56th Theater Information Operations Group

File:156-leaflet-drop.png, with support from the 12th Psychological Operations Battalion and 1-168th GSAB at Joint Base Lewis-McChord July 2023.{{cite web |last=Nieves |first=Elaina |title=Washington Guardsmen Put Information Operations to the Test |url=https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article-View/Article/3454369/washington-guardsmen-put-information-operations-to-the-test/ |website=National Guard Website |publisher=National Guard Bureau |access-date=13 November 2023}}]]

Two battalions and a headquarters company are assigned to the 56th as a Theater Information Operations Group. It assumed its current organizational structure {{as of|2009|09|01|lc=y|df=us}}, when the Maryland Army National Guard activated the 110th Information Operations Battalion.{{cite web |last=Bowery |first=Charles |title=110th Information Operations Battalion Lineage and Honors |url=https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/misc/0110iobn.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630230344/https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/misc/0110iobn.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 June 2020 |website=U.S. Army Center of Military History |access-date=13 November 2023}}{{cite web |last=Rauschenberg |first=Kurt |title=Information and cyber operations modeled by Maryland Army Guard |url=https://www.army.mil/article/214153/information_and_cyber_operations_modeled_by_maryland_army_guard |website=U.S. Army Official Website |publisher=U.S. Army |access-date=13 November 2023}}

• 25px Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC), 56th TIOG – JBLM, Washington
• 25px 110th Information Operations Battalion – Annapolis, Maryland{{cite web |last=Testa |first=Aaron |title=Maryland National Guard has Information Operations Symposium |url=https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article/2042378/maryland-national-guard-has-information-operations-symposium/ |website=National Guard Website |publisher=National Guard Bureau |access-date=13 November 2023}}
• 25px 156th Information Operations Battalion – JBLM, Washington

In 2015, the Washington Army National Guard reorganized, designating the 56th TIOG as a major subordinate command within the state. Under this designation, the 56th assumed administrative control, and operational control (Title 32 and [https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=38-USC-1886683519-1086563465&term_occur=999&term_src= State Active Duty] operations) of additional Washington National Guard units. As a major subordinate command, it has the following organizational structure.{{cite web |title=56th Theater Information Operations Group 2019 Annual Report |url=https://static.dvidshub.net/media/pubs/pdf_50600.pdf |website=DVIDS - Defense Visual Information Distribution Service |publisher=Washington National Guard |access-date=13 November 2023}}

• 25px Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC), 56th TIOG – JBLM, Washington
• Special Operations Detachment - Pacific
• 1161st Rigger Detachment
• 122nd Theater Public Affairs Support Element
• 141st Military History Detachment
• File:156th Information Operations Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia.jpg 156th Information Operations Battalion
• Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment (HHD)
• Company A
• Company B
• 33x33px341st Military Intelligence Battalion (Linguist)
• Company A – Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington
• Company B
• Company D
• 39x39pxCompany A, 1st Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) – Buckley, Washington.

In September 2006, the Washington Army National Guard organized Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 56th Theater Information Operations Group to stand up the first of two TIOGs in the U.S. Army.{{cite web |title=History of the 56th Theater Information Operations Group |url=https://mil.wa.gov/history-of-the-56th-theater-information-operations-group |website=Washington Military Department |publisher=Washington National Guard |access-date=22 November 2023}} Three years later, the 56th was federally recognized on January 28, 2009, as a subordinate unit under the 96th Troop Command.{{cite web |title=History of the 56th Theater Information Operations Group |url=https://mil.wa.gov/history-of-the-56th-theater-information-operations-group |website=Washington Military Department |publisher=Washington National Guard |access-date=22 November 2023}}

