The Cognitive Crucible - Information Professionals Association

Latest Episodes:

#167 Kevin Gates on the IPA President Search Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association.

During this episode, Mr. Kevin Gates discusses IPA's accomplishments over the past few years during his tenure as IPA's President. He also discusses IPA's search for his replacement. Find a link for more information about IPA's President search on IPA's homepage; applications are due no later than 15 Oct 2023. IPA will announce the new President in Dec 2023.

Research Question: Kevin Gates suggests an interested student examine how strategic culture affects our approach to operating in the information environment (MISO, persuasion, deception, marketing, everything)?

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
- #76 Yuval Levin on the Constitution & Institutions
- #62 Jonathan Rauch on the Constitution of Knowledge
Global Psychological Conflict by Ralph Sanders and Fred R. Brown
A Psychological Warfare Casebook by Professor William E. Daugherty
Cooperation and Competition Among Primitive Peoples by Margaret Mead
Cocaine and Rhinestones podcast with Tyler Mahan Coe
Propaganda Universe Youtube Channel

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio:

Kevin Gates is a Professional Staff Member with the Senate Armed Services Committee since March 2022, with a portfolio that includes DoD S&T programs and acquisition policy. Prior to that since December 2017, Kevin Gates was serving as the Vice President for Advanced Concepts at Strategic Analysis, Inc, a professional technology services and consulting company. In that role, he is responsible for managing a corporate division with contracts across the Navy, Defense Health Agency and Office of the Secretary of Defense. He had day-to-day responsibility for managing contracts and workforce across the division, as well as articulating and pursuing a strategy for maintaining high standards of customer service, and growth into new technology sectors and customer sets. He also provided direct client support to the Director of the Defense Laboratories & Personnel Office in USD(R&E), the Defense Science Board, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane in the areas of microelectronics, spectrum warfare, hypersonics and strengthening the innovation ecosystem.

Prior to that role, he worked as a Professional Staff Member for the House Armed Services Committee since March 2007, responsible for the Information Technology (IT) and cyber operations portfolio, as well as the Science and Technology (S&T) portfolio. He previously worked for 8 years at Strategic Analysis, Inc of Arlington, Virginia for a variety of clients within the DoD science & technology community (including DARPA, ONR and the Defense Science Board), as well as the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency within DHS(S&T) and the intelligence community.

He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with BAs in History and International Studies, and has a MA from Georgetown University's Security Studies Program. He is the co-author of a chapter on critical infrastructure protection in Volume III of Homeland Security: Protecting America's Targets, James Forest (ed.), 2006. He also served as an industry advisor to the Acquisition Innovation Research Center (since January 2021), a member of the Laboratories Assessment Board for the National Academy of Science (since March 2021), Engineering and Medicine, and President of the Board of Trustees for the Information Professionals Association (since December 2018), a 501(c)(6) supporting education and workforce development for the information warfare and cognitive security community.

About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

#166 John Agnello on Information Advantage Sep 19, 2023

Show notes

During this episode, US Army COL John Agnello discusses the Army's pursuits related to Information Advantage. Our conversation traverses the meaning of Information Advantage, the functions of Information Advantage, how Information Advantage fits within the larger Information Environment, as well as related initiatives. One such initiative is the Theater Information Advantage Detachment (TIAD) concept which will be Army theater-level teams that influence and inform–especially during the competition continuum phase of operations.

Research Question: John Agnello suggests an interested student examine ways to help commanders "see" the information dimension; take every piece of information, bring them together into a decision space which enables speed and accuracy.

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
FM 3-0 Operations 3.0 (October 2022)
Like War by Peter Singer
Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War by Paul Scharre
Art of Invisibility: The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data by Kevin Mitnick

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio:

Colonel John Agnello is a United States Army Cyber Branch officer currently stationed at the United States Army Cyber Center of Excellence (CoE), at Fort Gordon, GA, as the Director of the Army Program Office for Information Advantage, where he oversees the development and implementation of Information Advantage across elements of DOTMLPF-P for the CCoE. Prior to that assignment, COL Agnello was the Director of the Commander's Planning Group, where he was responsible for Public Affairs, Protocol, strategic engagements and planning on behalf of the Commanding General. Prior to his assignments to the Cyber CoE, COL Agnello was assigned to United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), in Fort Meade, MD, as the Chief of the Development Branch in USCYBERCOM's Acquisition and Technology Directorate (J9), responsible for all offensive and defensive tool development as well as data science and data analytics. Prior to that, he was a Joint Cyber Operations Team Leader in USCYBERCOM; responsible for supporting Combatant Commanders' objectives include planning, coordinating, directing, and executing daily cyber missions through four separately focused cyber teams, in addition to maintaining infrastructure, training, capability development, mission execution, and support services.

