Creative Thinking about National Security and Defense
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How does the DIA maintain its competitive edge? Host Tom Spahr asks Major General Robert Kinney, DIA's Chief AI Officer. They explore how AI accelerates human decision-making and manages battlefield data without replacing intelligence analysts. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/dia-ai The post MODERNIZING THE DIA WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
As open-source intelligence dominates national security, how do analysts navigate deceptive "AI slop"? Kelly Ihme and Michael Moore join host Tom Spahr to discuss why a focused human mind remains the ultimate tool in the AI era. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/open-source-intelligence The post OPEN-SOURCE INTELLIGENCE AND ARTIFICIAL ILLUSIONS<br><small>(INTELLIGENCE)</small> appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
Editor’s Note: This is our 500th episode. Thank you for being part of this journey, we wouldn’t be here without you. Your loyalty and engagement have turned a project into The post TIADS AND TARGETING THE ADVERSARY’S WILL appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
Jeff Rogg joins Tom Spahr to discuss the "intelligence revolution." Beyond new gadgets, cell phones & AI are transforming the state-citizen relationship & modern warfare, turning digital footprints into targeting beacons & tools for cognitive warfare. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-spy-and-the-state-9780197678732?cc=us&lang=en& The post THE INTELLIGENCE REVOLUTION: INDIVIDUALS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF INFLUENCE appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
CIA officer Sean Wiswesser joins host Tom Spahr to expose the reality of Russian intelligence. Moving past spy myths, they discuss how corruption and "active measures" shape the Kremlin's secret war from Ukraine to Western democracies. Sean's bookhttps://www.usni.org/press/books/tradecraft-tactics-and-dirty-tricks The post INSIDE THE KREMLIN’S GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE STRATEGY appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
The Army is evolving its intel to outpace modern threats. Andrew Evans joins Tom Spahr to discuss a permanent Strategy and Transformation Office. To beat 11-yr acquisition cycles, he advocates for a cultural shift to get new tech to soldiers faster The post INTELLIGENCE, INNOVATION, AND INTEGRATION appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
Carol Stauffer, USARPAC G2, joins host Tom Spahr to explore Theater Army intel in the Indo-Pacific. They discuss the shift from "kill chains" to a "kill mesh" & how human relationships maintain deterrence across 35 nations https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/data-deterrence-diplomacy The post DATA, DETERRENCE AND DIPLOMACY <br><small>THEATER ARMY INTELLIGENCE IN THE INDO-PACIFIC</small> appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
U.S. intelligence needs to adapt to maintain relevance & trust. LTG (Ret.) Bob Ashley joins Tom Spahr to break down how the IC must adapt to closing technological gaps & a changing world order The post RELEVANCE AND TRUST: THE FUTURE OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
The conversation on defending against sUAS continues. Lushenko & Spahr discuss the new Joint Interagency Task Force 401 a whole-of-govt approach focusing on warfighter lethality. The post BEYOND ADMIRING THE PROBLEM: JIATF 401’S JURISDICTIONAL JUMP appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
U.S. First Army partners with the Army Reserve and National Guard to help them prepare for their missions. Melissa Sayers, the director of First Army's operational data team, discusses the mission of an operational research systems analyst (ORSA) and the importance of creating a data-centric military. She joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to explain how her team uses a cloud-based platform called Vantage to provide leaders with a "single pane of glass" view of friendly forces, including data on equipment, personnel, and finances. She emphasizes the importance of leadership empowerment
Sapriya McLendon, a 2024 graduate of the U.S. Army War College, joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to discuss her command of the 513th Military Intelligence Brigade (Theater) (MIB-T). The 513th MIB-T plays a critical role in providing the ground intelligence picture for CENTCOM, a task they've honed over two decades of continuous engagement in the Middle East. Their conversation delves into the unique aspects of the 513th MIB-T, including its data-centric organization and innovative use of data to enhance efficiency in both business operations and warfighting tasks. The post AI-READY D
From late 2024 to early 2025, numerous unidentified drones were reported over U.S. cities and military bases. While some of these "mystery craft" were later attributed to FAA-authorized research and other purposes, their presence highlighted the potential threat and vulnerability of defense and infrastructure facilities. Paul Lushenko, chief strategist for the U.S. military's Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO), joined host Tom Spahr to discuss these concerns. Lushenko also underscored the ongoing efforts to refine doctrine, training, and policy to effectively address th
Retired U.S. Army General Paul Nakasone recently addressed the resident class at the U.S. Army War College, and he also sat down for an episode of A Better Peace with host Tom Spahr. While reflecting on his time leading the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. Cyber Command, Nakasone provides a fascinating peek into the world of cyber intelligence. He emphasizes the critical importance of integrating signals intelligence with cyber operations to maintain speed, agility, and unity of action. The discussion also highlights the transformative power of AI in the intelligence community and the n
Ever wonder what goes into the President's Daily Brief (PDB)? It's not your average morning news. Stephanie Sellers, a former PDB briefer, is currently the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Representative to the U.S. Army War College and the General Walter Bedell Smith Chair of National Intelligence Studies. She joins host Ron Granieri to share her experiences, and describes the job as trying to keep up with “17 different soap operas at once.” This crucial intelligence update is delivered to the president and other senior government leaders, shaping their understanding of critical issues. Sell
