#211: Influencing Human Behavior - US Army Special Operations Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs Colonels Steve Santucci, Jeff Uherka & Bob Cusick

The battlefield is more than guns, aircraft, ships and vehicles. Sometimes the most important weapon is an adversary’s perception.  Since inception, US Army Special Forces have been central to shaping human behavior and enemy perspective; still the most important factors in military decision making.  The objective isn’t always to change what someone believes. Sometimes we only need to change what they do, where they go, or the decision they make long enough to create an advantage. That’s the battlefield of Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs.  From the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum at Fort Bragg, I sat down with Colonel Steve Santucci, Colonel Jeff Uherka, and Colonel Bob Cusick to go inside two of the most misunderstood capabilities in Army Special Operations and examine how Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs are shaping today’s battlefield.  For these units, the mission is about precision influence. Identify the decision maker. Understand how they think. Force a decision. Create time and space. Then give commanders an opportunity to exploit it.  Artificial intelligence, large language models, cyber capabilities, drones, and the digital information environment are creating new ways to understand and influence an audience. But on a battlefield where communications can be degraded and the electromagnetic spectrum contested, some of the answers may come from the past.  Information warfare is also being consolidated under Army Special Operations, and the Army is building a more unified approach to how it trains and employs information professionals across the force.  On today’s battlefield, destroying the enemy may not always be the most powerful option. If we can influence what they see, shape what they understand, and change the decisions they make, we may never have to fire a shot. Highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 02:59 - Defining PSYOPs and Civil Affairs Missions 07:50 - Behavior vs. Mindset 10:57 - Delivery Mechanisms 13:25 - Language and Culture 17:25 - Recruitment 21:07 - Qualification Course Pipelines 27:18 - Decentralization to Special Forces Groups 31:31 - Consolidation of Army Information Operations 39:53 - Future Operating Capabilities 44:58 - Daily Habits Quotes" “At the end of the day, it's about providing influence and deception’s word of commanders, to provide them time, space, and advantage on the battlefield.” “Can we change their mind just for a couple minutes, to divert, to deceive, to create opportunity for blue forces.” “Influence the influencers, and through an indigenous approach, they are able to change the minds of the population for our mutual objectives.” “We have to pull back on the history machine and relearn the things that we've forgotten about over the years.” “Technology can't replace the human to human eye to eye contact to influence a key leader.” “They don't want us to do anything other than offer ideas and solutions that they just hadn't considered.” “The Army wants more.” “He wants precision influence. He wants us to hit that decision maker.” “Sometimes what is old is new again.” “But at the end of the day, we all know we just we have to listen.” “I think as a foundation for a good soldier, which builds a team, which builds a company, a battalion, and a brigade.” “Leaders need time to think. Leaders need time to prepare for coaching. Leaders need time to understand what's going on around them, so they can issue clear, sound guidance.” “Leaders have to be present.” “It's a capability that can be employed across the force, and it's only better when it works in harmony.” Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

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