Prior to his assignments at USCYBERCOM, COL Agnello was stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany as the Research & Development subject matter expert for the Defense Science and Technology Center – Europe, where he reviewed international technologies on behalf of the US DoD; followed by the Deputy Director of the Ground Intelligence Support Activity – East; where he was responsible for managing nine different networks at over 45 various locations throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, and established the first Intelligence Support Cell for Defensive Cyberspace Operations in US Army Europe (USAREUR).

Prior to his cyber specific roles, COL Agnello was a Field Artillery Officer and spent nine years in the 3rd Infantry Division in roles including Sustainment Automation Systems Management Officer, Rear Detachment Commander, Company Commander, Assistant Operations Officer, Battalion Fire Direction Officer, and Division Fire Control Officer. Prior to his assignments at Fort Stewart, GA, COL Agnello was a Battalion Fire Direction Officer, and a Battery Executive Officer at Fort Sill, OK.

John is a combat veteran of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, and his various military decorations include the Bronze Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Combat Action Badge, and Basic Parachutist Badge. His military training includes the Joint Network Attack Course, Joint Computer Network Operational Planners Course, the Information Systems Management Course, and many more.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

#165 Aaron Schmidt on Information Considerations for Exercises Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

During this episode, Aaron Schmidt shares his perspective and constructive critique related to incorporating the information environment into military exercises.

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
PMESII-PT stands for Political, Military, Economic, Social, Information, Infrastructure, Physical environment, and Time
UK Influence Wargaming Handbook
How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks
Challenging the Application of PMESII-PT in a Complex Environment (dtic.mil)

Link to full show notes and resources

https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-165

Guest Bio: Aaron Schmidt is a Psychological Operations Specialist in the United States Army Reserve. After studying Secondary English Education at the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, his ten-year career in education brought him from classroom education to public policy to higher education administration. He joined the Reserve in 2016, and has been recognized for excellence in professional military education, joint service initiatives, and impact on exercises, most recently as part of an Army Campaign of Learning with the Theater Information Advantage Detachment.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

#164 Shane Rutherford on Political Paralysis Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

During this episode, Wing Commander Shane Rutherford discusses his Joint Forces Staff College, Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS) thesis entitled: Back to the Future: Political Paralysis Cost Britain America, What Will it Cost the United States? His thesis received the Paul Cerjan distinguished writing award from the National Defense University.

The year is 1763 and despite presiding over a vast commercial and political empire, Britain's. parliament has failed to embrace the buds of what will eventually become understood as collective responsibility. Instead, the British government is characterized by paralysis and polarization. Worse, the government has been exposed by separate internal factions that are infatuated with economic speculation, personal power, wealth, status, and estate.

Consequently, the common ground could only be found in a common enemy, leading to strategic mistakes, such as the mistreatment of allies and partners that would prove catastrophic at Yorktown some two decades later. The Colonies are mistaken as a periphery issue, debated infrequently in the Houses of Parliament, and in 1765, it elects to pass a taxation law without deliberation, known as the Stamp Duty Act, that lights the tinderbox of rebellion in America. Concurrently struggling with the application of a constitutional monarchy, a deteriorating political situation set the stage for the abuse of executive power. The conditions were set for catastrophic strategic failure.

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned

#83 Joseph Lee on Jung and Archetypes

Thesis: Back to the Future: Political Paralysis Cost Britain America, What Will it Cost the United States? By Shane Rutherford
DeLorean time machine
Robert Walpole
South Sea Company

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio: Wing Commander Rutherford is prior-enlisted, joining the Royal Air Force in November 1999, and later commissioned in January 2007. His command assignments include Director of Operations and Executive Officer, No 39 Squadron, and Deputy Head of Strategy Division at the Combined Air Operations Center, Shaw AFB. In March 2021 he led the execution of Red Flag 21-3 as Chief of Combat Operations. He is a former Tornado GR4 WSO and MQ-9 Reaper operator. He flew combat missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. His staff assignments include Programme Management positions in rapid capability and traditional procurement, specializing in RPAS. Wing Commander Rutherford is a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy. He recently graduated from the U.S. Joint Forces Staff College, Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS).

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

#163 Jake Siegel on the Hoax of the Century Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

During this episode, Jake Siegel of Tablet Magazine discusses his thought provoking piece:A Guide to Understanding the Hoax of the Century: Thirteen ways of looking at disinformation. Jake asserts that elites in government and the media are trying to control and centralize free speech and open inquiry as evidenced by Russiagate investigations and COVID-related national discourse.

