Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Spies Warned White House: Don't Hit Al Qaeda in Syria. The U.S. is opening another front in its ISIS war - despite promises of a limited operation. Months ago, American analysts cautioned the conflict could get out of hand.

It's the clearest signal yet that the U.S.-led military campaign in Syria is widening: American warplanes on Thursday struck at al Qaeda-affiliated jihadists who attacked two groups of Western-backed rebels - fighters that the Obama administration is counting on to battle ISIS.

In an apparently improvised effort to relieve the rebels and prevent the loss of more of their strongholds close to the Turkish border, the U.S. bombed positions of Jabhat al Nusra, Al Qaeda's Syria branch. It was a remarkable turnaround, because previously the administration had said it was avoiding attacks on the group, which used to occasionally fight alongside the American-supported rebels.

But it's a turnaround the White House should have seen coming. In meetings of senior Obama administration officials before the first airstrikes began in Syria on Sept. 22, which hit both ISIS and al Qaeda positions, U.S. intelligence officials warned that any additional American attacks against al Nusra could drive a wedge between the group and their erstwhile allies in the American-backed, moderate opposition. [Read more: Harris&Dettmer/TheDailyBeast/6November2014]

CIA Vet Susan Gordon to Join NGA as Deputy Director. Susan Gordon, director at the CIA information operations center, has been appointed to serve as the next deputy director at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Gordon is a 34-year intelligence community veteran and succeeds Mike Rodrigue, who will retire on Dec. 31 after more than four decades of military and federal service, NGA said Thursday.

"Sue's reputation across the intelligence community is without peer," said NGA Director Robert Cardillo.

"She is widely admired for her leadership, partnership and mission delivery," Cardillo added. [Read more: Hoffman/ExecutiveGov/7November2014]

Romania's PM Names Former Intelligence Service Director for Foreign Minister. Romania's Prime Minister and presidential candidate Victor Ponta named Teodor Melescanu to take over as foreign affairs minister, after former minister Titus Corlatean resigned, on Monday, November 10.

Melescanu, 73, was director of Romania's Foreign Intelligence Service - SIE, from February 2012 until September 2013. He run in the presidential elections and got 1.09% of the votes in the first round. He announced he will support Victor Ponta for the second round, on November 16.

Teodor Melescanu served as foreign affairs minister in the Nicolae Vacaroiu cabinet, between 1992 and 1996. He was also defense minister from April 2007 until December 2008, in Calin Popescu-Tariceanu's cabinet.

PM Victor Ponta has sent his nomination to President Traian Basescu and awaits for the president's confirmation. [Read more: RomaniaInsider/10November2014]

Insight: Indian Intelligence Agency on the Cheap Hampers War on Militants. When a bomb went off last month in West Bengal, police at India's leading counterterrorism organisation had to hail taxis to get to the scene because they did not have enough cars.

The admission by two officers from the National Investigation Agency underlines how poorly equipped it is to fulfil its role of investigating the most serious terrorism cases, cutting off funding to militants and putting suspects on trial.

The NIA's woes are symptomatic of an overstretched intelligence network at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi must counter the growing threat of Islamist militants from al Qaeda, and possibly also Islamic State, gaining a foothold in the world's largest democracy.

The NIA has no officers specialising in cyber surveillance, explosives or tracing chemicals and has been forced to ask companies to decrypt computers recovered at crime scenes, officers said. [Read more: MacAskill&Miglani/Reuters/7November2014]

BND to Hire Hackers to Check Shopping Carts. The Sueddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reported on Monday that the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) will spend �28 million in 2015 on its 'Strategic Technical Initiative� (SIT).

A confidential report seen by the newspaper showed that spies have asked a parliamentary oversight committee for a total of �300 million for the SIT programme between 2015 and 2020. Over �6 million has already been spent in 2014 laying the groundwork.

They say that the aim of the programme is to penetrate foreign social networks and create an early warning system for cyber attacks.

Government spokesman Steffen Seibert confirmed to dpa on Monday that the BND had worked with French computer security firm Vupen, which is known to sell details of security holes to governments, in the past. [Read more: TheLocal/10November2014]

Geospatial Analysis Tool Built to Support Army Intelligence Analysis. Geospatial intelligence can help commanders to gain better insight about which route to send their troops - a more concealed longer route versus a shorter more direct route that leaves the troops exposed to enemy fire. 

The ability to obtain this information, analyze it and produce a report for commanders has been enhanced by the Situational Awareness Geospatially Enabled, referred to as SAGE, geospatial tool supporting the Distributed Common Ground System-Army, or DCGS-A. 

As the Army moves across the globe into new locations where the military may not be as familiar with the landscape, geospatial tools become a more and more critical part of the intelligence mission. SAGE helps intelligence analysts to rapidly identify the landscape and environments that could be factors in relevant operational factors, like estimates of how quickly the enemy can march through a designated area due to the terrain. In addition, SAGE can help to identify potential arable land and hydrology in support of nation building missions. 

