#WarLeveragingSocialMedia

Incorporating social media into the intelligence cycles, JIPOE, and planning phases of operations will significantly increase theater commanders ability to gain the initiative against both hostile state and non-state actors. Social media defines, describes, and informs a commander and their staff to fully understand and visualize the operating environment. Commanders and staff can leverage that understanding to enable higher quality decisions, which translate into more effective future operational plans, and enhanced mission command. Social media provides unique opportunities to exploit an enemy or insurgency's ad hoc command-and-control structure, allowing U.S. forces to disrupt future and potential plans. This document discusses two case studies from the Arab Spring and relates those case studies and the lessons learned from social medias impact and its applications as the United States transitions to great power competition.