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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Gifts 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.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Spaces are filling for AFIO's 2019 Symposium Thursday and Friday, 9-10 May 2019 - in Washington DC and McLean/Tysons VA Features AFIO's SPIES in BLACK TIES™ Reception and Banquet Register now.
PROGRAM: updated program with speakers and venues is here.

Register online now to attend the symposium by using this secure link. Or use this printable PDF Registration form here to be completed and mailed/faxed/emailed back to AFIO. PROGRAM: The tentative program for both days may be viewed here.
HIGHLIGHTS: Thursday, 9 May is Day One at the International Spy Museum's New L'Enfant Plaza location two days before they officially open. Buses will depart from the DoubleTree by Hilton, Tysons at 8 a.m. sharp to arrive at the International Spy Museum at 9 a.m. Featuring remarks by COL Christopher Costa USA (Ret.), Executive Director of the museum; and Dr. Vince Houghton, the museum's Curator and Historian. Other speakers Stephen K. Black, Director, Office of Intelligence and CI, DOE; David Ignatius, author and journalist; Peter Singer, author and futurist. Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the museum. Return trip back to hotel will be at 3 p.m.

Friday, 10 May is Day Two at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Tysons and features a full day of speakers and panels starting with Robert Jackall, Professor Emeritus, Williams College. The morning panel is moderated by Stewart Baker and covers "Intelligence and Democracy: Time to Rethink FISA and Intelligence Oversight." It features panelists Glenn Gerstell, John Rizzo, Suzanne Spaulding. Our luncheon keynote will be Chris Inglis, former Deputy Director, NSA. Amb. Ronald Neumann, President American Academy of Diplomacy, follows. Christopher Parker's afternoon panel on "Totalitarian States Use of Technology Against the U.S." features panelists Amb. Joseph DeTrani, Kevin McCarty, John Sano, and Toshi Yoshihara. Day Two also includes buffet breakfast and lunch. This second day will close with AFIO's exceptional SPIES in BLACK TIES™ Reception and Banquet. Day Two Daytime program will begin at 9 a.m. (buffet breakfast and chapter workshop begin at 7 a.m.) Daytime program ends at 4:30 p.m. Cocktail reception and "Spies in Black Ties™" Banquet from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

Buses will transport attendees from the DoubleTree by Hilton, Tysons to the International Spy Museum and back. The second day of this event takes place at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Tysons, 1960 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22102. To be ready for early departure by buses on Day One, it is recommended that attendees consider staying overnight starting Wednesday, 8 May. Reservations may be made online at this link or by calling (703) 893-2100. The special event room rate is $139/night and is available until 6 April 2019 or until all rooms are filled. You must reference our group code AAF. You may also locate rooms at this or other nearby Tysons/Vienna hotels using online services, e.g., Trivago, Expedia, Travelocity, or Orbitz.

Register online now to attend the symposium by using this secure link. Or use this printable PDF Registration form here to be completed and mailed/faxed/emailed back to AFIO. PROGRAM: The tentative program for both days may be viewed here.

New and Forthcoming Books of the Week

The Spy in Moscow Station: A Counterspy's Hunt for a Deadly Cold War Threat
by Eric Haseltine
(Thomas Dunne Books, Apr 2019)

Former director of research at the National Security Agency (NSA), Haseltine tells the story of NSA engineer Charles Gandy, who traveled to the USSR on a visa in the 1970s and was accused of spying by the Soviets at a time when the NSA did not officially exist. Evidently, there was a leak in the US Embassy in Moscow, and, then as now, the Russians proved themselves to be way ahead of us in technologically enhanced espionage.

"In the cat and mouse, twists and turns and tradecraft of modern technical espionage and counter-espionage (and now the field of Cyber and Information Warfare), Eric Haseltine's book once again reminds us of the high stakes and brilliant personalities involved in the relentless and often life and death struggles around intelligence and national security. The lessons of this book are to be neither naive nor complacent, especially against a determined and capable adversary."
—Admiral William O. Studeman, U.S. Navy (Retired), former Director NSA, Deputy Director of Central Intelligence and CIA

"A thrilling narrative from a context of advanced technology and secrecy. The story is quite entertaining and the lessons are utterly enduring."
—Admiral Eric T. Olson, U.S. Navy (Retired), former Commander, United States Special Operations Command

Book may be ordered here.