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Geospatial Research Laboratory, co-located at the U.S. Army Geospatial Center, developed SAGE to help increase a leader's understanding and knowledge of the impact of terrain and weather in the operating environment, ultimately enabling informed command decisions. [Read more: Albert&Smith/DirectionsMag/5November2014]

Intelligence Agency GCs Seek Surveillance Transparency. Top intelligence agency lawyers said on Thursday that the U.S. government can do more to increase the transparency of surveillance activities that have drawn rebukes from the technology industry and the public at large after the revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

Although they can't reveal all their secrets, U.S. spy agencies can provide information that helps the public better understand their authorities while also protecting national security, general counsel Rajesh De of the NSA and Robert Litt of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said. They were speaking at an American Bar Association conference on national security law in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. intelligence community should make public more details about how it interprets statutes, faces oversight and follows the law, Litt said. The ODNI, which oversees the U.S. intelligence community, already has taken some steps toward enhanced transparency by declassifying "thousands of pages of documents" and tasking its civil liberties protection officer, Alexander Joel, with instilling a culture of greater openness at U.S. spy agencies, Litt noted.

"I think that all of us across the community are recognizing that greater transparency is an essential part of our future," he said. [Read more: Ramonas/CorporateCounsel/6November2014]

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Undercover No More. He spent nearly a decade undercover with the CIA in the Middle East and Asia, but don't expect Will Hurd to keep a low profile when he arrives in Congress.

Hurd, 37, heads to Capitol Hill from Texas's massive 23rd district - the state's largest, it shares 800 miles of border with Mexico - following his upset victory Tuesday over Democratic representative Pete Gallego. At a time when one of the GOP's top priorities is broadening its appeal to blue-collar and minority voters, Hurd's victory is instructive. He joins Utah's Mia Love as one of two black Republican House members, and he won in a district whose residents are mostly Hispanic.

This isn't Hurd's first bite at the apple: He ran unsuccessfully in the 2010 GOP primary for the same seat. This year, in an election cycle in which immigration and foreign policy became key issues, Hurd's national-security expertise proved crucial. Those credentials helped him unite establishment Republicans and grassroots voters in the general election to pull out a win.

"It all kind of came together at the right time for him," says Texas-based Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak. "I don't know if he'll be a tea-party member, but I don't think he'll be an establishment member either. Part of the equation that he realized [from his previous run for Congress] was bringing the different aspects of the party together." [Read more: Johnson/NationalReview/7November2014]

Rap Sheets, Watchlists and Spy Networks Now Available With Single Click. Law enforcement officials nationwide now have the ability to search multiple sensitive databases, including spy agency intranets and homeland security suspicious activity reporting � with a single login. 

The breakthrough in interconnectivity is expected to close information gaps that, among other things, have contributed to the rise in homegrown terrorism and school shootings. 

"Let's say you have a lone-wolf incident or an active-shooter incident, where you need to be able to securely share information in a timely way. With a single sign-on capability, there is no wrong door," Kshemendra Paul, program manager for the Information Sharing Environment at the Office of Director of National Intelligence, said during an interview. "If you have an account, you can get to the virtual command center that the fusion center may be using - in a very direct way."

It took about three years to tear down silos without eroding privacy controls. [Read more: Sternstein/NextGov/6November2014]

Should Social Media Affect Your Security Clearance? As the Office of the Director of National Intelligence prepares to release its first continuous evaluation capabilities for background checks, officials are trying to understand how social media should fit into such efforts.

The intelligence community is weighing how, or even whether, to use information posted on social media sites as part of its plans for continuous evaluation of individuals holding high-level security clearances.

The interagency review issued after the Washington Navy Yard shooting called for ODNI to have continuous evaluation in place for employees and contractors with the highest Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearances by September 2014 and for all TS/SCI personnel by 2016.

However, reports in September said ODNI was falling behind on plans to put continuous evaluation in place. An update from the Office of Management and Budget pushed the September goal back to December 2014 to "accommodate...IT development" and cautioned that hitting even the delayed goal was at risk. [Read more: Rockwell/FCW/6November2014]

CIA Tweets Day-Long 'Argo' Fact Check. Not only was Tuesday Election Day, but it was also the 35th anniversary of the first day of the Iran hostage crisis.

All week, the CIA has been tweeting historical factoids about the 1979 crisis. Then Friday, the spy agency's social media team spent the better part of the day correcting the record on some Hollywoodized parts of the 2012 Academy Award-winning movie "Argo," the Ben Affleck film about the CIA's risky, yet successful rescue of six diplomats during the crisis.

As of 3:30 p.m. they were still at it. Here's the CIA's fact check: [Read more: Itkowitz/WashingtonPost/7November2014]

The Time When Spy Agencies Officially Didn't Exist. This week the new heads of intelligence agencies MI6 and GCHQ took up their posts. Once shrouded in mystery, the spy chiefs are now public figures.

The appointments of Alex Younger and Robert Hannigan were announced with brief biographies and photographs, yet it was not that long ago that the public knew nothing of their roles or the organisations they led. As chief of MI6, Younger is known as "C", the codename of the first chief Sir Mansfield Cummings.

This is now common knowledge. But in 1923 the novelist Compton Mackenzie was prosecuted, among other things, for revealing the letter and to whom it referred. Such was the secrecy that when the judge asked when Cummings had died, the prosecution barrister, the attorney general and "K", the then-head of MI5 did not know. The only person in the room who did know was Mackenzie.

