Joint Information Operations Warfare Center

The Joint Information Operations Warfare Center (JIOWC) supports the Joint Staff in improving DOD ability to meet combatant command information-related requirements, improve development of information-related capabilities, and ensure operational integration and coherence across combatant commands and other DOD activities.

IO involves The integrated employment, during military operations, of information-related capabilities in concert with other lines of operation to influence, disrupt, corrupt, or usurp the decision-making of adversaries and potential adversaries while protecting our own. They apply across all phases of an operation, the range of military operations, and at every level of war. They are a critical factor in the joint force commander's capability to achieve and sustain the level of information superiority required for decisive joint operations.

Located at Lackland AFB, Texas, the JIOWC's mission is to assist in planning, coordinating and executing information operations. The center deploys information operations planning teams worldwide at a moment's notice to deliver tailored, highly skilled support and sophisticated models and simulations to joint commanders, joint task forces and the Joint Staff.

Direct support is provided to unified commands, joint task forces, functional and service components, and subordinate combat commanders. Support is also provided to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the services and other government agencies. The JIOWC has a balanced mixture of personnel from all four military services, the civil service and three allied nations.

History
The Joint Electronic Warfare Center (JEWC) was established by the Secretary of Defense in October 1980 and reported to the Joint Staff. In September 1994, the JEWC’S mission was expanded and the organization was renamed the Joint Command and Control Warfare Center (JC2WC). In 1998, as a result of the Defense Reform Initiative (DRI), the JC2WC was realigned from the Joint Staff to US Atlantic Command. Further expansion of the JC2WC mission resulted in redesignation as the Joint Information Operations Center (JIOC). In October 1999, the JIOC was realigned as a subordinate command of USSPACECOM. In conjunction with the 1 October 2002 transition of USSPACECOM to USSTRATCOM, the JIOC was realigned as a subordinate command to USSTRATCOM. In 2006 the JIOC was redesignated the Joint Information Operations Warfare Command with a mission focused on operational IO planning and operations. From the establishment of the JEWC, the Commander of AFISRA also held the position of JIOWC director. In 2008, the AFISRA commander, Maj Gen Kozial realized that the AFISRA commander could not give the attention the JIOWC needed while also commanding AFIRSRA. As such, he proposed that the positions be severed and the JIOWC be led by a Senior Executive Service civilian. This occurred when Gen Koziol departed in February 2009 and the JIOWC changed from a command to a center. On  1 October 2011, the JIOWC was chartered as a Chairman's Controlled Activity aligned under the Joint Staff. The JIOWC Director reports to Joint Staff J3, through the Deputy Director Global Operations, J39 (DDGO). JIOWC support to the warfighter: JIOWC has provided direct support to CCMDs and Joint Force Commands and involvement in numerous operations since the early 80s: Operation URGENT FURY - Grenada (1983), Operation ELDORADO CANYON - Libya (1986), Operation JUST CAUSE - Panama (1989), Operations DESERT SHEILD and DESERT STORM, Balkans (1992), Kosovo (1998), Operations NOBLE ANVIL - Yugoslavia (1999) and VALIANT RETURN - EP-3 (2001), ENDURING FREEDOM and NOBLE EAGLE, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM - Afghanistan (2001-Present), Operation ENDURING FREEDOM - Philippines (2002), Multi-Force Iraq (2003-2011), Indonesia Tsunami (2004), and Hurricane Katrina relief (2005), Haiti Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (2010). JIOWC led the creation of the Joint Publication 3-13 series (Information Operations Doctrine), provided IO exercise development and support evaluation, maintenance of OPSEC programs with assistance in programmatic setup, evaluation and training of forces. Additionally, JIOWC provides IO professionals with initial training by conducting the Joint Information Operations Orientation Course. Finally, JIOWC provides trans-regional, cross-AOR, SME support and Information Operations Intelligence Integration.