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned

#149 Jon Askonas on Technology, Homogeneity, and Influence

A Guide to Understanding the Hoax of the Century: Thirteen ways of looking at disinformation by Jacob Siegel
'Disinformation' Is the Hoax of the Century by Jacob Siegel
Jake Siegel Tablet Page

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio: Jacob Siegel is senior editor of News and The Scroll, Tablet's daily afternoon news digest.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

#162 Meredith Wilson on Corporate Threat Intelligence and Risk Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

During this episode, Meredith Wilson of Emergent Risk International discusses the increasingly complex world that companies are navigating today. Our conversation touches upon Chinese export controls, the Russia/Ukraine War, environmental-social-governance (ESG) dynamics, and government policies regarding sharing classified material.

Research Question: Meredith suggests an interested student examine how Western companies go forward in today's shifting global landscape with a dual-structured economy.

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned

Emergent Risk International
International Traffic in Arms Regulations
Political Risk: How Businesses and Organizations Can Anticipate Global Insecurity by Condoleezza Rice and Amy Zegart
Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World by Mo Gawdat

Link to full show notes and resources

https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-162

Guest Bio:

Meredith Wilson has over 20 years experience in intelligence, government, corporate and international environments. She started Emergent Risk International with the belief that, with the proper strategy and mindset, risk intelligence could add more than worry to an organization's bottom line. As a former Defense Intelligence Officer as well as an oil and gas industry veteran – first building a risk intelligence function for ConocoPhillips and then for Kosmos Energy – Ms. Wilson has seen how intelligence can function well in both environments, but also how differently these functions operate within their organizations. With that knowledge and an extremely talented and adventurous team, since its founding in 2014, ERI has grown into a multi-national company with offices in the United States (Dallas, Austin, Washington DC and greater Boston), the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Singapore; serving some of the world's most valuable brands.

Ms. Wilson was a founding member of the Private Sector Intelligence Council (PSIC) and a Founding Board Member of the Association of International Risk and Intelligence Professionals (AIRIP). She previously served on the Business Intelligence Advisory Council for the National Intelligence Officer for Science and Technology. She spent much of her early career abroad, living in Southeast Asia and Europe. She, her family, and her three furry coworkers currently call Rhode Island home.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

#161 Max Nauta on Multinational Operations in Strategic Competition Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

During this episode, Marine Corps Maj Max Nauta discusses his Master's thesis from the US Army Command and General Staff College entitled: Multinational Operations in Strategic Competition: Leveraging the Inherent Informational Aspects through Culture and Narrative. Strategic competitors have significantly increased their influence in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in ways that jeopardize US influence and threaten democratic governance. The People's Republic of China (PRC) and Russia do this by exploiting the ambiguity of gray zone activities, such as predatory, opaque lending practices and the spreading of disinformation. US Forces, Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) builds resiliency against these gray zone activities through transparency, which it promotes through cooperation activities to strengthen partnerships and build trust in LAC. SOUTHCOM accomplished this, in part, through Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Southern Command (SPMAGTF-SC), whose mission was to conduct mutually beneficial engagements with partner nations (PN) to address shared challenges in the region. SPMAGTF-SC 15, 16, and 17 were US-only task forces. SPMAGTF-SC 18, however, became the first multinational task force. SPMAGTF-SC 19 grew on this by integrating ten PN officers from Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Belize, and the Dominican Republic. The author found that integrating PN officers into SPMAGTF-SC 18 and 19 exponentially strengthened partnerships in LAC at a relatively insignificant cost. This paper examines the degree to which integrating PN officers into SPMAGTF-SC 18 and 19 strengthened partnerships, and then compares those findings with theories on narrative and culture. In conclusion, the author presents the concept of a shared regional narrative and illuminates asymmetric characteristics of strategic competition in LAC.

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
Video Presentation: Multinational Operations in Strategic Competition: Leveraging the IIA through Culture and Narrative
The Village by Bing West
The Role of Information in U.S. Concepts for Strategic Competition. A RAND study by Chris Paul, Michael Schwille, Michael Vasseur, Elizabeth Bartels, and Ryan Bauer
Artificial Intelligence Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction by Tom Taulli

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio:

Major Maxwell Nauta grew up in Chester Country, Pennsylvania, graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, and commissioned in the United States Marine Corps on March 18, 2011. After Officer Candidate School, he attended The Basic School, Infantry Officer Course, and Light Armored Reconnaissance Leaders Course.

