Association of Former Intelligence Officers

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 AFIO Central Office
 7600 Leesburg Pike
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 Falls Church, VA
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 Email: afio@afio.com

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Welcome

AFIO BulletThe Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) presents this website to serve our members and visitors as a portal to our activities and to provide word of upcoming educational events by other select intelligence groups.



REGISTRATION OPEN FOR THIS IMPORTANT EVENT
Register NOW. Will Fill Quickly.

AFIO National's Fall Luncheon
features fireside chat with Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence,
and Jennifer K. Ewbank, the Deputy Director of CIA for Digital Innovation

Friday, 13 October 2023, 10:30am - 2pm - In-Person - Tysons VA

Fireside chat with
Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence, 
begins at 11:00 a.m.

Lunch served noon to 1:00 p.m.

Jennifer Ewbank,
Deputy Director of CIA for Digital Innovation

speaks at 1:00 p.m.

Q&A follows each presentation. Event ends at 2:00 p.m.

Luncheon prices are $60 for Members; $75 for nonmember guests and all Subscribers. Payment by credit card required at time of registration. No mailed checks or at the door or at venue payments accepted or permitted.

Registration opened here and closes when all spaces taken (or NLT 9 October).

Check-in and badge pickup for Registered Attendees begins at 10:30 a.m.
NO registrations or walk-ins at hotel. No payment accepted for this event by mail or at the venue.
Register here. Registration closes 5 pm Monday 9 October.

Though we do not provide special overnight room rates, if you wish to make room reservations at the hotel, do so here.

Cancellation Schedule: AFIO must commit to the hotel facilities and regrets it must charge a cancellation fee. 100% refund until close of registration. No refunds or cancellations thereafter. You will receive a donation receipt for fees forfeited. A donor statement will be sent showing that you made a "gift to AFIO" in such instances. Gifts to AFIO are tax-deductible.

All attendees must be members of AFIO or accompanied by a current member. 

Learn more about becoming a member at www.afio.com.  Questions regarding membership? Contact office at 703-790-0320 or email afio@afio.com

Questions regarding this event to events@afio.com


Released exclusively to members 19 September...

Part 2 — An Exceptional History-Making Career
in Covert Operations, Strategy, and Policy


Recorded 29 June 2023

Michael G. Vickers PhD, Part 2
Former CIA Operations Officer and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence
on his book "By All Means Available"

Interview of Friday, 29 June 2023 of Michael Vickers, former CIA Operations Officer and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. Host and Interviewer: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former Senior CIA Operations Officer.

TOPIC: Mike Vickers and Jim Hughes discuss Mike's remarkable covert operations, strategy, and policy roles up to his senior leadership in DOD as covered in his new memoir: By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy.
The interview runs 52 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy here

Access Part 2 of VICKERS interview here or click above image


This and other AFIO Now videos (see below) in 2023 are sponsored by Northwest Financial Advisors.


Upcoming AFIO and Intelligence Community Events
Many informative, fascinating programs are occurring in the Washington Metro Area and across the country. Find out which ones to add to your calendar to stay connected and to stay current.

Corporate
Learn how your company can make a difference with AFIO corporate memberships and marketing opportunities. Reach more than 4,800 intelligence professionals.

National Members
Join or renew your existing membership and enjoy member benefits, such as special publications, invitations to events, unique banking & investment services, scholarships, and career assistance.

Publications
As a member or subscriber you receive the popular Weekly Intelligence Notes [WINs] and the print-only academic journal: Intelligencer - Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies for the intelligence community by intelligence professionals. AFIO also produces Intelligence As A Career - a printed and online guide to organizing your life and education to qualify for work in the intelligence community, and a Guide to the Study of Intelligence to assist college instructors, secondary school teachers of history, civics, and current events, and students, on the best readings on a wide variety of current intelligence topics.

About Us
Learn about us - our many events, publications, programs, and legislative alerts. Support AFIO with purchases and donations or meet our members at events throughout the US. Make your views known.

Chapters
Local chapters have appeal to many members, so after you have joined AFIO National, consider adding a local chapter membership to your mix.

Upcoming AFIO Events ... Full listings found here
Icon Calendar

16 October 2023 (Monday) 1730 ET - New York City - AFIO New York Chapter hosts Dr. Anthony R. Wells on “US-UK Intelligence in an Era of Global Challenges”

AFIO BulletSpeaker Bio: Dr. Anthony R. Wells has worked for British Intelligence as a British citizen and US Intelligence as a US citizen, at sea and ashore for both the Royal Navy and the US Navy. A fifty year veteran of the Five Eyes Intelligence community, Dr. Wells received his Ph.D in War Studies from King’s College, University of London, and has Bachelor’s and Master’s from the University of Durham. Dr. Wells is the author of “Between Five Eyes: 50 Years of Intelligence Sharing," “Room39 and the Lisbon Connection”, “A Tale of Two Navies”, “Guarding Against Extremism in the 21St Century”, and “UK-US Intelligence in an Era of Global Challenges."

