AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes #14-22 – 5 April 2022

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CONTENTS

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Section II - IC PODCASTS, COMMENTARY, BLOG UPDATES

Section III - BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY MEMBERS

Section IV - Books, Research Requests, Jobs, Obituaries

Books — Newly Released, Overlooked, Forthcoming

Research Requests

Jobs

Obituaries

Section V - Events

Upcoming AFIO Events

Other Upcoming Events from Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, and Others

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: db, cp, gh, fwr, jd, db, cp, sb, vn. 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. Notices in the WINs about non-AFIO events do not constitute endorsement or recommendation by AFIO.
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.]
If you are having difficulties with the links or viewing this newsletter when it arrives by email, members may view the latest edition each week at this link.

National Cryptologic Museum remains closed due to COVID-19. However, virtual opportunities are available - see listings here:

  • ONGOING - Museum virtual events via EventBrite. MORE.
  • ONGOING - NCF #CyberChats - SEE UPCOMING CHAT SCHEDULE.
  • 10 MAY 2022- 24th NCF General Membership Meeting & Annual Cryptologic Symposium. MORE.
  • 11-12 MAY 2022 - 18th CCH Cryptologic History Symposium. MORE
      

Released exclusively to members last week...

The Havana Syndrome —&— Diversity in the IC


Released 29 March 2022

Melvin Gamble, former Sr CIA Operations Officer,
on the Havana Syndrome, and on Diversity in the IC

Interview of Tuesday, 15 February 2022 of Melvin Gamble, a 40-year career CIA Senior Intelligence Officer, discussing the Havana Syndrome as well as the need and benefits of diversity in the intelligence community, and in CIA in particular.
Host: James Hughes, AFIO President, former CIA Operations Officer.
The interview runs 23 minutes.

Access the Gamble interview here or click above image.

Other Videos in the "AFIO Now" Series

Click title above or here to view the public and member-only interviews in the AFIO Now series.
Or view the publicly-release-only interviews on our YouTube page. Or listen to the podcast version at the links below.

Newest podcast: James Lawler discusses his book "Living Lies: A Novel of the Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program", recorded 26 January 2022
PODCASTS: AFIO NOW content is also available on various podcasting platforms. Search for 'AFIO Podcast' for a selection of public released videos on Podbean; iTunes; Google; Spotify; Amazon Music; Amazon TuneIn + Alexa; iHeartRadio; and Pandora

Log into the Member-only area to view private and public interviews.

Visit, Follow, Subscribe to AFIO's LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube pages to receive updates.

Members who use social media or wish to explore, will find new announcements and other material on AFIO's Twitter and LinkedIn pages. New videos on our YouTube page appears below as well.
Access them here: LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. By following or subscribing on those sites, one can be notified as new material appears.
  

PODCASTS: Are you too busy to sit and watch an entire "AFIO Now" episode above on YouTube? Would you rather listen in your car or while accomplishing other tasks? Now you can quickly download or stream episodes on your favorite podcasting platform. AFIO is now available on 8 podcasting platforms. Search for 'AFIO Podcast' for a selection of the interviews above (public released ones) on Podbean; iTunes; Google; Spotify; Amazon Music; Amazon TuneIn + Alexa; iHeartRadio; and Pandora.


One of the special benefits of membership in AFIO: access to CIA's inhouse gift shop — the EAA Store.

It requires a quick preapproval process described here to all newly joined and current AFIO members. And then allows you to purchase directly from the EAA online for their unusual logo'd gift items for self or colleagues. Above is the latest photo EAA released on 2 April 2022 featuring some of their newest or most popular items.

NEW STORE GIFT ITEMS

Now available: Black short-sleeved polo shirts with embroidered AFIO logo
Show your support for AFIO with our new Black short-sleeve polo shirts. Shirts are shrink and wrinkle resistant of fine cotton with a soft, "well-worn, comfy" 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 $50 each which includes domestic shipping.
Sizes for (M) men, only; Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. $50 per shirt.
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. Questions? Contact Annette at: annettej@afio.com.

Other items: Popsockets, cap, and duffle. More about them online here.

Did you miss The OSS Society's Conversation between Secretary Robert Gates and Dr. Michael Vickers
about the war in Ukraine?

You can view the one-on-one conversation at this link

Also consider attending...

The OSS Society "Oh So Social" Author Spotlight: Erika Robuck & The Hon. Ellen McCarthy

Thursday, 28 April 2022, 6 - 8pm - Virtual

The OSS Society launches their "Oh So Social" Author Spotlight Series. Starting off that event are The Honorable Ellen McCarthy who will interview author Erika Robuck about her new novel Sisters of Night and Fog.
To register or learn more, do so here

Section I - INTELLIGENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Did Putin Learn Anything from Watching the U.S. Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan? - Soufan Center's IntelBrief, 4 Apr 2022
For two decades, Russian President Vladimir Putin watched as the U.S. military fought insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan; he now faces the prospect of Russian forces bogged down in an insurgency in Ukraine.
If Ukraine does devolve into an insurgency, the Russians will soon experience what it observed the United States face in operations in the Middle East and South Asia—except the situation in Ukraine is far more volatile.
The Ukrainian military is more capable than were insurgents in either Iraq or Afghanistan, and NATO countries are providing Ukraine massive quantities of sophisticated weaponry, including drones and anti-tank missiles.
The Russian military lost more troops in the first two weeks of the conflict in Ukraine than U.S. forces did over the course of twenty years in Afghanistan.
Article here

In Bucha, Ukraine, Burned, Piled Bodies among Latest Horrors - AP News, 5 Apr 2022
Six charred bodies piled together were being investigated on Tuesday in Bucha, the town outside of Kyiv where graphic evidence of killings and torture has emerged following the withdrawal of Russian forces.
It was not clear who the people were or under what circumstances they were killed. One of the bodies was smaller than the others, likely a child, said Andrii Nebytov, head of police in the Kyiv region. One of the bodies had a gunshot wound to the head.
The pile of bodies seen by Associated Press journalists was just off a residential street, near a colorful and empty playground, and was visible to passersby as they warily went outdoors to collect aid.
News Report here
Also see: "Zelenskyy at the UN Accuses Russian Military of War Crimes"

How Russia Evades Sanctions via Syrian Loan Schemes - New Lines, 5 Apr 2022
New Lines has obtained documents showing two loans to the Assad regime totaling $1 billion for supplies and largely designed to benefit oligarchs sanctioned by the U.S. and EU. But all is not well in Damascus
The Russian Federation extended two loans totaling $1 billion to Syria with the condition that the money be used exclusively for payment to specific Russian companies during a six-month window, with a penalty on any unused funds thereafter, New Lines has learned from a leaked tranche of documents.
The Russian companies listed in the agreement include those belonging to oligarchs Gennady Timchenko and Yevgeny Prigozhin, who have been sanctioned by the U.S. and EU for their role in facilitating President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. Prigozhin's mercenary army, the Wagner Group, has also been implicated in gross human rights abuses and crimes against humanity in Syria including the torture and mutilation of a Syrian army deserter.
Article here

