An information operations branch designed for the 21st century Maj. Matthew Fecteau February 26 Marines with Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command pose for photos in the cyber operations room at Lasswell Hall aboard Fort Meade, Md., Feb. 5, 2020. (photo illustration by Staff Sgt. Jacob Osborne/Marine Corps) The U.S. military should focus on building a better and better resourced information operations (IO) branch that incorporates the open-source intelligence (OSINT) exploitation. This capability is critical to ensuring the U.S. military can create and exploit an information advantage within the operational environment. Before this can happen, IO needs to be treated as a non-accessions branch similar to that of civil affairs. As of this writing, there is no IO branch, but hopefully, this will change. IO is a functional area, meaning mostly mid-career officers from other branches make up its ranks through the Voluntary Transfer Incentive Program, and relatively limited