Army stands up unit to combat disinformation, ‘malign influence’ in Indo-Pacific
By WYATT OLSON STARS AND STRIPES •
November 8, 2025
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii — The Army on Friday stood up a Pacific-based detachment tasked with countering disinformation and “malign influence” aimed at America and its allies and partners by adversaries. The 1st Theater Information Advantage Detachment, headquartered at Fort Shafter in Hawaii, is the first of three such units the Army aims to stand up before the end of 2026. The second is slated to be stood up this spring at Army Cyber Command, with the third expected to be activated next fall at U.S. Army Europe and Africa. “This detachment is the first of its kind,” Col. Sean Heidgerken, the unit’s commander, told reporters Thursday during a conference call. He was joined by Command Sgt. Maj. Avery Bennett. “It’s a formation designed to maneuver within the information environment and maintain positions of advantage,” Heidgerken said. “Our mission is clear: to enable the United States Army Pacific to sense, understand, decide and act faster than any adversary, while strengthening cooperation with our allies and partners throughout the region.”
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https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2025-11-07/new-army-unit-combat-disinformation-19691168.htmlSource - Stars and Stripes
