The Cognitive Crucible

During this episode, former CIA leader, George Beebe, discusses the nature of wicked problems. The wide ranging discussion covers complex adaptive systems, feedback loops, inadvertent nuclear escalation, leaderless organizations, information access, and extremist radicalization. Link to full show notes and resources

Bio: George Beebe is Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for the National Interest, a foreign affairs think tank. He spent more than two decades in government as an intelligence analyst, diplomat, and policy advisor, including as director of the CIA's Russia analysis and as a staff advisor on Russia matters to Vice President Cheney. Following his government service, he became president of a technology company that measured audience response to events, issues, and commercial brands. His book, The Russia Trap: How Our Shadow War with Russia Could Spiral into Nuclear Catastrophe, examines how new game-changing technology, disappearing rules of the game, and distorted perceptions on both sides have locked Moscow and Washington into a dangerous escalatory spiral that neither side recognizes.

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 [email protected].

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

During this episode, Dr. Chase Cunningham discusses the evolving nature of cyber. He asserts that cyber is a key component of national policy, national capability, and warfare. We touch on the concept of a perimeter and why he asserts the "perimeter is dead." Additionally, Chase recounts examples of COVID-related disinformation and deepfake technologies which have ramifications both in national security and corporate security. The conversation shifts gears into a discussion about Cynja, which is a program designed to educate and protect children from cyber-related threats--including polymorphic malware, DDOS command and control, antiviral signatures, and cognitive overload. See this link for full show notes and links to resources.

Bio: Dr. Chase Cunningham is the Chief Strategy Officer at Ericom Software. Chase is the creator of the Zero Trust eXtended framework and a cybersecurity expert with decades of operational experience with the National Security Agency, US Navy, FBI Cyber Division, and other government mission groups. Chase is responsible for Ericom's overall strategy and technology alignment. Chase was previously VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester Research; Director of Threat Intelligence for Armor; Director of Cyber Analytics for Decisive Analytics; and Chief Cryptologic Technician, US Navy. He's author of the Cynja series and Cyber Warfare: Truth, Tactics, and Strategies.

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 [email protected]

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

During this episode, Dr. Jan Kallberg and COL Stephen Hamilton of the Army Cyber Institute at West Point discuss their recent article, "How To Protect Troops From An Assault In The Cognitive Domain." After reviewing some historical examples where the will to fight influenced decisively military outcomes, Jan and Stephen discuss how information is likely being used in a modern version of battlefield prep--eroding the will to fight both in the military and across the homeland. Then, they mention some leading indicators to be on the lookout for which might suggest the will to fight is weakening and they articulate some cognitive force protection considerations including privacy concerns and misinformation training. Click here for full show notes & resources

Bios:

Dr. Jan Kallberg is a Research Scientist with the Army Cyber Institute at West Point, and an Assistant Professor in Political Science with the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy. Before joining the Army Cyber Institute at West Point, he was a researcher with the Cyber Security Research and Education Institute, the University of Texas at Dallas, working for Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham. Dr. Kallberg earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Texas at Dallas and holds a J.D. from the University of Stockholm.

COL Stephen Hamilton is a Cyber officer and former Information System Management officer and former Signal officer. He has held numerous command and staff assignments at the tactical and operation unit levels as well as with the Joint Staff. Stephen is currently the Technical Director of the Army Cyber Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the United States Military Academy, a Master of Science in Software Engineering from Auburn University, and a PhD in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University.

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 [email protected].

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

This is a very special dual release episode of the Cognitive Crucible. Our friends over at the PSYWAR podcast are also releasing this via their channel. During this episode, IPA founding member, Austin Branch, is joined by COL Jeremy Mushtare, who commands the US Army's 8th Psychological Operations Group. Jeremy discusses PSYOP manpower matters and then Austin contrasts roles and responsibilities between PSYOP soldiers and FA30s who tend to be more on the staff integration side of information operations. Then, the discussion turns to cognitive security partnerships, competition below the level of armed conflict, and initiatives. See this link for full show notes and resources.

About the PSYWAR Podcast: Cognitive Crucible listeners can follow this link and check out the PSYWAR podcast. The PSYWAR podcast demystifies psychological operations, informs soldiers about how they can join the PSYOP regiment, discusses the future of Information Warfare, and sprinkles in some cool war stories.

Bios:

Colonel Jeremy Mushtare is the Commanding Officer of the US Army's 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne). During his Army career, Jeremy has held numerous command and staff positions. His last assignment was at the Pentagon as Director for Information Operations in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC).

Mr. Austin Branch is an Information Operations pioneer, practitioner and leader. He holds the distinction of being the Army's very first FA30 Information Operations officer when that career field was just forming in the 1980s. While in uniform, he served at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels. Since retiring from the Army, Mr. Branch served in several senior executive civilian roles within the Department of Defense which focused on information operations, cyber, and counter-terrorism. Austin is also one of the founding members of 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 [email protected].