It shows how secretive the service was in its early days, that simply mentioning the name of a dead chief led to a court case, says Christopher Andrews, the writer of MI5's official history. [Read more: Jones/BBC/8November2014]

6 People You Didn't Know Were WWII Spies. Established during World War II, America's first national spy agency, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), employed nearly 13,000 people at its peak in 1944. Among those who worked for the OSS, a predecessor to the CIA, were Moe Berg, a former Major League baseball player, and Julia Child, who had yet to discover the passion for French cooking that would help turn her into a household name. Learn about Child's and Berg's cloak-and-dagger exploits and find out about other famous people, including entertainer Josephine Baker and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" author Roald Dahl, who once were wartime secret agents. [Read more: Nix/History.com/11Novmeber2014]

Monday Matters: WWII Vet Noted For High-Level Intelligence Career. A World War II veteran and former prisoner of war, J.W. Taylor led a highly classified career as he traveled the world under an alias, rubbed shoulders with presidents and survived close calls with death.

The 91-year-old, now residing in Fort Smith, spent 20 years with the U.S. Army and another 30-plus years with the U.S. state department, largely in intelligence roles. For his service, Taylor accepted a place of honor at the head of Chaffee Crossing's 2012 Veterans Day parade, the first of its kind in recent memory.

"Two years ago he was the grand marshal," Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders said. "I've run into him a time or two. He's just a super fine guy, I tell you."

Sanders commended Taylor publicly last week during a Board of Directors meeting, lauding the veteran's years of service to the United States in various high-level intelligence positions around the world. [Read more: Hunter/TimesRecord/10November2014]

Topeka Veteran Flew on Top Secret Missions Over German Territory. Royce Fulmer was in his early 20s when he flew on low-altitude, top-secret missions in a specially-equipped bomber, dropping spies and guerilla fighters - as well as supplies - to the French resistance in World War II.

Flying in a blacked-out B-24 bomber, Fulmer and his crew did their missions without other bombers or fighter escorts. His experiences during the war were recorded in a recently released book entitled "A Drop in the Night," which he co-authored with Topekan Thea Rademacher.

"The nice part about our flying is we were in charge of our destiny," Fulmer said.

Fulmer, a technical sergeant, and his crew flew their missions alone and always at night. [Read more: Fry/TopekaCapitalJournal/10November2014]

Security Studies Research Aims to Understand CIA, DOD Relationship. A Kansas State University doctoral student is studying how the country has benefited from the CIA and the Department of Defense partnering together since 9/11. The research provides future insight in a time of budget cuts.

David Oakley, a doctoral student in security studies and a military officer, Wichita, is researching the intelligence community in the U.S. government, particularly the changing relationship between the DOD and CIA.

Oakley has experience with both organizations: He is now a strategic plans and policy officer for the U.S. Army, but previously served as a staff operations officer for the National Clandestine Service in the CIA. His research brings together his interest in both organizations.

"It's important to look at this partnership, because at a time when we are making cuts both within the Department of Defense and the intelligence community, people could start cutting back on opportunities to partner and operate together," Oakley said. "They could start focusing on their own house because of limited funds. If that's the case, then the amount of money that we have spent since 9/11 will have been wasted because we will have lost the positive partnerships." [Read more: KansasStateUniversity/11November2014]

British Agent "Fifi' Tested Moral Fibre of Would-Be Second World War Spies. Her code name was "Fifi" and she was a legend of sorts in Second World War intelligence circles, a temptress who supposedly bedded would-be spies to see if they talked in their sleep.

Her reputation was like a character out of a Bond movie - tall, intelligent, stunningly beautiful, multilingual, with a mole on her thigh.

Some 240 pages of British intelligence files reveal that Fifi actually did exist. Her real name was Marie Christine Chilver, and her real-life exploits in the service of the Allied war effort are worthy of legend.

Handwritten notes, typed reports and telegrams in her files show she was a valued agent in the little-known Special Operations Executive unit set up by Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

"Fifi was somewhat of a legend of the Special Operations Executive," Jonathan Cole, a researcher at the British National Archives, said in a prepared statement. "Until now, her existence and the deployment of her services had been dismissed but with the release of this file, her identity, impressive skills and the important role she played in Second World War secret operations is now finally revealed." [Read more: Edwards/TheStar/11November2014]

Intelligence Leads to Security. Michael Wallace's resume reads like something out of a spy thriller, his career as a military intelligence officer taking him from the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. His expertise includes counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation and intelligence collection and analysis.

But these days, his office is at Tulane University, where he runs the Homeland Security Studies program of the School of Continuing Studies.

"This is my dream job," said Wallace, who received his Master of Liberal Arts with a concentration in international studies from Tulane in 1999.

With plans to retire from the military after 20 years and move to New Orleans, where his wife is from, Wallace was in the right place at the right time to land the Tulane job. Having done a stint as an adjunct lecturer, he was well acquainted with the program and previous director Keith Amacker, who was retiring. [Read more: Bronston/Tulane/11November2014]

Section III - COMMENTARY

Anatomy of an "Intelligence Failure." Listen closely and you can hear it. Far off in the distance an angry mob has formed and wants the heads of every intelligence organization across the United States Government on pikes. The stale mantra of "intelligence failure" and "strategic surprise" has returned. This time, the stimulus is the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) which then became the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and is presently called the Islamic State (IS). Before we can discuss the intelligence focus or lack thereof on the recent events in Iraq and Syria, we need to establish a baseline of knowledge.

The United States Intelligence Community website states, "Our primary mission is to collect and convey the essential information the President and members of the policymaking, law enforcement, and military communities require to execute their appointed duties." Another portion of the webpage describes the intelligence cycle and how "[t]he process begins with identifying the issues in which policy makers are interested and defining the answers they need to make educated decisions regarding those issues."[i] Note the part where the issues of interest are identified. Intelligence is a support function to something larger. That something larger is the effort undertaken by the customer who consumes the intelligence.

