Haunting and cryptic video aims to lure more to join US Army

May 02, 2024

Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer)

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Fort Liberty, North Carolina, is at the center of an innovative new recruitment strategy by the U.S. Army. A video released on Thursday, May 2, titled “Ghost in the Machine 2” caused quite a stir. A major from the 8th Psychological Operations Group based at Fort Liberty created the video, using haunting imagery and historical voices to captivate the audience.

The ad is a strategic move by the Army’s psychological warfare soldiers to attract new recruits, particularly for the Special Operations Command. The video’s cryptic messages and captivating visuals personify the kind of work these soldiers do to influence public opinion and wage wars of words overseas.

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Psyop units, like the 8th Psychological Operations Group, are tasked with missions ranging from simple leaflet drops to sophisticated propaganda campaigns aimed at shaping foreign opinion. For instance, in World War II, the so-called U.S. Ghost Army used innovative tactics like inflatable tanks and radio tricks to outwit the Germans.

Today, psychological operations remain critical for the U.S. Army, although their work is often classified. One recent example includes helping Ukrainian troops in countering Russian disinformation campaigns.

However, despite the critical nature of their work, recruiting for psyop units has proven challenging. The U.S. Army struggled to meet enlistment goals recently. It cited factors such as low unemployment, competition from the private sector and pandemic-related restrictions, which did not allow for recruiters in schools.

Recruiters hope that the “Ghost in the Machine” videos will spark interest among potential recruits. Initial feedback from soldiers who viewed the first video suggests that it has had a significant influence on their decision to pursue a career in psychological operations.

As the U.S. Army continues its recruitment efforts, one thing is clear: the power of words and ideas remains a potent force in shaping the future of military operations.

Tags: Kremlin, Military Defense, Military recruiting, National Security, Russia, U.S. Army, U.S. military, Ukraine, United States, United States Special Operations Command, War, World War II

[JOHN F. KENNEDY]

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO REALLY DON’T UNDERSTAND… FREEDOM HAS MADE DIFFICULTY… BUT WE HAVE NEVER HAD TO PUT UP A WALL TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE IN.

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

A FRESHLY RELEASED VIDEO FROM THE ARMY IS CAUSING QUITE THE STIR.IT’S TITLED GHOST IN THE MACHINE II. IT’S THE SECOND SUCH VIDEO TO USE HAUNTING IMAGERY AND HISTORICAL VOICES TO CAPTIVATE ITS AUDIENCE. AND HOPEFULLY – BOOST RECRUITMENT.

[JOHN F. KENNEDY]

…IS INDIVIDUAL AND WHEN ONE MAN IS ENSLAVED… ALL THAT ARE FREE…

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

IT’S A STRATEGIC MOVE BY SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY’S PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS WARFARE PROGRAM…

PARTICULARLY TO DRAW INTEREST IN THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND.

THE CRYPTIC CONTENT PERSONIFIES THE WORK THESE SOLDIERS DO.

FROM INFLUENCING PUBLIC OPINION TO WAGING A WAR OF WORDS.

PSYOPS UNITS, LIKE THE 8TH PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS GROUP, ARE TASKED WITH VARIOUS MISSIONS.

RANGING FROM SIMPLE LEAFLET DROPS TO SOPHISTICATED PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGNS AIMED AT SHAPING FOREIGN OPINION.

THE TACTICS GO BACK AS FAR AS WORLD WAR II.

THE SO-CALLED “GHOST ARMY” WAS HONORED FOR ITS WORK EARLIER THIS YEAR USING INNOVATIVE TACTICS LIKE INFLATABLE TANKS AND RADIO TRICKERY TO OUTWIT THE GERMANS.

THE FIRST “GHOST IN THE MACHINE” VIDEO, WHICH WAS PRODUCED BY THE SAME SOLDIER AS THE RECENT VIDEO– SHOWS THE TANKS BEING LIFTED BY SOLDIERS.

TODAY, PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS REMAIN CRITICAL, ALBEIT OFTEN CLASSIFIED.

ONE RECENT EXAMPLE: COUNTERING RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNS.

DESPITE THE CRUCIAL NATURE OF THEIR WORK, RECRUITING FOR PSYOP UNITS IS CHALLENGING. THE ARMY overall STRUGGLED TO MEET ENLISTMENT GOALS RECENTLY, CITING FACTORS SUCH AS LOW UNEMPLOYMENT, COMPETITION FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND PANDEMIC-RELATED RESTRICTIONS.

RECRUITERS HOPE THESE VIDEOS WILL SPARK INTEREST AMONG POTENTIAL RECRUITS. INITIAL FEEDBACK FROM SOLDIERS SUGGEST IT’S HAVING A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THEIR DECISION TO PURSUE A CAREER IN PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS.

AS THE ARMY CONTINUES ITS RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, ONE THING IS CLEAR, THE POWER OF WORDS AND IDEAS REMAINS A POTENT FORCE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MILITARY OPERATIONS.

RYAN ROBERTSON– STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.