Story by Capt. Rachel Deppen.
Photo: U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Joseph W. Wortham II, Commanding General of 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), gives final remarks during the 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) inactivation ceremony at Fort Bragg, N.C., Sept. 29, 2026. The ceremony officially marked the inactivation of the group, signifying the formal end of its mission. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Edward Flores)
In a ceremony steeped in military tradition, quiet dignity, and deep reflection, the Soldiers, veterans, and families of the 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) gathered at the John F. Kennedy Auditorium on Sept. 29, 2026, to witness the formal casing of the group’s colors.
The ceremony marked the official inactivation of the “Phantom Knights,” ending 15 years of distinguished service at the cutting edge of military information support, psychological warfare, and global influence operations. Leaders emphasized throughout the day that the casing of the colors is not a finale, but a safeguard, a solemn military tradition symbolizing the preservation of a sacred legacy.
Brig. Gen. Joseph W. Wortham, commanding general of 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), presided over the ceremony alongside Col. Robert Cusick, the group’s final commanding officer, and Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Montesanto, the group command sergeant major.
“What a great day to celebrate an amazing unit,” Cusick said. “I could not be prouder of the men and women that stand before us today and those that came before us to inactivate the unit. 8th PSYOP Group introduced new concepts that will remain for years to come.”
Operational Legacy. The 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) was provisionally activated on Aug. 26, 2011, under the Military Information Support Operations Command (MISOC), U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), at Meadows Field on Fort Bragg. During that inaugural ceremony, Lt. Gen. John F. Mulholland Jr. uncased the green and white colors, entrusting them to Col. Brian M. Cavanaugh and Command Sgt. Maj. John A. Condroski, leading to the group’s formal activation on Nov. 16, 2013.
Though the youngest of the Army’s four PSYOP groups, standing alongside the active-duty 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) and the Army Reserve’s 2nd and 7th Psychological Operations Groups, the unit inherited seven decades of operational lineage through its subordinate formations. Its historical foundation drew upon the 1st PSYOP Battalion (A), traced to the 1st Radio Broadcasting and Leaflet Group activated in 1950; the 5th PSYOP Battalion, rooted in the 1951 activation of the 5th Loudspeaker and Leaflet (L&L) Company; and the 9th PSYOP Battalion, originating as the 9th L&L Company in 1952. In 2014, following the deactivation of MISOC, the group became a direct reporting unit under the newly established 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), providing critical command and control across U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and worldwide special operations missions.
To confront emerging peer adversaries across an increasingly complex information environment, the group reorganized in 2020 to spearhead strategic Information Warfare. As part of this transition, 8th POG transferred command of 1st and 5th POB (A) within the Psychological Operations Regiment while integrating the multimedia capabilities of 3rd Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne)(Dissemination). Under this new mandate, the Phantom Knights anchored the Army’s cutting-edge Information Warfare Center (IWC) and fielded deployable Information Warfare Task Forces (IWTFs). By integrating social media analysis, operations security, and space and electronic warfare capabilities, the unit established the benchmark for modern cognitive dominance while continuing dedicated tactical support to the 75th Ranger Regiment, joint special operations forces, and humanitarian assistance missions worldwide.
Honoring the Fallen. A foundational pillar of the Psychological Operations Regiment’s enduring mission is the active preservation of the legacy of the Regiments fallen service members and the steadfast support of their Gold Star families. The Regiment carries their memory forward as a living standard for daily operations. The formation continues to draw strength and purpose from the unit’s Roll of Honor, committing daily to the mission they laid down their lives to protect.
“Veritas et Virtus”: Preserving the Legacy. With precise, measured movements, Col. Cusick and Command Sgt. Maj. Montesanto lowered the unit guidon and carefully folded and cased the group colors.
The colors hold within their threads the quiet sacrifices, strategic triumphs, and unwavering dedication of every Soldier who ever wore the Phantom Knight crest. As the ceremony concluded with the playing of The Army Goes Rolling Along, the personnel, capabilities, and heritage of 8th POG remain within the Psychological Operations Regiment, ensuring no capability is lost and the forward momentum continues.
Under the motto Veritas et Virtus (Truth and Virtue) and bearing the heraldic whisper, “Born from the Ashes,” the 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) cases its colors, vigilant, proud, and ready to answer the call whenever the nation demands.
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This story by Capt. Rachel Deppen of the 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) was first published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) on September 29, 2026.