{"product_id":"345th-tactical-psyop-company","title":"345th Tactical PSYOP Company (Airborne)","description":"\u003cp\u003eShaping the human terrain since 1996.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGlobe, insignia, and a soldier's silhouette on heavyweight, garment-dyed cotton — for a unit that prints its own leaflets, jumps out of perfectly good airplanes, and rarely gets asked what it actually does. The history below is here for the people who did the work, and for anyone who wants to know what the shirt is actually for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eA History of the 345th Tactical Psychological Operations Company (Airborne)\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigins in Vietnam (1965–1968)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe unit traces its lineage to the 245th Psychological Operations Company, constituted in the Regular Army on 20 December 1965 and activated in Vietnam in February 1966 under the 6th Battalion, 7th PSYOP Group. Operating in the II Corps central highlands, its elements supported the 1st Cavalry Division and the 101st Airborne Division. The company earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm before it was inactivated in January 1968.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eReserve Reconstitution (1975–1996)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 30 October 1975 the 245th was withdrawn from the Regular Army and allotted to the Army Reserve under the 90th Army Reserve Command, Fifth U.S. Army. In 1980 it supported the Cuban Refugee Resettlement Project at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. In 1990 it came under the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command and U.S. Army Special Operations Command.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 16 June 1996 the 245th was redesignated the 345th Tactical Psychological Operations Company (Airborne), initially under the 16th PSYOP Battalion, 2nd PSYOP Group. Its sister unit, the 244th in Austin, became the 344th on the same day — the two companies share a near-identical lineage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOperation Desert Shield \/ Desert Storm (1990–1991)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEighteen soldiers mobilized on 27 December 1990. Tactical PSYOP teams conducted combat operations alongside elements of the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions and the 5th Special Forces Group. In the words of the 2008 Congressional Record tribute, “245th teams distinguished themselves at the Battle of Khafji, the liberation of Kuwait City, and with deception and surrender appeals in the Kuwaiti desert.” Members earned Marine Combat Action Ribbons, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendations, and four Bronze Stars; the unit earned the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHaiti (1994)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA Tactical Detachment deployed on 16 September 1994 for Operation Uphold Democracy. Two soldiers supported a 3rd Special Forces Group team; the remainder served with the 10th Mountain Division, conducting civilian non-interference, civil information campaigns, and quick-reaction-force operations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBosnia (1997–1998)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing a 1997 warning order for Operation Joint Guard, the 345th deployed to Bosnia in 1998, primarily in Multi-National Division North supporting the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, with soldiers also in Sarajevo and Banja Luka. Teams ran presence patrols in the Zone of Separation, civilian non-interference and civil information campaigns, mine awareness, and passive intelligence gathering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eKosovo (2000)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA Tactical Detachment deployed for Operation Joint Guardian under KFOR, working alongside the 310th PSYOP Company and the 82nd Airborne Division on missions similar to those in Bosnia. Through this period the unit's tempo also included missions to Germany, Jordan, Oman, and Egypt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAfghanistan (2002 onward)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2002 three Tactical Detachments and a headquarters and product development element deployed with 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. Teams spread across the country, working with Operational Detachments-Alpha from the 3rd, 7th, 19th, and 20th Special Forces Groups, other government agencies, Afghan militia, and conventional forces — hunting Taliban and al-Qaeda and conducting civilian non-interference, tactical deception, surrender appeals, special reconnaissance, mine awareness, sensitive-site exploitation, and direct action. The company deployed again to Afghanistan in 2008 on the 15th PSYOP Battalion rotation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIraq (2004)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom February to October 2004 the 345th held responsibility for tactical PSYOP across Baghdad, supporting the 1st Armored Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 10th Mountain Division, and other forces. Teams took part in direct-action raids, cordon-and-search operations, sonic deception, and humanitarian assistance, in combat against anti-coalition forces, foreign fighters, and the Mahdi Army. Six Purple Hearts were awarded for that tour, along with numerous individual awards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHorn of Africa (2012)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore than twenty soldiers began pre-deployment training at the Lewisville Armed Forces Reserve Center on 26 March 2012 for a roughly nine-month rotation to the Horn of Africa — the first large tactical PSYOP element fielded to that task force. The detachment was triple the size of the team it replaced, and because no maintenance contract existed in theater, its soldiers learned to field-repair their own print systems before departing. The unit's parent at the time, and today, is the 17th PSYOP Battalion (Austin, Texas), 7th PSYOP Group.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eStructure, Mission, and Heraldry\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA tactical PSYOP company is built from a Headquarters Section, a Tactical PSYOP Development Detachment for product development and target-audience analysis, and Tactical PSYOP Detachments for distribution, loudspeaker operations, and face-to-face engagement. Its signature tools have included the Psychological Operations Print System–Light, described by the Army as the workhorse of the product detachment, and a satellite Product Distribution System. The unit is airborne-coded; its soldiers wear the maroon beret with a company flash and airborne oval approved on 14 August 2007, and carry the 17th PSYOP Battalion's distinctive insignia and motto: \u003cem\u003eWin With Words\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eRecognition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 31 July 2008, as the company prepared to deploy to Afghanistan, Rep. Sam Johnson of Texas entered a tribute into the Congressional Record commending the unit and asking Congress to join him in honoring “the brave men and women off to serve on the front lines.” The unit's own account holds that it has had soldiers continuously deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Horn of Africa since November 2001 — a claim that rests on the unit's records and the Congressional tribute, and is presented here as the unit tells it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eA Note on Sources\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis history draws primarily on the Congressional Record (Vol. 154, 2008), U.S. Army and DVIDS reporting from 2012, the U.S. Army Center of Military History's published lineage for the sister 344th Company, The Institute of Heraldry, and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command history office. No standalone Center of Military History lineage-and-honors certificate for the 345th is publicly posted, so its formal campaign credit and decoration list are not reproduced here in official form. If you served with the unit and can add to or correct this record, we want to hear from you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e100% ring-spun US cotton, 6.1 oz — heavyweight and pre-shrunk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGarment-dyed after construction for depth and texture\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTubular knit, no side seams, double-needle stitched throughout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRelaxed fit, sizes S–4XL, sewn-in label\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComfort Colors® 1717 · Made in Honduras\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCare\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMachine wash cold, tumble dry low. No bleach, no dry cleaning. Iron low if you must.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Printify","offers":[{"title":"Black \/ S","offer_id":58406560104792,"sku":"10759482478292582849","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue Spruce \/ S","offer_id":58406560137560,"sku":"10099874084592202990","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ M","offer_id":58406560170328,"sku":"40823013352525904296","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue Spruce \/ M","offer_id":58406560203096,"sku":"22675293568047461317","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ L","offer_id":58406560235864,"sku":"18112736549832580817","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue Spruce \/ L","offer_id":58406560268632,"sku":"41809548849675480452","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ XL","offer_id":58406560301400,"sku":"12794383028219333396","price":33.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue Spruce \/ XL","offer_id":58406560334168,"sku":"19380434147429354620","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ 2XL","offer_id":58406560366936,"sku":"24035619002402660948","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Blue Spruce \/ 2XL","offer_id":58406560399704,"sku":"16682901583695270666","price":36.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ 3XL","offer_id":58406560432472,"sku":"23107279009505076003","price":35.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ 4XL","offer_id":58406560465240,"sku":"32189808038429261108","price":37.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1012\/1327\/4456\/files\/8811759328810225673_2048.jpg?v=1788620725","url":"https:\/\/coverandlegend.com\/products\/345th-tactical-psyop-company","provider":"Cover \u0026 Legend","version":"1.0","type":"link"}