AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes

For Additional AFIO and other Events two+ months or more... Calendar of Events

WIN CREDITS FOR THIS ISSUE: The WIN editors thank the following special contributors: ec, po, mh, km, gh, mk, rd, fm, kc, jm, mr, jg, th, ed, and fwr. They have contributed one or more stories used in this issue.

The WIN editors attempt to include a wide range of articles and commentary in the Weekly Notes to inform and educate our readers. However, the views expressed in the articles are purely those of the authors, and in no way reflect support or endorsement from the WIN editors or the AFIO officers and staff. We welcome comments from the WIN readers on any and all articles and commentary.

CAVEATS: IMPORTANT: AFIO does not "vet" or endorse research inquiries, career announcements, or job offers. Reasonable-sounding inquiries and career offerings are published as a service to our members, and for researchers, educators, and subscribers. You are urged to exercise your usual caution and good judgment when responding, and should verify the source independently before supplying any resume, career data, or personal information.]
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Everyone got what they wanted. Except you. Now get something for yourself. These are also appropriate for intelligence officers, colleagues, recruitments, agents, advisors, and family.

The AFIO Store has following new items ready for quick shipment:

NEW: 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 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, 7600 Leesburg Pike, Ste 470 East, Falls Church, VA 22043-2004. Phone orders at 703-790-0320.
If interested in other shirt colors or sleeve lengths, contact Annette at: annettej@afio.com.

NEW: 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). Also 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.

The International Spy Museum is launching an inaugural volunteer program before moving to the new L'Enfant Plaza location in 2019. Our volunteers will be the first to experience this new and expanded vision of SPY and will provide a vital role in establishing a robust team dedicated to serving and engaging guests. Click image below to view full page. To find out more, please visit HERE.

Only two weeks left to let us know you will be attending the 1 February Luncheon...
Will you be joining us?

Register here.

1 February 2019 - Tysons, VA - This first luncheon of 2019 features Larry Loftis, author of Code Name: Lise, and David Major, Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent, discussing "The Truth About Edward Snowden: The Man Who Conned the World."

David MAJOR's presentation starts at 1 p.m.: Edward Snowden is a polarizing figure in the world today. Known by millions and the press as a champion of freedom and a self-appointed 'whistleblower' exposing IC activities which some saw as a violation of the civil rights of Americans. These are some of the myths surround Snowden's claims, and promoted by anti-IC minions in the press and nonprofit world. Almost all information in the public domain about Snowden is false; the vast majority of the "Snowden narrative" crafted, skewed, and provided by Snowden himself and swallowed whole by his media fans, never verified. Snowden has repeatedly lied about himself, his supposed expertise, the NSA, and his motivations. David Major will expose the truth about the man, his background, and the duplicity of his claims. These are essential corrections of the Snowden Myth which professionals need to know to counter continuing false claims made by Snowden and his supporters.

Larry LOFTIS's presentation starts at 11 a.m.: Code Name: Lise—The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy, by Larry Loftis recounts the story of Odette Sansom (1912-1995), a Frenchwoman living in England, wife of an Englishman and mother of 3 daughters, who was recruited into Britain's Special Operations Executive to conduct espionage in France during World War II with her commander, and yet-to-be second husband, Peter Churchill. Leaving her daughters in a convent school and with relatives, she joined the rigorous training program, becoming proficient with a wide range of weapons, learning the fine points of spycraft, and perfecting her new identity with the code name Lise. In France she proved herself fearless. Hunted by the Germans, in 1943, Odette and Peter were captured, imprisoned, and tortured. Loftis describes Odette's ordeal in grisly detail. Two lies saved her: She pretended that she and Peter were married (they would be after the war) and that Peter was related to Winston Churchill. In defeat, the Gestapo hoped to use her as a bargaining chip.
Watch this brief 83-second video about the book. You will want to attend to hear the author.

Register here.

Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton, 1960 Chain Bridge Rd, Tysons Corner, VA 22182 Phone: (703) 893-2100. Directions at this link.

New and Forthcoming Books of the Week

Cold Warriors: Writers Who Waged the Literary Cold War
by Duncan White
(Custom House, Feb 2019)

Literature can make a difference; during the Cold War, it could win adherents to the locked-horn doctrines of capitalism and communism and get writers imprisoned, exiled, or killed. Harvard lecturer White, a lead book reviewer for the Daily Telegraph, focuses on George Orwell, Stephen Spender, Mary McCarthy, Graham Greene, and Andrei Sinyavsky but goes further afield as he explores how friend could turn against friend in this anxious environment and US, UK, and USSR secret agents waged literary warfare.

Book may be ordered here.

Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison—Solitary Confinement, a Sham Trial, High-Stakes Diplomacy, and the Extraordinary Efforts It Took to Get Me Out
by Jason Rezaian
(Anthony Bourdain/Ecco, Jan 2019)

The dramatic memoir of the journalist who was held hostage in a high-security prison in Tehran for eighteen months and whose release—which almost didn't happen—became a part of the Iran nuclear deal

In July 2014, Washington Post Tehran bureau chief Jason Rezaian was arrested by Iranian police, accused of spying for America. The charges were absurd. Rezaian's reporting was a mix of human interest stories and political analysis. He had even served as a guide for Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown. Initially, Rezaian thought the whole thing was a terrible misunderstanding, but soon realized that it was much more dire as it became an eighteen-month prison stint with impossibly high diplomatic stakes.

While in prison, Rezaian had tireless advocates working on his behalf. His brother lobbied political heavyweights including John Kerry and Barack Obama and started a social media campaign—#FreeJason—while Jason's wife navigated the red tape of the Iranian security apparatus, all while the courts used Rezaian as a bargaining chip in negotiations for the Iran nuclear deal.

In Prisoner, Rezaian writes of his exhausting interrogations and farcical trial. He also reflects on his idyllic childhood in Northern California and his bond with his Iranian father, a rug merchant; how his teacher Christopher Hitchens inspired him to pursue journalism; and his life-changing decision to move to Tehran, where his career took off and he met his wife. Written with wit, humor, and grace, Prisoner brings to life a fascinating, maddening culture in all its complexity.

"An important story. Harrowing, and suspenseful, yes—but it's also a deep dive into a complex and egregiously misunderstood country with two very different faces. There is no better time to know more about Iran—and Jason Rezaian has seen both of those faces." — Anthony Bourdain

Book may be ordered here.

The Human Swarm: How Our Societies Arise, Thrive, and Fall
by Mark W. Moffett
(Basic Books, Apr 2019)

The epic story of how humans evolved from intimate chimp communities into a world-dominating species.

If a chimpanzee ventures into the territory of a different group, it will almost certainly be killed. But a New Yorker can fly to Los Angeles—or Borneo—with very little fear. Psychologists have done little to explain this: for years, they have held that our biology puts a hard upper limit—about 150 people—on the size of our social groups. But human societies are in fact vastly larger. How do we manage—by and large—to get along with each other?

"[Moffett] intrigues by setting human societies in the context of those of the animal kingdom. This fine work should have broad appeal to anyone curious about human societies, which is basically everyone."―Publishers Weekly, starred review

"In the past quarter century there has emerged a genre of Big History that includes such epic books as Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel, Steven Pinker's The Better Angels of Our Nature, and Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens. Mark Moffett's The Human Swarm is destined to be included in future lists of such books that not only add to our understanding of who we are, how we got here, and where we're going, but change our perspective of how we fit in the larger picture of life on Earth. A magisterial work of monumental importance." ―Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine

"The Human Swarm is a book by a biologist that should fascinate any thoughtful reader and deserves to be taken seriously by psychologists and social scientists alike."―Roy Baumeister, Francis Eppes Eminent Scholar at Florida State University

"Homo sapiens is a small-group social animal that physically seems to be limited to personal relationships with a few individuals. Nonetheless humanity is struggling to deal with societies of billions as human technologies now pose existential threats tied to those numbers. In The Human Swarm, Mark Moffett presents an intriguing overview of the biological roots and cultural evolution of this now-critical situation."―Paul R. Ehrlich, Bing Professor of Population Studies at Stanford

"This is a book of amazing ideas, many of them counter-intuitive. Mark Moffett's astounding stories of animal societies persuaded me that the future of human cities have been foretold by the ants. Read this manifesto if you like to have your mind changed."―Kevin Kelly, founder of WIRED Magazine

Book may be ordered here.

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

In Shift, EU Sanctions Iran Over Planned Europe Attacks. The European Union on Tuesday froze the assets of an Iranian intelligence unit and two of its staff, as the Netherlands accused Iran of two killings on its soil and joined France and Denmark in alleging Tehran plotted other attacks in Europe.

The move, although in part symbolic since one of the men is in prison in Belgium, marks the first time the EU has enacted sanctions on Iran since lifting a host of curbs on it three years ago following its 2015 nuclear pact with world powers.

The decision, which includes designating the unit and the two Iranians as terrorists, follows last year�s disclosure by Denmark and France that they suspected an Iranian government intelligence service of pursuing assassination plots on their soil. Copenhagen sought an EU-wide response. [Read more: Reuters/8January2019]

Japan Lends its Vision to 'Five Eyes' Intelligence Alliance. Japan is strengthening its relationship with the so-called Five Eyes -- an intelligence pact among the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand -- as China expands its military might and information-gathering operations in the Asia-Pacific region.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will stop by the U.K. Thursday during a tour of Europe to meet with British counterpart Theresa May. The leaders are expected to agree to advance cooperation on Japan's "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" strategy, a counterweight to China's presence in the region. Britain is an originator of the alliance between English-speaking nations.