Despite the money spent and hours worked, there will always be a gap between customer expectations and the capability of the intelligence organization that supports them. Intelligence organizations are not omnipotent nor are they omnipresent. Products generated by intelligence organizations do not cure all ailments nor do they serve a Tabasco sauce-like role by making even the worst meal more palatable. Customers should understand that the intelligence organizations supporting them are manned by dedicated professionals collecting and analyzing inconceivable amounts of information, some of which may be conflicting or have veracity issues, and struggling to synthesize it into a useful and meaningful document free from bias.

The success of an intelligence organization is tied to the direction it receives from its customers. If the customer doesn't direct its intelligence organization to focus in depth on Syria then one should not be angry when events in Syria seem surprising. The intelligence organization to customer relationship is also a two way street. If direction does not materialize, the intelligence organization must demand direction from its customer. [Read more: Walter/ISN/6November2014]

The MoD Doesn't Only Do Kinetics. The Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS, now re-named DI), was formed after World War II by merging the civilian Joint Intelligence Bureau (JIB) and three single-service intelligence directorates. The retired Major General Sir Kenneth Strong, General Eisenhower's former head of intelligence and ex-director of the JIB, became the first director general of intelligence. 

About 1000 staff constituted the largest number of intelligence analysts in Whitehall addressing external threats. It was a unique amalgamation of career civilian intelligence analysts, retired second-career officers, scientists, linguists, and short-tour serving officers and NCOs. 

Broadly, DIS had three main tasks - which remain at the heart of the business. First, to give timely warning of events and trends likely to have an impact on the interests of the UK and its allies.

Second, to provide intelligence support to MoD policy development, planning and operations. Third, to inform and guide the defence equipment programme. The defence establishments and activities of a broad range of countries were studied to achieve this end. Flexibility in the face of changing and emerging risks and threats continues as a constant theme, in recent years more so than ever. [Read more: CSW/11November2014]

Section IV - New Reference Works, Obituaries, and Upcoming Events

New Reference Works

Jan Goldman's "The War on Terror Encyclopedia: From the Rise of Al Qaeda to 9/11 and Beyond" has just been published [ABC-CLIO, 978-1-61069-510-7; 978-1-61069-511-4; $100.00].

The practice of rendition began in the United States long before the events of September 11, 2001. This fascinating reference chronicles the individuals, operations, and events of the War on Terror around the world, exploring its causes and consequences through the lens of policy, doctrine, and tactics of combat. The War on Terror is more than a political movement to identify and prosecute terrorists ... it has become a cornerstone of economic and military importance. This campaign has shaped policy in the Middle East, prompted uprisings of Islamic fundamentalists against the West, and redefined the ideology of warfare. This single-volume encyclopedia provides readers with more than 200 engaging entries on the myriad events, key individuals, and organizations that have played a major role in the War on Terror. The A–Z entries define the policies and doctrines; describe the armies, battlefields, and weapons employed; and profile the figures whose actions and decisions set the course of history. The expert contributors decode military jargon for non-specialist readers and explain the unconventional tactics used in the War on Terror, shedding light on the reason behind the attacks, the political maneuvering of the leaders involved, and the internal conflicts and external clashes that drove terrorists to settle all over the world. The book also includes detailed essays on the impact of the September 11 attacks on U.S. foreign policy, presidential powers, and public opinion.
Features • Features a timeline that enables readers to quickly grasp the succession of key events and developments in the War on Terror • Highlights specific individuals on both sides of this conflict, providing an objective and fair-minded approach to the topic • Provides a bibliography that directs students toward additional sources of information for further research • Connects related entries through helpful cross references
Sample Topics Afghanistan Al Qaeda Militants Bin Laden Bomb Plots Bush Administration Collapse of the Soviet Union Drones Martyrdom Militant Islam Pentagon Presidential Power Public Opinion September 11, 2001 Somalia Suicide Bombings U.S. Embassy Bombing U.S. Special Operations USS Cole Bombing World Trade Center Yemen Uprising.
Jan Goldman is on the faculty of the Global Education Institute at Georgetown University, a longtime AFIO member, and is an international expert on ethics and intelligence for national security.

Obituaries

Lt. Gen. Lincoln D. Faurer. Former NSA Director (1981-1985) Lt Gen Lincoln D. Faurer, USAF(Ret), passed away on 7 November 2014 in Omaha, NE at age 86. Gen Faurer leaves behind a daughter, Patty Boten, twin sons Bruce & Doug (both of Snowmass, CO), and 6 grandchildren. He served as Chairman of AFIO from 2000 to 2003.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete, but a service will be held later at Arlington National Cemetery. We will pass along additional details as we receive them.
If you would like to send a card or note, his daughter's address is: Mr. & Mrs. Dan Boten (Patty), 16716 L St, Omaha, NE 68135

David Chavchavadze, CIA Spy with Russian Royal Roots, Dies at 90. David Chavchavadze, who died Oct. 5 at 90, was an American spy and a great-great-grandson of Czar Nicholas I of Imperial Russia.

As a CIA case officer, he specialized in clandestine communications and surveillance in matters affecting his ancestral homeland.

He did much of his work in Berlin in the years after World War II and at the start of the Cold War. His assignments included recruitment of Soviet agents.