5:30 - 5:55 Registration, Open bar & Hors d’oeuvres (hot)
6:00 - 7:00 Lecture
7:00 - 7:30 Open bar, Hors d’oeuvres & Book Signing
Venue: Marymount Manhattan College, Regina Peruggi Room, 221 E 71st St, New York, NY
Registration Fee: $50. Cash or check payable to David Hunt at the door

RSVP by 11 October 2023 (Limited Space) to afionyc@gmail.com or David Hunt at 301-520-1417

Cash or check payable at the door to "David Hunt." 

PLEASE ADVISE by 11 October if you are attending. Preferably to: afionyc@gmail.com, or call chapter President David Hunt at 301-520-1417.


Online version of the Guide
AFIO's Guide to the Study of Intelligence
Are You Using It?

Full no-cost, online version of Guide here.

Perfect for professors, students, those considering careers in intelligence, and current/former officers seeking to see what changes are taking place across a wide spectrum of intelligence disciplines.

AFIO's Guide to the Study of Intelligence helps instructors teach about the large variety of subjects that make up the field of intelligence. This includes secondary school teachers of American History, Civics, or current events and undergraduate and graduate professors of History, Political Science, International Relations, Security Studies, and related topics, especially those with no or limited professional experience in the field. Even those who are former practitioners are likely to have only a limited knowledge of the very broad field of intelligence, as most spend their careers in one or two agencies at most and may have focused only on collection or analysis of intelligence or support to those activities.

We regret that the printed, bound edition has sold out. No copies remain for sale.

AVAILABLE ONLINE-ONLY: As an educational service to professors and students, AFIO provides the full 788-page Guide online here for free. This was made possible through the generosity of our foundation, corporate, and institutional members, coupled with the donations we received from our many individual members. We thank all of them.

Icon Calendar

27 October 2023 - Naples, FL - Meeting of the New Southwest Florida Chapter

AFIO BulletThe chapter president, Hugo Harmatz, requests members contact him to give suggestions of topics and speakers for programs. He seeks to ensure the chapter meetings are enjoyable and interesting for all.
He can be reached at lawyur@aol.com.


JUST PUBLISHED
FOR 2023

Be informed on career opportunities in the U.S. Intelligence Community
  

Intelligence as a Career - with updated listings of colleges teaching intelligence courses, and Q&As on needed foreign languages, as well as the courses, grades, extracurricular activities, and behavioral characteristics and life experiences sought by modern U.S. intelligence agencies.

AFIO's popular 47-page booklet reaches thousands of high school, college students, university guidance offices, and distributed in classes teaching intelligence, to help those considering careers in the U.S. Intelligence Community.

This is the all new fifth edition.
The publication is also popular with University Career Guidance Centers, professors and academic departments specializing in national security, and parents assisting children or grandchildren in choosing meaningful, public service careers.
This booklet is provided online as a public service from the generosity and efforts of AFIO board, volunteer editors/writers, donors, and members. We thank all for their support which makes this publication available.

Careers Booklet (new 2023 Fifth Edition) can be read or downloaded here

AFIO STORE GIFT ITEMS

Now available: new Black short-sleeved polo shirts with embroidered AFIO logo. Men's only.

Show your support for AFIO with our new Black Short-sleeve Polo Shirts. Shirts are shrink and wrinkle resistant of fine cotton with a soft, "well-worn, comfy" yet substantial feel. They feature a detailed embroidered AFIO seal. Get a shirt for yourself and consider as gifts for colleagues, family, and friends. Only $50 each including shipping.
Sizes for (M) men, only; Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. $50 per shirt.
You may pay by check or credit card. Complete your order online here or mail an order along with payment to: AFIO, 7600 Leesburg Pike, Ste 470 East, Falls Church, VA 22043-2004. Phone orders at 703-790-0320. Questions? Contact Annette at: annettej@afio.com.

 Mug with color glazed logo. Made in America. Sturdy enough to sit on desk to hold pens, cards, paperclips, and candy.

This handsome large, heavy USA-made ceramic mug is dishwasher-safe with a glazed seal.
$35 per mug includes shipping. Order this and other store items online here.

Also available are our popular Intelligence Community Mousepad AFIO Mousepad

Full color seals of all 18 members of the U.S. Intelligence Community on this 8" round, slick surface, nonskid, rubber-backed mouse pad. Price still only $20.00 for 2 pads [includes shipping to U.S. based address, only. For foreign shipments, we will contact you with a quote.] Great gift for colleagues and self. Click image above for larger image. Now with dark navy background, brighter, updated seals of member agencies. And now MADE IN USA. Order MOUSEPADS here.