Canada also requested a phone call Wednesday between Abe and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss China's arrest of Canadian citizens, as Five Eyes members seek Japan's cooperation. [Read more: Hadano/NikkeiAsianReview/10January2019]

Russian Intelligence 'Trying to Set Up New Web of Spies in Britain After Military Unit was Broken Up in the UK Following Salisbury Novichok Attack'. Russia is allegedly trying to set up a new spy network in the UK after its unit was decimated following the aftermath of the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

British Intelligence forces are said to be concerned by attempts by the SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence agency, to re-establish itself in Britain.

Officials are confident that GRU, the agency which masterminded the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal last year, had been dismantled.

But now Russia's SVR, which is the equivalent of Britain's MI6, is now said to be heading up spy operations in the UK. [Read more: Bayliss/DailyMail/5January2019]

SBU Counterintel Exposes Over 70 Foreign Intelligence Assets in 2018. The counterintelligence department of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine in 2018 exposed 71 persons involved in the subversive activities orchestrated by foreign intelligence services.

"SBU investigators have launched 114 criminal proceedings under Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason)," reads the SBU report for 2018, published on the agency's website January 8.

It is also noted that the SBU military counterintelligence identified 152 members of terrorist organizations of the so-called "Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics" ("DPR"/"LPR"), 54 of whom were detained.

"Probes launched by the Main Directorate of the [SBU] Military Counterintelligence resulted in 850 criminal proceedings opened and 144 convictions that have come into legal force," the report said. [Read more: UNIAN/8January2019]

Venezuela Names Ex-Spy Chief as Head of New Presidential Security Unit. Venezuela's former spy chief, who was ousted last year amid an uproar over the death of a jailed opposition politician, was sworn in on Tuesday as the head of a newly-created presidential security counsel, according to state television.

Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez was replaced as the head of the National Bolivarian Intelligence Service (Sebin) in October after opposition councilman Fernando Alban died while detained at the agency's headquarters in Caracas. The death was officially ruled a suicide, but critics said he was killed.

Gonzalez Lopez was sworn in by Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in a brief ceremony just days before socialist President Nicolas Maduro is set to be inaugurated for a second term. Other countries in the region have called on him not to take office, arguing his May 2018 re-election vote was a sham.

Venezuela's information ministry did not immediately respond to a request for further details about the new counsel's responsibilities. Maduro last month accused the United States and neighboring Colombia of plotting to invade Venezuela, without providing evidence. [Read more: Reuters/8January2019]

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Ernest May Fellow Calder Walton Co-edits Landmark History of Espionage. Ernest May Fellow in History & Policy Dr. Calder Walton and Christopher Andrew, Emeritus Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at the University of Cambridge are co-editing the three volume Cambridge History of Espionage and Intelligence, which has been commissioned by Cambridge University Press and will be available in print and digital formats. Publication is scheduled for 2022.

Walton and Andrew are heading up an international team that includes historians and ex-intelligence practitioners from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe.

The history intends to show the use of intelligence and intelligence agencies throughout history, from biblical times to the present day; how both intelligence gathering and the use and misuse of intelligence have provided the background to conflicts and international relations throughout history; and how recent global events have shown the way in which modern intelligence-gathering remains an important feature of the international landscape. [Read more: Lynch/BelferCenter/5December2018]

Wippl Publishes Article on U.S. Intelligence Reform. Joseph Wippl, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, published a recent review of The CIA and the Politics of U.S. Intelligence Reform (Cambridge University Press, 2019) by Brent Durbin.

Wippl's review, entitled "Reform or Mere Change?" was published in the International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence. [Read more: BU/8January2019]

That Time a CIA Spyplane Had to Dodge a Spear During the Cold War. As drones become more common in the sky, so to do the ways to knock them down. Declassified CIA documents from the Cold War show that the ambition of knocking low-flying recon missions down is a long-standing tradition. As early as 1964, in the region now known as the Congo prompted an unusual response: a thrown spear attack.

In 1960, as the Congo stepped into independence after 75 years of Belgian colonization, a crisis of leadership emerged almost instantly. The region quickly became a proxy for both the United States and Soviet Union, which each country supporting various factions vying for power. Each country had an extreme interest in the Congo's rich natural resources, particularly the uranium which could be used to further build nuclear weapons.

After the assassination of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba in 1961, the country sank into further chaos. Lumumba's followers renamed themselves the Simbas with a Soviet backing and while proving a resilient rebel force in the country for years, by 1964 the Simbas had begun to weaken. In a northern city then known as Stanleyville (now known as Kisangani), the rebels began taking hostages.

