b'About AFIO The Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) was created in 1975 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, non-political, educational association for current and former intelligence, security, military, and homeland security professionals and supporters of the US Intelligence Community, be they from business, academia, or the media. The Association is based in Falls Church, Virginia, has over 4500 members, with 20 active chapters across the United States. Despite its formal name, AFIO is open to all US citizens, including citizens of the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, who support its mission. AFIO also encourages US students studying in the field to join under a special 3-year membership arrangement. AFIOs educational focus is on fostering understanding of the vital importance and role of US intelligence in historic, contemporary, and future contexts. Since foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and covert activities are necessarily conducted in secrecyan ever-present silent wareducation on the vital need for effective institutions conducting US intelligence and counterintelligence operations is a challenging, necessary and important mission. As Richard Deacon noted in his History of British Intelligence, A great Power without an efficient intelligence service is doomed; that has been the lesson from the heyday of Troy to the present. Aside from a small professional staff and central office, the organization and its chapters throughout the country are run by volunteers who donate their time and talents to the cause of furthering AFIOs objectives and enjoy the fellowship of professional colleagues and supporters. Principals and Objectives AFIO members subscribe to the values of patriotism, excellence, integrity, dedication, and loyalty represented by the active intelligence establishment of the United States engaged in the execution of national policies and the advancement and defense of the vital interests and security of the country, its citizens, and its allies.AFIOs principal objective is to foster understanding by intellectual, political, and business community leaders, and the general public, of the continuing need for a strong and responsible national intelligence/counterintelligence establishment to deal with a variety of short and long-term threats and issues in the current world environment and the digital, online worlds. Within this context, AFIO stresses education on the need for effective long-term intelligence strategies and capabilities to support national decision-makers and to guard against surprise. 45'