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"AFIO NOW" Interview Series

Released exclusively to members...

One View of a CIA Career — with Pros and Cons on the Changes Seen

Released 9 November 2021

Douglas London, former Senior CIA Operations Officer,

who discusses his book, The Recruiter, his career, and the changes he's seen at CIA

Interview of Tuesday, 20 September 2021 of former Senior CIA Operations Officer Douglas London discusses his book, The Recruiter: Host/Interviewer: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former CIA Operations Officer.

TOPIC: Former Senior CIA Operations Officers Douglas London and James Hughes (President of AFIO) discuss Doug's latest book, "The Recruiter: Spying and the Lost Art of American Intelligence." He reviews the changes he has seen in the Operations side of the Agency -- good and bad -- and the favorable changes he has seen in most of the recent years. Well...except for a few. He provides frank assessments of the missteps and successes. And hints at all the "saves" the Agency provided the country which remain classified and unknown to the public.
The interview runs 41 minutes.
The Recruiter is available from Amazon here.

Access the London interview here or click above image.

AFIO launched a series of recorded interviews and other activities. These programs are available in our Members-Only section which requires your USERID and PASSWORD — information on current member cards supplied with each renewal. Some of the featured videos appear below.

Prior Videos and Podcasts in this "AFIO Now" Series

To view publicly-released videos, click video below or visit our YouTube page here
To see all videos log into the Member-Only area of our website 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.

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.

2 December 2021, 6:30pm CT - Zoom Webinar - The San Antonio TX AFIO Chapter Hears James Gosler, former Dir, CIA's Clandestine Info Tech Office

The final 2021 program for the AFIO SATX Chapter will be a presentation by James R. Gosler, former Director, CIA's Clandestine Information Technology Office, on "Cyber Threats and Mitigation". James Hughes, AFIO President and a former CIA Operations Officer will host the presentation. Jim Gosler discusses the pervasive and existentially disruptive cyber threats the U.S. faces from adversaries. He describes many factors required to warn, educate, prepare for, and possibly mitigate these growing threats. This AFIO NOW presentation runs 44 minutes.
JAMES R. GOSLER is one of the nation's foremost experts on cybersecurity and information operations. He served more than three decades in various cyber- and nuclear weapon-related positions at Sandia National Laboratories. During his Sandia career, he was invited by the National Security Agency to serve as the lab's first visiting scientist, he created and led the Vulnerability Assessments Program, and, in 2003, he was appointed Sandia's sixth fellow.
Mr. Gosler previously served as the first director of the Clandestine Information Technology Office at the Central Intelligence Agency. He is a member of the Defense Science Board and a former member of the Naval Studies Board and the NSA Advisory Board. This will be an excellent presentation. Our sophisticated nation has many vulnerabilities related to cyber attacks.
A link to this ZOOM hosted presentation will be sent out prior to the meeting.
There will be no SATX AFIO Chapter meeting in January.
Questions or to register to received link to the program, contact John Franklin, President, AFIO San Antonio Chapter, at 210 863-0430 or at satxafio@gmail.com

Wednesday, 8 December 2021 - Las Vegas, NV - The AFIO Las Vegas Chapter's 2021 Christmas Dinner Party

Our last holiday event was December 2019, two long years ago. We are returning to the Los Prados Country Club for a full Christmas Buffet. And we have a special guest speaker, Rev Curt Williams, to present an uplifting message on Patriotism. As at past parties, we will have a raffle for a beautiful Christmas Basket.
The newly remodeled Los Prados Country Club is at 5150 Los Prados Cir, Las Vegas, NV 89130.
Program: 5 pm Social Hour (cash bar); 6 pm Holiday dinner buffet; 7 pm Guest Speaker - Rev. Curt Williams on "What Patriotism Means"
Fee: $45 per person at the door. Cash or check only
RSVP by 12/03/2021 to: Linda Cohn, 702-239-1370; Mary Bently, 702-544-3377; or email lasvegasafio@gmail.com
I hope to see everyone at this particularly special event for our chapter. Again, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact our party coordinators: Linda Cohn, 702-239-1370 or Mary Bently, 702-544-3377. See you there...Gregg Schiffbauer, President.

A Thank You Gift Awaits You From Your Colleagues at AFIO

This beautiful 16-oz Logo'd insulated tumbler, with straw-in-lid for spillproof use, is NOT for sale.
It is available only as a Thank You for each $50 donation to AFIO — until the end of 2021.
Enjoy plenty of your favorite beverages in this 16 oz. royal blue tumbler with the crisp, white logo. Double-wall insulated construction. Push-on lid with slide-open closure. Fine-grit coating for comfortable, stable, nonslip, natural feel.
Plastic reusable straw included. Hand wash only.