Ukraine-Russia War Worsens U.S. Illegal Migrant Invasion Problem
Migrants from Russia Are Smuggled into Key West by Boat, Officials Say - WPost, 4 Apr 2022
Police were called after about 15 migrants from Russia or other countries, walked into a local cafe.
Undocumented migrants from Russia and other former Soviet countries were smuggled Sunday into Key West, Fla., authorities said, raising concerns that the war in Ukraine is spurring refugees and others to seek dangerous new routes to the United States.
Alyson Crean, a spokeswoman for the Key West Police Department, said a boat chartered from Cuba docked at the south end of Duval Street, in the heart of the city's tourist district, around 4 p.m. Sunday.
Crean said Key West police were called after about 15 of the migrants, whom she identified as being from Russia or other countries, walked into Southernmost Beach Cafe. Police alerted the Department of Homeland Security and its sub-agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, about the landfall.
Article here

Russian Diplomats Expelled from Ireland 'Met with Members of Paramilitary Groups' - IntelOrg News, 5 Apr 2022
Four Russian diplomats, who Ireland claims are undercover intelligence officers, met with Irish paramilitaries as part of a wider plan to "stoke political unrest" in Britain and Ireland, according to a new report. In a press conference held in Dublin last week, Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin announced that his government would expel four employees of the Russian Embassy there.
Article here
Also see: "Dissident Links Led to Russian Diplomats' Expulsion" - The Times (UK), 3 Apr 2022

Why Cyber Holds the Entire World at Risk - The National Interest, 5 Apr 2022
Cyber policy today has created a world in which seemingly everything non-military can be held at risk—hospitals, trains, dams, energy, water—and nothing is off limits.
"Cyber" as a field of study is riddled with poor analogies as takes on cyber strategy and statecraft continue to get hotter with no boiling point in sight. With the dawn of digitization, scholars and pundits alike began to predict a multipolar world in which digital interdependence of society and economy would hamstring great power competition. The truth is it only makes it uglier.
Article here

Section II - IC PODCASTS, COMMENTARY, BLOG UPDATES

CIA Ops Officer on WMD Risks in Ukraine — interviews by Former Acting D/CIA Mike Morell

Intelligence Matters: A CBS News original national security podcast hosted by former CIA acting director and CBS News national security contributor Michael Morell. Morell is crisp, precise, cautious, fair, avoids political slant, and provides remarkable insights. Not to miss.

The most recent "Intelligence Matters" podcasts/interviews by or with Mike Morell:

Mar 30 | WMD Risks in Ukraine: Former Senior CIA Operations Officer Rolf Mowatt-Larssen

In this episode, Michael Morell speaks with former senior CIA operations officer and senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center Rolf Mowatt-Larssen about Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the prospect of Russia using weapons of mass destruction, and the likelihood of a near-term political solution to the crisis. Mowatt-Larssen, who spent a significant part of his career in Moscow and dealt with WMD terror threats after 9/11, outlines some of Putin's most significant miscalculations, his efforts to control domestic narratives within Russia, and the internal fissures that the Ukraine conflict has laid bare. Mowatt-Larssen also offers insights into how the war - and potential political solutions - may proceed from here.

Other recent "Intelligence Matters" podcasts to stream or download:
Mar 23 | Nuclear Confrontations with Moscow: Author Brian Morra
Mar 16 | Beijing's View of the Russia-Ukraine War: China Expert Chris Johnson
Mar 9 | Profiling Putin and Other World Leaders: Psychiatrist Kenneth Dekleva
Mar 2 | Putin's Choices in Ukraine: Former Top Pentagon Official Mike Vickers
Feb 23 | Taiwan-China Tensions: Expert Bonnie Glaser
Feb 16 | The Russia-Ukraine Crisis: A Panel of Experts Discuss

More about Intelligence Matters by Michael Morell here. Podcasts also available here.

Maritime Cybersecurity and Industrial Control Worries; Why UK Let Chinese Buy UK's Largest Chip Foundry... - Stewart Baker, Others at Steptoe Cyberblog

Cyberblog by Steptoe & Johnson LLP — By Stewart Baker [Chairman, AFIO]

Episode 401: All at Sea: Maritime Cybersecurity released 4 April 2022
Nate Jones gives overview of maritime sector cybersecurity worries. Stewart Baker critiques the USG's 2020 National Maritime Cybersecurity Strategy and prefers the Atlantic Council's report. Sultan Meghji covers deeply troubling state of industrial control security. Maury Shenk tells about decay in Russia's SORM – a site-blocking system buckling under weight of Ukraine invasion. Other topics discussed... New York Times long story suggesting Nokia did wrong selling Russian telecom gear that enables wiretaps...ignoring that wiretap features are required by Western governments as a matter of law. ... the emergence of a new set of secondary sanctions targets as Treasury begins sanctioning companies seen as part of a sanctions evasion network. ... the puzzle of seeking to impose sanctions on Kaspersky Lab, a Russian cybersecurity giant that officials warn could be used by the Kremlin as a surveillance tool against its customers. ... ...regulating cryptocurrency is wildly popular with some ... sweeping regulation is in the cards. ... Could Apple upend entire fintech field by plunging into financial services? Fears that the DMA will break WhatsApp encryption ... some of the complexities of a story Brian Krebs broke about hackers exploiting the system by which online services provide subscriber information to law enforcement in an emergency. ... Ubiquiti's defamation suit against Krebs... and questions if the company told Krebs he'd been misled and asked for a retraction; otherwise, Krebs not negligent (let alone malicious) in reporting allegations... Why UK government let Chinese subsidiary buy UK's biggest chip foundry. The odd indictment of Mark Unkenholz for doing something different from the kind of disclosures that are essential part of working with tech companies that have no security clearances but plenty of tools needed by the IC. More topics covered. Article and podcast here

Some Prior Conversations:
Episode 400: Transatlantic Privacy Threepeat
Episode 399: A Cavalcade of Paranoia
Episode 398: Scarlett Johannsson Finally Makes an Appearance on the Cyberlaw Podcast
Episode 397: A Digital Curtain Descends Across Europe
Episode 396: Waging War in a Networked Age
Episode 395: Cyberwar for Real This Time?

Ukraine Ready for Urban Russian Mercenaries; What's Going On with Putin? — more from Inside the SCIF

Inside the SCIF by JJ Green, WTOP - Issue #157, 31 March has details on... Breaking news on Ukraine Invasion; War Summary, Putin Misled About War; Coming Battles on Kyiv Outskirts; City of Secrets; Russian Troops Suffer Radiation Sickness Digging Trenches at Chernobyl; Chinese National Charged...Acted as Unregistered Agent in US; CIA Director has Covid-19; Supply Chain Shocks Coming Says NCSC; more.

Target USA Podcast 325 was on: What's Going On with Vladimir Putin?
Andrei Soldatov, investigative journalist, author and Russian security services expert provides some answers.

And "The Hunt" explored: Russia reportedly sending mercenaries to Ukraine to engage in urban warfare
JJ Green interviews Ukraine Ministry of Defense Spokesman Yuriy Sak, who says they are ready.

The Challenge of Ukraine Neo-Nazis - The Latest... from Jeff Stein's provocative - award-winning - "SpyTalk" series on Substack...