By blood, he was connected to the Romanov dynasty that ruled Russia for 300 years. His mother, Nina, was a Russian princess and a great-granddaughter of Nicholas I, who was czar from 1825 to 1855. His father was Prince Paul of Georgia, a direct descendant of the former Caucasian kingdom's last monarch, George XII, who died in 1801. [Read more: Barnes/WashingtonPost/8November2014]

James William (Bill) Lair. Bill Lair passed 28 October 2014 in hospital outside Dallas with family and friends in attendance. Bill Lair's life and times are well known by anyone who participated in the conflict in SEA. And particularly in Thailand and Laos. Please read Roger Warner's summary of Bill's life which follows below.

Hello. A few years ago I was asked to put together a few thoughts in support of Bill Lair's nomination for a Trailblazer Award. If Bill ever got it, I never heard. But that summary of Bill's life seems worth dusting off and taking another look at now that he is no longer with us.
He died peacefully yesterday afternoon in a hospital outside Dallas, with family and friends in attendance.
Here goes, and please feel free to share this with anyone who knew Bill personally or professionally.
Respectfully, Roger Warner (author). [Read more: AirAmerica/3November2014]

Rosemary A. Dunn. Rosemary 'Rhody' A. Dunn, age 91, of Sarasota, Florida, passed away September 19, 2014, at the Tidewell Hospice in Sarasota, Florida. 

Rosemary was born on September 1, 1923, in Madison, WI, to James M. Dunn and Vivian (Felton) Dunn. She attended St. James Grade School and graduated from Madison West in 1941. She then went on to Madison Business College. 
Her desire for travel and adventure led her to pursue a career in the US Department of State and Central Intelligence Agency. She served overseas in Manila, Philippines (1950-1952) and Lisbon, Portugal (1952-53). Rhody was assigned to Saigon, Vietnam in 1964. On March 30, 1965 the Viet Cong detonated a car-bomb outside the US Embassy. After recuperating from serious injuries sustained in the bombing, the 'Wild Irish Rose' returned overseas to postings in Bangkok, Thailand (1966-68) and Tokyo, Japan (1969-72). Additional official travel took her to Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan. 
She retired from US Government service in Sarasota, FL. in 1978, where she pursued her love of golf. Prior to Rhody's retirement she was awarded the CIA Intelligence Medal of Honor. [Read more: HeraldTribune/6November2014]

AFIO EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN COMING TWO MONTHS....

Wednesday, 12 November 2014, 11:30 a.m. - Scottsdale, AZ - AFIO Arizona hears from Alan Rodbell, Police Chief of Scottsdale

MEMBERS: PLEASE NOTE THAT we will start THIS TIME sharply at 11:45 am because our guest speaker will need to leave prior to 1PM!!!!!!
GUEST SPEAKER: ALAN RODBELL - Police Chief, City of Scottsdale
Chief Rodbell has been the Police Chief in the City of Scottsdale, Arizona since 2003. He has 36 years of public safety experience, which has taken him through the ranks and multiple levels of responsibility as a line level employee, supervisor, manager, and leader. He came to the city after 25 years serving in the Montgomery County Maryland Department of Policy. He has a B. A. Criminology from the University of Maryland and a Masters degree in Education from McDaniel College, formally Western Maryland College. Chief Rodbell is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.
In the years he has served in Scottsdale, Rodbell has successfully completed a workforce study, enabling the successful full staffing of his department, an award winning Strategic Planning process and has been involved in leading the first Photo Enforcement study on a state highway.
Under his leadership, Scottsdale has achieved double digit reductions in crime making Scottsdale one of the safest cities in Arizona. In the October issue of Parent Magazine, the City was recognized as the best city in the country to raise children, complete with an A+ grade for public safety, and most recently, Law Street Media has named Scottsdale the 5th safest city in the U.S.
Chief Rodbell sits on two State Boards, appointed by the Governor, the Arizona Policy Officer Standards and Training Board, and the Homeland Security, Central Regional Advisory Council. In 2013, Chief Rodbell received the NAACP Law Enforcement Award for his work with the community from the East Valley NAACP.
Chief Rodbell was recently appointed to the Arizona Peace Officers Memorial Board, by the State's Attorney General.
Chief Rodbell serves as an Executive Board member of the East Valley NAACP and a member of the Arizona Black Law Enforcement Employees Association (A.B.L.E.). The A.B.L.E. Organization honored him with the 2014 Doeg Nelson Supervisor of the Year Award in August.
Chief Rodbell has served as the Acting, Chief of Public Safety. In this capacity, he was responsible for leadership of Police, Fire, Homeland and Municipal Security operations for the City. Under his leadership, the City has combined various support services that have traditionally supported two departments into one, saving millions of taxpayer dollars.
Today, Chief Rodbell is responsible as the Chief of Police for the City of Scottsdale, now recognized as the fifth safest large city by recent FBI Crime Reports
LOCATION: McCORMICK RANCH GOLF COURSE
(7505 McCormick Parkway, Scottsdale AZ 85258 ~ Phone 480.948.0260)
RSVP: simone@afioaz.org

Wednesday, 12 November 2014 - Albuquerque, NM - Speaker TBA at this AFIO NM Chapter Meeting
11:00 AM: Arrive, Sign in, Order Lunch - 11:45 AM: Call To Order - Adjourn at 1:00 PM
Meeting held at: "The Egg & I" restaurant on Menaul just east of Louisiana, next door to Chili's. 6909 Menaul Boulevard Northeast, Albuquerque, NM 87110, (505) 888-3447
RSVP to Pete Bostwick (505) 898-2649 foreigndevil@yahoo.com or Mike Ford (505) 294-6133 Secpro39@yahoo.com

For Additional Events two+ months or greater....view our online Calendar of Events

Thursday, 20 Nov 2014, 11:30 am - Colorado Springs, CO - The Rocky Mountain Chapter presents Robert Olislagers speak on�Terrorism and Intelligence sharing in the Air Domain.� 

Robert Olisalgers is returning from the Intelligence National Security Alliance Conference in DC and will be discussing Terrorism and Intelligence sharing in the Air Domain. 