In January 2012 he reported to 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion, MCAGCC, 29 Palms, CA, where he served as an LAR Platoon Commander from February 2012 to June 2013. In April 2012 Maj Nauta deployed as the senior Infantry Marine to New Zealand for the six-week joint, multinational exercise, Exercise Alam Halfa. From December 2012 to June 2013 he and his platoon independently deployed to Okinawa, Japan reporting to 3rd Combat Assault Battalion under the Unit Deployment Program. In June, he and his LAR platoon deployed to the Republic of Korea to participate in Exercise Ssang Yong 13, forming a multination LAR platoon with Australian Cavalry Soldiers. Upon returning from Okinawa, Japan, Maj Nauta served as the Assistant Operations Officer for 3rd LAR Battalion until March 2014 when he augmented into the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR).

In the SMCR, Maj Nauta first reported to Company C, 4th LAR Battalion, Salt Lake City, Utah serving as a Platoon Commander from March 2014 to March 2015. He then transferred to Headquarters Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 453 (CLB-453) in Aurora, Colorado, serving as the Headquarters Company Executive Officer until attending Supply Officers Course at Camp Johnson, North Carolina in August 2015.

In January 2016, Maj Nauta activated to serve as the Supply Officer for Special Purpose Marine-Air Ground Task Force – Southern Command (SPMAGTF-SC) 16, deploying to Honduras. Upon re-deployment in January 2017 he served as the Current Operations Officer, CLB-453.

In January 2018, Maj Nauta activated to serve as the Liaison Officer to the U.S. Embassy in Honduras for SPMAGTF-SC 18. In March 2019, he reactivated as the Key Leadership Engagement Coordinator for SPMAGTF-SC 19, deploying throughout the Southern Command area of responsibility. In preparation for this final SPMAGTF-SC deployment he attended the Civil Affairs Officers Course in March 2019.

Upon completion of SPMAGTF-SC 19 in February, 2019, he transferred to U. S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa (MARFOREUR/AF) and activated as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) serving as a Logistics Planner, G-4 and the Prepositioning Officer, MARFOREUR/AF. In October, 2021, he deactivated and was hired by Valiant Integrated Services as a Program Analysit in support of Africa Future Operations, G-35, MARFOREUR/AF. Maj Nauta is participating in U.S. Army Command and General Staff College's Information Advantage Scholars Program and is expected to transfer to Marine Corps Information Operations Center upon graduation.

Maj Nauta's awards and decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three Gold Stars in lieu of fourth award. His formal education includes Infantry Officer Course, Light Armored Reconnaissance Leaders Course, Supply Officer Course, and Civil Affairs Officer Course and Expeditionary Warfare School.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

#160 Christopher Paul and Mike Williams of the Journal of Cognitive Security Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

During this episode, Christopher Paul and Mike Williams discuss the new Journal of Cognitive Security–a double-blind peer reviewed publication concerned with influence and protection from influence of large groups of media users and consumers both online and offline. Cognitive Security focuses on (1) the exploitation of cognitive biases in large public groups, (2) social influence as an end unto itself and (3) formality and quantitative measurement.

The Journal of Cognitive Security will address the impact of the increasing volume and variability of information available to anyone with a handheld device, the speed with which information is replicated, spread, and processed to anyone with the means to access the internet-protocol driven world and the ubiquity of handheld telecommunications and the resulting interactions of those pressures on societal change.

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned

Website: Journal of Cognitive Security
Questions or comments please email Mike Williams: mwilliams@cogsecjournal.com

Link to full show notes and resources

https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-160

Guest Bio:

Michael Williams is a retired Army Information Operations officer. Following his retirement in 2006, Mike became an advisor to the Information Operations policy office in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence then the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy and worked on Secretary Gates' program review of IO among many other projects over a seven year period. Since leaving his advisory position, he has become a Senior Analyst for Cognitive Performance Group which focuses on analyzing decision-making and developing models of expertise in support of training and leader development in DoD. Mike was the Executive Director of IPA during its formative period and currently supports IPA's efforts to build a new journal and the planning and execution of events for IPA members and the Cognitive Security community. Mike also owns a real estate brokerage in a small town in the Finger Lakes region of central New York where he makes his home.