Apr 4: "Recruiting Russians and the Challenge of Ukraine Neo-Nazis" - Jeff Stein podcast with Lucy Kirk and Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
The FBI is trolling the Russian embassy, while Moscow beats the Ukraine Nazis theme

Mar 31: "Ukraine's Empty Fields of Baseball Dreams" - Jeff Stein
The budding sport, nurtured by Americans, is just another casualty of Russia's brutal invasion

Mar 26: "Spy Agency Chat Room Hate Speech Draws Hill Scrutiny" by Jeff Stein and Howard Altman
Intelligence committees 'looking into' classified chat rooms 'dumpster fire' of hate and pro-insurrection commentary

Mar 24: "State Secrets and the Blinding of Justice" by Mark Fallon
The Supreme Court's rejection of Abu Zubaydah's plea is another black mark on American justice

Mar 22: "Russian Army's Fail No Surprise to CIA Official Who Battled It in Afghanistan" by Jeff Stein
Milt Bearden ran CIA operation that backed Afghan Mujahideen against Red Army

Mar 18: "Putin Shooting to be Russia's Greatest Czar, Former Top Powell Aide Says" by Jeff Stein
Lawrence Wilkerson also excoriates US arms makers for 'obscene profits' from Ukraine war.

Hungarian Election Outcome Test of How Ukraine-Russia War Will Affect Domestic Politics - Latest Insights from Jack Devine of Arkin Group

The Arkin Group's Mar 31 "In Other News" letter to private clients by former CIA Deputy Director, Operations... Officer Jack Devine features...

  1. What happens next on the battlefield will impact ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, not the other way around.
  2. The Russian intelligence posture in Europe is suffering and will further weaken Moscow's position.
  3. Elections in Hungary this weekend will be the first litmus test of how the war in Ukraine will affect domestic politics in Europe.

Follow link here to read analyses and predictions given to their private clients on the topics from last week. There sometimes is a delay of seven days before the above topics will appear at this link.

Section III - BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY MEMBERS

Hackers Using Fake Police Data Requests Against Tech Companies - Schneier on Security, 5 Apr 2022
Brian Krebs has a detailed post about hackers using fake police data requests to trick companies into handing over data. ...
...in certain circumstances ­– such as a case involving imminent harm or death –­ an investigating authority may make what's known as an Emergency Data Request (EDR), which largely bypasses any official review and does not require the requestor to supply any court-approved documents....some hackers have figured out there is no quick and easy way for a company that receives one of these EDRs to know whether it is legitimate. Using their illicit access to police email systems, the hackers will send a fake EDR along with an attestation that innocent people will likely suffer greatly or die unless the requested data is provided immediately.
Another article claims that both Apple and Facebook (or Meta, or whatever they want to be called now) fell for this scam.
Article here
Also see: "Hackers Gaining Power of Subpoena Via Fake 'Emergency Data Requests'" - Krebs, 29 Mar 2022
Also see: "Apple and Meta Gave User Data to Hackers Who Used Forged Legal Requests" - Bloomberg, 30 Mar 2022
Also see: "Fake Emergency Search Warrants Draw Scrutiny from Capitol Hill" - Krebs, 31 Mar 2022

TAIWAN: Leaderless, Cut Off, and Alone: The Risks to Taiwan in the Wake of Ukraine - War on the Rocks, 5 Apr 2022
As policymakers and analysts evaluate the war in Europe for insights that might be applicable to Asia, they are reaching three early conclusions: It should serve as a cautionary tale for China, a model for Taiwan, and a playbook for the United States. But what if the conflict yields a more ominous set of lessons — lessons that Beijing could use to seize the island democracy?
Many observers have become more skeptical that China would launch an assault on its "wayward province" after seeing Russia struggle on the battlefield and suffer an economic backlash. Some have become more optimistic that Taiwan could defend its de facto sovereignty as Ukraine imposes heavy costs on invading forces. And others have become more confident that the United States can rely on "integrated deterrence" to manage the threat of Chinese aggression, which was beginning to appear close at hand.
Article here

NORTH KOREA: Sohae Satellite Launch Station: Activity Gradually Picks Up - 38 North, 31 Mar 2022
Commercial satellite imagery from March 31 shows increased activity around North Korea's Sohae Satellite Launching Station, including the arrival of new materials on the launch pad and vehicles in the VIP area. Major improvements are expected around the complex in line with major upgrades instructed by Kim Jong Un during his March 11 site visit. While the full extent of those improvements will likely take a considerable while to complete, as time will be needed to manufacture and bring in specialized components, activity is gradually picking up around the complex. Whether this new activity is related to the overall improvement plan or are short-term measures in preparation for a satellite launch in the near future is unclear.
Article here

PAKISTAN: What Political Upheaval in Pakistan Means for Rest of the World - Reuters, 3 Apr 2022
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan blocked a no-confidence vote he looked sure to lose on Sunday and advised the president to order fresh elections, fueling anger among the opposition and deepening the country's political crisis.
His actions have created huge uncertainty in Islamabad, with constitutional experts debating their legality and pondering whether Khan and his rivals can find a way forward.
The nuclear-armed nation of more than 220 million people lies between Afghanistan to the west, China to the northeast and nuclear rival India to the east, making it of vital strategic importance.
Since coming to power in 2018, Khan's rhetoric has become more anti-American and he has expressed a desire to move closer to China and, recently, Russia - including talks with President Vladimir Putin on the day the invasion of Ukraine began.
At the same time, U.S. and Asian foreign policy experts said that Pakistan's powerful military has traditionally controlled foreign and defence policy, thereby limiting the impact of political instability.
Analysis here

TURKEY: Turkey on Russia's invasion of Ukraine: It's complicated - Graham Fuller, 5 Mar 2022
Despite NATO membership, Ankara's interests across Eurasia likely won't bring it into direct conflict with Moscow.
Turkey is arguably the most important Muslim country in the world today. It has also become a maverick in international relations. So where does it stand in the complex proxy war between NATO and Russia over Ukraine?
Turkey gained huge political and military experience while running the powerful Muslim Ottoman Empire for nearly six centuries — one of the largest and longest-lasting empires in world history. After its collapse and carving up at the end of World War I, a bruised Turkey gradually climbed its way back up to a position of a great regional power. Today its strategic location, its broad-based home-grown economic structure (without oil), and the ambition and scope of its geopolitical vision help define the importance of the country today.
Article here

IRAN: This Isn't Obama's Iran Deal. It's Much, Much Worse - Tablet Mag, 7 Mar 2022
The last thing the world needs is another nuclear-armed dictatorship flush with cash and attacking its neighbors. But that's what President Biden and his Iran envoy Robert Malley are creating in the deal they are about to close in Vienna, according to career State Department sources.
Anyone seeking to gauge the imminent outcome of the international talks over Iran's nuclear program being held in Vienna should take a look at reports from late January that three top U.S. diplomats had quit—largely in protest over the direction set by U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley, who serves as the U.S. government's chief negotiator.
Having served for two years in former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's Iran Action Group, I knew that this development was tantamount to a public cry for an intervention. Such resignations—not of conservative dissenters, but of career staff and President Joe Biden's own political appointees—should have been cause for Biden or Secretary Antony Blinken to recall Malley and investigate. Their failure to do so is a sign either of a troubling lack of attention to the talks, or else the possibility that Malley—who served in the same capacity under President Barack Obama when the first Iran deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was originally negotiated and signed—has been given a free hand to negotiate whatever he wants, as long as he gets Iran to sign.
Article here

