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AFIO NOW!!

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.

Latest AFIO NOW Videos for Members

Interview with Director, Transnational Threats Project, CSIS

Released 24 November 2020

AFIO Now Series Interview #9: Seth Jones PhD
Director, Transnational Threats Project, CSIS

Interview of Tuesday, 3 November 2020 of Seth Jones PhD, Director, Transnational Threats Project, CSIS. Interviewer/Host: James Hughes, AFIO President, a former CIA Operations Officer.

TOPIC: Dr Seth Jones details the story of one of the CIA's most successful intelligence operations during the Cold War, which has important implications for today's threat from China, Iran, NK, and Russia. In 1982, while Soviet-backed Polish prime minister Wojciech Jaruzelski worked to crush a budding opposition movement through martial law, the CIA launched a sophisticated intelligence campaign supporting dissident groups—particularly the budding political force Solidarity in Poland. With President Ronald Reagan's support, the U.S. helped fund underground newspapers, support radio programs, and conduct a proactive information campaign. This covert action program, code-named QRHELPFUL, was vital in establishing a free and democratic Poland and undermining the KGB's global disinformation campaign.
The interview runs 42 minutes which includes numerous Q&As.

Access Jones video here or click above image.

Full bios appear below YouTube video either using the "SHOW MORE" or the down caret at far right on mobile devices.

Prior videos in series:

Interview #8: Everette Jordan, Dep Asst Sec for IC Integration, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, US Department of the Treasury

Interview #7: David Robarge PhD, CIA Chief Historian, PDB Editor

Interview #6: Nicholas Dujmović, Professor, Author, former CIA Historian, PDB Editor

Interview #5: Shelby Pierson, Election Threats Executive, Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Interview #4: David Priess PhD, Author, former Senior CIA Analyst and PDB Briefer [Released to the public - Click to view video directly]

Interview #3: Bruce Riedel, former CIA Senior Analyst, Served on National Security Council during Iraq War [Released to the public - Click to view video directly]

Interview #2: Martin C. Faga, former Director, National Reconnaissance Office

Interview #1: Joseph W. Augustyn, former CIA Clandestine Services Officer [Released to the public - Click to view video directly]

Series Introduction: Stewart Baker, Chairman, and James Hughes, President

NOTE: Closed Captioning is available with each video. To turn on while viewing, click the CC button at bottom right of viewing window. If viewing on a mobile browser or device, click on video image while it is running and three dots will appear at top right edge to turn CC on or off. Full bios appear below video either using the "SHOW MORE" or the caron (or down caret symbol) at far right on mobile devices.

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.

3 Dec 2020, 11:30 a.m. CST - Virtual - "Lessons Learned from 25 Years in Counter-Terrorism" - CIA Operations Officer Bob Dougherty at this San Antonio, TX Chapter virtual event

In the short presentation "Lessons Learned from 25 Years in Counter-Terrorism," veteran CIA operations officer Bob Dougherty utilizes real-world examples from his long operational career with the Agency to illustrate some major lessons he learned throughout his time in the field focused on Counter-Terrorism. Some of these lessons were learned the hard way, and some were taught and demonstrated to him by fellow CIA officers.

Meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. Central Standard Time. If already a SA Chapter Member, mark your calendar. You will be sent a link for the online presentation prior to the meeting. If not a member, contact President John Franklin johntf3@gmail.com.
There is no charge to attend these meetings.

Professor/Researcher Seeks Identification of Events Significantly Affected by Intelligence for "When Intelligence Made a Difference" AFIO Publication

AFIO is beginning a new educational project entitled "When Intelligence Made a Difference." We invite you to identify events involving any nation or organization when the outcome was affected significantly by intelligence.
We plan to publish edited submissions serially in our print-only member magazine Intelligencer: Journal of US Intelligence Studies.

If you are interested in contributing an article, please email peter.oleson@afio.com. Briefly state what event you have in mind, and include your bio. [AFIO will identify authors by name and current or former title only ― no multi-line biographies.] If your suggestion is a good fit for this project, we will respond asking for your comments on that event, not to exceed 1,500 words (excluding footnotes).
When you send your article and bio, please let us know if you have ever had prior employment or contract work within the US Intelligence Community -- and, to meet pre-publication review requirements, supply a copy of the official approval letter or email you received back, naming and clearing for publication the article you are sending us. Without this, we are unable to consider or include your article in the publication.

As with most nonprofit academic publications, contributors will not be paid, however AFIO will publish under broad, pro-educational Creative Commons copyright. Therefore, authors retain the right to use their articles anywhere else they wish, after its publication in Intelligencer.
Eight weeks after publication of your contribution in the print-only version of Intelligencer, the article will then appear on AFIO's website for general public/educational access. Since the time of 1) an article's acceptance, and 2) appearance in print, and then 3) inclusion online can run eighteen months to three years from start-to-finish, a title-author listing of all accepted forthcoming articles (but no summaries) will be included in a print edition of Intelligencer and online. So it is imperative authors be patient as these articles are released on this serialized basis, in our two or three journal issues per year. By submitting an article to us authors acknowledge and accept these provisions.