Support AFIO while you enjoy a favorite beverage in our new tumbler — or give yours away as an unusual end-of-year gift.
It arrives with our appreciation for each $50 donation you care to make to support the association up to 31 December 2021.
Please make your 2021 Donation Here.

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 — Duffle, Cap, and PopSocket:

Also available are Long-Sleeved Shirts and Hooded Sweatshirts with embroidered AFIO Logo

Show your support for AFIO with our new long-sleeved Polo Shirts and Hooded Sweatshirts.

Both items are high quality and shrink resistant and feature a detailed embroidered AFIO seal. The color of the long-sleeved Polo Shirts is royal blue; the price is $55 and includes shipping.

The Hooded Sweatshirts are dark grey; price is $70 and includes shipping. 

Purchase a shirt and sweatshirt for yourself and consider as gifts for colleagues, family, and friends.

Both items are available in men's sizes: Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. The long-sleeved Polo Shirts and Hooded Sweatshirts are not available in ladies' sizes. Shirts and other items 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, 7700 Leesburg Pike, Ste 324, Falls Church, VA 22043-2618. Phone orders at 703-790-0320.
If interested in other shirt colors or sleeve lengths, contact Annette at: annettej@afio.com.

NOW ON SALE: Short-Sleeved Shirts with embroidered AFIO Logo are now on final sale

Reduced for sale items: all sizes of ladies' grey short sleeve polo shirts. These are being discontinued. Sale price of $25, regular price is $45.
Limited number/limited sizes of grey short sleeve men's polo shirts. The color is being discontinued and a new color will be introduced soon. Sale price of $25, regular price is $45.
For any of these discounted items, email annettej@afio.com to place your orders. These discounts are not available via our online store form.

Thursday, 9 December 2021, 6 - 8 PM EST - In-Person in Atlanta & Virtual on Zoom - AFIO Atlanta hosts SA Kevin Bryant on "Spies on the Sidelines" on NFL Espionage.

AFIO Atlanta Chapter invites all AFIO members and friends to join us at our annual Christmas party and celebration of James Jesus Angleton's Birthday. Our special guest speaker is former Department of Defense Special Agent Kevin Bryant, who will speak on his forthcoming book Spies on the Sidelines: The High-Stakes World of NFL Espionage (Rowman & Littlefield July 2022). Not only does his non-fiction book contain the largest collection of football-related spy stories ever assembled, but also it's the first to explore the full arsenal of methods teams use to spy on their opponents and the countermeasures used to deter them. Spanning across all teams and eras, Bryant shines a light on the shady world of NFL espionage—from clandestine photography and hidden draft prospects to listening devices and stolen documents—along with the permissible, if sometimes questionable, spy techniques teams use day in and day out to gain an advantage over their opponents.
RSVP or questions to brian@afioatlanta.com or 404.403.8004.
All AFIO members and friends are invited!

Tuesday, 14 December 2021 - In-Person and also via Zoom Webinar - Florida Suncoast AFIO Chapter Luncheon features Drs. Alexopoulos and Grzegorzewski on "The Russian Role in Geopolitics."

The Florida Suncoast AFIO Chapter is meeting for a luncheon with speakers Drs. Golfo Alexopoulos, founding director of the USF Institute on Russia and Professor of Global Studies at the University of South Florida, and Mark Grzegorzewski, Resident Senior Fellow in the Department of Strategic Intelligence and Emerging Technology at Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB. They will be briefing on "Russia and the Russian role in current geopolitics."
At the meeting the chapter will be presenting awards to the six student scholarship recipients. Through their hard work, determination, and achievements, each has proven to be an individual that this Chapter wants to recognize and encourage to continue his or her educational and intelligence career efforts. Each has amply demonstrated and expressed interest and support for the US intelligence community's core values of patriotism, excellence, integrity, dedication and loyalty. Join us in person as we make these presentations.
In-Person Attendees: The response deadline for in-person attendees is Wednesday, December 8, with a food order form for a box lunch and a health acknowledgement form required.
Cost: luncheon cost is $15 cash or check, payable at the door.
Please contact the Chapter Secretary at michaels@suncoastafio.org to obtain more information and the necessary forms.
Virtual attendees: Zoom attendance is available with advance registration, subject to acceptance, with the same response deadline of Wednesday, December 8. Zoom registration is here.

