The Cognitive Crucible - Eric Wallace, Derek Elliott, and Ron Walters

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, three key players in the establishment of JP 3-04 (Information in Joint Operations)–Eric Wallace, Derek Elliott, and Ron Walters–give the Cognitive Crucible audience a behind-the-scenes tour into the process of creating new joint doctrine. For part of the conversation, the audience may want to refer to this Doctrinal Logic: Information in Joint Operations 1-page summary.

Resources:

• Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned
  • #2 Austin Branch, the US Army’s First Information Operations officer
  • #64 Greg Radabaugh on Informational Power
  • #95 LtGen Matthew Glavy on MCDP 8 Information
• Joint Concept for Operating in the Information Environment (2018)
• JROCM 068-19 Operations in the Information Environment DOTmLPF-P Change Recommendation
• Doctrinal Logic: Information in Joint Operations
• Reading List
• Normal Department of Defense processes can be found in CJCSI 3100.01 - Joint Strategic Planning System
• Normalize DoD Processes are described in CJCSI 3100.01 Joint Strategic Planning System
• JP 3-04, Information in Joint Operations, 14 September 2022 can be found on JDEIS
• JP 3-0, Joint Operations, 18 June 2022: This publication provides fundamental principles and guidance for joint campaigns and operations can be found on JDEIS
• JP 5-0, Joint Planning, 1 December 2020: This publication is the keystone document for joint planning. It provides the doctrinal foundation and fundamental principles that guide the Armed Forces of the United States in planning joint campaigns and operations. - It can be found on JDEIS  but officially is behind the JDEIS firewall
• JP 2-0, Joint Intelligence, 26 May 2022: This publication is the keystone document for joint intelligence. It provides the doctrinal foundation and fundamental principles that guide joint and national intelligence products, services, and assessments and support to joint operations. JP 2-0 can be found on JDEIS
• Dr. Thomas Rona
• Dr. John Arquilla

Link to full show notes and resources

https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-125

Guest Bio: 

Eric Wallace is currently an Information Warfare/Electronic Warfare Subject Matter Expert with COLSA Corporation February 2022. In this capacity he utilizes his expert knowledge to influence best practices within IW discipline, leads work teams or other SMEs to ensure customer satisfaction relating to technical contract performance, is a recognized expert in the information warfare field, and advises and consults on information warfare with high-level customers and stakeholders.

Prior to his joining COLSA, Mr. Wallace was the Chief of the Information Proponent Division, Joint Information Operations Warfare Center (JIOWC) in San Antonio, TX. JIOWC is Chairman’s Controlled Activity subordinate to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mr. Wallace led the JIOWC’s effort to operationalize and institutionalize the information joint function and operations in the information environment across the Department of Defense. Outcomes associated with this role included publishing the Joint Concept for Operating in the Information Environment (JCOIE); the designation of Information as a joint function; leading the Operations in the Information Environment Capabilities-Based Assessment DOTMLPF-P Change Recommendation and associated Joint Requirements Oversight Council Memorandum 068-19; and the development of the information joint function doctrinal publication JP 3-04 Information in Joint Operations.

Mr. Wallace entered Civil Service in 1995 and has worked in numerous assignments supporting operations in the information environment. He has served in various national level forums including Electronic Intelligence, 2003 Information Operations Road Map, 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review, and was Project Director for an OSD-directed study on intelligence support to IO planning and operational requirements. Mr. Wallace’s other noteworthy contributions include the 2010 Joint Information Operations Force Optimization Study; 2016 Department of Defense Strategy for Operations in the Information Environment; Capstone Concept for Joint Operations 2030 (CCJO). For more than 19 years, Mr. Wallace has provided direct information operations support to combatant commanders and has over 20 years of experience in intelligence at the tactical, theater/joint, and national levels, including Operations DENY FLIGHT/PROVIDE PROMISE and ENDURING FREEDOM. Mr. Wallace enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1980 and has served in a variety of intelligence assignments in the United States and overseas.

Derek Elliott retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2014 after serving as an Information Operations Officer and conducting tactical- through strategic-level Information Operations. Mr. Elliott is a subject matter expert on the use of information in joint operations with MeriTec Services, Incorporated. While assigned as a doctrine writer in the Information Operations Proponent Division of the Joint Information Operations Warfare Center, Derek led the writing team that incorporated the information joint function into Joint Doctrine and that created Joint Publication 3-04, Information in Joint Operations.

Ron Walters retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel of Psychological Operations in 2011. Ron’s PSYOP experience ranges from PSYOP Detachment to the Joint Staff.  Joining MeriTec Services after a lengthy stint with MISTF-A, Ron participated in the drafting of the Joint Concept for Operating in the Information Environment and the following Operations in the Information Environment Capabilities Based Assessment. He was a primary contributor behind Information the Joint Function.

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.