Proposal to Sanction Russian Cybersecurity Firm Over Ukraine Invasion Splits Biden Administration - WSJ, 30 Mar 2022
Some officials are said to fear that sanctioning Kaspersky Lab could increase risk of Russian cyberattack
The Biden administration is divided over whether to impose sanctions on Kaspersky Lab, a Russian cybersecurity giant that officials warn could be used by the Kremlin as a surveillance tool against its customers, according to people familiar with the matter.
The White House's National Security Council has pressed the Treasury Department to ready the sanctions as part of the broad Western campaign to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, according to officials familiar with the matter. While Treasury officials have been working to prepare the package, sanctions experts within the department have raised concerns over the size and scope of such a move. The company's software is used by hundreds of millions of customers across the world, making it difficult to enforce the sanctions.
In addition, some officials in the U.S. and Europe fear sanctioning Kaspersky Lab will increase the likelihood of triggering a cyberattack against the West by Moscow, even potentially leveraging the software itself.
Article here

Russia Default Risk over the Next 5 Years Soars to Nearly 90% After US Blocks Bond Payment - Market Insider, 5 Apr 2022
The odds that Russia will default on its debt over the next five years is now almost 90%, after the US Treasury said Moscow will no longer be able to make sovereign bond payments using accounts at American banks.
Based on prices for insurance against a default, the five-year risk shot up to 87.7% on Tuesday from 77.7% on Monday, according to Bloomberg, which cited data from Intercontinental Exchange's Credit Market Analysis.
The default risk is also more than triple the 24.1% probability on February 24 when Russia launched its war on Ukraine.
Since invading Ukraine, Russia had kept up payments on its foreign currency denominated bonds, despite waves of Western sanctions and major ratings agencies saying in early March that a debt default was highly likely.
Article here
Also see: "Russia Is Back on the Brink of a Debt Default after the US Blocked Its Dollar Payments. Here's What Happens Next."

The Wiretappers Who Invented a High-Tech Crime - WSJ Essay, 31 Mar 2022
Long before Americans worried about government or corporate surveillance, 19th-century criminals took advantage of a new technology to steal valuable information
Wiretapping has a longer history than current battles over privacy and surveillance would appear to suggest. Today the national debate is focused on the unique challenges to privacy that the digital age presents, making it easy for government agencies and corporate conglomerates to monitor the things we say and the data we produce. But Americans were already worried about the dangers of wiretapping in the 19th century, when petty crooks and con artists began to take advantage of the nation's new dependence on telegraph communications.
Essay here

Spook Who Cried Wolf Resolution Seeks to Strip Clearances From Former Intelligence Officials - Clearance Jobs, 4 Apr 2022
Last week Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) announced he would introduce legislation dubbed the 'Spook Who Cried Wolf' resolution to strip the security clearances from the 51 intelligence officials who signed a letter accusing stories about Hunter Biden's laptop as being 'Russian disinformation.'
It's not the first time Congress has weighed in on who should or shouldn't have a security clearance. The Security Clearance Improvement Act proposed by Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) outlined changes to the security clearance process to prevent QAnon members and those who participated in 'Stop the Steal' rallies from obtaining security clearances.
While Congress has a role to play in eligibility to access classified information, that role is primarily in oversight, not policy. The security clearance process is outlined by executive orders, and the policies around the adjudicative criteria and clearance eligibility generated out of the White House.
Article here

Establishment of the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the U.S. Department of State - USDOS, 4 Apr 2022
The Department is pleased to announce that the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP) began operations today. A key piece of Secretary Blinken's modernization agenda, the CDP bureau will address the national security challenges, economic opportunities, and implications for U.S. values associated with cyberspace, digital technologies, and digital policy.
The CDP bureau includes three policy units: International Cyberspace Security, International Information and Communications Policy, and Digital Freedom. Ultimately, the bureau will be led by a Senate-confirmed Ambassador-at-Large. Starting today, Jennifer Bachus, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, is serving as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the CDP bureau. PDAS Bachus will serve as Senior Bureau Official until an Ambassador-at-Large is confirmed. Michele Markoff is serving as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cyberspace Security, Stephen Anderson is serving as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Information and Communications Policy, and Blake Peterson is serving as Acting Digital Freedom Coordinator.
Announcement here

Former CIA Veteran Awarded POW Medal, Ending 18-year Battle with Army - Baltimore Sun, 31 March 2022
Ron Dolecki, 76, was part of an Army team carrying out a classified mapping mission in Ethiopia in 1965 when armed guerrillas ambushed him, his helicopter pilot and a local translator and forced them to march 155 miles across the Sahara desert to a spot were they were held captive under harsh conditions for two weeks.
Dolecki managed to escaped from the guerrillas, members of an anti-Ethiopian rebel group known as the Eritrean Liberation Front, and made his way to the Sudanese-Ethiopian border, where friendly forces rescued him.
In 2004, Dolecki, who is also a retired CIA employee, applied for the POW Medal for the first time. The award is for those who have been "taken prisoner and held captive while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States" and who meet other criteria.
Article here

DNI Hosts Discussion with NGA Director - 4 Apr 2022
Vice Adm. Robert Sharp, the seventh director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, joined Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines for an ODNI-hosted discussion on 31 Mar 2022. The conversation focused on the importance of partnerships in the Intelligence Community, his leadership philosophy, and his legacy in the IC as he prepares to retire.
During this event, Haines presented Sharp with the George Washington Spymaster Award, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Intelligence Community.
As Haines introduced Sharp, she described him as "one of the most exceptional, talented, incredibly kind, and extraordinary leaders" she's had the chance to work with.
Article here

EVENTS, VIDEOS, CHARTS, and OTHER READINGS Suggested by Members

EVENT


6 Apr 2022 - WEBINAR - You are invited to attend....
Inside Intelligence - Ukraine Under Attack: Ongoing Analysis - by JHU MS in Intelligence Analysis, 6 Apr 2022
A panel discussion on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine with a focus on intelligence analysis, energy policy, and military responses.
Join hosts Michael Ard and Stephen Grenier for a curated panel discussion on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine with a focus on intelligence analysis, energy policy, and military activity.
Host, Panel, Participants include: Michael J. Ard, former CIA, current Program Director/Senior Lecturer at Johns Hopkins University; Stephen M. Grenier, Program Director of the Global Security Studies program at JHU; Craig A. Hart, a lecturer at JHU's Energy Policy & Climate program; Elizabeth B. Hessami, attorney and Faculty Lecturer of International Environmental Policy and Environmental and Natural Resources Security for JHU; Donald N. Jensen, Director of Russia and Europe at the United States Institute of Peace and an Adjunct Professor at the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, JHU; Ronald "Ron" Marks III, former CIA DO, a 38-year veteran of the IC. U.S.
Register here

VIDEOS


Russia's War on Ukraine - Presentation at Institute of World Politics, Washington, DC on 31 Mar 2022
David Satter, a former Russia scholar, Moscow correspondent (Financial Times of London), and author of five books on Russia and the Soviet Union, discusses the origins of Russia's war on Ukraine, its likely evolution, and what the U.S. can do to help Ukrainians prevail.
Video here. Runs 1 hour.


