#225 Austin Branch, Dave Pitts, and Joe Miller on Cognitive Warfare and the Gray Zone

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, Austin Branch, Dave Pitts, and Joe Miller discuss cognitive warfare, the gray zone, and intensifying great power competition. The ultimate goal is to compete by gaining and maintaining information advantage without kinetic fighting.

Recording Date: 28 Apr  2025

Research Question: Has Russian cognitive warfare, including the use of reflexive control, red lines and nuclear threats, influenced US policy decisions regarding weapon deliveries and restrictions to Ukraine? Similarly, has Chinese cognitive warfare impacted US policy and strategic outcomes concerning Taiwan and the Philippines?

Resources:

• Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
  • #24 John Davis on Modern Warfare, Teamwork, and Commercial Cognitive Security
  • #62 Jonathan Rauch on the Constitution of Knowledge
  • #222 JD Maddox on Emerging IO Opportunities
• Unrestricted Warfare by Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui
• The Cypher Brief
• Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
• The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field
• Save the Cat Story Structure: Definition and Beat Sheet by Blake Snyder

Link to full show notes and resources

Guest Bio:

Austin Branch founded Crescent Bridge to help serve the Information technical and cognitive needs of the Federal Government. Additionally, Austin joined ARLIS to help support the evolution of the Defense and U.S. Government Operations in the Information Environment (OIE) enterprise. Previously, Austin served as OIE Technology & Strategy at Secretary of the Air Force Directorate for Concepts, Development and Management (Exec IPA) after several years in the private sector at COLSA Corporation as the Executive Director for Information Strategies and Programs (2015-2021) after serving 30 years in Federal service as an Army Officer and Senior Civilian. He was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 1986 from The Citadel, Charleston S.C. and went on to serve in multiple Command and Staff positions in conflict and in peace becoming the Army’s first Information Operations Officer. Austin pioneered military operations in the information environment in key leadership positions in the Army, Joint Special Operations Command, Joint Staff, EUCOM, and deployed Joint and multinational Task Force Organizations across the globe. Upon retirement from the Army, Austin joined the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence as the Deputy Director and Chief of Operations fo