361st Tactical Psychological Operations Company

The 361st Tactical Psychological Operations Company (TPU), located in Bothell, Washington, directly reports to the 12th Psychological Operations Battalion which is part of the 7th Psychological Operations Group.

The 361st is a Troop Program Unit (TPU) in the US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command and is organized in the same manner as other Tactical Psychological Operations Company's army wide. It consists of a Headquarters Section, a Tactical PSYOP Development Detachment or TPDD and three Tactical PSYOP Detachments or TPD. The TPDD focuses on Product Development and Target Audience Analysis while the TPD usually focuses on product distribution, face to face engagement with a given target audience and loudspeaker operations.

Although the company has yet to deploy as a unit in support of the Global War on Terror it still has an impressive list of deployments;

:::* TPD 1270 deployed to Iraq in 2003, part of OIF 1. Supported 3d ID and 3d ACR. Awarded a Valorous Unit Award.

:::* TPD 1280 deployed to Iraq in 2003, part of OIF 1. Supported 2d ACR. During OIF 4 the detachment relieved TPD 1290 in Mosul, Iraq in June 2005. Subsequently supported the 101st Airborne Division and the 172nd Stryker Brigade. Teams also supported ODA teams from 1st Special Forces Group.

:::* 361st Cross-leveled 11 PSYOP Soldiers to 320th PSYOP Company to support their 2004 deployment to Afghanistan.

:::* TPD 1290 deployed to Mosul, Iraq in September 2004, part of OIF 3, relieved TPD 990. Supported 3rd BCT (Stryker), 2D, and 1st BCT (Stryker), 25th ID, provided PSYOP support to 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group and other agencies when necessary. The detachment HQ conducted numerous leaflet drops over the Ninawa Governorate with the assistance of the 160th SOAR, produced millions of leaflets along with numerous radio and television commercials for Ninevah Television. The detachment was awarded a Valorous Unit Award.

ee also

*7th Psychological Operations Group
*Psychological operations (United States)
*Propaganda
*Psychological warfare
*Mark Hadsell Former unit member heavily quoted in the press.

External links

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/ca-psyop.htm US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/7psyopgp.htm 7th PSYOP Group]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/12psyopbn.htm 12th PSYOP Battalion]
* [http://www.psywarrior.com/361stPsyopIraq.html TPD 1290] in Mosul, Iraq
* [http://www.arts.gov/about/NEARTS/13-2006vol4/13oh8.html "Purple Hearted"] , [http://www.zyzzyva.org/w05.lewis.htm "Matriculation"] , [http://www.facets-magazine.com/VolV%20Iss2/lewis.html "Road Work"] , by Jack Lewis, a Tactical PSYOP Team Leader with TPD 1290, 361st PSYOP Company during OIF 3