Other Upcoming Educational Events....includes selection of events from advertisers, corporate sponsors, and others—

Friday, 22 September 2023, 12:00pm – Washington, DC – Inside the HEXAGON Secret Satellite Program with Ricky Deutsch – In Person International Spy Museum Program

International Spy Museum eventsThe HEXAGON satellite program was the “Verify” in President Reagan’s “Trust but Verify” negotiation strategy. Initiated by President Eisenhower, satellite intelligence provided film photography of denied areas. At 60-feet long and flying at 100 miles up, HEXAGON was the last film-based reconnaissance satellite used by the US. The program required cooperation between the CIA and the Air Force. It was guided by the National Reconnaissance Office. HEXAGON was designed in the 1960s and remained classified until September 17, 2011. Now the story can be told by someone who was there. Join us in person to hear about the history of film-based space intelligence from Ricky Deutsch. In the 1970s, Deutsch was a US Air Force Captain working as an Operations Director for HEXAGON. From the Satellite Test Center known as the “Blue Cube” in Sunnyvale, CA, Deutsch’s military/contractor team generated mission critical commands to be sent to the satellite. Deutsch will reveal how the satellite was built, its major components, the inner workings of the Control Center, and how the satellite interface to six tracking stations worked. He’ll detail the on-orbit functions and the role of the CIA to determine which "targets" should be photographed and how this material affected the outcome of the Cold War. Deutsch will also describe the slightly unbelievable way the film reentry vehicles were caught via parachute by C-130 aircraft at 15,000 feet! Visit www.spymuseum.org.


Tuesday, 26 September 2023, 2:00-3:00pm – Washington, DC – SPY with Me: Memory Loss Program – Virtual International Spy Museum Program

International Spy Museum eventsSPY with Me is an interactive virtual program for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Join SPY as we use music and artifacts to explore some of our favorite spy stories. Programs last one hour and are held virtually through Zoom. Every month the same program is offered on two different dates. To register, please email Shana Oltmans at soltmans@spymuseum.org. Free but space is limited. Visit www.spymuseum.org.

Wednesday, 27 September 2023, 5:00-8:00pm – Washington, DC – Educator Night Out 2023 – In Person International Spy MuseumProgram

International Spy Museum events Enjoy an exclusive evening at the International Spy Museum where the red carpet will be rolled out just for teachers.Educators will uncover the secret history of history and discover new and exciting resources to enrich their students’ learning across all subjects. During this open-house event, teachers can:explore SPY's exhibits with fellow educators, meet the Museum’s youth education team, plan their students’ next in-person or virtual SPY field trip, browse SPY’s free curriculum and classroom activities, check out SPY’s new Digital Learning HQ – an online multimedia tool for educators, be the first to check out SPY’s new Exhibit Learning Guides, and shop with a special discount at the SPY store.  Registration includes free Museum admission, a welcome bag, a chance to win prizes, and more.  NOTE: This event is open to current K-12 classroom and resource teachers only (21+). A valid teacher ID will be required at check-in. See the website for acceptable forms of teacher ID.  Educators can arrive any time between 5pm – 7pm (last entry time into the Museum). Program is free of charge but requires advanced registration – walk-up tickets will not be available. Visit www.spymuseum.org.

Thursday, 28 September 2023, 12:00pm – Washington, DC – Crown, Cloak, and Dagger with Richard Aldrich and Rory Cormac – Virtual International Spy Museum Program

International Spy Museum eventsAssassins, spies, terrorists, and lunatics have bedeviled the British Royal Family through the years; and some members of the Firm have been a bit suspicious themselves. Now the remarkable relationship between the Royals and the intelligence community is revealed in Crown, Cloak, and Dagger: The British Monarchy and Secret Intelligence from Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II. Join the authors, historians Richard J. Aldrich of the University of Warwick and Rory Cormac of the University of Nottingham, for an exploration of their majesties’ role in the shadowy realm of secrets. From the origins of the British secret services as protection against the persistent attempts on Queen Victoria’s life in the 19th century to the national security risk posed by former King Edward VIII and his American wife in the 1930s, the real stories trump even the most dramatic Netflix series. International Spy Museum Director of Adult Education Amanda Ohlke will interview Aldrich and Cormac about their original research and the new evidence they have uncovered to present the British monarchy in an entirely new light and reveal how far their majesties still call the shots in a hidden world. Just what exactly could make Queen Elizabeth II raise her eyebrow knowingly at prime ministers and spymasters? Visit www.spymuseum.org.

Thursday, 28 September 2023, 2:00-3:00pm – Washington, DC – SPY with Me: Memory Loss Program – Virtual International Spy Museum Program

International Spy Museum eventsSPY with Me is an interactive virtual program for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Join SPY as we use music and artifacts to explore some of our favorite spy stories. Programs last one hour and are held virtually through Zoom. Every month the same program is offered on two different dates. To register, please email Shana Oltmans at soltmans@spymuseum.org. Free but space is limited. Visit www.spymuseum.org.


11-16 October 2023 - Huntsville, AL - National Counter Intelligence Corps Association Convention

AFIO members are invited to join colleagues at the NCICA (National Counter Intelligence Corps Association) at their annual convention in Huntsville, AL.
For more information explore the event at the NCICA website here.
Or email the NCICA President, John Nolan, at 831xray@gmail.com or call 256-527-2510.
Convention will be held at The Hampton Inn & Suites, 313 Clinton St. W. Huntsville, AL.
The NCICA are all former Special Agents and the organization was formed in 1948 by returning Agents from WWII.
Other questions? Email NCICA Chairman Jerry Burns at gbsacic66@gmail.com or call 423-791-3115.