This project would make a good class assignment. Accepted articles would give students a publication credit in a recognized journal.

Again, if you wish to participate or explore more aspects of this project, email Peter Oleson at peter.oleson@afio.com.

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

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.

Long and Short-Sleeved Shirts with embroidered AFIO Logo

Show your support for AFIO with our new Polo Shirts. Be the first to buy these new, high quality, subtle heathered grey short sleeve shirts of shrink and wrinkle resistant fine cotton with a soft 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 $45 each including shipping.
Sizes of (M) men or (W) women shirts; Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. At this time all orders will arrive as Short Sleeve shirts.
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.

Wednesday, 9 December 2020, 12 noon PST - Virtual via Zoom - The "Andre Le Gallo" San Francisco Chapter hosts Farhad Mansourian on The Islamic Republic of Iran and the new United States Administration

This meeting will be conducted via Zoom. Registration link is here.

Farhad Mansourian is a former anti-terrorist officer in the Iranian Imperial Army at the time when Islamic Fundamentalists were attempting to overthrow the 2500 year old Monarchy in Iran. Upon the fall of the Shah of Iran, Mr. Mansourian escaped to the United States where he has remained active and in close contact with current Iranian & Middle East events.

Mr. Mansourian has provided high level analysis on Iranian, Middle Eastern and Islamic issues for local, state and numerous federal agencies including the Pentagon, the White House, Pacific Region Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), DEA and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose, California. He is the author of many articles published in a variety of national and international publications and numerous radio and television appearances.

Mr. Mansourian brings a unique hands-on and insightful perspectives on the latest events in the Middle East. Some of the topics presented will include: the decision making process in the Islamic Republic of Iran; the role of security and intelligence agencies in that process; upcoming June 2021 Presidential election in Iran, The Biden Administration, The Trump Administration arms deal; what the Iranian leaders say, what they hope for and what the Iranian people want.

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.

Available as a thank you for donations are the new AFIO Breathe-easy logo face masks:

These soft, form-fitting, washable, non-medical grade fabric face masks have a double-layer tight weave with wide behind-the-ear elastics to make long periods of wear comfortable. Also easier to quickly put on or take off. Blue on outside, white inside so you never mistake the exposed side. The masks do not have a nose wire but are sculpted, shaped, and sewn to fit most users. The all-cloth composition allows the masks to be washed or steam-disinfected without concern over metal wires. The color logo is washable and a permanent part of the mask.

The masks, however, are not for sale. They are being offered strictly as a thank you gift to our donors.
For tax-deductible donations of $50 you will receive a receipt and our thank you gift of two of these newly-arrived face masks.
Donations of $100 receive four masks to be sent to the same address. Other amounts and split-shipments are available.
To donate now to support AFIO's programs and publications, please do so here.

We wish all members and donors continued good health, safe social distancing, and warmly appreciate any support you are able to provide the association.

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—

International Spy Museum has reopened to visitors. Click image below to explore exhibits and ticketing.

For some of the many upcoming events at the International Spy Museum, see the listing here.

Access all upcoming Spy Museum events directly from their website:
https://www.spymuseum.org/calendar/upcoming/1/

Additional Events:

Sunday, 6 December 2020, 2-3:30 pm - Virtual - Cold War Museum hosts presentation by Jonna Mendez, former CIA Chief of Disguise on "Evading the Best: How We Learned to Conduct Successful Intelligence Operations in Cold War Moscow."

The Cold War Museum invites you to attend a presentation by Jonna Mendez, former CIA Chief of Disguise on "Evading the Best: How We Learned to Conduct Successful Intelligence Operations In Cold War Moscow."
Jonna Mendez will talk about her 2019 book, The Moscow Rules, written with her husband Tony Mendez of ARGO fame, with Matt Baglio. The book discusses the CIA's rules of comportment when working on the streets of Moscow, which was perhaps the most difficult environment in the world in which to conduct intelligence operations during the Cold War, given the KGB's high level of competence and surveillance manpower. She will also talk about her next book, being drafted during this quarantine period, a memoir of her career overseas as a female CIA technical operations officer. And she has indicated that she'll tell us some interesting stories about situations where identity changes via disguise have helped solve difficult problems in intelligence operations in the field.
Jonna Mendez is a retired CIA officer with 27 years of service. During her career she lived overseas undercover on multiple assignments, serving tours of duty in Europe, South Asia, and the Far East.
This is the 38th in a series of presentations sponsored by the Museum featuring eyewitnesses to, and other experts on, significant Cold War events and activities.
Cost: $20, 100% of which is a contribution to the Cold War Museum.
ONLINE ONLY. Eventbrite ticket buyers will receive a link to the virtual room on the Zoom platform where this event will take place. We are recording the whole event, including the Q&A, for the Museum's archives.
Information and Tickets here.
Questions: jason@coldwar.org