This event will be held at The Inn at Palmer Divide, 443 S Highway 105 Palmer Lake, CO, Exit 161 westbound off I-25, West on Highway 105.  Please RSVP to Tom VanWormer at robsmom@pcisys.net

Wednesday, 3 December 2014, 6 p.m. - Las Vegas, NV - The AFIO LV Chapter meets to hear Col. John Alexander on "Belief Systems and Intelligence Analysis: The Blinders."

Please join us at 5 p.m. in the "Texas Star Oyster Bar" for liaison and beverages followed by dinner in the Conference Center starting at 5:30pm.
Our featured speaker for the evening will be: Col John B. Alexander, Ph.D. on Belief Systems and Intelligence Analysis: The Blinders

What if the universe is not built the way you think it is? All intelligence analysis is colored by the belief systems of the analysts involved and to a large extent the agency itself. While most analysts believe they are not biased and simply report facts, they often are unaware of their own prejudices thus leading to scotomas or blind spots. Like all humans, intelligence analysts are more likely to find what they expect, than what is totally unexpected. Stories abound of how some people do not see objects that are obvious, but not within their frame of reference. There are several past intelligence failures that can be attributed to individual and collective scotomas. This is even worse when political powers intervene and indicate what is permissible to report.

There is a basic assumption that the Western scientific model of the universe is the only viable one. Mechanistic in nature, this model dictates what can and cannot be observed, and thus impacts what is reported. It is further assumed that there are no other acceptable belief systems and, that other societies, as they become more technologically sophisticated, will adopt the “Standard Model of the Universe.”

This unique presentation will present firsthand evidence that our model of the universe is either wrong, or at least seriously flawed. It will also address how other societies incorporate alternative explanations for events in ways that are beneficial to them. We continue to adhere to the blinders at our own peril. The intent of the presentation is to make intelligence analysts more aware of their personal and organizational constraints, thus making them more effective in observing and reporting anomalies that can have significant impact on national security.
LOCATION: Conference Center at Texas Station Casino, 2101 Texas Star Lane, (corner of Rancho Blvd. and West Lake Meade Blvd.) North Las Vegas, NV 89032. Includes full holiday dinner.
RSVP: email Mary Bentley (marysinvegas@centurylink.net) or call 702-295-0417.  We look forward to seeing you!

Monday, 8 December 2014, 5:30 - 8 pm - New York, NY - The AFIO NY Metro Chapter discusses "Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century."

Four Star General Eugene Habiger, USAF(Ret), former Commander in Chief US Strategic Command ( 35 years) was responsible for national security & nuclear operations. He also served 150 combat missions in Vietnam.
He will be discussing with us: Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century.
SPACE IS LIMITED TO 90. Registration for this important event is on a first come basis.
Capacity is 90 attendees maximum so Reservations are required. You must cancel prior to Thursday December 4th or payment will be due.
Location: Society of Illustrators building: 128 E 63rd St, NYC, 3rd floor.
Time: Registration 5:30 PM, Meeting Start 6:00 PM
Cost: $50/person only by pre-registration. Payable at the door only, cash or check. Buffet dinner following talk/Q&A. Cash bar.
Register with Jerry Goodwin 646-717-3776 or by email: afiometro@gmail.com

18 December 2014, 11:30 am - 2 pm - San Francisco, CA - AFIO San Francisco Chapter hosts Russell Berman, Sr Fellow Hoover Institution, on "Freedom or Terror: Europe Faces Jihad"

The AFIO James Quesada Chapter hosts Russell A. Berman, Senior Fellow at Hoover Institution, a member of the working group on Islamism and the International Order and author of Freedom or Terror: Europe Faces Jihad and Anti-Americanism in Europe: A Cultural Problem. 11:30AM no host cocktails; meeting starts at noon. United Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Avenue, SF (between Sloat/Wawona). RSVP required by 12/1/14 to Mariko Kawaguchi: e-mail afiosf@aol.com and mail check made out to "AFIO" to: Mariko Kawaguchi, P.O. Box 117578, Burlingame, CA 94011. Members and students: $25; non-member guests $35 (must be accompanied by member).