Surprise, Kill, Vanish: The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins
by Annie Jacobsen
(Little, Brown and Company, May 2019)

Since 1947, domestic and foreign assassinations have been executed under the CIA-led covert action operations team. Before that time, responsibility for taking out America's enemies abroad was even more shrouded in mystery. Despite Hollywood notions of last-minute rogue-operations and external secret hires, covert action is actually a cog in a colossal foreign policy machine, moving through, among others, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, the House and Senate Select Committees. At the end of the day, it is the President, not the CIA, who is singularly in charge.
When diplomacy fails and overt military action is not feasible, the President often calls on the Special Activities Division, the most secretive and lowest-profile branch of the CIA. It is this paramilitary team that undertakes dramatic and little-known assignments: hostage rescues, sabotage, and, of course, assassinations.

Jacobsen delves inside this top-secret history using her access to former operatives, ambassadors, and past directors of the Secret Service and CIA operations, to describe the inner workings of these teams, and how far a U.S. president may go, covertly but lawfully, to pursue the nation's interests.

"A behind-the-scenes look at the most shadowy corners of the American intelligence community...Well-sourced and well-paced, this book is full of surprises."—Kirkus

Book may be ordered here.

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Former Top Intelligence Officials Create "Briefing Book" for 2020 Candidates - Including Trump. Two former acting CIA directors have enlisted former intelligence analysts in compiling a "briefing book" on global security challenges and are sending copies to all declared 2020 presidential candidates - including President Trump.

The 37-page report is intended to serve as an unclassified, written version of a typically classified oral briefing offered to the presidential nominees of both parties. The authors, John McLoughlin and Michael Morell, who is also a CBS News Senior National Security Contributor, have led such briefings in the past.

"Given that the U.S. faces the most complex and difficult national security and foreign policy environment in decades and given the ongoing debates in the U.S. about the basic facts on key issues," the former officials wrote, according to a copy of the report reviewed by CBS News, "we thought it would be useful to bring a version of the 'nominee briefings' to all the candidates running for president in 2020 as early in the process as possible."

The document cites the "rise and abundance of fake news and foreign election interference" as a key reason for the authors offering "unbiased, nonpartisan information about the threats facing our nation." [Read more: Gazis/CBSNews/28March2019]

CIA Plans Multibillion Cloud Buy for Intelligence Community. Six years after its initial cloud infrastructure push, the CIA is leading a multibillion dollar, multivendor expansion of cloud services on behalf of the entire intelligence community, with awards expected in 2021.

The new procurement, dubbed IC Commercial Cloud Enterprise or C2E, follows up the 2013 acquisition of an on-premise, top secret cloud capability from Amazon Web Services. The CIA is conducting a two-phase procurement to acquire "foundational cloud services" from multiple vendors and then to obtain specialized software-as-a-service apps and cloud management capabilities.

The overall value of the procurement is expected to be in the tens of billions of dollars, according to contracting documents reviewed by FCW. [Read more: Mazmanian/FCW/1April2019]

NATO Nations Discuss Warning Intelligence Reform. From 26-28 March 2019, the NATO Joint Intelligence and Security Division (JISD), in conjunction with the Netherlands Defence Intelligence and Security Service (DDIS), hosted the 20th annual NATO Warning Intelligence Working Group and Symposium, in Amsterdam.

Over the course of the three day event, intelligence practitioners and policymakers exchanged their views and insights regarding the diverse threats and challenges currently facing NATO. "Since 2014, there has been a major shift in the global security environment. NATO has responded by implementing major adaptations to ensure that the Alliance remains ready, agile and flexible. However, we continue to face significant challenges to our strategic intelligence interests. Only by adopting a collective, enterprise approach can we truly improve our responsiveness and situational awareness", stated US Army Major General Raul Escribano, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence in his opening remarks. [Read more: NATO/1April2019]

Britain's Spy Agency Delivers Scathing Assessment of Security Risks Posed by Huawei. The British government on Thursday released a scathing assessment of the security risks that Chinese telecom company Huawei poses to Britain's telecom networks, as London weighs whether to heed U.S. calls to bar the firm from the next-generation 5G network over fears it will enable spying by the Chinese government and potential cyberattacks.

It focused not on the Chinese state but rather on the engineering and software failings of gear made by Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker. The firm has been present in Britain's telecom network since 2003.

This is the second consecutive year the Government Communications Headquarters, or GCHQ - the British spy agency equivalent to the U.S. National Security Agency - has identified serious problems. This year, officials said they found "further significant technical issues" in the firm's engineering processes, as well as continued "concerning issues" in Huawei software, "leading to new risks" in Britain's 4G telecom networks. [Read more: Nakashima/WashingtonPost/28March2019]

Egypt Intelligence Delegation Arrives in Gaza for Talks. A delegation from Egypt's General Intelligence Service (GIS) arrived in the blockaded Gaza Strip on Monday for talks with Palestinian resistance faction Hamas, which has governed the enclave since 2007.

The delegation, which is reportedly being led by Major-General Ahmed Abdel-Khaliq, GIS director for Palestine affairs, arrived in the Gaza Strip via the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, a Palestinian source at the crossing told Anadolu Agency.