Dr. Christopher Paul is a Senior Social Scientist at the RAND Corporation. He also teaches in the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Christopher provides research support related to operations in the information environment, information warfare, counterpropaganda, cyber operations, and related policy to a range of Department of Defense and U.S. Government offices, organizations, and commands. His work has influenced defense doctrine and policy in the United States and internationally. Prior to joining RAND full-time in July of 2002, he worked at RAND as adjunct staff for six years. Chris received his Ph.D. in sociology from UCLA in 2001; he spent academic year 2001-02 on the UCLA statistics faculty.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

#159 Steve Schiavoni on Competitive Deception in the Indo-Pacific Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

During this episode, US Army MAJ Steve Schiavoni discusses his Master's thesis from the US Army Command and General Staff College entitled: Lying, in Wait: Competitive Deception in the Indo-Pacific. The United States faces its stated pacing adversary, China, in competition in the Indo-Pacific region. As the Joint Force reorients, deception has re-emerged in updated doctrine as a competitive tool. The updated doctrine encourages the use of deception but provides little unclassified guidance on training or implementation of deception outside of tactical engagements. This thesis analyzes the foundations of strategic deception applied to the context of current US and Chinese competition in the Indo-Pacific region. Deception is modeled as a competitive wargame focused on the Indo-Pacific theater. Fundamental aspects of deception tied to US and Chinese strategic cultural lenses and objectives form the basis for the game's model. Analysis of the wider concept of deception reveals challenges and opportunities for the US in employing strategic deception below the level of armed conflict. This thesis offers an avenue for training deception planning using an experiential learning method.

Research Question:

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
- #146 Sebastian Bae on Gaming
- #90 Dave Acosta on Informationally Disadvantaged
The Tao of Deception by Ralph Sawyer
Lever of Power by Ralph Sawyer
A Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph Koster
Counterdeception Principles and Applications for National Security by Michael Bennett, Edward Waltz
Information Warfare and Organizational Decision-Making by Alexander Kott

Link to full show notes and resources

https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-159

Guest Bio:

MAJ Steven Schiavoni commissioned in 2010 from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN. He started service as an Infantry Officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard where he served as a rifle platoon leader and battalion mortar platoon leader. In 2016 he transferred to the Army Reserve and became a Functional Area 30 - Information Operations officer. Since then he has served and deployed in multiple roles including company commander, sensitive activities planner, and information operations planner. He is a graduate of Infantry Basic Officer Leader's Course, Maneuver Captain's Career Course, FA-30 Qualification Course, and Basic Airborne Course among others. He is currently part of the Information Advantage Scholars Program at the Army's Command and General Staff Officers Course. In his civilian life, MAJ Schiavoni works as a Department of the Air Force civilian conducting Defense Cyber Operations as part of the 412th Communications Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, CA.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

#158 Brian Godwin on Countering Cognitive Warfare Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

During this episode, US Army Brian Godwin discusses his thesis: From Perception to Protection: Countering Cognitive Warfare in the U.S. Army. His study seeks to address the critical question of how the U.S. Army can protect the force against cognitive warfare, with a specific focus on understanding the strategies and tactics employed by China and Russia. It employs a qualitative comparative case study method, examining China's cognitive warfare campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. election. The study reveals significant gaps and limitations in the Army's existing Doctrine, Training, Leadership and Education, and Policies (DTLP). These areas provide minimal defense against cognitive warfare, indicating a vulnerability of the force. In response to these findings, this thesis proposes several key recommendations to strengthen the Army's resilience against cognitive warfare, including the prioritization of media literacy in Army training and education, revisions of DTLP to effectively counter cognitive warfare, the application of inoculation theory to boost psychological resilience, and the cultivation of active relationships with Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) partners.

Resources:

Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
- #29 Jan Kallberg and Stephen Hamilton on Force Protection in the Cognitive Domain
Media Warfare: Taiwan's Battle for the Cognitive Domain by Kerry Gershaneck
Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
The Art of Insubordination: How to dissent and defy effectively by Todd Kashdan
The Social Dilemma – Netflix Documentary

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio:

MAJ Brian Godwin is a native of Tampa, Florida. Commissioned in 2011 from the University of Tampa in Tampa, FL, MAJ Godwin has served in a range of duty positions in both Field Artillery and Signal branches including Fire Direction Officer, Fire Support Officer, Special Operations Battalion S-6, Brigade S-6, Division Information Assurance Manager, Signal Advisor to Afghan forces in Helmand, Afghanistan, and as a Staff Officer in the NATO Communications and Information Agency in Mons, Belgium. He is a graduate of the Field Artillery Basic Officer Leaders' Course, the Signal Captain's Career Course, and Basic Airborne Course. He is currently an Information Advantage Scholar at the Army's Command and General Staff Officer Course.

MAJ Godwin's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1OLC), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (2 Stars), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NATO Medal (1 Star), Combat Action Badge and Parachutist Badge. He also holds a Parachutist Badge from Germany.

For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org.

Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.