Other Upcoming Events

Tuesday, 11 November 2014, 7:30pm - Washington DC - Public Panel: The Voynich Manuscript at the Folger Shakespeare Library

Join scholars Bill Sherman and Ren� Zandbergen at the Folger Shakespeare Library for a discussion of the still un-deciphered Voynich manuscript whose secrets have remained hidden for over 400 years.
When the Voynich Manuscript came to light in 1912, it was described as "the most mysterious manuscript in the world" � and a full century later we still know surprisingly little about it. Dating from the early 15th century, it was carefully written by an unknown author (in an unknown place and for unknown reasons) in an elaborate script that has never been deciphered. And it is filled with hundreds of drawings of plants, people, and stars that have yet to give up their secrets. On loan for the first time from the Beinecke Library at Yale University, this manuscript is a centerpiece of Folger�s fall exhibition on Decoding the Renaissance.
This conversation will review what is known (and not known) and focus on new approaches to this old problem, including science and art history, Medieval and Renaissance history, codicology and conservation, and the history of collecting.
Wine reception and exhibition viewing to follow.
Address: 201 East Capitol St, SE Washington, DC 20003
Tickets: $15. Visit www.spymuseum.org

Wednesday, 12 November 2014, 12pm - 7pm - Washington, DC - David Major on Global Terrorism, Espionage and Cybersecurity Monthly Update at the International Spy Museum

Be the first to learn the latest intelligence news! Join David Major, retired FBI agent and former director of Counterintelligence, Intelligence and Security Programs, for a briefing on the hottest intelligence and security issues, breaches, and penetrations. Presented in partnership with The Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies (CI Centre), these updates will cover worldwide events such as breaking espionage cases and arrest reports, cyber espionage incidents, and terrorist activity. Find out Snowden�s current status and what could happen next with this case. Major uses his expertise to analyze trends and highlight emerging issues of interest to both intelligence and national security professionals and the public. Cases are drawn from the CI Centre�s SPYPEDIA�, the most comprehensive source of espionage information in the world, containing events and information that may not be reported by mainstream media outlets. Major will also highlight and review the latest books and reports to keep you current on what is hitting think tank desks.
Tickets: Free! No registration required. Visitwww.spymuseum.org

13 November 2014, noon - 2 p.m. - Washington, DC - COL (Rtd) James W. Dunn on "The Vietnam War � The North Vietnamese perspective" with our friends at the Embassy of Australia

The Returned & Services League of Australia, Washington Sub-Branch, hosts Col. James Dunn speaking on "The Vietnam War � The North Vietnamese perspective. " A brief bio: BS, USMA, 1957; MA & PhD, History; Vietnam, advisor ARVN 25th Infantry Div. 1965; USMA History Dept. 1967-70; Vietnam, 1971, intelligence advisor; USA Center of Military History, 1978-84. Colonel (ret), 1984. Federal historian USA Corps of Engineers, 1985-2002.
Event location: Amenities Room, Embassy of Australia, 1601 Massachusetts Ave NW., Washington, DC 20036.
Charge - $15.00, including buffet lunch and sodas. Alcoholic beverages- $2.00 each. Attire: Business casual
RSVP by noon on Wednesday November 12, 2014, to David Ward at 202-352-8550 or via e-mail to dmward1973@gmail.com
NOTE: Valid photo ID required
Parking: While there is no parking at the Embassy, paid off street parking is available behind and under the Airline Pilots Association- 17th and Mass, and at 15th and Mass (1240 15th street). On street two hour metered parking is also available.

Thursday, 13 November 2014, 6:30pm - 7pm - Washington, DC - State Department of Counterintelligence: Leaks, Spies and Lies with Robert Booth at the International Spy Museum

"What's the worst sin at the bottom of Dante's inferno? Treachery...one who betrays a trust." ― a State Department colleague of Cuban spy Kendall Myers

Cuban spies who pass secrets via shopping cart in a grocery store, a Taiwanese honey trap in DC, a Russian bugging device inside the State Department, classified information popping up in the media―scenes from a spy movie? No, these are just highlights from the most intriguing investigations conducted by retired State Department Special Agent Robert Booth and recounted in his new book State Department Counterintelligence: Leaks, Spies and Lies. Booth reveals the inside story of Kendall and Gwendolyn Myers who spied for Cuba for nearly 30 years and Donald Keyser who lied about his personal relationship with a female Taiwanese intelligence officer with whom he shared State Department information while serving as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. He�ll tell how Washington Post and Wall Street Journal articles concerning leaked State Department telegrams impacted diplomatic negotiations and how the Russian Intelligence Service, the SVR, installed a bug inside a conference room in the State Department. Booth personally managed or assisted in all these investigations, and he will offer guests insight into the courtroom proceedings for the Myers and Keyser prosecutions including background on court room machinations, prosecution tactics, and how the "plea bargains" were reached.

Tickets: $10. Visit www.spymuseum.org

Saturday, 15 November 2014, 1pm - 4pm - Washington, DC - Meet A Spy: Sandy Grimes at the International Spy Museum

Be at at the International Spy Museum Store and �Meet A Spy� � uncover the world of espionage and intelligence from people who practiced professionally.

Meet the woman who helped capture Aldrich Ames - the infamous CIA officer turned traitor! Sandy Grimes is a longtime veteran of the CIA�s clandestine service, and along with her co-worker Jeanne Vertefeuille was at the forefront of a small group assigned the mission of exposing Aldrich Ames.

Tickets: Free! No registration required. Visit www.spymuseum.org

18 November 2014, 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. - Washington, DC - Col. Wortzel speaks on "Contemporary Chinese Military Strategy" at the Institute of World Politics

"Contemporary Chinese Military Strategy" is the theme of COL Larry M. Wortzel, PhD (USA, Ret.)'s presentation.