In preparation for the hostage crisis, the CIA began monitoring the situation remotely. [Read more: Grossman/PopularMechanics/14January2019]

Once a Spy in WWII, a 94-Year-Old Finally Got His Medal. For decades, Al Besser's work as a spy during World War II went largely unrecognized. Until recently, when he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his service.

"It brings back a lot of memories, and it makes me feel how very, very lucky I am to be here," Besser said. "I mean, there were so many others that deserve honors that were in much more peril than I was."

Besser, 94, was a spy in the Office of Strategic Services, a precursor to the CIA. He was stationed in Asia, where he gathered intelligence behind enemy lines and worked alongside local forces to undermine Japan.

He received the medal in a surprise ceremony that was put together with the help of his wife. [Read more: WCVB/11January2019]

CIA Secrets for Hiring and Keeping the Right Employees. While every entity has turnover it is clear that the turnover at the CIA tends to be less volatile than other government agencies. Why is
that?

A lot has to do with the manner in which the CIA hires. They, like many other agencies and departments, can be found at college job fairs, looking to attract great candidates early in their career journey. The portal by which candidates make themselves known to the CIA
is uniform - their website. Their mantra? "We hire amazing people."

And like all whose workforce is stable, there lays the clue to their success. [Read more: Burgess/ClearanceJobs/14January2019]

On his 2nd Day in Office, George H.W. Bush Told the CIA he Wanted More Jokes in his Secret Intelligence Briefings. President George H.W. Bush occupied the White House during tumultuous times, conducting military operations in Panama and the Persian Gulf and grappling with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in just four years.

But that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun, he told the CIA officers tasked with briefing him each day.

As vice president and president, Bush took special interest in the intelligence he was provided and in the personnel who provided it, according to a remembrance in the most recent edition of the CIA's Studies in Intelligence journal, written by its managing editor, Andres Vaart, a 30-year CIA veteran.

In a 1995 article in the journal, one of Bush's briefers, Charles A. Peters, recounts how, on January 21, 1989, the day after his inauguration, Bush injected levity into one of the more severe daily tasks the president takes on. [Read more: Woody/BusinessInsider/11January2019]

How a Russian Firm Helped Catch an Alleged NSA Data Thief. The 2016 arrest of a former National Security Agency contractor charged with a massive theft of classified data began with an unlikely source: a tip from a Russian cybersecurity firm that the U.S. government has called a threat to the country.

Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab turned Harold T. Martin III in to the NSA after receiving strange Twitter messages in 2016 from an account linked to him, according to two people with knowledge of the investigation. They spoke with POLITICO on condition of anonymity because they're not authorized to discuss the case.

The company's role in exposing Martin is a remarkable twist in an increasingly bizarre case that is believed to be the largest breach of classified material in U.S. history.

It indicates that the government's own internal monitoring systems and investigators had little to do with catching Martin, who prosecutors say took home an estimated 50 terabytes of data from the NSA and other government offices over a two-decade period, including some of the NSA's most sophisticated and sensitive hacking tools. [Read more: Zetter/Politico/9January2019]

Section III - COMMENTARY

Explaining the DIA's Critical Role in National Security. In September, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley Jr., gave a wide-ranging interview in which he discussed the DIA's core mission. Ashley noted that the DIA is charged with producing foundational military intelligence for consumption by warfighters and senior leaders to avoid surprise and prevent or decisively win wars.

As a DIA veteran, however, I've always worried that descriptions of the agency's core mission have typically been overly broad and never been quite so clear cut. Ambiguity over the DIA's responsibilities prompted Congress to probe more deeply into the specifics of how the agency is charged with supporting U.S. national security and defense objectives. Specifically, Section 2432 of the latest proposed Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 seeks "to prevent imbalanced priorities, insufficient or misaligned resources, and the unauthorized expansion of mission parameters" of the DIA. It further calls for "a repeatable process for evaluating the addition, transfer, or elimination of defense intelligence missions, roles, and functions, currently performed or to be performed in the future by the Defense Intelligence Agency." Thus, a clearer explanation of what the DIA does and, more importantly, what it is supposed to be doing is in order, and I try to provide that here. [Read more: Grossman/WarOnTheRocks/11January2019]

We Need the Five Eyes Spy Network, but With Oversight. After Canadian authorities seized a top Chinese executive from the telecommunications giant Huawei at Vancouver Airport last month on a US arrest warrant, Beijing immediately set about retaliating.

A couple of Canadians who, until then, had been working openly in China, were detained. Top-level meetings for Canadian diplomats dried up. And Beijing made clear more was to come, threatening "grave consequences" unless the Huawei executive was released.