For the past week, Egyptian officials have engaged in intensive shuttle diplomacy between the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and Israel. [Read more: HAS/1April2019]

Trial of Norwegian Accused of Submarine Espionage Begins in Russia. The trial of a Norwegian man suspected of espionage began on Tuesday in Moscow, in a case that has raised tensions between Russia and its NATO-member neighbor.

Frode Berg, a retired former guard on the Norwegian-Russian border, is accused by Russian authorities of gathering information about Russian nuclear submarines on behalf of Norway.

"Berg was enlisted by the Norwegian intelligence service and agreed to work with them in return for financial reward," Russia's RIA news agency cited state prosecutor Milana Digaeva as saying.

"He was detained while receiving information from a Russian citizen who worked in a defense enterprise and was acting under the control of the FSB (Russia's domestic intelligence service)," she added. [Read more: Reuters/2April2019]

French Ex-Spy Suspected of Congo-Brazzaville Plot Shot Dead in Alps. The body of a former French intelligence agent linked to an assassination plot has been found riddled with bullets in a layby in the Alps.

Daniel Forestier was discovered in a pool of blood in a parking area off a little-used road in Haute-Savoie near Lake Léman. Police said the killing was a "professional job", and a postmortem revealed he had been shot five times.

The killing of Forestier, 57, author of several spy novels, came six months after he had been officially put under investigation for his suspected role in a plot to kill an opponent of the regime of Congo-Brazzaville's president, Denis Sassou-Nguesso.

Police said Forestier had previously served for 14 years as a member of France's counter-espionage agency, the DGSE, the French equivalent of MI6, but did not give dates when he was an operative. He was reported to have been a member of a special military unit tasked with top-secret "sensitive operations". [Read more: Willshir/TheGuardian/27March2019]

Former Intelligence Officials Sue to End Pre-Publication Review of Writings. Two civil liberties groups on Tuesday sued three U.S. intelligence chiefs and the acting defense secretary seeking to have declared unconstitutional their agencies' pre-publication reviews of former officials' writings and speeches.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Columbia University's Knight First Amendment Institute brought the lawsuit on behalf of five former intelligence and military officials. They argued the reviews as currently practiced breach the Constitution's First Amendment prohibition on government abridgement of freedom of speech.

The plaintiffs contended that reviews also violate the Constitution's Fifth Amendment, because the procedures can involve arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement and fail to define what can or cannot be said.

The action was brought in the U.S. district court in Greenbelt, Maryland, against Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, CIA Director Gina Haspel, National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone and Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan. [Read more: Landay/Reuters/2April2019]

Homeland Security Disbands Domestic Terror Intelligence Unit. The Department of Homeland Security has disbanded a group of intelligence analysts who focused on domestic terrorism, The Daily Beast has learned. Numerous current and former DHS officials say they find the development concerning, as the threat of homegrown terrorism - including white supremacist terrorism - is growing.

In the wake of this move, officials said the number of analytic reports produced by DHS about domestic terrorism, including the threat from white supremacists, has dropped significantly. People in and close to the department said this has generated significant concern at headquarters.

"It's especially problematic given the growth in right-wing extremism and domestic terrorism we are seeing in the U.S. and abroad," one former intelligence official told The Daily Beast.

The group in question was a branch of analysts in DHS's Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A). They focused on the threat from homegrown violent extremists and domestic terrorists. The analysts there shared information with state and local law enforcement to help them protect their communities from these threats. [Read more: Woodruff/DailyBeast/2April2019]

Section II - CONTEXT & PRECEDENCE

Going Places: At SpyScape (New York City), Find Your Place in World of Espionage. Are you Bond or Bourne? Once you leave SpyScape, you will learn there are many more roles to play in the complex and ever more ubiquitous world of intelligence. After going through eight "tests" and many stations which do their best to insert you into the realm of espionage and profile you to figure out what job you are best suited to, I would make a sorry spy. I knew from the start I wasn't either Bond or Bourne. But I found a new calling.

I was expecting a museum even as museums have become more interactive and engaging and multimedia. But SpyScape, one of the newest attractions in New York City, is not a museum. It is an interactive experience more than anything else, designed to inform you, yes, about the world of espionage and surveillance which, it turns out, is ubiquitous today, but put you in the picture so that you see yourself in the complex enterprise that is intelligence.

SpyScape is modern, state of the art, interactive, pulse-pounding, engaging, immersive experience that lets you peek into the world of espionage, spycraft, intelligence and counterintelligence today from the inside. [Read more: Rubin/TheIslandNow/1April2019]

The Art of Simple Sabotage. The rascally spies of OSS knew a thing or two about mischief making, especially when it came to undermining America's enemies in World War II. One of their more imaginative ideas was to train everyday citizens in the art of simple sabotage.

