, edit, reproduce, and distribute
captured opposing forces (OPFOR) VI products.
(b) Technical intelligence (TI) documentation is the coverage of items of material and equipment of intelligence value. This type of augmentation supports the work of TI teams and their analysis by supplementing their finished reports.
(c) Strategic intelligence (SI) documentation deals with every facet of strategic subjects, both military and political. Whenever SI documentation is of direct concern to a commander in a theater of operations, a COMCAM unit may be directed to accomplish SI support missions. They are concerned primarily with coverage of conditions that have a bearing on the mission of the unit supported. Since COMCAM soldiers are not usually trained to determine strategic requirements, a plan is developed to indicate the potential subjects to be documented. This plan includes a map overlay of the operational area, map sheets of the area, and written instructions to outline the types of coverage expected.
(3) Military police.
-
(a) MP organizations normally provide visual documentation
using assigned assets.
(b) COMCAM documentation units support MP by augmenting documentation of enemy prisoner of war (EPW) activities, prisoner control, rear area protection procedures, and investigations.
(4) Psychological operations.
-
(a) COMCAM support augments Army PSYOP by providing suitable
subject matter produced by COMCAM units essential to PSYOP. COMCAM
imagery enhances the PSYOP message effectiveness toward the target
civilian population and the enemy.
(b) PSYOP units use all means of persuasion to support activities designed to implement US policies and attain national objectives. Video tape, motion picture, and audio tape recordings inform an audience on areas of mutual interest.
(c) The following types of VI enhances the credibility of PSYOP printed material:
(5) Public affairs.
-
(a) Both PA and COMCAM share similar visual acquisition capabilities
on the battlefield. The missions and end users of the acquired
information greatly differ; however, there exists commonality
in acquisition equipment, editing, and production systems.
(b) PA and COMCAM have two distinct and separate missions. PA assets are not used in the combat documentation role, and COMCAM assets are not used primarily for PA purposes. However, still and motion media acquired by PA and COMCAM can be used by both entities to complement each other's mission. The COMCAM mission is to provide visual combat documentation to the NCA assist the tactical commander in operational decision making, and to create a visual record of unit operations on the battlefield. The PA mission on the battlefield is twofold-encompassing command information (CI) and public information (PI).
(c) PA TOE units own and operate systems to acquire still and motion media as well as chemical-process photography. However, few PA organizations are authorized to process and print still photography, edit and reproduce audio-video products, disseminate electronic still and motion video products, or maintain still and motion video systems above the operator echelon.
d. Required functional support.
-
(1) FM 11-23 dictates COMCAM will augment functional (user-owned
and -operated) information systems only when they cannot provide
the required support.
(2) Functional support to PA offices and TOE units is required in the form of maintenance of PA user-owned and operated systems above operator level maintenance, such as DSV, 35mm cameras; video recording systems; 8mm high band cameras; recorders, editors, and monitors, audio recording systems; and cassette recorders.
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