14 - 25 April 2024 - Gary Powers' Cold War Espionage Tour of Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia & Hungary - Travel Dates: April 14 to 25,2024 - 12 days/10 nights

Join author & historian Gary Powers Jr. on this 12-day tour of Cold War and espionage related sites in Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia & Hungary
The deadline to enroll is 11/30/23 with a required deposit of $495. Final payment is due 12/30/23.

What's Included: • Round-trip air transportation from Washington, DC; • 10 nights in centrally located, four-star hotels; • Full-time CHA Tour Director; • Valuable insight & informative commentary by Gary Powers Jr.; • On-tour transportation by private motorcoach; • Breakfast & dinner (or lunch) daily; • Sightseeing tours & visits shown in itinerary (subject to change based on availability)
Tour Prices: Full Tour Price: $5,695 per person; Land Tour Price: $4,645 per person (does not include round-trip airfare and airport transfers); Repeat Gary Powers travelers will receive a $200 discount! Price based on double occupancy.
A $600 single room fee will apply for travelers without roommates.
The deadline to enroll is 11/30/23 with a required deposit of $495. Final payment is due 12/30/23.
Questions? Call 1-800-323-4466 or email info@cha-tours.com.
Enroll Online at: www.cha-tours.com/GaryPowers

Additional Events:

26 October 2023, 6 - 10 pm - Washington, DC - “From IWP with Love”: An Evening of Espionage - Institute of World Politics

Join IWP supporters, alumni, and friends for a special Black Tie celebration of The Institute of World Politics! Includes tour of the International Spy Museum.
6:00 PM VIP Exhibit Tours; 6:45 PM General Reception and Dinner Buffet; 7:30 PM Remarks; 8:00 PM Dancing
Exhibits open until 10:00 PM
Options for Attendance:
• You may choose to become a member of the IWP Chancellor's Council (annual donation of $1000 or more) and receive complimentary tickets to all of the Chancellor's Council events, which will take place from October 25-26.
• You may choose to purchase tickets.
• You may choose to become a sponsor.
If you would like to become a sponsor, or if you have questions about becoming a Chancellor's Council member, please email Ariane Sweeney at asweeney@iwp.edu.
Dress: Black Tie or Military Dress Equivalent Optional
Event location: International Spy Museum, 700 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024
Accommodations: IWP has a room block at the St. Regis for October 24-27, 2023. Deluxe King rooms are $445 per night, and Premier Deluxe King rooms are $465 per night. Book a room online or call 1-888-627-8087. Because these rooms are limited, we encourage you to book early if you plan to attend.
To explore this upcoming event or to purchase a ticket and view sponsorship opportunities, please click here.




Special Walking Tours Announcement from SpyGuide Tours Inc.

September is SPY TOUR month!

September 30th and October 21st: The "January 6th Experience."
The definitive walking tour of the conspiracy and national security event of our lifetimes.
See the sights of Pennsylvania Avenue as you trace the steps of the mob that attacked Congress with your guide - an expert in misinformation and trained intelligence analyst.
Examine the scheme to overturn the 2020 election, learn about the Stop The Steal movement, the fake electors plot, and more. Learn more and book at htts://spyher.co 

New York City. Special guest joining "The Spies of Wall Street" 05 Sep 23.

Washington, DC. "Georgetown Spy Tour" available Friday evenings starting 08 Sep 23.

***ALSO***

"The January 6th Experience." Saturday 30 September 10a-12:30p. Developed and delivered by an expert in misinformation and trained intelligence analyst, this is the definitive walking tour of the January 6th 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. See the sights of Pennsylvania Avenue and examine the scheme to overturn the 2020 election, the Stop the Steal movement, the fake electors plot and more. Get all of your questions answered. Learn more and book at https://spyher.co and use promo code J6E2023 for $20 off the ticket price, normally $50. - Read more about this tour in the Atlantic Monthly artcile "What I Learned Retracing the Footsteps of the Capitol Rioters" here.

Experts guide visitors through the streets of both cities while
sharing contemporary espionage stories, case studies, and history.

Visit https://spyher.co to learn more and book.




The 2nd Annual Cocktails & Codebreakers Event
11 October 2023 (Wednesday), 5 - 7 pm ET
co-hosted by the National Cryptologic Foundation (NCF)
and the Intelligence and National Security Foundation (INSF)

Attend to celebrate Men & Women in Cryptology at this 2nd Annual event.

We have also extended the early bird ticket rate of $150 through Tuesday, September 12th.
This year, Cocktails and Codebreakers will celebrate "Men and Women in Cryptology." Following an opening networking reception, The Honorable Ronald S. Moultrie, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security (USDI&S) and GEN Paul M. Nakasone, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command; Director, National Security Agency; Chief, Central Security Service, will participate in a joint Fireside Chat.

The Early Bird & NCF Member Rate of $150.00 is EXTENDED until 12 September 2023

Individual Tickets = Early Bird & Members Rate of $150 - until 12 September 2023
Full Price Tickets = $189 per person (after September 4th)

Event location: The Hotel at Arundel Preserve: 7795 Arundel Mills Blvd, Hanover, MD 21076

Register now, or for more information, do so here.