Amid this furore, one prominent Chinese media outlet suggested another target to turn the screws on Ottawa. "In this complicated game," said the Global Times, "China should focus on the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, especially Australia, New Zealand and Canada, who actively follow the US against China."

That the Chinese might be looking at multiple avenues for hitting back after the Huawei detention is hardly surprising. [Read more: McGregor/SydneyMorningHerald/12January2019]

Let's Not Assume All Breaches Are The Same. In the way it was presented, the recent revelation from Marriott International that user data was compromised by an unknown threat appears no different to all the other 'disturbingly ordinary' breaches that have occurred over the past few years. In most cases, the headlines will toss out a dramatic number of affected individuals and amounts of stolen information described by sweepingly generic impressions of the data lost. This is all capped off with assurances that the affected organization is working with law enforcement, promises of cybersecurity improvements, and offers of free identity theft monitoring in an attempt to regain public trust.

At this point of breach news saturation, most people confuse all the breaches, the data lost, and the sources for those breaches. Honestly, it has gotten exhaustive - every single week there is a significant breach and frankly, it's the tip of the iceberg. Many more breaches go completely unnoticed until fraud begins. This brings us to an important question, what happens if the data lost is not used for fraud? [Read more: Reschke/Forbes/9January2019]

Section IV - Research Requests, Obituaries

Research Requests

Journalist Searching for CIA "Lunik" Team
In 1959 or 1960, four CIA agents 'kidnapped' a Soviet satellite named "Lunik." The satellite was part of a worldwide tour to promote the Soviet Union's industrial and economic achievements. The spacecraft was transported in a crate by rail to Mexico City (it is believed). There, the CIA 'borrowed' the Lunik for one night, catalogued its secrets, and replaced it before anyone noticed. Jeff Maysh, an investigative journalist based in Los Angeles, is looking for anyone with knowledge of the plot. He is especially interested in finding a Mexican intelligence officer who is now based in California. He is also looking for any former officer or agent with knowledge of the agency's "joint Factory Markings Center," or, more broadly, recollections of working for the CIA during this time.
Maysh recently wrote a story about how the FBI uncovered a major McDonald's fraud [see "How an Ex-Cop Rigged McDonald's Monopoly Game and Stole Millions"] which is being adapted for film by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and the producers of Argo [see "Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Paid $1 Million for McDonald's Monopoly Scam Story"].
He can be reached on +1 310-531-0449, or jeff@jeffmaysh.com.

Obituaries

Eric Bradbury, CIA Senior Officer

Eric Lee Bradbury, 69, a Senior CIA Officer, died of cancer on 19 December 2018 in Naples, FL. After graduating from Hubbard High School in 1966, he attended Case Institute of Technology, earning a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He served four years in the US Air Force, and then joined CIA, where he served for 31-years, retiring as a Senior Officer in 2005. He was awarded the Distinguished Intelligence Medal. He then worked for Northrop Grumman in the Aerospace Sector and retired again in 2016. He is survived by his wife, Linda, a brother, and other family.

Gerry Cunningham, CIA Officer

Gerry M. Cunningham, 77, died 5 January 2019 of pancreatic cancer. He was a 1959 graduate of Uniontown High School and received his teaching degree from California Sate College, PA in 1963. He became a sixth grade teacher at the Lemon Road Elementary School in Fairfax County, VA. He left teaching and went to work for CIA for 30 years. He counted as his friends anybody he ever met. Gerry lived in Manassas, VA until he retired in 1996 and moved back to his beautiful mountains of Ohiopyle, PA to his boyhood home. He was a "snow bird" to Seminole, FL for 22 years, moving to Seminole full time in 2018. Gerry is survived by his wife of 55 years, Elizabeth Stevenson Cunningham, two daughters and a son, and other family.

Bill Parker, CIA Intelligence Analyst

William L. Parker, 82, a CIA Intelligence Analyst, died 2 January 2019 in Englewood, FL. He was a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point. Bill attended the basic infantry officer course at Ft. Benning, GA. He was assigned to the 39th Battle Group, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Lewis, WA. Bill attended Stanford University where he took graduate courses in Asian Studies, and resigned his commission and joined the CIA where he worked as an analyst for 30 years. Following Bill's Agency retirement in 1991, the family moved to Port Charlotte, FL. Bill and Claudia enjoyed many hours of water volley ball and many sessions of contract bridge. Bill is survived by two sons, a daughter, and other family.

