Psychological Operations Division

The Psychological Operations Division-- better known as PSYOPS in the military vernacular-- is a clandestine branch of the Office of Naval Intelligence's Section III comprised almost exclusively of psychically-sensitive operatives. It is responsible for covert action and "special activities". These activities include covert political action and paramilitary operations.

Overview
The ONI tightly controls information about PSYOPS and publicly refuses to comment on the secretive unit and its activities. The Division provides the ALF with an option when overt military and/or diplomatic actions are not viable or politically feasible. However, PSYOPS has far fewer members than most of the other special missions units, such as SPARTAN or 160th SOAR. As the action arm of ONI, PSYOPS conducts military direct action missions such as raids, ambushes, sabotage, assassinations, and unconventional warfare. PSYOPS also conducts special reconnaissance, that can be either military or intelligence-driven. PSYOPS officers are selected exclusively from the most elite Spriggan Institutes.

Within PSYOPS there are two separate groups, one for paramilitary operations and another for political action. PSYOP's paramilitary operations include the collection of intelligence in hostile countries and regions, and all high-threat military and/or intelligence operations which the Allied Liberation Front does not wish to be associated with conducting. AS such, members of the unit (called Savant-Militants) normally do not carry any objects or clothing (e.g. military uniforms) that would associate them with the ALF. If they are compromised during a mission, the government of the Colonial Federation often denies all knowledge.

The political action group within PSYOPS is responsible for covert activities related to political influence, psychological warfare, and economic warfare. In addition, cyber warfare can sometimes fall under this group's sphere of influence. A large covert operation usually has components that involve many or all of these categories, as well as paramilitary operations.

PSYOPS operatives are granted an enormous amount of flexibility and autonomy, similar to their counterparts in the Naval Special Warfare Division. They will rarely wear any general uniform and civilian clothing is the norm on or off duty. This is done to conceal the identities of these "secret soldiers". When military uniforms are worn, they usually consist of black leather dusters or trenchcoats, lacking markings, surnames or branch names. Hair styles and facial hair are allowed to grow to civilian standards in order for the force to be able to blend in and not be immediately recognized as military personnel.

Organization
There are unconfirmed reports that PSYOPS may have as many as 1,000 operators. Approximately 250 of these are operatives trained to conduct direct action and reconnaissance missions. These Savant-Militants are divided into three squadrons-- A, B, and C-- with each squadron subdivided into three troops. Two are assault troops while a third troop specializes in reconnaissance and surveillance and is known as the "recon" troop. The remaining Spriggan in PSYOPS are highly trained specialists in the fields of telepathy, precognition, communications, intelligence, and other support activities, on top of a headquarters staff.

Units
OCU Army OCU Marines Navy
 * 1st Psychological Operations Group
 * 2nd Psychological Operations Group
 * 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne)
 * 7th Psychological Operations Group
 * 345th Psychological Operations Company
 * 244th Psychological Operations Company
 * OPNAVINST 3434.1 Psychological Operations