Thus, the "Simple Sabotage Field Manual" was born: [PDF 2.5 MB].

This previously classified booklet describes ways to train normal people to be purposely annoying telephone operators, dysfunctional train conductors, befuddling middle managers, blundering factory workers, unruly movie theater patrons, and so on.

In other words, teaching people to do their jobs badly. [Read more: CIA/1April2019]

Russia Ordered a Killing That Made No Sense. Then the Assassin Started Talking. The target lived on the sixth floor of a cheerless, salmon-colored building on Vidinska Street, across from a thicket of weeping willows. Oleg Smorodinov found him there, rented a small apartment on the ground floor, and waited.

He had gotten the name from his two handlers in Moscow. They met at the Vienna Cafe, a few blocks from the headquarters of Russia's domestic intelligence agency, and handed him a list of six people in Ukraine. Find them, they told Mr. Smorodinov, and he set off. He was already boasting to friends that he was a spy.

Each person on the list was assigned a code name related to flowers. One was ‘briar.' Another was ‘buttercup.' The target, a man named Ivan Mamchur, was called ‘rose.' To Mr. Smorodinov, he was a nobody, an electrician who worked at the local jail. To the handlers in Moscow, though, he was significant.

"Drenched in blood up to his elbows," they told him. [Read more: Schwirtz/NYTimes/31March2019]

Top 10 Most Damaging Spy Missions in History. The Espionage Act of 1917 defined espionage as the notion of obtaining or delivering information relating to national defense to a person who is not entitled to have it. The Act made espionage a crime punishable by death, but there are always men and women willing to risk it - for country, for honor, or maybe just for some quick cash.

Whether they infiltrated the enemy's ranks or sweet-talked the details out of careless persons who ignore all those "loose lips sink ships" posters, these are the most notorious spies with the most successful espionage missions in history, ranked by the operations they disrupted, the damage they dealt, and the odds stacked against them. [Read more: Corbeil/WeAreTheMighty/27March2019]

Section III - COMMENTARY

MBS Needs to Answer on Khashoggi, says WPost David Ignatius. It has been nearly six months since Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered inside Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, but the aftershocks continue. The U.S.-Saudi defense and intelligence partnership has been rocked. The future of the relationship is on hold, pending answers from Riyadh.

This case is personal for us at the Washington Post. Khashoggi was our colleague, and my friend for 15 years. To understand how his murder happened and whether it's possible to rebuild the U.S.-Saudi relationship, I've interviewed more than a dozen knowledgeable American and Saudi sources, who revealed some previously secret details because they hope to establish new rules and accountability that might preserve the relationship.

The bottom line is that unless the crown prince takes ownership of this issue and accepts blame for murderous deeds done in his name, his relationship with the United States will remain broken. Saudi officials claim that Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS as he is known, has made changes, firing Saud al-Qahtani, his former covert-operations coordinator. But the Saudi machine of repression remains intact, run by many of the same people who worked for Qahtani.

MBS took a small step toward placating critics Thursday when the kingdom released three female human-rights activists from prison, while they await trial. Eight other women who campaigned for women to drive and other issues remain in detention. [Read more: Ignatius/WashingtonPost/1April2019]

Section IV - Obituaries, Jobs, Research Assistance

Obituaries

Bill Simenson, former CIA Staff Officer

William Charles Simenson, 93, a former CIA Staff Officer, died 9 March 2019. Bill fondly remembered his childhood outdoor activities in northern Wisconsin such as rafting down the Red Cedar river and trapping animals on the old gopher grounds. He was particularly enamored of three pre-teen summers spent with his aunt and uncle on their Montana sheep farm where he learned to ride horseback. His father, a Buick automobile mechanic, moved the family to Chicago during the depression in search of better job opportunities, but this turned out to be a fruitless effort. Bill's family lived at Poverty Flats in Chicago. He was a mediocre student because most evenings he worked with his father at a parking lot to earn extra money for his family.
In 1943 he volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps pilot cadet program. He arrived in the Pacific theater of operations shortly after the war was over and reached the rank of corporal as a radio operator, flying the California/Hawaii/Pacific Islands/Okinawa/Japan air route for a year and a half after the war. He enrolled at the University of Wisconsin -- Madison (UWM) on the GI Bill and received his B.A. and M.A. in sociology and Scandinavian area studies. His Master's thesis was a comparative study of U.S. and Norwegian social mores. Bill was elected to the honorary Phi Beta Kappa fraternity and selected as a Fulbright scholar in Norway. He had warm memories of his participation in the American/International Summer School at the University of Oslo, which later became a Simenson family tradition of attendance.
While working on his PhD in 1952, he was recruited by the CIA, the start of a long and productive career working on national security issues. He was posted in Iceland, Norway, and Germany, as well as two extended assignments to Finland. He worked 28 years as a staff officer and 30 years as an independent contractor to the USG, receiving numerous awards, recognition, and medals. He was deeply committed to the overriding twin objectives of protecting U.S. national interests and supporting his family.
He was a fisherman and hunter, gardener, marathon runner, film aficionado, nature lover, and global traveler with an exceptional sense of humor. He also was a serious student of literature and music (favorite authors being Booth Tarkington and Jane Austen, and favorite composers Bach and Buxtehude). He was particularly proud of his Norwegian heritage and in retirement served two years as the President of the local Norwegian Society.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Katherine Louise Gimmler, two sisters, a son, three daughters, and other family. A Memorial Service will be held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna, Virginia, where Bill enjoyed serving as an usher in past years, at 11 AM on 1 June 2019.