In July 2015, the Washington Army National Guard reorganized the 96th Troop Command, separating the 56th and elevating them to a major subordinate command.{{cite web |title=History of the 56th Theater Information Operations Group |url=https://mil.wa.gov/history-of-the-56th-theater-information-operations-group |website=Washington Military Department |publisher=Washington National Guard |access-date=22 November 2023}} Later that year, on September 29, 2015, the 56th moved into the Information Operations Readiness Center (IORC), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, after commemorating its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This 127,100-square-foot facility came at a cost of $27 million and serves as the headquarters for the 56th and the majority of its subordinate units.{{cite web |title=56th Theater Information Operations Group 2020 Annual Report |url=https://issuu.com/wanationalguard/docs/2020_56th_tiog_annual_report |website=issuu.com |date=12 November 2020 |access-date=13 November 2023}}{{cite web |title=High-tech secure environment for the Washington Army National Guard |url=https://www.ahbl.com/portfolio?id=217 |website=AHBL |access-date=14 November 2023}}

Since 2014, the 56th TIOG's 156th Information Operations Battalion has been supporting rotational forces into the USCENTCOM region in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.{{cite web |title=156th Information Operations Team prepares for deployment to Middle East |url=https://mil.wa.gov/news/156th-information-operations-team-prepares-for-deployment-to-middle-east |website=Washington Military Department |publisher=Washington Military Administrator |access-date=13 November 2023}} In 2019, they were joined by another 56th unit, the 122nd TPASE, which divided its mobilized forces between Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Resolute Support, in Afghanistan.{{cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Neil |title=122nd in Afghanistan is there to tell the Guard's story |url=https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/NEWS-ARTICLES/News-Article-View/Article/1935996/122nd-in-afghanistan-is-there-to-tell-the-guards-story/ |website=U.S. Central Command |access-date=13 November 2023}}

For more than 13 rotations, the 110th Information Operations Battalion has deployed specialty teams in support of CJTF-HOA.{{cite web |publisher=110th Information Operations Battalion |title=Maryland Guard Information Operations Team deploys to Horn of Africa |url=https://thebaynet.com/maryland-guard-information-operations-team-deploys-to-horn-of-africa-html/ |website=The Baynet |date=28 May 2020 |access-date=14 November 2023}}{{cite web |last=Henry |first=Kristine |title=Maryland National Guard information unit continues to deploy |url=https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article-View/Article/576239/maryland-national-guard-information-unit-continues-to-deploy/ |website=National Guard Website |publisher=National Guard Bureau}}

File:Wa-guard-russell-bld.jpg during the 2021 presidential inauguration]]

In January 2021, the 56th TIOG established and assumed command of a 380-person joint task force composed of Washington Army and Air National Guard personnel that soon deployed as part of 25,000 National Guardsmen to Washington D.C., providing security for the 2021 Presidential Inauguration{{cite journal |publisher=Washington Military Department |title=Washington Military Department Annual Report |journal=Washington Military Department Annual Report |date=January 25, 2002 |issue=2021–2022 |page=45 |url=https://issuu.com/wanationalguard/docs/2021-22_washington_military_department_annual_repo |access-date=22 November 2023}}{{cite news |last=Bernton |first=Hal |title=Inauguration week starts quietly at Washington state Capitol amid show of force by military and law enforcement |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/state-capitol-campus-calm-sunday-amid-show-of-force-by-military-and-law-enforcement/ |access-date=22 November 2023 |agency=The Seattle Times |publisher=The Seattle Times |date=January 18, 2021}} as part of Operation Capitol Response. In March of the same year, the 156th was activated to provide support to the Washington State Employment Support Department.{{cite journal |publisher=Washington Military Department |title=Washington Military Department Annual Report |journal=Washington Military Department Annual Report |date=January 25, 2002 |issue=2021–2022 |page=45 |url=https://issuu.com/wanationalguard/docs/2021-22_washington_military_department_annual_repo |access-date=22 November 2023}}{{cite news |last=Roberts |first=Paul |title=Overpayment mess at Washington state's unemployment agency gets help from National Guard |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/national-guard-to-help-washington-state-sort-through-thousands-of-unemployment-overpayment-notices/ |access-date=22 November 2023 |agency=The Seattle Times |publisher=The Seattle Times |date=March 19, 2021}}

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• 151st Theater Information Operations Group
• Information warfare
• List of cyber warfare forces

{{reflist}}

• [https://mil.wa.gov/56th-theater-information-operations-group 56th Theater Information Operations Group]

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Category:Information operations units and formations

Category:Groups of the United States Army National Guard

Category:Military units and formations established in 2006