text: Signal Support by Army Echelon, Core Competencies, Training, and the Army Network
  resources, special operations, information operations, public affairs, or intelligence requirements. Visual
  information and COMCAM provide decision makers and supported agencies current and accurate
  information.
  VISUAL INFORMATION
  2-192. Visual information is various visual media with or without sound that generally includes still and
  motion photography, audio video recording, graphic arts, and visual presentations (JP 3-61). Visual
  information also includes the activities to produce and edit these products.
  2-193. Unlike news stories, press releases, or press conferences, Army visual information records events as
  they occur. It documents military operations, exercises, and activities to convey an unfiltered view to key
  audiences. Visual information products are subject to the same security classification and operations security
  considerations as other operational information.
  2-194. Visual information products created for other uses can also support public affairs objectives. Multi-
  use examples of visual information include—
  * Documenting domestic disasters to aid emergency management decision making.
  * Documenting evidence of war crimes.
  * Preserving evidence about damage claims against the U.S. Government.
  * Providing training aids that simulate battlefield conditions.
  * Providing battle damage assessment images.
  * Documenting forensic evidence of incidents, such as improvised explosive device detonations.
  * Documenting the environmental impact of military operations.
  2-195. Visual information support is limited to official events or activities. Commanders consider the
  mission, cost-effectiveness, and the quality and quantity of products and services available when establishing
  priorities for visual information support.
  2-196. The Defense Imagery Management Operations Center receives, manages, and distributes strategic,
  operational, tactical, and joint-interest imagery as a shared asset. See appendix C for more information about
  requests for visual information resources.
  2-197. Regardless of the mission and conditions under which visual information is created, it becomes an
  official DOD record and may be releasable under the Freedom of Information Act, requests for evidence in
  litigation, or other sources of legal authority (JP 3-61). The release of visual information products is subject
  to security classification and operations security review. Refer to ATP 6-02.40 for more information about
  visual information operations.
  Note. Certain visual information-type imagery is exempt from mandatory disclosure and sharing.
  Visual media collected exclusively to support intelligence, law enforcement, medical, or research,
  development, test, and engineering activities, and imagery from weapon systems, helmet cameras,
  or unmanned aerial vehicles fall under separate regulatory guidance. Refer to DODI 5040.02 for
  more information on these exclusions.
  COMBAT CAMERA
  2-198. Combat camera is specially-trained expeditionary forces from Service-designated units capable of
  providing high-quality directed visual information during military operations (JP 3-61). COMCAM units and
  teams produce still and motion imagery to support combat, information operations, humanitarian relief,
  special operations, intelligence, reconnaissance, engineering, legal, public affairs, and other operations
  involving the Military Services. COMCAM is an essential battlefield information resource that supports
  strategic, operational, and tactical mission objectives.
  2-199. Commanders employ COMCAM capabilities to document the entire scope of U.S. military activities
  during wartime operations, crises, contingencies, joint exercises, and other events of significant national
  interest involving the DOD Components. The COMCAM mission may support, but is separate from,