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

Full no-cost, online version of Guide is 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.
Online version of the Guide.

Mug with color glazed logo. Made in America. (We left out all that lead-based glaze and hidden toxins in those mugs made in China being sold by other organizations). 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

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—

Wednesday, 1 December 2021, 5:30 PM VIP Reception / 6:30 PM Progressive Reception & Award Program - Washington, DC - 2021 Webster Distinguished Service Award Event - International Spy Museum

The Spy Museum offers an evening of intrigue for the 2021 Webster Distinguished Service Award event. The award is an opportunity to recognize the extraordinary contributions of individuals in the Intelligence Community. This year's awardee is The Honorable Susan M. Gordon, former principal deputy director of national intelligence. Previous recipients of the Webster Distinguished Service Award include President George H. W. Bush (2017), Admiral William H. McRaven, USN (Ret.) (2018), and Gen. Michael V. Hayden (Ret.) (2019). Webster attendee and sponsor support fuels the nonprofit mission of educating the public about the history and craft of espionage and intelligence through youth and adult programs, community service, and the care of the Museum's unique collection of artifacts for generations to come.
Event will be held at the International Spy Museum.
For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or information about ways to support the International Spy Museum, please contact the development office at 202.654.2853. Event tickets, other details are available here.

Sunday, 5 December 2021, 5 - 9 pm EST - Ashburn, VA - CIRA 2021 National Dinner

Join your CIRA colleagues as they recognize two Salvetti Award winners and also hear from a Senior Agency Officer on an important topic.
Details, location, dinner fee available at www.cira.org

Saturday, 22 January 2022, 4-7:30 pm ET - Arlington, VA - Operation Soirée: Social Like a Spy and Save the World

Mission: Mix and Mingle Like a Pro
With the help of former intelligence officers, guests will build a cover story and learn how to elicit and read body language before deploying to a cocktail party. There, guests will have to bump their targets and use new skills to gather information that the Spyher team will need to thwart an imminent chemical attack against the McMillan Reservoir in Washington, D.C.
Location: Ideal lnnovations, inc., 4401 Wilson Blvd Suite 210, Arlington, VA 22203
Dress Code: Cocktail
For More Info or Questions: Spyher - Spy Tours and Events; https://spyher.co/; 703-653-0115; rosanna@spyher.co
Price: $365/pp; Buy Now

Additional Events:

Wednesday, 1 December 2021, 7pm ET - Zoom Webinar - Covid & Intelligence: What More Can Be Done - a Hayden Center/GMU Event

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on everything from global supply chains to individual lives, with its long-term implications only beginning to take shape. Pandemics, a public health issue, are proving to be a national security one as well. Are America's national security institutions prepared to address this threat? What role should the intelligence community play? What reforms could improve global health surveillance?
Panelists include Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15), a four-term congressman at the forefront of legislative efforts to reform the intelligence community's approach to pandemic awareness; Dr. Julie Gerberding, who served as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2002 to 2009, where she led the agency through the SARS outbreak, and is currently a senior leader at the pharmaceutical company Merck; and Matt Berrett, a former CIA assistant director and head of its Global Issues Mission Center, and cofounder of the Center for Anticipatory Intelligence at Utah State University. David Priess PhD, our senior fellow and publisher and chief operating officer of Lawfare, will moderate the event.
To participate at the live webinar, register at this link.
If you are unable to connect to the event via Zoom, it will be live-streaming on the Hayden Center YouTube channel.

Sunday, 5 December 2021, 8-10am - Washington, DC - Access to SPY: Opening Doors to the Autistic Community - On Site at the International Spy Museum

The International Spy Museum is pleased to offer a sensory friendly community program designed for families who have an autistic child or an individual with sensory processing differences. During these private hours, families can enjoy an exclusive visit with less noise, fewer people, and designated quiet rooms. Program is possible because of the donation and generous support from the Embassy of the State of Qatar.
Event is free – registration required. Visit www.spymuseum.org

Thursday, 9 December 2021, noon - Zoom Webinar - Virtual Spy Chat with Chris Costa - Virtual International Spy Museum Program

Join this online discussion of the latest intelligence, national security, and terrorism issues in the news. Spy Museum Executive Director Chris Costa, a former intelligence officer of 34 years, will be joined by former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, The Honorable Susan M. Gordon. During her more than thirty-year career in public service, Gordon was also deputy director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and served for 27 years at the Central Intelligence Agency. Sponsored by the Honorable Mary Beth Long, International Spy Museum, Board of Directors.
Visit www.spymuseum.org.