Son of MI6 Chief Alex Younger Killed in Car Crash on Scottish Estate. The son of Alex Younger, the head of MI6, has been killed in an accident on a Scottish estate.

Sam Younger, 22, who was the middle child of the intelligence chief, died in the early hours of Saturday morning on a private estate in Stirlingshire, according to Police Scotland.

It is understood the Edinburgh University student died in a car crash, but police declined to give any further details, other than to say there were no suspicious circumstances.

Police Scotland also declined to name the Scottish estate, where the accident took place, although, the wider Younger family once owned the Leckie Estate, which is in Stirlingshire. [Read more: TheTelegraph/1April2019]

Ivo Schwarz, Ex-Czech Foreign Intelligence Head and Amb. to Israel, Dies Aged 54. Ivo Schwarz, a former ambassador to Israel and the longest-serving head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Czech Republic (ÚZSI), has died at the age of 54.

The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced his death on Twitter. It said he died of leukaemia.

Ivo Schwarz was director of the Office of Foreign Relations and Information from 2007-2014, having assumed several leading posts at the intelligence service since 1999. He was named Ambassador to Israel in October 2014. [Kenety/RadioPraha/2April2019]

Jobs

FireEye Has Position for Senior Incident Response Consultant in Alexandria, Virginia


Job Title:	Senior Incident Response Consultant
Company:	FireEye, Inc.
Experience:	5 to 20 years
Salary:	Full Time
Job Location:	Alexandria, VA

Senior Incident Response Consultant Alexandria, VA Full time Company Description FireEye is the leader in intelligence led security as a service. Working as a seamless, scalable extension of customer security operations, FireEye offers a single platform that blends innovative security technologies, nation state grade threat...

Research Assistance

Your Referral Sought to Aid Wounded or Disabled IC or Military Patriots: If you are — or know any — disabled Intelligence Officers, Military Members, Veterans, or First Responders, a special organization wants to hear about them to help make their lives a little easier through new technology... at no cost to them and no fund-raising sought from you.

The Quality of Life Plus program, aka QL+, was established in 2009 to generate innovations to aid and improve the quality of life of those who served our country and were wounded or disabled in the course of that service. QL+ handles all costs and does not seek funds, grants, memberships, nor sponsorships from AFIO members referring potential assistance cases to the QL+ organization. They only seek your confidential referrals of needy, worthwhile cases.

Patriots with life-altering injuries from across the US are assisted by QL+, one-on-one, which studies their situation to understand the lifestyle limitations they endure as a result of their injuries. These men and women are called "Challengers" by QL+, which then turns to their experts at universities to arrive at innovations in engineering, rehabilitation, and program management, to alleviate specific obstacles in the Challengers' lives which can be eased or overcome through innovation, such as development of a custom assistive device, adaptations to sports equipment, or prosthetic modification.

QL+ shapes these needs as projects or "Challenges" and engages their 12 partner universities to accept one or more of the challenges. Once the Challenge is accepted, QL+ connects the Challenger directly with senior engineering students working his or her Challenge. Throughout the academic year, QL+ mentors, monitors, and supports this unique collaboration between the Challenger and students. At the conclusion of the academic year, the student team formally presents the completed assistive device or modified hardware to the Challenger for use in their daily life. Win-Win.

AFIO members can play a role. QL+ is seeking Challengers for the 2019/2020 Academic year. Contact them here with your confidential referrals. Or write or call the organization: QL+, 6748 Old McLean Village Dr, McLean, VA 22101; 703.442.0038. Their fall 2018 newsletter may be viewed here.

AFIO EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN COMING TWO MONTHS....