Virtual Spy Chat with International Spy Museum's Chris Costa with his Special Guest: Dr. Fiona Hill - 28 Mar 2022
Spy Museum Executive Director Chris Costa is joined by Dr. Fiona Hill, former intelligence officer on Russia and Eurasian affairs and former National Security Council member. Hill is currently a Senior Fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution.
Hill has researched and published extensively on issues related to Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia, regional conflicts, energy, and strategic issues. She is co-author of Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin and The Siberian Curse: How Communist Planners Left Russia Out in the Cold.
Video here. Runs 1 hour.

CRS REPORT
National Security Implications of Fifth Generation (5G) Mobile Technologies - 5 Apr 2022
Report here

Section IV - Books, Research Requests, Jobs, Obituaries

Books — Newly Released, Overlooked, Forthcoming

Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath
by Bill Browder
(Simon & Schuster, Apr 2022)

A chronicle of how Browder became Vladimir Putin's number one enemy by exposing Putin's campaign to steal and launder hundreds of billions of dollars and kill anyone who stands in his way. When Bill Browder's young Russian lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was beaten to death in a Moscow jail, Browder made it his life's mission to go after his killers and make sure they faced justice. The first step of that mission was to uncover who was behind the $230 million tax refund scheme that Magnitsky was killed over. As Browder and his team tracked the money as it flowed out of Russia through the Baltics and Cyprus and on to Western Europe and the Americas, they were shocked to discovered that Vladmir Putin himself was a beneficiary of the crime. As law enforcement agencies began freezing the money, Putin retaliated. He and his cronies set up honey traps, hired process servers to chase Browder through cities, murdered more of his Russian allies, and enlisted some of the top lawyers and politicians in America to bring him down. Putin will stop at nothing to protect his money. At once a financial caper, an international adventure, and a passionate plea for justice, this is a morality tale about how one man can take on one of the most ruthless villains in the world—and win. Perhaps Zelensky will be another victor.

Book may be ordered here

The Bin Laden Papers: How the Abbottabad Raid Revealed the Truth about al-Qaeda, Its Leader and His Family
by Nelly Lahoud
(Yale Univ Press, Apr 2022)

An inside look at al-Qaeda from 9/11 to the death of its founder—told through the words of Bin Laden and his closest circle Usama Bin Laden's greatest fear was not capture or death, but the exposure of al-Qaeda's secrets. At great risk to themselves and the entire mission, the U.S. Special Operations Forces, who carried out the Abbottabad raid that killed Bin Laden, took an additional eighteen minutes to collect Bin Laden's hard drives and thereby expose al-Qaeda's secrets. In this ground-breaking book, Nelly Lahoud dives into Bin Laden's files and meticulously distills the nearly 6,000 pages of Arabic private communications. For the first time, al-Qaeda's closely guarded secrets are laid bare, shattering misconceptions and revealing how and what Bin Laden communicated with his associates, his plans for future attacks, and al-Qaeda's hostility toward countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan. Lahoud presents firsthand accounts of al-Qaeda from 9/11 until the elimination of Bin Laden, as told through his own words and those of his family and closest associates.

Book may be ordered here

Artificial Intelligencia [a novel]
by Richard A. Clarke
(Rare Bird Books, April 2022)

Former U.S. counterterrorism official Richard A. Clarke's expertise in cybercrime and AI lend this work a disturbing plausibility.
Our lives are more controlled by computers and algorithms than we understand, but who controls the computers? Clarke steps behind the veil into the world of hackers, intelligence officers, surveillance systems, quantum computing, and deadly international competition. A junior Chinese police detective stumbles onto a global plot that has control of camera and computer systems tracking billions of humans, including people who seem to exist only in cyberspace. He created the world's most advanced surveillance system and now an even more powerful program is after him. Ranging from inside the highest offices in China to the halls of Washington's security establishment and the cutting-edge labs of Canada and California, Chief Inspector Wei Bao races to stop an impending disaster. Only two problems: he does not know what the disaster will be or who is going to perpetrate it.

Book may be ordered here

Research Requests

Call for Papers by "International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence"

Member Jan Goldman, IJIC's Editor, has issued a Call for Papers on the following two topics:

Jobs

Full-Time Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice (Intelligence Studies) - University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA

Job Summary: Type: Full-Time; Posted: 02/02/2022; Category: Criminal Justice; Job ID: 238891
The Department of Criminal Justice at The University of North Georgia invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at the Dahlonega campus. This position will focus primarily on Intelligence Studies. Special attention will be given to applicants who have four or more years of practitioner experience and the ability to manage applied analytic projects. The workload may require travel across campuses, teaching at off-campus teaching sites, and online teaching.
Responsibilities: Teach four undergraduate courses per semester to include Introduction to Criminal Justice; Maintain an active research agenda in an effort to produce scholarly publications; Assist in the advising of students enrolled in Bachelor of Science Degree Criminal Justice with an Intelligence Studies Concentration; Serve on University, College, and Departmental Committees; Teaching schedule may include assignments on other campuses, evening or on-line classes.
Required Qualifications: Ph.D. in Criminal Justice is required. Intelligence Studies, Homeland Security or a closely related field is preferred; Experience teaching Intelligence Studies at the university or college level; Successful candidates should be able to teach one or more of the following courses: Introduction to Intelligence, Fundamentals of Intelligence Analysis, or Methods of Intelligence; Ability to work collaboratively with all campus constituencies.
To explore this job or to apply, do so here

Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA is seeking a full time, residential, Assistant Professor to teach Intelligence and National Security courses in the School of Government.

Courses support a curriculum which features a major or minor field of study in Strategic Intelligence Studies and include Introduction to Intelligence, Intelligence Analysis, Ethics in Intelligence, History of Intelligence, Intelligence and Military Operations, Strategic Intelligence, Counter Intelligence, Terrorism, Counter-terrorism and Psychological Operations. A minimum of a Master's Degree and extensive experience in the Intelligence profession is required. Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, VA, 3 hours south of Washington, D.C. It is a private, Christian, liberal arts, accredited institution with 15 colleges and schools. The modern campus at Liberty Mountain supports 15,000 residential students, Division I sports and over 115,000 online students. Liberty has a large and thriving Army and Air Force ROTC presence. Details on the job are here. Questions? Contact tcothron1@liberty.edu.