10-12 November 2023 - Sante Fe, NM - Spies, Lies & Nukes Conference

Spies, Lies & Nukes - Third Conference - Santa Fe, NM

Plan Your Fall Attendance NOW to capture the lower rates

Special Rate Available for AFIO Members Here

This third, enhanced running of Spies, Lies & Nukes. Join Valerie Plame and some of her legendary, highly decorated, and experienced CIA colleagues as they pull back the curtain on the real life "wilderness of mirrors" that is international espionage.
Hear from and engage with the best of CIA's spies to better understand today's world: from emergent threats, to never-before-told spy operations, black market nuclear scams, how to recruit a spy, the growth of domestic terrorism, how social media is used in espionage, and keeping your employees and your company safe from foreign spies.

Topics: "Soul Catcher: The Metaphysics of Recruiting a Spy" with Jim Lawler, Former Senior CIA Ops Officer
"Delusion and Illusion in Moscow" with Jonna Mendez in conversation with Valerie Plame, Former Covert CIA Ops Officer
"CIA in the Movies" - Panel;
"China: An Emerging Threat" with Mary Beth Long, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
"Inside Putin's Head" with Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, Former Senior CIA Intelligence Officer
"Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA" with Marc Polymeropoulos, Former Senior CIA Ops Officer
"Disinformation Distortions: AI, Deep Fakes, and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Social Media and Espionage" with Alma Katsu, Former Senior CIA and NSA Analyst
"Morality and Ethics in the CIA" with Doug London, Former Senior Officer in the CIA's Clandestine Service
Michael Morrell in conversation with Valerie Plame, Former Covert CIA Ops Officer
"Eliminating Players on the Intelligence Battlefield: Havana Syndrome" with Marc Polymeropoulos, Former Senior CIA Ops Officer
"The End of the Global Nuclear Order" with Valerie Plame, Former Covert CIA Ops Officer
Program also includes: Former Senior CIA Deputy Director; Michael J. Morell


FEE: Regular Sale purchase window: Jun 16 - Nov 2, $1300; Late Sale purchase window: Nov 3 - Nov 10, $1450. Special AFIO rate here.
Ticket price does not include accommodations. More about accommodations here

Tickets include breakfasts, lunches, VIP reception and all speaker presentations and activities.

Conference location: Conference Location: La Fonda On the Plaza, 100 E. San Francisco Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
More information or to register here


MORE about the "AFIO Now" Video Series....

To view publicly-released videos released in 2023 and earlier visit our YouTube page here
To see all videos released in 2023, log into the Member-Only area of our website here.
To see videos released in 2020 to 2022, log into the Member-Only area here.
To explore podcasts, see links in table below or visit main podcast page.

"AFIO Now" Interviews and Podcasts in 2023 are sponsored by

Northwest Financial Advisors
Press Release on this new Joint Arrangement



Below are the Videos and Podcasts released in 2023 in our popular "AFIO Now" Series.
View publicly-released videos from 2023 and earlier at our YouTube page here
View released and member-only pre-2023 videos here.


For Members-Only at this time...
PART TWO - Michael Vickers, Former CIA Operations Officer and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence
and host and interviewer, James Hughes, AFIO President, a former Senior CIA Operations Officer, discuss Mike's remarkable covert operations, strategy, and policy roles up to his senior leadership in DOD as covered in his new memoir: By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy.
The interview runs 52 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy here
[Video not yet released to the public.]
For Members-Only at this time...
I.S. Berry, former CIA Operations Officer, lawyer, novelist discusses her historical novel, "The Peacock and the Sparrow with Host and Interviewer James Hughes, AFIO President, a former Senior CIA Operations Officer.
During the Arab Spring, an American spy’s final mission goes dangerously awry. He’s caught in the crosshairs of a revolution. Drawing on all his skills as a spymaster, he must navigate a bloody uprising, win Almaisa’s love, and uncover the murky border where Bahrain’s secrets end and America’s begin.
The interview runs 12 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Her website is here. Purchase a copy of The Peacock and the Sparrow here.
View the Berry interview here..
[Video not yet released to the public.]
For Members-Only at this time...
Robert Z. Byer, CIA Museum Director and Curator, and James Hughes, AFIO President, discuss the Newly Renovated and Expanded Museum Collections. They also review some artifacts of their unusual collections.
The interview runs 34 minutes and includes several Q&As.
[Video not yet released to the public.]
For Members-Only at this time...
PART ONE - Michael Vickers, Former CIA Operations Officer and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence
and host and interviewer, James Hughes, AFIO President, a former Senior CIA Operations Officer, discuss Mike's remarkable covert operations, strategy, and policy roles up to his senior leadership in DOD as covered in his new memoir: By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy.
The interview runs 42 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy here
[Video not yet released to the public.]
Matthew Black, Author; Crime and Labor Historian and Journalist, on "Operation Underworld -- How the Mafia and U.S. Government Teamed Up to Win WW II"
Matthew Black and AFIO's President James Hughes discuss "Operation Underworld: How the Mafia and U.S. Government Teamed Up to Win World War II" - the full story of how Charles “Lucky” Luciano, the U.S. Mafia boss, was recruited by U.S. Naval Intelligence in 1942 to aid the Allied war effort in the U.S. invasion of Sicily, a turning point in WWII.
The interview runs 37.5 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of "Operation Underworld" here
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
AFIO Podcast is here.