Wednesday, 10 April 2019, 1130 - Albuquerque, NM - AFIO New Mexico Chapter discusses "The Spy and the Traitor"

SPEAKER: Tom Dyble presents Part 2 of his report on the book by Ben Macintyre: "The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War". It is the story of Oleg Gordievsky

Location of event: "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
Fee to attend: Meeting is Free.
11:00 AM (Arrive, Order Lunch - available at separate cost), 11:30 AM (Call To Order), 1:00 PM (Adjourn)

Our meetings are normally open to present and former members of Federal, Military (uniformed and civilian), State and Local Agencies and selective others who support the Intelligence Community.

If you desire further information, please contact one of the following:
Sam Shaw - Phone: 505-379-3963 e-mail: President@afionm.org
Tom Dyble - Phone: 505-299-3242 e-mail: Vice-President@afionm.org

Wednesday, 10 April 2019, 7 pm - Las Vegas, NV - The AFIO Roger E. McCarthy Las Vegas Chapter hears from John Getter on "Choosing Excellence."

The AFIO Roger E. McCarthy Las Vegas Chapter has a full program of business and speaker presentation at this April 10 meeting. President Schiffbauer will update the chapter on activities (new and old business) and there will be a presentation by John Getter.
John Getter is a professional speaker, trainer, consultant and recovering television journalist. He began his career at a small town radio station while still in high school. Last year, he was part of the team nominated for a National Emmy Award for NBC News coverage of the October 1 shootings. He has served major media outlets and consulted with private and public sector clients and political candidates.

John is the author of three books about space exploration that are available on Amazon Books and other outlets. As the space and science reporter for KHOU-TV (CBS), John provided in-depth coverage of the first 35 space shuttle missions. He was a regular contributor to and consultant for CBS News, regularly seen in more than 100 countries and on CNN. He continues his broadcast journalism producing coverage for several American and International Channels.

And that's where he had some adventures as he worked to cover his beat – the shuttle program – as they were testing their ability to operate in secret.

John led projects involving both the Russian MIR and International Space Stations, leading teams in Russia and the USA.

Event location: Los Prados Country Club, Las Vegas, NV 89130
Timing: 5:30 p.m. - Enjoy the Los Prados Club restaurant and bar; 7 p.m. - Call to Order -- G. Schiffbauer; Pledge of Allegiance & Moment of Tribute -- G. Schiffbauer; Chapter Update – G. Schiffbauer; New Business; Adjournment of Business Meeting; Raffle Drawing.
RSVP: Linda Cohn, Chapter Secretary, at lasvegasafo@gmail.com or call 702-239-1370, if you have any questions. The chapter looks forward to seeing you!

Saturday, 20 April 2019, 10am - 3pm - Dedham, MA - AFIO New England hosts Membership Business Meeting, Speaker, and Discussions

The AFIONE meeting schedule is as follows: Registration & Gathering, 1000 ― 1030; Membership meeting 1030 ― 1045; Morning Discussion Session 1045 to 1200; Luncheon at 1200 - 1300. The Morning session will be open discussion. Our afternoon speaker will be from 1300 ― 1430 with adjournment by 1500. The Morning session will cover various business-related items, general discussion regarding recent events of interest to the membership and a presentation by one of our members. Full details when available. LOCATION: The AFIONE chapter meeting will be held at the MIT Endicott House in Dedham Mass. Their website is here. Address is: 80 Haven Street, Dedham, MA 02026. Should you elect to stay at the Endicott House, Mike Assad has arranged a room rate of $140.00. Please mention AFIO/NE and Mike Assad when you make your reservation. For additional information contact us at afionechapter@gmail.com
Reservations are $25.00 per person. Emails regarding your plans to attend will be accepted if you are late meeting the deadline. These must be sent to Sarah Moore no later than 7 days prior to the event. Paid in advance the cost of the luncheon is $25 per person. Mail name of attendee and any guests to: AFIO/NE, Sarah Moore, PO Box 1203, Orange, CT 06477.

9-10 May 2019 - Washington DC and McLean VA - Registration Opens for AFIO 2019 Symposium

HIGHLIGHTS: Thursday, 9 May is Day One at the International Spy Museum's New L'Enfant Plaza location two days before they officially open. Buses will depart from the DoubleTree by Hilton, Tysons at 8 a.m. sharp to arrive at the International Spy Museum at 9 a.m. Featuring remarks by COL Christopher Costa USA (Ret.), Executive Director of the museum; and Dr. Vince Houghton, the museum's Curator and Historian. Other speakers Stephen K. Black, Director, Office of Intelligence and CI, DOE; David Ignatius, author and journalist; Peter Singer, author and futurist. Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the museum. Return trip back to hotel will be at 3 p.m.