Dr. Wortzel is one of the foremost U.S. experts on China and serves on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. During a 32-year military career, Dr. Wortzel spent 12 years in the Asia-Pacific region, including two tours of duty as a military attach� at in China. Following his retirement from the Army as a colonel in 1999, he was an executive with The Heritage Foundation. At Heritage he was Asian Studies Center Director and Vice President for foreign policy and defense studies. Dr. Wortzel has written or edited numerous books and articles on China.

Event location: The Institute of World Politics, 1521 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20036.
For Parking, consult this map.
RSVP: Contact sdwyer@iwp.edu with any questions.

Wednesday, 3 December 2014, 10 am to 1 pm - Annapolis Junction, MD - National Cryptologic Museum Foundation's Fourteenth Annual Pearl Harbor Commemoration Lecture Series: John Gordon on "The Price General MacArthur Paid for his Disregard of the Value of Intelligence."

Event features scholar John Gordon on Fighting for MacArthur: The Navy and Marine Corps' Desperate Defense of the Philippines [2011: U.S. Naval Institute Press]

Drawing on a rich collection of both American and Japanese sources as well as official records and wartime diaries, Gordon chronicles the Americans' desperate defense of the besieged islands - Bataan and on the island fortress of Corregidor - where they performed some of their most unusual missions of the entire Pacific War. Of special interest to intelligence officers will be Gordon's discussion at this event of General MacArthur's disregard of intelligence reports that cost him his air force and critical supplies for the defense of Bataan and Corregidor and also further insights regarding the contributions by the U.S. intercept station located on "The Rock."
Sailors fought as infantrymen alongside their Marine comrades at Bataan and on the island fortress of Corregidor. Sailors also manned Army heavy coast artillery batteries during the epic artillery duel between Corregidor and the Japanese guns that were massed on Bataan following the fall of the Peninsula. In these pages, Gordon recounts the only time in history when the Marine Corps lost a regiment in combat when the 4th Marines surrendered on Corregidor, and includes the most detailed account of the attack on Cavite ever published.
Location: L-3 Conference Center, 2720 Technology Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701, Tel 301-575-3200.
RSVP: Contact Mary J. Faletto, Senior Administrator, National Cryptologic Museum Foundation, Office: 301-688-5436 Cell: 443-250-8621 or email: cryptmf@aol.com or visit www.cryptologicfoundation.org

Friday, December 5, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The Professional Security Studies Department at New Jersey City University will hold its 4th Northeast Regional Security Education Symposium.

The topic of this year’s Symposium is Investing in America’s Security: Policy/Resource Issues. The Symposium’s keynote address will be delivered by Ambassador (Retired) Clay Constantinou. Featured speakers include Joseph Picciano, P.E., Deputy Director, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness; Hon. Michael Balboni, President and Managing Director of RedLand Strategies, Inc. and Former New York State Senator and Deputy Secretary of Public Safety; and Dr. Michael J. Chumer, Research Professor, NJIT and Academic Advisor, NJCU D.Sc. Students pursuing their D.Sc. degree will present posters overviewing their research and the program’s faculty will hold a panel discussion.

Reserve your spot and purchase a ticket by calling Ms. Denise Melendez at (201) 200-2275, or by sending a check payable to NJCU Professional Security Studies Department, 2039 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305-1597. A limited number of tickets are available at the door on the day of the Symposium. Symposium attendance is $30 per person. Purchase Tickets at this link.

Questions to: JOHN W. COLLINS, JR., CPP, Ed.D., Chairperson, Professor, and DSc Program Coordinator at jcollins2@njcu.edu.

Disclaimers and Removal Instructions

Weekly Intelligence Notes (WINs) are commentaries on Intelligence and related national security matters, based on open media sources, selected, interpreted, edited and produced for non-profit educational uses by members and WIN subscribers. 

REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS: We do not wish to add clutter to inboxes. To discontinue receiving the WINs: 

a)  IF YOU ARE A MEMBER -- click here: UNSUBSCRIBE and supply your full name and email address where you receive the WINs. Click SEND, you will be removed from list.  If this link doesn't open a blank email, create one on your own and send to afio@afio.com with the words:  REMOVE FROM WINs as the subject, and provide your full name and email address where you are currently receiving them.

 b) IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER, and you received this message, someone forwarded this newsletter to you [contrary to AFIO policies]. Forward to afio@afio.com the entire WIN or message you received and we will remove the sender from our membership and distribution lists. The problem will be solved for both of us.

CONTENTS of this WIN [HTML version recipients - Click title to jump to story or section, Click Article Title to return to Contents. This feature does not work for Plaintext Edition or for some AOL recipients]. If you wish to change to HTML format, let us know at afio@afio.com. The HTML feature also does not work for those who access their e-mail using web mail...however NON-HTML recipients may view the latest edition each week in HTML at this link: https://www.afio.com/pages/currentwin.htm

WINs are protected by copyright laws and intellectual property laws, and may not be reproduced or re-sent without specific permission from the Producer. Opinions expressed in the WINs are solely those of the editor's) or author's) listed with each article. AFIO Members Support the AFIO Mission - sponsor new members! CHECK THE AFIO WEBSITE at www.afio.com for back issues of the WINs, information about AFIO, conference agenda and registrations materials, and membership applications and much more!

(c) 2000, 2012, 2013, 2014, Please note AFIO's new address: AFIO, 7600 Leesburg Pike, Suite 470 East, Falls Church, VA 22043-2004. Voice: (703) 790-0320; Fax: (703) 991-1278; Email: afio@afio.com

Click here to return to top.