David Stuckenberg: Author Interview

Q1: What prompted your interest in what culminated in the Electromagnetic Defense Task Force?

As a member of the nuclear community and a treaty compliance officer, I became aware that a number of dynamic geostrategic factors required an adaptation of US-NATO strategies with respect to the electromagnetic spectrum. This understanding became the basis of a PhD research hypothesis. The core hypothesis was that nuclear deterrence no longer applied in certain geostrategic contexts, including the gray zone.

As a result of increased activities in the gray zone, US strategy required rapid adaptation of coherent strategies with the whole of government input. During the EDTF, I was given a mandate: solve the problem. To do so, I hand-selected 350 experts and strategists and 150 government and academic institutions who served on 22 think tanks (over multiple weeks). The final findings of these efforts are presented in the two taskforce reports I coauthored with Amb. R. James Woolsey, sixteenth director of the CIA, and Col Douglas DeMaio. In summary, the findings of the EDTF supported my research hypotheses that the United States cannot deter in the gray zone with legacy constructs. To prevent a strategic attack, the US-NATO must use a strategy that has become obscure. The relevant strategy for today is called dissuasion.

Q2: What has been the reception to the two task force reports?

The Task Force Reports are the most downloaded documents in the history of Air University. I have seen them used frequently in public and private research. These reports are a trove of rich unclassified information that can be reliably used to develop novel strategies and to help support advocacy efforts.

Interestingly, these reports have led to attempts at both coercion and threats against the authors. For example, I was notified by someone in government that a failure to retract the EDTF reports “in 4 days” would cause me problems. Thankfully, I was able to rely on AU’s ironclad mandate, as the intellectual leadership center of the Air Force, to protect the integrity of public research and ensure academic freedom. This mandate prevented political efforts to censure the reports.

The value of truthful discourse in such documents is critical to increasing and sustaining public knowledge, faith, and trust. If the public does not know about very real and challenging conditions, our citizens can never ask their representatives to take the needed actions to protect them. We have some distance remaining until our safety and security are perfect, but we have also made great strides together.

Q3: What do you want readers to take from this work?

The high cost in obtaining makes something valuable. Because of this, truth (the facts) is exceptionally valuable. But truth is far more dangerous than many weapons. Information, or truth, is the true power in the present age. If we as citizens and scholars are unwilling to make sacrifices to ensure the integrity and fidelity of the research and information we are involved with, we undermine the very republic we have sworn an oath to defend.

We need to remember that not everyone is interested in the success of liberty. As long as our torch burns brightly, the United States and our allies will be an affront to those governments who thrive by depriving people of their inalienable rights and freedoms. Value truth. Truth is the very foundation of our democratic system—our combined success depends on the preservation of truth.

Q4: Have you conducted subsequent research in this area? Are your findings and recommendations being applied in current US government (state and federal) planning for and responding to cyber threats?

An EDTF is able to be held any time and only requires a major command or other entity such as Joint Staff or Defense Threat Reduction Agency to sponsor and fund it. There are hundreds of cadre from EDTF within all government agencies. These cadre were deliberately developed during EDTF to have a holistic understanding of the nature of unique electromagnetic spectrum threats. These professionals and other deliberate efforts continue to inform our nation and our citizens.

For example, in San Antonio, Texas, the Electromagnetic Defense Initiative (EDI), a spin-off of EDTF, is ongoing. EDI is working to implement recommendations and strategies that were developed by EDTF and which have been modified and improved under the leadership of Lt Col Edward “Thumper” Stamper and Brig Gen Mike “Apollo” Lovell. To date, the EDI has received millions in federal grants and has more than 400 strategic partners. These efforts are expanding to other US cities. In my view, as the strategies and recommendations are adopted, the ongoing efforts to address and harm the US homeland and infrastructure will be greatly diminished. That is the point, and the motto of EDI, “It’s my home too.”

That said, one of the most critical areas the US must address are the disconnects highlighted in EDTF Report 2.0, Annex I, which address the safety and security of US nuclear power generation facilities. These facilities must be made a higher priority going forward.