Shane Harris, Washington Post Intelligence and National Security Reporter, discusses Late-Breaking Events in Russia and Ukraine with Jim Hughes, AFIO President. Includes details on the confusing and dangerously fluctuating situation in Ukraine. From Yevgheny Prigozhin's Wagner Group's role and possible coup attempt, to a missing Russian general, and the uncertain new role of Belarus and its leader, Lukashenko. And Putin's renewed threats to use tactical nuclear weapons if its positions in Ukraine deteriorate.
The interview runs 25 minutes and includes many Q&As.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
AFIO Podcast is here.

Richard Phillip Lawless former CIA Operations Officer, author of "Hunting Nukes: A Fifty-Year Pursuit of Atomic Bomb Builders and Mischief Makers." speaks with James Hughes, AFIO President, a former Senior CIA Operations Officer about Lawless's half-century quest to seek out and expose undeclared nuclear weapons activities by countries of the highest concern to the US government. In particular. Lawless reveals the successful takedown of the South Korean strategic weapons program in the mid-1970s. He describes in detail the CIA's operation that detected, penetrated, defined, and eventually blocked that country's covert effort. Lawless also recounts his duties during the 2002-2008 talks with the rogue North Korean regime—the so-called "Six Party Talks." In those cases and others, Lawless details his role in the political and bureaucratic struggles necessary to keep the world's most terrifying weapons out of the hands of the world's least responsible and most dangerous regimes.
The interview runs 30 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of Hunting Nukes here.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
AFIO Podcast version here.

LTG Michael Groen (USMC, Ret), former Commander of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, discusses AI with Jim Hughes. Includes details on the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, the meaning, uses, adoption problems, and ethics of AI in the military and beyond.
The interview runs 17 minutes and includes several Q&As.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
AFIO Podcast version here.

Brittany Butler, author and former CIA Targeter, discusses her latest book, "The Syndicate."
Brittany Butler and Jim Hughes discuss THE SYNDICATE SPY, her novel, which is based on her experiences as a CIA targeting officer. It tells the tale of two female spies as they race to uncover terrorists' conspiracies and ultimately change the course of war.
Though this is her first spy thriller, she has been writing the book in her head for years. She adores thrillers and spy novels. But none of the books she read come close to telling what it was really like for a woman working at the CIA. So, when she set out to write a spy thriller, she created a fresh female protagonist who felt human, who navigates the morally grey areas in espionage, and grapples with her ability to do good in a world where she is the outsider.
Her heroine, Juliet, embodies all those things but she's not Brittany. She partners Juliet with Mariam—a Saudi feminist who is eager to see the Kingdom flourish under more progressive rulers—these two women take off in an electrifying, page-turning thriller.
The interview runs 17 minutes and includes several Q&As.
The Syndicate Spy book is available here.
AFIO Podcast is here.

James Bamford, journalist/author, discusses his latest book, "Spyfail."
Jim Bamford and John Quattrocki discuss SPYFAIL which describes the highly dangerous and growing capability of foreign countries to conduct large-scale espionage within the U.S. and how the FBI and other agencies have failed to prevent it. These covert operations involve a variety of foreign countries—North Korea, Russia, Israel, China, and others—and include cyberattacks, espionage, psychological warfare, the infiltration of presidential campaigns, the smuggling of nuclear weapons components, and other incredibly nefarious actions.
The interview runs 60 minutes and includes several Q&As.
His book, Spyfail, is available here.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
AFIO Podcast version here.

Alma Katsu, former NSA and CIA Officer, discusses her latest novel, "Red London."
Alma Katsu, former NSA and CIA Officer, and AFIO President Jim Hughes discuss why she chose to write novels, the steps leading to Katsu's second novel in her semi-fiction series - Red London - which followed her highly-praised first in the series: Red Widow. The real life impacts of Russian Oligarchs being welcomed into London and then becoming problems as Putin struck out at perceived betrayers (his poisoning of defector Alexander Litvinenko and others with fatal doses of polonium-210). And then Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Also discussed is the demands upon authors as their books are prepared for films, television series, podcasts, and other formats. Katsu also describes her career experiences at NSA and CIA, and gives pointers to women considering careers in the Intelligence Community.
The interview runs 24 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Red London is available here.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
AFIO Podcast is here.

Nigel West, Historian and Former MP, on "Hitler's Trojan Horse: The Fall of The Abwehr"
Nigel West and Jim Hughes discuss Nigel's recent book, "Hitler's Trojan Horse: The Fall of The Abwehr."
Topics include: Impact of Abwehr defections; Richard Wurmann; Erich Vermehren; SIS Officer Nicholas Elliott; Paul (Willi) Hamburger; SIGINT; Adm. Wilhelm Canaris; Operation Valkyrie; 20 July Plot; Sicherheitsdienst; Otto John - code name WHISKY; Claus von Stauffenburg; Prince Frederick III, Solms-Baruth, tortured for his attempt to assassinate Hitler on 20 July 1944, SIS officer and professor H.L.A. Hart.
Purchase a copy of "Hitler's Trojan Horse" here.
The interview runs 18:30 minutes and includes several Q&As.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
Podcast is here.