Friday, 10 May is Day Two at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Tysons and features a full day of speakers and panels starting with Robert Jackall, Professor Emeritus, Williams College. The morning panel is moderated by Stewart Baker and covers "Intelligence and Democracy: Time to Rethink FISA and Intelligence Oversight." It features panelists Glenn Gerstell, John Rizzo, Suzanne Spaulding. Our luncheon keynote will be Chris Inglis, former Deputy Director, NSA. Amb. Ronald Neumann, President American Academy of Diplomacy, follows. Christopher Parker's afternoon panel on "Totalitarian States Use of Technology Against the U.S." features panelists Amb. Joseph DeTrani, Kevin McCarty, John Sano, and Toshi Yoshihara.
Day Two also includes buffet breakfast and lunch. This second day features AFIO's SPIES in BLACK TIES™ Reception and Banquet. Day Two Daytime program will begin at 9 a.m. (buffet breakfast and chapter workshop begin at 7 a.m.) Daytime program ends at 4:30 p.m. Cocktail reception and "SPIES in BLACK TIES™" Banquet from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

PROGRAM: The tentative program for both days may be viewed here.

Buses will transport attendees from the DoubleTree by Hilton, Tysons to the International Spy Museum and back. The second day of this event takes place at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Tysons, 1960 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22102. To be ready for early departure by buses on Day One, it is recommended that attendees consider staying overnight starting Wednesday, 8 May. Reservations may be made online at this link or by calling (703) 893-2100. The special event room rate is $139/night and is available until 6 April 2019 or until all rooms are filled. You must reference our group code AAF. You may also locate rooms at this or other nearby Tysons/Vienna hotels using online services, e.g., Trivago, Expedia, Travelocity, or Orbitz.

Register online now to attend the symposium by using this secure link.
Or use this printable PDF Registration form here to be completed and mailed/faxed/emailed back to AFIO. PROGRAM: The tentative program for both days may be viewed here.

Monday, 13 May 2019, 5:30 p.m. - New York, NY - AFIO NY Metro hosts Jeff McCausland, University Professor and CBS National Security Consultant

Dr. Jeff McCausland, a visiting professor of International Security Studies at Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA), former Dean of the Army War College. He is currently involved in a project for the National Nuclear Security Administration focused on nuclear weapons in South Asia and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. He serves as a national security consultant for CBS radio and television. He routinely does analysis for CBS on issues such as Iraq, European security, arms control, or related questions of national security policy. His topic this evening will be: "Back to the Future: Battlefield Nuclear Weapons in South Asia."

Location: Society of Illustrators, 128 E 63rd St (between Park and Lexington), New York, NY 10065.
Timing: Registration starts at 5:30 pm, Speaker presentation starts at 6 pm. Fee: $50/person. Payment at the door only. Cash or check. Full dinner, cash bar.
RSVP: Strongly recommended that you RSVP to ensure space at event. Call or Email Chapter President Jerry Goodwin at afiometro@gmail.com or 646-717-3776.

15 May, 2019 (Wednesday), 11:30 a.m. - San Francisco, CA - The AFIO San Francisco Chapter hosts DEA Assistant Regional Director (ret) Bruce Goldberg on Illicit Drug Traffic Control and International Cooperation

Speaker: DEA Assistant Regional Director (ret) Bruce Goldberg
Topic: Mr. Goldberg will discuss how he and his team of agents collaborated with the Ecuadorian Special Police and Military to uncover and investigate the first ever narco-submarine.
Timing: 11:30 a.m. no-host cocktails; 12 noon meeting
Location: Basque Cultural Ceneter, 599 Railroad Ave, South San Francisco, CA
RSVP: Enter your registration here.

Wednesday 18 September 2018, 5:30 p.m. - New York, NY - AFIO NY Metro Chapter hosts Larry Loftis, on SOE Hero, Odette Sansom, in his book Code Name: Lise

Larry Loftis is the author of Code Name: Lise—The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy, 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 (SOE) to conduct espionage in France during WW 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.

Other Upcoming Events from Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, and Others

Tuesday, 23 April 2019, 8 - 10 a.m. - McLean, VA - GEOINT 2019 Sneak Peek

GEOINT 2019 Sneak Peek
The GEOINT 2019 Symposium returns to San Antonio, Texas, June 2-5. Before we gather for a week of training, learning, exhibiting, and networking, USGIF wants to share with you what our partners at NGA will be looking for as well as what they plan to showcase at GEOINT 2019.
Join us for breakfast at Maggiano's on Tuesday, April 23, to hear from: Sandra Auchter, Deputy Associate Director of Capabilities, NGA; William Caniano, Director, Office of Corporate Communications, NGA; Christy Monaco, Chief Ventures Officer, Office of Ventures and Innovation, NGA.