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

During this episode, James Farwell discusses his views on strategic communications and information warfare. He contrasts Russian and Chinese modern warfare strategies and uses many historic and modern vignettes to support his assertions. NIKE, he asserts, has mastered the art of strategic communications with their marketing campaigns which resonate with heroic narratives as old as humanity. Show notes and links to resources here.

James P. Farwell is an author and national security expert in information warfare, corporate strategic communication, social media analytics, political media and strategy, cyber policy, cyber security, strategy and authorities. He is an experienced political consultant, having advised in Presidential elections in the U.S. and abroad, as well as statewide and congressional elections, and in issue management campaigns for referenda and legislation. His most recent book, Information Warfare: Forging Communication Strategies for Twenty-first Century Operational Environments is available from Marine Corps University Press.

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 [email protected].

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

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

Prioritizing and funding cognitive and information-related capability is challenging. During this episode, Mark Mitchell recaps recent efforts within the Department of Defense as well as other United States government interagency efforts which have not reached their full potential. Bio: Mark Mitchell is a former senior executive in the Department of Defense who served most recently as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD(SO/LIC)). He is a highly decorated U.S. Army infantry and Special Forces combat veteran who served 28 years on active duty. He participated in multiple campaigns in the First Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2012, Colonel Mitchell served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as the Senior Military Assistant to ASD(SO/LIC). His final assignment in uniform was on the National Security Council as the Director for Counterterrorism. Following his retirement from active duty, Mitchell worked as a business executive in the private sector. He also served as a National Security Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and non-resident fellow at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. He is also a board member and advisor to several non-profit organizations dedicated to serving veterans and their families, including Warriors Ethos, Gold Star Teen Adventures, the Global SOF Foundation, and Special Operations Survivors.

See this link for show notes.

See this link for more information about the Phoenix Challenge 2.0 Conference co-hosted by IPA and ARLIS.

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 [email protected].

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

What influence plays are being run against us? How do they work? And how are they countered or co-opted? During this episode, Alan Kelly discusses strategic communications and how his Taxonomy of Influence Strategies may be used to see past the messaging and into the motives of competitors. His recently published co-authored piece, "Decoding Crimea," contains a compelling case study that taps his taxonomy to expose the moves and methods of Vladimir Putin's IO playbook. Link to show notes and resources here.

Bio: Alan Kelly is a strategist, author, lecturer, political analyst, and award-winning Silicon Valley entrepreneur. He is Founder and Principal of Playmaker Systems, LLC, a Bethesda MD-based strategy and analytics firm. Kelly's work is driven by a simple idea: That influence – like chemistry, biology and even music – can be decoded and managed through a standard system of unique units. He holds a MA in Communication Research from Stanford and a BA in Public Relations from USC. Follow him on Twitter at the handle @playmakeralan.

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 [email protected].

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

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

During this episode, John Davis draws on many decades of special operations, information operations and cyber-related experiences and passes along advice to today's military information professionals who are on the front lines of modern warfare. Since the mid-1980s, information operators have worked hard to gain trust within the Department of Defense, and today's cohort must maintain this trust. Furthermore, collaboration amongst allies, government agencies, and even commercial firms is more critical than ever before. Click here for full show notes & resources

Bio: Retired U.S. Army Major General John Davis is the Vice President, Public Sector for Palo Alto Networks, where he is responsible for expanding cybersecurity initiatives and global policy for the international public sector and assisting governments around the world to prevent successful cyber breaches. Prior to joining Palo Alto Networks, John served as the Senior Military Advisor for Cyber to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and also served as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy. Prior to this assignment, he served in multiple leadership positions in special operations, cyber, and information operations. John earned a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, Master of Military Art and Science from U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and Bachelor of Science from U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

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 [email protected].

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

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

On behalf of IPA, thank you for being part of the community and listening to The Cognitive Crucible podcast. This episode recaps the book and other online material recommendations from the Cognitive Crucible guests so far.

See the show notes page for links to these resources:

Click here for full show notes & resources

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 [email protected].

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

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

During this episode, Dr. James Mulvenon of SOSI compares and contrasts Russian and Chinese information operations. After describing his robust team of linguists, James discusses collections efforts, sovereignty and the Chinese diaspora, and sharing of tactics, techniques, and procedures between Russia and China. Click here for full show notes & resources

Bio: Dr. James Mulvenon is Director of Intelligence Integration for SOSi's Defense and Intelligence Group, where he has recruited and trained a team of more than forty-five Chinese, Russian, Korean, and Farsi linguist-analysts and ten cleared software developers performing collection, analysis, and operations support for US Government and corporate customers. A Chinese linguist by training, he is a leading international expert on Chinese cyber, technology transfer, espionage, and military issues. Dr. Mulvenon received his B.A. in China Studies from the University of Michigan, studied Communist Party History at Fudan University in Shanghai, and received his Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Mulvenon contributed multiple chapters to China's Quest for Foreign Technology: Beyond Espionage, which was published in September 2020. He is regularly invited to address senior government and commercial audiences on Chinese technology espionage and cyber topics, and his comments have appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other international media outlets.

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.

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

For more information, please contact us at [email protected].

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