Guidance

Joint Information Activities Group (JIAG)

JIAG provides specialist information activities training, operational delivery capability and capacity building for defence and other government departments.

JIAG is part of the Directorate of Joint Warfare and employs the Whole Force Concept to deliver its output for Joint Force Development (JFD) in support of Joint Forces Command (JFC)current and future operational activities.

Our role

Mission statement: the role of the JIAG is to develop and deliver the joint information operations and activities capability for defence in support of UK influence requirements.

What we do

The JIAG provides specialist Information Activities training, operational delivery capability and capacity building for defence, and other government departments, through the provision of suitably qualified and experienced personnel in direct support of contingent and enduring operations, collective training exercises and international defence engagement.

The major outputs include:

  • delivery of information activities training for media and communication and information operations personnel from across defence

  • direct support to operations and defence collective training exercises

  • supporting defence and other government departments through the provision of expert advice and operational capability

  • providing a capacity building capability in support of international defence engagement through provision of individual advisers or delivery of bespoke training packages, both in the UK and overseas

JIAG Headquarters

The JIAG has a small headquarters and support element which provide administrative and logistics support to JIAG personnel on a daily basis and when deployed. The logistics team provides life support, technical equipment (including satellite communications) and vehicle support to deployed media operators. It can also support the deployment of the unit’s Media Operations Centre (MOC) and Media Information Centre (MIC) for operations or exercise.

Development of training

JIAG strives to remain at the forefront of all information activities developments. This is achieved through research activities, and stakeholder engagement across 5 broad areas; the other elements of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), our partners across government, close liaison with academia, working alongside our international allies, and observation of the private sector. This activity helps to ensure that our training is current and evolving, and that our staff are supported and accessible subject matter experts for defence.

Training courses

Training centres on 4 principal courses:

1.The Joint Information Operations Course (JIOC)

This course provides individuals with the foundation knowledge required for employment in Information Operations roles at the operational level in joint, multi-national, or multi-agency environments.

2.The Defence Communicators’ Course (DCC)

This course provides essential training for Defence personnel entering Media Operations, and the Media and Communications environment. The course covers the fundamentals of Media and Communications including news-writing, imagery, working with journalists, interview training and crisis communications.

3.Media Awareness and Interview Training (MAIT)

This course provides a broad awareness of the media environment and skills for personnel who are likely to be involved in Social Media product production, interviews with the media and internal media briefings. It includes communicating key messages through the media and trains defence personnel who are likely to be interviewed by broadcast media to effectively deliver their messages.

Operations and collective training

JIAG provides support to operations through provision of training, as well as being required to deploy experienced media operators. Support is also provide to defence collective training through provision of qualified experts to aid with information activities elements of exercise design, development and assurance.

Capacity building

JIAG regularly provides a capacity building capability in support of international defence engagement. JIAG can provide assistance in the form of individual advisers or full training teams to provide bespoke training packages both in the UK and overseas.

JIAG contacts

UKStratCom-JIAGGroupMailbox@mod.gov.uk (working hours only)

Chief Clerk’s office 01296 65 6595 (working hours only)

Normal working hours are 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays.

Published 12 December 2012
Last updated 29 January 2020 + show all updates
  1. Updated course information and new contact email added.

  2. First published.