Agenda: 7:30 am – Registration and Coffee; 8:00 am – Welcome and Breakfast; 8:30 am – Government Presentations and Audience Q&A; 10:00 am – Networking
Registration Fee: Individual Members: $35; Non-Members: $50

Location: Maggiano's Tyson's Corner, 2001 International Dr., McLean, VA 22102

Event Type:Social/Networking, Regular registration starts on Jan 31, 2019 and ends on Apr 23, 2019. Late registration starts on Apr 24, 2019.
Register here.

Wednesday, 8 May 2019, 7:30 to 8:45 pm - McLean, VA - The Future of the War on Terror -- ISIS and After by Ilan Berman at the Westminster Institute

Timing: Reception at 7 pm, program begins at 7:30.
Ilan Berman is Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC. An expert on regional security in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Russia, he has consulted for both the CIA and the Defense Department, and provided assistance on foreign policy and national security issues to a range of governmental agencies.
Event location: Westminster Institute, 6729 Curran St, McLean, VA 22101
Fee: None
Register Here.

16 May 2019, 6 pm - Washington, DC - "Night of Heroes Gala 2019" by the PENFED Foundation

The PENFED Foundation hosts their impressive annual "Night of Heroes Gala 2019" at the beautiful Mandarin Oriental, 330 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024. This year marks the 15th annual gala honoring our unsung heroes ― military children. Each year, the PenFed Foundation raises more than $1.5 million for military heroes through this hallmark event. Last year's event sold out and raised $2.5 million! Do not miss your opportunity to support Military Heroes.

6 pm General Reception and Silent Auction; 7 pm Dinner Program; After Dinner - Dessert Reception. To learn more...or to register.

2 - 5 June 2019 - San Antonio, TX - GEOINT 2019

GEOINT 2019 is hosted and produced by the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF), a non-profit, non-lobbying educational organization, the annual GEOINT Symposium is the nation's largest gathering of industry, academia, and government to include Defense, Intelligence and Homeland Security Communities as well as commercial, Fed/Civil, State and Local geospatial intelligence stakeholders.

The event annually attracts more than 4,000 attendees from all over the world, features more than 250 exhibiting organizations, offers 50 hours of training sessions, and countless opportunities to learn, exchange ideas, and network. The event is held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, TX.

Need support for your request to attend? Download the GEOINT 2019 Justification Letter.

Monday, 10 - 12 June 2019, 8 am - 5 pm - Queens County, NY - IAFIE 15th Annual Conference Featuring John Miller, Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence & Counter-terrorism, NYPD.

The International Association for Intelligence Education expects many excellent papers and panels at their upcoming annual conference in New York City. Several distinguished speakers will include John Miller, Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism, NYPD. Don't miss this great opportunity to network and get the latest developments in intelligence education.

Consider bringing any interested students to the conference. There is another wonderful student poster competition planned and your students' participation is welcomed!

Event location: St Johns University, Queens Campus, NY. Accommodations arranged with Courtyard New York Queens/Fresh Meadows, or Fairfield Inn & Suites NY Queens/Fresh Meadows. Shuttle services between both locations and the conference location will be available. The campus is conveniently situated halfway between Laguardia and JFK airports.

To register: do so at this link.

Qs?: Additional information available from Keith Cozine at tel 973-928-1154 or cozinek@stjohns.edu

Wednesday, 6 November 2019, 6 - 10:30 pm - Washington, DC - Michael Morell and Jill Singer, Co-Chairs, invite you to The Honorable William H. Webster Distinguished Service Award Dinner at the International Spy Museum

The William H. Webster Distinguished Service Award Dinner will take place at the new home of the International Spy Museum in L'Enfant Plaza. On this special evening, more than 500 attendees will gather to recognize the men and women who have served in the field of National Security with integrity and distinction.
Each year, The Honorable William H. Webster Distinguished Service Award is given to an individual who has embodied the values of our esteemed friend, mentor, and leader — Judge William H. Webster. This year's honoree is someone known for his invaluable service and contributions to the Intelligence Community, someone that has worked from the ground up and has been both a provider and consumer of intelligence with more than 20 years of experience. It is with great pride that we announce the 2019 honoree is General Michael V. Hayden, former Director of the National Security Agency, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
AWARD DINNER CO-CHAIRS: Mr. Michael Morell, Senior Counselor, Beacon Global Strategies and Former Deputy Director and former Acting Director, Central Intelligence Agency; Ms. Jill Singer, Vice President, National Security, AT&T Public Sector & Wholesale; Former Chief Information Officer, National Reconnaissance Office.
Tickets range from $495 to $15,000. Explore your registration options here.

This event is closed to media.

Event location: The New International Spy Museum, 700 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024. Directions here.

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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