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Intelligence, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL

Job Description: The Department of Security Studies and International Affairs (SSIA) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL., invites candidates to apply for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Intelligence (GEOINT). The successful candidate should have experience in one or more of the domains related to intelligence and security with skillsets in technologies such as Geospatial Intelligence, Remote Sensing using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), satellite imagery, as well as spatial analyses using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
The successful candidate will contribute to SSIA's interdisciplinary Homeland Security and Intelligence program. In addition, the candidate will support the department and college to help integrate technology into the existing Homeland Security & Intelligence and Global Conflict Studies undergraduate degree programs as well as other programs external to the department. Primary tasks include undergraduate teaching and research, student advising, and relationship building with external organizations and agencies. The position requires teaching flexibility to cover a variety of courses in geospatial intelligence, geographic information systems, and their applications across a broad range of intelligence and security issues. Additional duties include scholarship, professional development, committee participation, and other activities to support the Department. This is a nine-month position with the possibility of summer teaching assignments. Position available August 2022.
Qualifications: An earned doctorate in intelligence-related discipline such as Geospatial Intelligence, Security Studies, Political Science, Remote Sensing, or related field is preferred. Special attention will be given to candidates with Intelligence Community experience and demonstrated success in securing and managing applied analytic projects. Knowledge of technical as well as policy and procedural aspects of geospatial intelligence and its applications is a plus. An exceptional candidate who is ABD (with an expected completion date within six months of the hire date) will be considered.
More info or to apply

Also being sought at Embry-Riddle [ERAU] in Daytona Beach, FL

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Cybersecurity

Job Description: The Department of Security Studies and International Affairs (SSIA) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL., invites candidates to apply for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in cybersecurity. We are seeking applicants whose research focuses on various aspects of the intersection between cyber technologies and human security. The successful candidate should have experience in one or more of the domains related to computer and network technologies, cybersecurity tools and incident response, digital forensics, cybercrime, social impacts of cyberspace, and cyber law and policy. Applicants with research interests/specializations in cybersecurity for GIS/geospatial analysis, unmanned aircraft systems, remote sensing, spatial analysis, and/or avionics are considered a plus.
The successful candidate will contribute to SSIA's interdisciplinary Homeland Security program. In addition, the person will support the department and college to help the department to integrate technology into the existing Homeland Security & Intelligence and Global Conflict Studies undergraduate degree programs as well as other programs external to the department. Primary tasks include undergraduate teaching and research, student advising, and relationship building with external organizations and agencies. The position requires teaching flexibility to cover a variety of courses in cybersecurity, digital forensics, and cybercrime. Additional duties include scholarship, professional development, committee participation, and other activities designed to support the Security Studies & International Affairs Department. This is a nine-month position with the possibility of summer teaching assignments. Position available as early as January 2022.
Qualifications: An earned doctorate in a cybersecurity-related discipline such as Computer Science, Information Technology, or Cybersecurity Engineering or related field; record of academic publishing; and grant proposal development. Must have knowledge of technical as well as policy and procedural aspects of cybersecurity. An exceptional candidate who is ABD (with an expected completion date within six months of the hire date) will be considered.
More info or to apply

Adjunct Faculty, Security Studies and International Affairs

Seeking to create a pool of local adjunct (part-time) faculty talent to join the Security Studies and International Affairs Department in the College of Arts & Sciences.
The Security Studies and International Affairs Department is the home to two degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security; and Bachelor of Science in Global Conflict Studies.
Qualifications: Applicants must possess a master's degree or higher with 18 graduate hours in the discipline they intend to teach.
More info or to apply

Obituaries

Bob Ellis, Senior NSA Executive
Robert Leslie Ellis, 80, a Senior NSA Executive, died of pancreatic cancer on 23 March 2022 in Columbia, MD.
Bob graduated from The College of William & Mary in August 1962 and entered on duty with the National Security Agency the same month as a member of the first class of NSA Special Agents to be trained by the Office of Security. He was proud that all eight members of Class 1 remained NSA employees for their entire careers. Bob retired in December 1996 with 34 years of service. During his career, he served in the Office of Security, Office of Personnel, the Directorate of Management, and as the Chief of Staff of a major NSA component. He also served as the Chief of Administrative Services at Menwith Hill Station from 1980 to 1983. He received NSA's Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1989. During his last five years at NSA, he served as the Chief of the Quality Resource Center for the Information Systems Security Organization (ISSO.) During this time, he served as an Adjunct Faculty Member of the National Cryptologic School, and in 1996 received the School's Adjunct Faculty Award of Excellence for Service to Education. He also served as an Adjunct Faculty Member for the Office of Personnel Management's Western Management Development Center from 1994 to 1996. Bob was also a member of the Phoenix Society.
He was an umpire for the NSA Slow Pitch Softball leagues and later for the Howard County, MD softball leagues before being posted overseas. He served as the Assistant Custodian of the Civilian Welfare Fund in the 1970s, and persuaded the King's Dominion Park management to allow the CWF to buy out the park for a day. This enabled NSA employees and family and friends to enjoy a less crowded Park and significantly reduced prices for many years.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Janice M. Ellis, two daughters, and other family.
Memorial service to be held, 2 p.m., 9 April 2022 at Slack Funeral Home, 3871 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21043. Please see www.slackfuneralhome.com for condolences and full obituary.

Bill Ferguson, Senior NSA Officer
William James Ferguson, 86, Senior NSA Officer, died 23 March 2022.
Born in Philadelphia, PA, he graduated from St. Thomas More High School and St. Joseph's College. He relocated to Maryland in 1957 to work for the National Security Agency.
Bill spent his entire career at NSA where he held a multitude of positions during a prolific career of 33 years. He served in a number of senior executive positions, including management of several large elements in the Production Organization and as chief of the National SIGINT Operations Center.
In his "spare time," Bill coached his children's basketball teams, taught CCD at St. Mary's, and was President of both the Bond Mill Citizens Association and the West Laurel Civic Association.
In retirement, he was a substitute teacher for both Prince George's County schools and St. Mary's Catholic School, and was active in the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, lobbying for fellow Federal Retirees.
Bill is survived by his wife Clare, by two sons and two daughters, and other family.

Walter "Wif" Floyd, CIA Operations Officer
Walter I. Floyd, Jr, 82, CIA Operations Officer, died 29 March 2022 in Star Tannery, VA.
Wif was born in Pittsburgh, PA. He received his bachelor's degree from Williams College in 1962, after which he became an officer in the U.S. Air Force. He then spent a 33-year career in the Central Intelligence Agency with assignments in Laos, Cambodia, Cyprus, Greece, and Japan. He spent a total of thirteen years in Tokyo, where he met and married Taeko Fukubayashi. In the U.S., he served in the Office of Congressional Affairs as a liaison between the CIA and members of Congress. He particularly enjoyed his last assignment as an inspector in the Office of the Inspector General. Walter achieved senior executive rank and was awarded medals for Merit and Honorable Service upon his retirement.
In 2000 Walter and Taeko moved to Pembroke Springs, a beautiful property in Star Tannery, VA, that Walter had acquired in the late 1960s. The pair decided to start second careers as innkeepers and built a small Japan-inspired retreat that continues to operate as a family-run business.
He is survived by his wife, Taeko F. Floyd, by two daughters and a son, and other family.
Please visit obituaries and tribute wall at ompsfuneralhome.com

Murat Natirboff - Update on earlier obituary announcement

A news story on Natirboff's 10 January 2022 death just appeared in ClayTodayOnline on 23 Mar 2022. "'He was fascinating' Former CIA station chief Natirboff lived in Keystone Heights" article can be viewed here.