Rod Rhines, CT Operations, CIA Special Activities Division

Rodney C. Rhines , 46, CT Operations, CIA Special Activities Division, died 31 December 2018 of injuries sustained in a car accident. Rod was born in California, and graduated UCSB as valedictorian of his class. He served as a Navy SEAL from 1990-95, earning a Navy Commendation Medal with Combat Valor Distinguishing Device. Rod was COO at Davies Communications when he felt the call to return to service after 9/11. He played a special role in counterterrorism operations at the CIA as part of the Agency's elite Special Activities Division, Ground Branch. In 2009, Rod earned an MBA at the Wharton School and transitioned his career into advanced technologies at Palantir, where he helped build the defense and disaster response businesses. Rod modeled how to live life fully, and most often expressed his passion for life-long learning through travel, study and the outdoors. He kayaked whitewaters, climbed peaks and glaciers, skydived, mountain-biked and loved to ride his many boards. He lived to be "a little bit better today than yesterday." His friends say Rod was a different breed. He loved fiercely and openly, deliberately making time to live in each moment with Lani and their three boys. Above all, Rod was deeply loyal to and protective of those he loved. Owen, Elliot and Sam were his proudest achievements. Rod is survived by his wife and sons, his sister, Tamara, a large extended family and many more whom he considered family

Tom Ryan, CIA Operations Officer

Thomas Andrew Ryan, 87, a CIA Operations Officer, died 31 December 2018. He grew up in the Bronx. After graduating from St. Bonaventure University in 1952, he served as an infantry officer in the Army for three years. Mr. Ryan continued to serve his country for another 35 years as a CIA Operations Officer, with overseas tours in Japan, Thailand, Brazil, Poland, and Australia. After retiring in 1991, he worked for 10 more years as a CIA contractor. Mr. Ryan was also a dedicated weekly volunteer at Fairfax Hospital for more than 10 years. He is survived by his wife, Lucille Mary Altieri, five children, and other family.

Don Schimmel, CIA COMINT and Numbers Stations Expert

Donald Ward Schimmel, 91, a CIA COMINT and Number Stations expert, died 5 January 2019 in Hedgesville, WV. Don served his country in the U.S. Navy and then as a Communications Intelligence Officer for CIA, where he was a radio communications expert. Don served at several locations in Central and South America. In retirement, he continued his communications work with contributions to various trade publications such as Popular Communications and Dxing.com, a publication of Universal Radio. He was also a published author. Don was internationally recognized as an expert on Cuban "numbers stations" and until a few months before his death, would regularly tune them in. His love of South American food and music will live on through his family and good friends. He is survived by three sons, a daughter, and other family.

Alick Shirley

Alick A. Shirley III, 80, died 2 January 2019. He is survived by two daughters, a brother, a sister, and other family.

AFIO EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN COMING TWO MONTHS....

Thursday, 17 January 2019, 11:30 AM - Colorado Springs - The AFIO Rocky Mountain Chapter hosts Kate Hall, discussing "The Hunt for Osama bin Laden: From the Inside"

A CIA team tracked Osama bin Laden for years until the raid on his compound in Pakistan. This is the story of what the team did, how OBL's trail was discovered and followed, what problems had to be overcome and what finally led to the raid. A very entertaining and informative presentation by a member of the team.

Katherine (Kate) Hall has a 35-year career with the CIA in which Kate made her way from an 07 rank to lead thousands of analysts deployed around the globe. Along the way she visited jungles, deserts, and back alleys; but she also had the honor of meeting and briefing multiple US Presidents and foreign dignitaries. She was one of the first official Americans to go to People's Republic of China; the first female National Intelligence Officer with the National Intelligence Council; she headed two CIA Offices in the Directorate of Intelligence and had the honor of leading hundreds of analysts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thirty days from her retirement, 9/11 happened and, as most of her peers, Kate re-upped. The result was thirteen more years with CIA which included heading operations for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Her last five years in Washington D.C. were as Vice President and General Manager of BAE Systems where she headed global operations supporting several US Intelligence Agencies and the US military.

For more information, please contact Tom VanWormer at robsmom@pcisys.net and/or Steve at steve13507@gmail.com.

Saturday, 19 January 2019, 2 pm - Kennebunk, ME - AFIO Maine hosts John Doughty, speaking on "Sino-U.S. Relations: Global Competitors or Inevitable Armed Conflict?"

The featured speaker at this AFIO Maine event will be John Doughty, veteran scholar, researcher, and analyst of global affairs. He will examine deteriorating China-U.S. relations. Doughty will discuss the tensions building on the trade front, China's military expansion into the South China Sea, and key events in Chinese history that may provide clues to future developments. He was formerly a senior financial analyst at Bath Iron Works, is a trustee of the Maine Historical Society, and currently serves on the boards of directors at World Affairs Council of Maine, and the Camden Conference.

This presentation is open to the public and a question period will follow.