For Members-Only...
Paul Rimmer CBE, Former MOD Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence [UK] - On the US-UK Special Relationship.
Interview of Paul Rimmer CBE, former MOD Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence [UK] - On the US-UK Special Relationship . Interviewer: Bill Richardson, former senior CIA Analyst and Officer. Host: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former Senior CIA Operations Officer.
Paul Rimmer and Bill Richardson discuss the US-UK Special Relationship.
The interview runs 31 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Access the Paul Rimmer interview here or click above image

[Video not to be released to the public.]

Erik J. Dahl, Naval Professor/Author on
The COVID-19 Intelligence Failure: Why Warning Was Not Enough.
Professor Erik Dahl and AFIO President Jim Hughes discuss Dahl's latest book, "The COVID-19 Intelligence Failure: Why Warning Was Not Enough" which explores the roles that both traditional intelligence services and medical intelligence and surveillance systems play in providing advance warning against public health threats ― and how these systems must be improved for the future. Epidemiologists and national security agencies warned for years about the potential for a deadly pandemic, but in the end global surveillance and warning systems were not enough to avert the COVID-19 disaster. The interview runs 34 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of "The Covid-19 Intelligence Failure" here.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
Podcast version here.

Nigel West, Historian and Former MP, on
"Hitler's Nest of Vipers: The Rise of The Abwehr."
Interviewer - Host: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former CIA Operations Officer.
Nigel West and Jim Hughes discuss Nigel's recent book, "Hitler's Nest of Vipers: The Rise of The Abwehr." Topics include: German Intelligence Service and military districts; wehrmacht; Sicherheitsdienst; Abwehr defectors; Maj Richard Wurmann; MI5 post-war analysis of interrogated prisoners; Penetration of French Resistance; compromise of Allied Networks; Soviet System compromises; Rote Kapelle (Red Orchestra) started by Abwehrstelle Belgium, a field office of Abwehr; Portugal and Spanish links to Abwehr; KOs - hybrids with three branches; Impact on GRU and Communist networks; Death of British agents in Holland; the truth about the effectiveness of the Double-Cross System; the double agent who escaped capture.
The interview runs 22 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of "Hitler's Nest of Vipers" here.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
Podcast version here.

Todd Bennett, Federal Historian, Professor - on "Neither Confirm nor Deny: How the Glomar Explorer's Covert Espionage Mission Shielded the CIA from Transparency" Interviewer - Host: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former CIA Operations Officer. Todd Bennett and Jim Hughes discuss Bennett's latest book, "Neither Confirm nor Deny: How the Glomar Mission Shielded the CIA from Transparency" which covers billionaire Howard Hughes's 1974 Glomar Explorer, a risky deep-sea mining vessel used to retrieve a sunken Soviet sub.
The interview runs 25 minutes and includes several Q&As.
Purchase a copy of "Neither Confirm nor Deny" here.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
Podcast version here.
Vince Houghton PhD, Director, National Cryptologic Museum, NSA, on the All New and Original Exhibits at the Reopened Museum
Vince Houghton PhD, Director/Curator, National Cryptologic Museum, NSA, former Historian/Curator International Spy Museum. Interviewer - Host: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former Senior CIA Operations Officer.
Dr Houghton and Jim Hughes discuss all the changes made while the National Cryptologic Museum was closed during the pandemic. So many changes that it is fair to call it the "All New" National Cryptologic Museum. New one-of-a-kind items pulled out or declassified from NSA archives and now on display. The interview runs 20 minutes and includes several Q&As.
More about the National Cryptologic Museum can be found here.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
Podcast version here.
Nigel West, Historian and Former MP, on "Spies Who Changed History: Greatest Spies and Agents of the 20th Century"
Interviewer - Host: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former CIA Operations Officer.
Nigel West and Jim Hughes discuss several intelligence figures from Nigel's recent book, "Spies Who Changed History: The Greatest Spies and Agents of the 20th Century." Those include: "The White Lady", "The Angel", "Garbo", Arnold Deutsch, Kim Philby, and the mysterious death of Ashraf Marwan.
Purchase a copy of Spies Who Changed History here.
The interview runs 22 minutes and includes several Q&As.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
Podcast version here.
Geoff O'Connell, former CIA Operations Officer, COS Tel Aviv, on the Church of the Nativity Crisis which involved the siege by the Israel Defense Forces at the Church of the Nativity in a bid to halt terrorism by Hamas, Fatah, and Palestinians.
Interviewer - Host: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former CIA Operations Officer.
The interview runs 24 minutes and includes several Q&As.
[Video released to the public. Click title to view.]
Podcast version here.

Above are the Videos and Podcasts released in 2023 in our popular "AFIO Now" Series.
View publicly-released videos from 2023 and earlier at our YouTube page here
View released and member-only pre-2023 videos here.


