What is PSYOP Assessment and Selection like?

PSYOP assessment and selection lasts 10 days. Master Sgt. Mathews, the NCOIC of the PSYOP Assessment and Selection course said it’s designed to assess for leadership qualities, critical thinking, and the ability to effectively communicate to populations of people anywhere in the world, including scaring the hell out of the bad guys.
“We’re looking at soldiers who are adept at conducting research to understand target audiences,” Mathews said. “And use critical thinking to determine the best methods and arguments to influence and effectively communicate verbally and in writing using multimedia.”

The first-ever PSYOP courses took place under the Army General School at Ft. Riley, Kansas, over six weeks in 1951. The formation of graduates of both the psychological officer and non-commissioned officer courses was small in those days, with 39 officers graduating in June and 45 NCOs graduating in November.
Later, the Psychological Warfare (PSYWAR) Center was established at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (now called Fort Liberty) in April 1952. The center consolidated all PSYWAR functions and personnel carrying them out. Col. Charles H. Karlstad was the first commander of the center, a combat veteran of both World Wars, and former Chief of Staff of the Infantry Center at Fort Benning, Georgia (now called Fort Moore).
The Psychological Warfare School was established under the PSYWAR Center in October 1952. The distinctive unit insignia (DUI) for the Psywar Center and School was approved in November 1952 and is the same design you see today. But the PSYWAR Center was later redesignated as the U.S. Army Special Warfare Center and School in 1956.