No registration is required and there is no fee to attend. Event is held at the Brick Store Museum's Program Center, 4 Dane St, Kennebunk, ME.

30 January 2019 (Wednesday), 11:30 a.m. - San Francisco, CA - The AFIO San Francisco Chapter hosts Bill Monroe on CORONA Satellite Project, Genesis of Government-Private Sector Cooperation and its Impact on Silicon Valley

Speaker: Bill Monroe
Topic: CORONA Satellite Project, Genesis of Government-Private Sector Cooperation and its Impact on Silicon Valley
Times: 11:30AM no host cocktails; noon meeting
Location: Basque Cultural Center, 599 Railroad Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080. Google map location.
RSVP: Register via Eventbrite here.

1 February 2019 - Tysons, VA - First AFIO luncheon of 2019 features Larry Loftis, author of Code Name: Lise, and David Major, Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent, discussing "The Truth About Edward Snowden: The Man Who Conned the World."

MAJOR.s presentation starts at 1 p.m.: Edward Snowden is a polarizing figure in the world today. Known by millions and the press as a champion of freedom and a self-appointed 'whistleblower' exposing IC activities which some saw as a violation of the civil rights of Americans. These are some of the myths surround Snowden's claims, and promoted by anti-IC minions in the press and nonprofit world. Almost all information in the public domain about Snowden is false; the vast majority of the "Snowden narrative" crafted, skewed, and provided by Snowden himself and swallowed whole by his media fans, never verified. Snowden has repeatedly lied about himself, his supposed expertise, the NSA, and his motivations. David Major will expose the truth about the man, his background, and the duplicity of his claims. These are essential corrections of the Snowden Myth which professionals need to know to counter continuing false claims made by Snowden and his supporters.

LOFTIS's presentation starts at 11 a.m.: Code Name: Lise—The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy, by Larry Loftis recounts the story of Odette Sansom (1912-1995), a Frenchwoman living in England, wife of an Englishman and mother of 3 daughters, who was recruited into Britain's Special Operations Executive to conduct espionage in France during World War II with her commander and yet-to-be second husband, Peter Churchill. Leaving her daughters in a convent school and with relatives, she joined the rigorous training program, becoming proficient with a wide range of weapons, learning the fine points of spycraft, and perfecting her new identity with the code name Lise. In France she proved herself fearless. Hunted by the Germans, in 1943, Odette and Peter were captured, imprisoned, and tortured. Loftis describes Odette's ordeal in grisly detail. Two lies saved her: She pretended that she and Peter were married (they would be after the war) and that Peter was related to Winston Churchill. In defeat, the Gestapo hoped to use her as a bargaining chip.
Watch this brief 83-second video about the book. You will want to attend to hear the author.

Register now for AFIO National's first luncheon of 2019. Register here.

Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton, 1960 Chain Bridge Rd, Tysons Corner, VA 22182 Phone: (703) 893-2100. Directions at this link.

Friday, 1 February 2019, 1 p.m. - Westchester, CA - The AFIO Los Angeles Chapter Annual Business Meeting

Happy New Year! With the new year we have scheduled our annual chapter business meeting on 1 February 2019 (Friday).

Lunch will be served at no cost. Complimentary lunch for members will be served as we focus on three agenda items listed below. If you would like to add topics to the agenda, please forward them to the chapter officers here so that we may include them at the meeting. Agenda Items are: � Election of Chapter Officers; � Membership Growth; � 2019 Speakers.

Location: Alejos Restaurant, 8343 Lincoln Blvd, Westchester, CA 90045. Map location is here.

RSVP: Click to send email of your attendance. We strongly encourage participation from all members. Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for a New Year!

Vincent Autiero, President; John Hallstead, Treasurer; AFIO-Los Angeles Chapter, http://www.afio.org

Tuesday, 12 February 2019 - MacDill AFB, FL - The Florida Suncoast AFIO Chapter hears FSO Nancy Charles-Parker on "War Stories" from Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Central Asia, South and Central America, Europe, the Arabian Gulf and East Asia.

Ms. Nancy Charles-Parker, former Operations Officer/Economic Reporter and Foreign Service Officer, had a distinguished 33-year career in government service. Her most interesting "war stories" stem from Saudi Arabia, where businessmen and government officials generally treated her like an "honorary man". The experiences she will share originate in her U.S. embassy assignments in South Africa, Central Asia, South and Central America, Europe, the Arabian Gulf and East Asia.

The program starts at noon. Fee: $20 by check or cash at door. RSVP: Luncheon reservations and arrangements for base access for those without military ID must be made by Tuesday, 5 February, by contacting the Chapter Secretary, michaels@suncoastafio.org.

Event location: MacDill AFB Surf's Edge Club, 7315 Bayshore Boulevard, MacDill AFB, FL 33621.