Hold on tight, this episode is a whirlwind of data-infused targeting, intel, and logistics. Joe O'Callaghan joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to discuss the Department of Defense's Maven Smart System. Maven was first developed to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to help speed intelligence analysis, but has since been applied to targeting, logistics, and even disaster relief. Joe, as the former Chief of Fires in the XVIII Airborne Corps, was one of the key architects of the system. He is the perfect guest to describe the digital and procedural nuts and bolts requir
The American intelligence community (IC) is a complex network of 18 different agencies constantly vying for authority and resources. This competition, along with the ongoing effort to balance civilian and military organizations within the IC, is the focus of today's discussion. Dr. Jeff Rogg, a senior research fellow at the Global and National Security Institute, joins podcast editor Ron Granieri to explore the history of the U.S. intelligence system, highlighting its civilian-military dynamics and the critical balance between national security and civil liberties. They delve into the roles of
Tom Spahr is back in the studio with another insightful discussion focused on data management, refinement, and exploitation within the military. He is joined by CW4 Kelsey Gibson, a senior technical advisor with years of experience in data and digital modernization in the special operations community. Together, they examine the challenges of developing data literacy across all leadership levels. They also discuss the importance of effectively sorting and filtering large data sets, as well as building the trust necessary to leverage AI and automation for faster decision-making. This conversatio
Depending on who you talk to, artificial intelligence (AI) will either be the ruination of mankind or its savior. As ever, the truth is likely somewhere between those extremes. It certainly will be important. For this reason, the Chief of the Staff of the Army (CSA) has charged Dr. Alexander Miller to find the necessary technology and tools so the Army can best understand and uses its masses of data. Alex is the CSA's Senior Advisor for Science and Technology, and he found the time to sit down with guest host Tom Spahr to discuss how the Army is approaching AI, machine learning, and other rela
The United States Air Force Security Service (USAFSS) was created in October 1948, just 13 months after the recognition of the Air Force as a separate branch with the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947. Cloaked in secrecy, it arose out of a need for air-minded intelligence that just wasn’t being provided by the Army or the Navy. Our good friend and fellow podcaster Philip Shackelford is in the studio to discuss his new book Rise of the Mavericks: The U.S. Air Force Security Service and the Cold War, which takes a foundational look at the creation and development of the Security Ser
Regular listeners might remember previous episodes in which we looked at the 2022 National Security Strategy and the 2022 National Defense Strategy. In this episode, we continue the examination of strategic-level documents with a review of the 2023 National Intelligence Strategy. Genevieve Lester is in the studio, but this time she's the guest with podcast host Ron Granieri. Their conversation dissects the document that is the Director of National Intelligence's strategic direction for the Intelligence Community (IC) for the next four years. Ideally, it aligns IC priorities with other national
Any conversation has two very basic players, the sender and the receiver. The intelligence conversation, at its most basic level, has the producer and the consumer. There are volumes written, schools, courses, and entire career fields and specialties dedicated to producing better intel, but how does one learn to be a better intelligence consumer? A BETTER PEACE welcomes LTG (R) Karen Gibson to shed some light on what commanders need to know to, not only be a better consumer, but to mentor and train intelligence professionals and staffers. She joins host Gen Lester, to share her experiences fro
The war in Ukraine has been a fascinating study of the democratization of intelligence. That's a phrase coined by David Gioe in a recent article he wrote with Ken Stolworthy. David and Ken join host Gen Lester in the studio to discuss what has changed in the intelligence realm that makes information so readily available and effective for the Ukrainian forces. David notes that the gap between what the professional intelligence community knows and what the average citizen armed with an Internet connection can know has dramatically narrowed as the conflict drags on. The commercialization of intel
Admit it. In your most self-aggrandizing dreams you're as charming as Sydney Bristow, as lethal as Jason Bourne, and as intuitive and intellectual as Jack Ryan. If Austin Powers was anywhere in that mix you might want to keep that to yourself. But you know that real life spies don't really live like that. Right - you know that? A BETTER PEACE welcomes author, analyst and educator Amy Zegart to the virtual studio to set the record straight on the realities of the intelligence world in the digital age and talk about her new book Spies, Lies and Algorithms. She joins our own Gen Lester to discuss
As the situation in Afghanistan has unfolded in the last several weeks, many have questioned how the collapse of the country could have happened so quickly. Daily press releases reported the steady march of the Taliban across the country capturing major population areas, often with little resistance from the Afghan military. As expected, pundits have looked to place blame for the U.S. administration's failure to anticipate the speed of the deterioration of order. Most often the finger was pointed at intelligence. A BETTER PEACE welcomes James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence,
The President, and all policy makers should have the unvarnished truth as best as the intelligence community can serve it up. A BETTER PEACE welcomes former Director of National Intelligence The post THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ODNI: AN INTERVIEW WITH JAMES CLAPPER appeared first on War Room - U.S. Army War College.