Section V - Events

AFIO EDUCATIONAL EVENTS IN COMING TWO MONTHS....

Virtual = ; In-Person =

Thursday, 7 April 2022, 7 pm CDT - Zoom Webinar - Major General Gary W. O'Shaughnessy will speak about careers in intelligence at this AFIO San Antonio Chapter Virtual Event

MG Gary O'Shaughnessy began his military service in 1960, when he was commissioned through the ROTC program. In 1962 he became a Communications Intelligence Officer and served several tours in Asia. He progressed in the military with assignment in the Security Service, Electronic Security Command, National Security Agency, and US Europe Command as the Director of Intelligence. General O'Shaughnessy currently serves on the AFIO National Board.
The 30 minute online social time has been dropped and this meeting begins promptly at 7 p.m. for civilians and 1900 hrs for former military. Virtual links will be forwarded closer to the date of the program.
Questions or to participate, contact John Franklin, President, AFIO San Antonio Chapter, at satxafio@gmail.com or 210 863-0430.

Friday, 8 April 2022 - McLean, VA - AFIO's First 2022 In-Person Luncheon features Shane Harris, journalist/author, The Washington Post, and Toby Harnden, journalist/author

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED. We look forward to seeing all registrants at this first in-person AFIO National event of 2022.
Speakers: Shane Harris, journalist/author, The Washington Post, author of "@War: The Rise of the Military-Internet Complex" speaking at 11 am; Toby Harnden, journalist/author of "The First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission To Avenge 9/11" speaking following lunch. Harris will discuss the latest developments in Ukraine, which he is covering for the Washington Post, with special focus on the intelligence aspects. Also present will be and one of the brave Team Alpha members featured in Toby Harnden's incredible book.
Event will be held at DoubleTree by Hilton, 1960 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA.
Questions to annettej@afio.com

13 April 2022, 6:30pm PDT - Las Vegas, NV - AFIO Las Vegas hosts special speaker event on "Is Democracy in Russia Possible?"

The next LV Chapter meeting features a brief business meeting followed by a presentation by a very special guest speaker. Due to sensitivities, the chapter will not be providing the name of the speaker. He is a well-respected advocate for Russian democracy and has agreed to share his insights into our current world situation. The topic of the evening's speaker is "Is Democracy in Russia Possible?" This is going to be an enlightening and intriguing talk and I urge everyone who is able, to attend.
Attendees are invited to meet in the patio room of the clubhouse restaurant for drinks, food, and great conversation anytime after 5:30 pm.
Location: Los Prados Golf & Country Club Clubhouse, 5150 Los Prados Cir, Las Vegas, NV 89130.
NOTE: Please... no recording devices or photos at this meeting.
If you have any questions, please contact Linda Cohn at 702-239-1370.
To attend, contact Linda M. Cohn, Secretary, AFIO Las Vegas Chapter, at lasvegasafio@gmail.com

Thursday, 21 April 2022, 12:30 - 1:30pm PDT - GoToMeeting - AFIO Los Angeles hears from Maj Charles Christian the Civil Air Patrol on The Wide Range of Essential CAP Missions

The next AFIO L.A. Chapter meeting will feature guest speaker Major Charles Christian, Director of Emergency Services for the California Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.
The Civil Air Patrol is celebrating its 80th Anniversary. Since the founding in June of 1941, CAP has been protecting and serving the U.S. with an unpaid professional force currently at over 66,000 members.
Often called a Force Multiplier by the Air Force, Maj Charles Christian, Director of Emergency Services for the California Wing, will present a wide-ranging insight as to the variety of missions that CAP now accomplishes. From saving lives in SAR, to Counter Drug with Homeland Security, to aerial reconnaissance for Cal OES and Cal Fire, to training Cadets to be the next generation of Air Force Pilots and Cyber Warriors, and community support in Food Bank distribution, Maj Christian will tell us about the best kept secret—the Civil Air Patrol.
Maj Christian is an IT professional with Cyber and Network specialization for the public and private sectors. He is an accomplished Pilot with land and sea ratings. With 12 years in CAP, his dedication has been recognized with 13 Search "Find" Awards, 3 Achievement Awards, 11 Commanders Commendations, 1 Exceptional Service Award, 4 Meritorious Service Awards, Air Force Organizational Service Award, Member of the Year, and Crisis Service Award.
His current role (CA Wing Director of Emergency Services) requires him to generate, facilitate, coordinate, and oversee the execution of operational missions within the State of CA. Maj Christian coordinates with 1st Air Force staff, Federal agencies (such as NOAA, FEMA, Homeland Security), the Governor's office of emergency services for the state of CA, local agencies, and special districts on a weekly basis.
Lt Paul Rivera is a Public Information and Communications Officer for the California Wing and will be assisting Maj. Christian in the presentation.
Please RSVP via email to President Vince Autiero at afio_la@yahoo.com for the access link to the meeting.
Platform: Go To Meeting (Virtual)
Questions: contact Vincent Autiero, President, AFIO-Los Angeles Chapter, at AFIO_LA@yahoo.com

Saturday, 16 April 2022, 10 - noon EDT - Zoom Webinar - AFIO New England 2-Speaker Event - Prof. Declan Hill on "The Origin of Covid-19"; and former FBI Agent Ken Gray on "NWC Talks: America and the Intelligence Revolution with Jeff Rogg"

AFIO New England will be hosting a virtual event with two speakers.
Our first presenter is Declan Hill talking about the origin of Covid-19. Hill will be followed by former FBI Agent Ken Gray, who will show the video "NWC Talks: America and the Intelligence Revolution with Jeff Rogg." The video will be followed by a discussion.
Both presentations will run approximately 45 minutes each, with time for Q&As.
Declan Hill is an associate professor of investigations at the University of New Haven. He specializes in the study of organized crime and corruption specifically in international sport. His first book The Fix: Organized Crime and Soccer tells the story of Hill infiltrating a group of Asian match-fixers as they fixed matches at the World Cup. His second book, The Insider's Guide to Match-Fixing in Football is written for sports officials. Hill was an investigative journalist and news presenter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and has a podcast "Crime Waves with Declan Hill." His current series is called the "Slow-Motion Chernobyl" on the origins of Covid-19.
Hill received his doctorate from the University of Oxford.
Ken Gray was an officer with the US Navy and then spent 24 years as a FBI Special Agent and served his entire career in the New Haven Division. After an extra 6 months past mandatory retirement, he moved over to University of New Haven, where he teaches criminal investigation in the C.J. Department
To sign up for this webinar or if you have questions: contact chapter President Art Harvey at aharvey@rdi.qozzy.com or Sarah Moore, AFIO/NE Secretary, at afionechapter@gmail.com.
Note: Your invitation will come either directly from Ken Gray or the University of New Haven, or from Art Harvey. Since this webinar will be open to the public, no detailed chapter information will be presented; however, there will be a discussion of resuming in-person meetings on a schedule. The chapter looks forward to connecting with all members and guests in these troubled times.

