SADF COMOPS

COMOPS = Communication Operations

KOMOPS =Kommunikasie Operasies

Comops was the South African Military term for all aspects of communication operations directed at own forces morale and enemy forces morale.

1978 SADF had received extensive PSYCHOLOGICAL ACTION training and briefings from the French re: their experiences in Algeria. Psychological Action included Psychological Operations i.e. leaflets and broadcasting directed at the enemy, Counter Propaganda, Civic Action - Hearts and Minds campaigns i.e. self help and humanitarian assistance - all in the desire to show the local population that the SA Army was their friend.

SAINTS - Intelligence Corps stable belt badge with Green felt backing denoting COMOPS training and affiliation	A design provided by SADF Heraldic Dept for COMOPS	Emblem designated for a separate COMOPS Corps - separate from that of Intelligence Corps. This did not eventuate BUT was seriously mooted in an effort to divorce CIVIC ACTION + Communication Operations from Intelligence, and thus grant it more credence amongst the local populace.
		SAINTS - Echo Company.  School emblem for the training company responsible for COMOPS personnel
SA Army Intelligence Corps beret badge and Corps bar - Intelligence Corps.	Command Staff 2 Intelligence tupperware badge worn at Regional Operational Commands - depicts both Intel, Counter Intel and COMOPS personnel.
The Green Felt backing on the black beret for COMOPS assigned functionaries

Insert - piture of red bravo company HQ tactical flash, and green felt jackal head

SA ARMY INTELLIGENCE CORPS - COMOPS 
'Kopsmokkelaars'  a colloquial Afrikaans term for 'head smugglers'  

Via the SA Army Intelligence Corps, STRATCOM was undertaken via strategies such as CIVIC ACTION.  Continuous infiltrations by the ANC and PAC placed a strain on administration in the rural areas and the SADF realized that, in order to contain the revolutionary war, support to the local population needed to be improved and maintained.   Collapse of the administration would be chaotic and thus imperative that the administration be seen to be governing - effectively and with popular support.  The SADF therefore embarked upon Civic Action programmes aimed at bolstering the administration structures.  Soldiers deployed in various disciplines to create a positive image amongst the local population -i.e. 

Education: National Servicemen with educational qualifications were deployed in support if the Education Dept.

Medical: Medical orderlies formed part of patrols and provided nasic medical care. Military doctors were deployed to rural hospitals.

Vetenary Services: Vets were available at military bases and were detached to provincial governements when required.

Agriculture: National servicemen took part in agricultural training projects in rural communities.

Water Supply: NSM were detached to Water Affairs dept to assist with projects such as water purification, water provision etc.

Own Forces were trained in the need to win the 'Hearts and Minds' of the local population.  Patrols made contact with the rural population and assisted them in numerous ways such as repairing windmills / water holes, minor repairs to schools, low-key medical assistance etc.

SADF Civic Action dates back to 1974 when the need was identified for the socio-economic and welfare upliftment of the mainly Black population - not only within the borders of the RSA but also in South West Africa / Namibia.

COMOPS within the SA Army framework was a sub-section of the SA Army Intelligence Corps. Training of personnel was conducted at the Intelligence School, and large cohorts of National Servicemen attended at SAINTS within the dedicated ECHO Company for COMOPS personnel.

COMOPS was an essential component of the Army force structure and was located at all Command HQ's. COMOPS - as a specialist Intelligence Corps function had as it's sub-sections, the following areas of interest:

• COMOPS Population
• COMOPS Enemy
• COMOPS Own Forces
• Media Liaison

By early 1990's, the SADF had changed it's Communications Operations or COMOPS terminology to that of Command Communication, or COMCOM.

It was at this time that serious thought and deliberation was being made to separate COMCOM / COMOPS from the SA Intelligence Corps framework.

With political dispensation changes and the movement towards inclusive democratic government, COMCOM was replaced by a more modern term, that of Corporate Communication. This was a clear divorce from the past, and separation of military public affairs and PSYOPS was enshrined in the new SANDF doctrine. 

 SALTIE:  The SA Army Troop Information Unit - SA Leer Informasie Eenheid  (SALTIE)

Military Service for young White South Africans was compulsory during the Apartheid years. Many conscripts joined up straight after completing their high-school education,  many completed their compulsory stint after studying at University or working in a professional capacity.  SALTIE was a COMOPS unit that provided staff to the South African State run broadcasting service, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).  Service personnel thus undertook their 2 years military service within this non-military institution.......basically a media centre where a paper war was being played out.

SALTIE's membership comprised not only SABC journalists but cameramen, freelance journalists, photographers, public relations officers and journalists from practically ever newspaper in SA.   SALTIE was thus a dedicated COMOPS unit drawing upon specialist skills and professions of those military conscripts.