1st IO Command Overview

General: Located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 1st IO Cmd is the Army’s only Active Duty Information Operations (IO) unit. A multi-component, brigade-level organization, it consists of a Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD) and two battalions. 1st IO Cmd’s mission is to provide IO support to the Army and other Military Forces through deployable IO support teams; IO planning, analysis, and reachback support; and specialized IO training. 1st IO Cmd is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, and is under the Operational Control (OPCON) of the U.S. Army Cyber Command.

Originating Concept: The origins of 1st IO Cmd are directly tied to Army lessons learned from the 1991 Persian Gulf War regarding the need for an organization to provide Information Warfare/Command and Control Warfare (IW/C2W) support to Army commands.

LIWA: In late 1993 and early 1994 the INSCOM Commander, LTG Paul Menoher, developed the concept of the Land Information Warfare Activity (LIWA) as an internal INSCOM directorate. The directorate, was built "out-of-hide" and consisted of fewer than a dozen personnel. On 8 May 1995, HQDA activated LIWA as an operational Table of Distribution and Allowances (TDA) organization under the Command of USAINSCOM, with the mission to "provide IW/C2W operational support to land component and separate Army commands, AC/RC, to facilitate planning and execution of Information Operations."

1st IO Cmd Activation: On 28 October 2002 - HQDA activated 1st Information Operations Command (Land), assigning the command OPCON to HQDA G3/5/7 through the DAMO-OD, and ADCON to USAINSCOM. Since its inception, the command has endured a wide range of doctrinal and organizational changes. Overall, it has had a dynamic mission and has accordingly maintained itself as an adaptive organization.

OPCON to ARCYBER: On 2 February 2011, HQDA assigned the command OPCON to US Army Cyber Command (ARCC), with USAINSCOM retaining ADCON.

Assigned to Army Cyber Command: Department of the Army General Order 2021-04, dated 3 February 2021, directed the assignment of 1st Information Operations Command from INSCOM to US Army Cyber Command with an effective date of 1 October 2021.

Brigade Commander COL Ryan Keating

Brigade Commander COL Keating COL Ryan Keating was commissioned in 1997 as a Second Lieutenant in the Armor Branch, COL Keating served as tank platoon leader, scout platoon leader, Headquarters Troop Executive Officer, and Squadron assistant S-3 in 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Ft. Carson, Colorado.

In 2001, he reported to Vilseck, Germany; completing assignments with 7th Army Training Command (7th ATC) and 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (1ID). While in 1ID, he deployed to Kosovo in support of the NATO Kosovo Force and to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served as assistant Brigade S-3 and Commander of B Company, 1-63 AR and Headquarters Company, 2-63 Armor.

From 2007 to 2010, COL Keating served as Company Tactical Officer and Brigade Executive Officer in the Brigade Tactical Department, United States Corps of Cadets (West Point). Subsequently, he was assigned to V Corps and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as the Information Operations Planner for ISAF Joint Command (IJC). Upon return, COL Keating served as a Future Operations planner in HQ, United States Army Europe (USAREUR).

In 2014, COL Keating assumed responsibilities as the Executive Officer for the Army's only Active Duty Information Operations element, 1st Information Operations Command at Fort Belvoir, VA

From 2017 to 2022 he was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany where he served first as Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) J39 Information Operations Chief followed by his most recent assignment as Chief of the USEUCOM J39 Information Operations and Special Activities Division.

COL Ryan Keating graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1997 where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in General Science. He also holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and a Master's in National Resource Strategy from National Defense University. He is married to the former Aura Lee Morrow and they have three children: Haley, Jake, and Colby.

Brigade CSM Harold "Ed" Jarrell

Brigade CSM Jarrell Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Harold “Ed” Jarrell most recently served as the CSM of the 311th Military Intelligence Battalion (Forward Collection) at Camp Zama, Japan. Born in Washington, D.C., CSM Jarrell initially enlisted in the Army National Guard in December 1999, and later transferred to the Active Component. In 2009, CSM Jarrell reclassified his military occupational specialty from Infantryman to Counterintelligence (CI) Special Agent

CSM Jarrell’s operational assignments include: the 10th Mountain Division as an Automatic Rifleman, Fire Team Leader, and Squad Leader; the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) as a CI Special Agent, CI/Human Intelligence Section Leader, Targeting Cell Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC), and Military Intelligence Detachment NCOIC; the 75th Ranger Regiment as the Senior CI Sergeant, S2X NCOIC, Task Force CI Coordinating Authority, and Regimental S2 Sergeant Major; the 82nd Airborne Division as First Sergeant and Operations Sergeant Major; and the 2nd Infantry Division as the G2 Sergeant Major. Additionally, CSM Jarrell was an Instructor at the United States Army Ranger School. CSM Jarrell has eight deployments in support of the Global War on Terrorism to include Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

CSM Jarrell’s civilian education includes a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from American Military University, a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies from the University of Texas at El Paso (Phi Kappa Phi honors), and a Master of Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University.

CSM Jarrell’s military education includes: Primary Leadership Development Course (Commandant’s List), Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course (Commandant’s List), Senior Leader Course (Commandant’s List), United States Army Sergeants Major Academy Class 69 (Commandant’s List), Basic Airborne Course, Jumpmaster Course, Ranger Course, Air Assault Course, CI Special Agent Course, Source Operations Handler’s Course, Asset Validation Course, Defense Strategic Debriefer’s Course, Mobile Retention Team Representative Course, Combat Lifesaver Course, Ranger First Responder Course, Tactical Casualty Combat Care Course, Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support Course, Senior Tactics Instructor Course, and the Army Basic Instructor Course.

CSM Jarrell’s awards and decorations include: Bronze Star Medal (2nd award), Meritorious Service Medal (5th Award), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (5th Award), Army Achievement Medal (4th award), Army Good Conduct Medal (6th Award), National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal (4 Campaign Stars), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (1 service star), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with “M” Device), Armed Forces Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 5), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (5th Award), North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal (1 service Star), Joint Meritorious Unit Award (2nd award), Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation (2nd award), Army Superior Unit Award, Air Assault Badge, Basic Parachutist Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Ranger Tab, the Military Intelligence Corps Association Knowlton Award, 1SG for the 2017 FORSCOM Dillard Award winning Company, German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency (Gold), German Marksmanship Award-Schutzenschnur (Silver), and German Parachutist Badge (Bronze).

CSM Jarrell was recently married to his wife Karrissa, and is father to his son Cayden.