NOTE: ABOUT THE SPEAKERS — Full bios appear below each video either using the "SHOW MORE" or the caron (down caret symbol) under image or at far right on mobile devices. Closed Captioning is available with each video. Click CC button at bottom right of video viewing window. If viewing on a mobile browser or device, click video while running and three dots will appear at top right edge to turn CC on or off.
PODCASTS: Too busy to sit and watch an entire "AFIO Now" episode above on YouTube? Would you rather listen in your car or while accomplishing other tasks? Now you can quickly download or stream episodes on your favorite podcasting platform. AFIO Now interviews are available on 8 podcasting platforms. Search for 'AFIO Podcast' for a selection of the interviews above (public released ones) or click on any of these podcast links: Podbean; iTunes; Google; Spotify; Amazon Music; Amazon TuneIn + Alexa; iHeartRadio; and Pandora.


NOW AVAILABLE

Getting a Security Clearance: Questions and Answers about what they are, how they are conducted,
how you can qualify, how long they take, and what can put them in jeopardy.

Two valuable booklets are available

The Security Clearance Process: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions - by the Congressional Research Service, Sept 2013
[PDF]

Security Clearances - FAQs - ClearanceJobs.com / DICE
[PDF]


RELEASED SEPTEMBER 2022 — a Monograph on The Cuban Missile Crisis — Sixty Years Later — by CIA Historian/Analyst Regis Heitchue

"The Cuban Missile Crisis: When Intelligence Made a Difference.
"

In October 1962 the US and the world faced the most serious crisis and threat of nuclear war. A new 208-page monograph published for free on-line by the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) on the Cuban Missile Crisis is an insightful examination of US intelligence during the crisis.  Unlike most accounts of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which focus on the decision-making of President Kennedy and personal accounts of those involved, "The Cuban Missile Crisis — 60 Years Later — When Intelligence Made a Difference" provides an examination of how US intelligence functioned before, during, and after the crisis.  This is a unique treatment of the topic.

Former DCI Richard Helms once said "… the Cuban Missile Crisis was really an intelligence crisis. The threat appeared only through intelligence sources. Only those sources confirmed that the threat had gone away." The monograph is the story of what American intelligence knew, when it knew it, and how it knew what the Soviets were doing in Cuba prior to and during the crisis—and what we now know, 60 years later, quite accurately, of what the Soviets were actually doing in Cuba.

The monograph examines the critical questions that the president posed to the intelligence community and how the community responded.  It also includes interesting vignettes on principal intelligence officers involved in the crisis, including Juanita Moody, head of NSA's Cuba effort, and Arthur Lundahl, the chief of the new National Photographic Intelligence Center (NPIC), who briefed President Kennedy on a daily basis.

This is a well-researched and riveting monograph, with extensive notes, bibliography, charts and photos.   It is a valuable reference for any class on intelligence. — Peter Oleson, Senior Editor

The author is Reg Heitchue, a retired senior CIA scientific and technical officer. The book project was managed and edited by former DIA Assistant Deputy Director for Plans and Policy, Peter C. Oleson, who also serves as AFIO's Senior Editor, Intelligencer journal.

The free PDF version of publication here: "The Cuban Missile Crisis: When Intelligence Made a Difference."

For those interested in purchasing a paperback edition — a longer, more comprehensive version by Mr Heitchue — it is available here.

Intelligence Community - Fourteenth Year in a Row
One of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government
and now ranked at #3 in 2022

For the 14th consecutive year, the Intelligence Community (IC) has been named as one of the "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government." The IC ranked fourth overall among large federal agencies with more than 15,000 full-time permanent employees. The Partnership for Public Service (PPS) compiled the 2022 rankings and presented the awards during a ceremony today in Washington, D.C. Dustin Gard-Weiss, Deputy DNI for Policy and Capabilities, and Sherry Van Sloun, Assistant DNI for Human Capital, accepted the award on behalf of the IC.

"What makes the IC the Best Place to Work from my perspective, is the extraordinary people who show up every day, ready to solve some of the most vexing and important challenges we face in the world," said Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines. "I also realize, however, that we need to support those extraordinary people and we will continue to work to make their lives and the environment that they work in one that allows them to realize their enormous potential." The "Best Places to Work" rankings provide insight into employee satisfaction across several key workplace categories including innovation, recognition, and work-life balance. The results are based on data from the Office of Personnel Management's Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, as well as responses collected by several federal agencies that surveyed their employees during the same time period last year. PPS is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that aims to revitalize the federal government by transforming the way government works and inspiring a new generation to serve. For more details, visit: bestplacestowork.org.


Gifts appropriate for intelligence officers, colleagues, recruitments, agents, advisors, and family.
The AFIO Store has following new items ready for quick shipment.

Visit our store page to see these new items — Polo Shirts, Duffle, Cap, and PopSocket:

  

The above items and other gifts may be viewed here.

You may pay by check or credit card. Complete your order online here or mail an order along with payment to: AFIO, 7600 Leesburg Pike, Ste 470 East, Falls Church, VA 22043-2004. Phone orders at 703-790-0320 or contact Annette at annettej@afio.com.



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