The US Army’s 4th Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Group has released a cryptic recruitment video, described as “chilling” by sources, demonstrating the unit’s role in psychological operations.
The stunt is part of a series of similarly controversial enlistment advertisements produced by the group in recent years, prompted by a Pentagon report highlighting that the military lacks sufficient psychological warfare personnel to counter information operations from adversaries.
The latest clip used a series of visual montages to illustrate the unit’s mission to influence enemy perceptions and behaviors.
It opens with a retro-style television displaying a ghost from the 1930 American cartoon Swing You Sinners! before transitioning to forests, civilians, soldiers, and the phrase “We are everywhere.”
“There’s another force applied in combat that we generally don’t think of as a weapon of war. That weapon is words. Words are weapons … This is psychological warfare,” a narrator states.
Footage includes historical references to the “Ghost Army,” an American tactical deception unit in World War II that used inflatable decoys and other ruses to mislead German forces, alongside modern imagery of masked soldiers and aerial views of training exercises.
Quick frames also incorporate internet symbols such as Pepe the Frog in a clown costume. Subtitles at points declare, “Anything we touch is a weapon.”
The video then directs viewers to a QR code linking to the army’s PSYOP hiring portal.
About the 4th PSYOP
The US Army’s 4th PSYOP, stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, identifies soldiers with analytical and research skills who can apply critical thinking to influence audiences verbally, digitally, and visually.
Candidates complete a 10-day assessment focusing on mental resilience, fitness, and communication, followed by a 41-week Psychological Operations Qualification Course.
Lessons in the program encompass human psychology, cultural analysis, influence methods, and ethical considerations in operations.
“PSYOP Soldiers help ensure decision-makers, partners, and populations receive the right message at the right time,” the 1st Special Forces Command said in a post sharing the video.
