#75 Todd Manyx on the MCIOC

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, Col. Todd Manyx discusses the Marine Corps Information Operations Center (MCIOC), influence, and battlespace awareness. Our wide ranging conversation covers the origin story of the MCIOC, its components, talent considerations, and current and emerging partnerships with other Department of Defense and international organizations.

Resources:

• Related Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes
  
  • #13 Russell on Behind Enemy Lines
  • #20 Paul on the Firehose of Falsehood
• Marine Corps Talent Management 2030
• RAND Research Report: Opportunities for Including the Information Environment in U.S. Marine Corps Wargames by Christopher Paul, Yuna Huh Wong, Elizabeth M. Bartels
• The Information Warfighter Exercise Wargame Rulebook by Christopher Paul, Ben Connable, Jonathan Welch, Nate Rosenblatt, Jim McNeive
• Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War by August Cole and Peter Singer
• LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media by Peter Singer
• Influence: Science and Practice by Robert Cialdini
• Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein
• Barton Whaley
• Practise to Deceive: Learning Curves of Military Deception Planners by Barton Whaley
• Stratagem: Deception and Surprise in War by Barton Whaley

Link to full show notes and resources

https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-75

Guest Bio: Colonel Manyx has 35 years of service, both officer and enlisted, in the United States Marine Corps. Following Basic Training in 1985, (he served as an Aviation Support Equipment Technician and, later, as an Intelligence Specialist and an Embassy Security Guard. In 1993, then Staff Sergeant. Manyx was selected to participate in the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (with Distinction) and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant, he was assigned as an Intelligence Officer.

Colonel Manyx has been fortunate to hold command at the company and battalion levels as well as numerous staff officer positions to include Company Executive Officer, Battalion Operations Officer, and Battalion Executive Officer. Colonel Manyx is a Regional Affairs Officer specializing in the Middle East as well as a former Latin American Foreign Area Officer. He is a Joint Qualified Officer, who has completed joint service tours with U.S. Central Command (Tampa, FL), International Security Assistance Force (Afghanistan), and with the Joint Staff in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has had the distinction of twice serving as a Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow first at The Fletcher School, Tufts University, and then with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

His senior staff experience includes service as a personal staff member for both the Commander and Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command, the Commander, International Security Assistance Force - Afghanistan, and with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also served as a Strategic Analyst for the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Colonel Manyx is a graduate of numerous military and civilian schools. This includes a Master of Arts degree from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Master of Arts degree from the Fletcher School, Tufts University. He also graduated from the Defense Language Institute and completed the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI Program.  

His personal decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2nd Award), Defense Meritorious Service Medal (3rd Award), Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), Navy Commendation Medal (2nd Award), and the Navy Achievement Medal.

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.

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