Other Upcoming Events from Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, and Others

Tuesday, 15 January 2019, 6 p.m. - Coral Gables, FL - Fred Rustmann gives presentation on "False Flag"

Former CIA Operations Officer, author Fred Rustmann gives presentation on his latest novel, False Flag. This book was announced in Weekly Notes #02-18 (09 January 2018), and also praised by reviewer Joseph Goulden in Intelligencer, Spring 2018 [page 101].

A young, female CIA officer under non-official cover has been snatched off of the streets of Beirut by Hezbollah. This is the kind of situation that CIA's legendary Deputy Director of Operations Edwin Rothmann needs solved fast—but he can't involve the agency. Instead, he enlists the renegade Ft. Lauderdale outfit he refers to as "CIA, Inc." headed by former CIA case officer Mac MacMurphy. As the kidnapped officer faces a battle of wits with her mysterious interrogator, MacMurphy and his team track down a former CIA asset who may hold the key to infiltrating the hostage situation before it gets out of hand.
Rustmann will discuss various intelligence operations in this and his prior novels (The Case Officer, Plausible Denial), and the realities of modern techniques and covert operations.
Location: Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134; 305-442-4408. See 2-page flyer here for details on book and event.
Too impatient to wait? Or seeking gifts for Christmas? Rustmann's 'too-real-to-be-novels' can be purchased from Amazon here or from Books and Books in Coral Gables here.

Thursday, 17 January 2019, 6 - 7:30PM - Alexandria, VA - NIP Third Thursday Social features RDML Brookes speaking on ""Perspectives on the Role of the Information Warfare Commander Afloat and Naval Intelligence at Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet."

Naval Intelligence Professionals kick-off their Third Thursday Social with guest speaker Rear Admiral Michael Brookes, Deputy Commander, U.S. 10th Fleet, discussing "Perspectives on the Role of the Information Warfare Commander Afloat and Naval Intelligence at Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet." RDML Brookes' operational tours include Imagery Intelligence Officer for VF-211 embarked aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68); Assistant Intelligence Officer (N21) for Cruiser-Destroyer Group One, embarked aboard USS Constellation (CV-64); Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (N2) for Carrier Strike Group 7, embarked aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76); Deputy Director of Intelligence (DJ2) for Joint Special Operations Command, where he deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan as Director of Intelligence (J2) for a joint special operations task force.

Please join us for camaraderie and professional insight. Questions are highly encouraged.

Location: Sonoma Cellar 207 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
Questions: email Bob Allen, CAPT, USN (Ret), NIP Programs Coordinator or call him at 913-775-3655.

Friday, 25 January 2019, 11 a.m. - noon - Washington, DC - DMGS hears Amédée Prouvost on "How The World Bank Manages Risk."

How The World Bank Manages Risk will be the presentation by Amédée Prouvost, Director, Operational Risk (CROOR) World Bank Group Risk Officer Vice President Mr. Provoust will discuss how the World Bank manages risk to include non-financial risk. Cost: Free

Where: Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security, 1620 L St NW Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036 Dress Code is Business or Business Casual.

RSVP is required and guests must check in prior to entering the event. Register here.

DMGS Reserves the Right to Refuse entry and May Ask for Government Issued Identification.

Qs?: Direct Qs to Frank Fletcher, Director of Lectures & Seminars, at events@dmgs.org.

16 May 2019 - Washington, DC - HOLD THE DATE for "Night of Heroes" Gala Dinner by the PENFED Foundation

The PENFED Foundation hosts their annual "Night of Heroes Gala" at the Mandarin Oriental, Washington, DC. Hold the date. Details to follow.

Gift Suggestions:

AFIO's Guide to the Study of Intelligence

AFIO's 788-page Guide to the Study of Intelligence. Peter C. Oleson, Editor, also makes a good gift. View authors and table of contents 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.
For a printed, bound copy, it is $95 which includes Fedex shipping to a CONUS (US-based) address.
To order for shipment to a US-based CONUS address, use this online form,

To order multiple copies or for purchases going to AK, HI, other US territories, or other countries call our office at 703-790-0320 or send email to afio@afio.com to hear of shipment fees.

Order the Guide from the AFIO's store at this link.

The Guide is also available directly from Amazon at this link.

AFIO's Intelligence Community Mousepads are a great looking addition to your desk...or as a gift for others.
Made in USA. Click image for larger view.

These 2017 mousepads have full color seals of all 18 members of the US Intelligence Community on this 8" round, slick surface, nonskid, rubber-backed mouse pad with a darker navy background, brighter, updated seals. Also used, by some, as swanky coasters. Price still only $20.00 for 2 pads [includes shipping to US address. Foreign shipments - we will contact you with quote.] Order MOUSEPADS here.

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