Other Upcoming Events from Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, and Others

Thursday, 7 April 2022, 8:15am - 4:30pm EDT- Hybrid: In-Person and Zoom Webinar - Intelligence and the Changing Security Environment by The Intelligence Studies Consortium - Georgetown University School of Continuing Education and National Intelligence University

The Intelligence Studies Consortium (ISC) was established in 2018 by the National Intelligence University (NIU) to promote communications and cooperation between academic and government organizations. The ISC provides an organized forum for the member universities to work together exploring issues and engaging in solutions that improve national security. The participating universities have national security-focused academic programs and unique relationships with many government agencies; the ISC seeks to develop these relationships and provide an integrated forum to discuss critical intelligence issues. This symposium is an opportunity for students to present recent work at an academic conference in a panel format. Students will be selected for participation in the symposium based on their proposal, which will be judged by the ISC faculty representatives.
All attendees attending in-person must be fully vaccinated and compliant within the GU360 system. The event will also be live-streamed for those unable to attend in-person.
*Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made by March 28 to scsevents@georgetown.edu. A good faith effort will be made to fulfill requests made after March 28.* If you have any questions, contact scsevents@georgetown.edu.
LOCATION: Virtual via Zoom; In-Person at Georgetown School of Continuing Studies, 640 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington DC 20001. This event will also be live-streamed via Zoom.
Audience: Prospective Students, Current Students, Alumni, Outside Attendees
RSVP for the event using this link.
Download more information about the program here
More about this program at Georgetown University website or at the SCS website

Thursday, 7 April 2022 at 6:30 - 7:30pm EDT - Washington, DC - Dr Harlan Ullman discusses "How Massive Attacks of Disruption are an Existential Danger to the U.S. and World" - at this in-person event at The City Tavern Preservation Foundation

The City Tavern Preservation Foundation, an organization established for the preservation of the oldest and last remaining Federal era tavern in Washington, DC, invites AFIO members, at no cost, to attend a discussion and book signing with Harlan Ullman for his latest book: The Fifth Horseman and the New MAD: How Massive Attacks of Disruption Became the Looming Existential Danger to a Divided Nation and the World at Large.
Dr. Harlan Ullman is a globally recognized thought leader and strategic thinker. Among his better known innovative concepts are: "shock and awe" "A Brains Based Approach to Strategic Thinking"; and "Massive Attacks of Disruption. "
A former naval person and Swift Boat skipper in Vietnam who carried out over 150 combat missions, and later, commanded a destroyer in the Persian Gulf, he has advised heads of government and industry. He has also chaired several companies.
He lays out the issues and makes major recommendations to repair a broken government, infrastructure, and in many ways a flawed national security policy and organization. He is UPI's Arnaud de Borchgrave distinguished columnist and a Contributor to The Hill
No Charge to attend but reservations required and can be made at this Eventbrite link.
Event location: City Tavern, 3206 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007. Location on Google Maps.
To order a book, do so here at Amazon

Sunday, 10 April 2022, 2-3:30pm EDT - Zoom Webinar - Dome of Light: A Real Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon? by John Ramirez, former CIA DS&T - Event by The Cold War Museum

UFOs. UAPs. Is That All Crazy Stuff? Well…Maybe Not. Hear & Ask a Former CIA Technical Expert About the Dome of Light Case.
An unusual phenomenon known as the Dome of Light was detected by US intelligence sensors during certain Russian ballistic missile test launches. Of particular interest was the SS-20 Sable intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM). Ballistic missile analysts at the Foreign Technology Division (now the National Air and Space Intelligence Center -- NASIC) at Wright-Patterson AFB attributed the Dome of Light phenomenon to a ballistic missile countermeasures technique. However, this phenomenon was also detected when there were no ballistic missile launches. What did the Russians know about the Dome of Light, which they called the "Petrozavodsk Phenomenon?" The possible answer has surprising relevance to the US government's Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) investigation as mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022.
John Ramirez served from 1984 to 2009 in the CIA Directorate of Science and Technology, Directorate of Intelligence, and the ODNI National Counterproliferation Center (NCPC). During his 25-year career he specialized in ballistic missile defense systems and signals analysis of weapon system radars. He served as the Chief of Base for an overseas technical collection facility and was Chief of the Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) Analysis Branch. A founding member of the ODNI NCPC, he was the SIGINT specialist and the multi-discipline collection requirements strategist for counterproliferation equities. Prior to his career in the Intelligence Community, John enlisted in the US Navy as an Electronics Warfare Technician. He is a graduate of the George Washington University in Washington, DC. He is currently a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers and the Central Intelligence Retirees Association.
This is the 60th in a series of presentations sponsored by the Museum featuring eyewitnesses to, and other experts on, significant Cold War-era events and activities.
Cost: $20, 100% of which is a contribution to the Cold War Museum.
Location: ONLINE ONLY. Click this link to register.
Eventbrite ticket buyers will receive a link to the virtual room on the Zoom platform where event will take place.
Agenda: 1:30-2. Participants arrive in the Zoom room online; 2-2:05. Jason Hall, Executive Director of the Cold War Museum, introduces the Museum and John Ramirez; 2:05-3 John presents on the history of the Dome of Light phenomenon and what that suggests for the newly-mandated Congressional inquiry into Unidentified Aerial Phenomena; 3-3:30. Q&A opportunity for the audience.
Questions? Call or email Jason Hall, 703-283-4124 (cell), jason@coldwar.org

Thursday, 28 April 2022, 6 - 8pm - Virtual - The OSS Society "Oh So Social" Author Spotlight: Erika Robuck & The Hon. Ellen McCarthy

The OSS Society launches their "Oh So Social" Author Spotlight Series. Starting off that event are The Honorable Ellen McCarthy who will interview author Erika Robuck about her new novel Sisters of Night and Fog.
To register or learn more, do so here

1 - 3 May 2022 - Tucson, AZ - Spies Lies & Nukes Conference

Join Valerie Plame and several of her legendary, highly decorated CIA colleagues as they dive into the secretive world of espionage. Hear intriguing, provocative, and sometimes shocking conversations on cyber attacks, covert actions, nuclear scams, recruiting real spies from those that lived in the "wilderness of mirrors" for years.

Speakers: Valerie Plame, Conference Host and former Covert CIA Ops Officer; James C. Lawler, former Senior CIA Ops Officer; Alma Katsu, former CIA and NSA Analyst; Marc Polymeropoulos, former Senior CIA Ops Officer; Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, former Senior CIA Intelligence Officer; Mary Beth Long, former Asst SecDef for Intl Security Affairs; Glenn Carle, former Senior CIA Ops Officer; Lucy Kirk, former CIA Chief of Station and Ops Officer; Jonna Mendez, former Senior CIA Intelligence Officer; Gary C. Schroen, former Senior CIA Intelligence Officer

Topics: Some of the topics that will be presented by our experts and panelists:
"Afghanistan: Ending the Forever War"; "What is the 'Havana Syndrome'?"; "Russian election hacking / cyberwarfare"; "SoulCatcher: How to recruit a spy"; "Women in the CIA"; "Spy Fiction: What is real and what isn't?"; "The Morality and Politics of Torture"; and "The Nuclear Threat."

Location: Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort - a beautiful and historic resort at 5501 N Hacienda Del Sol Rd, Tucson, AZ 85718.
More information or to register visit https://www.spiesliesnukes.com/

10 - 12 May 2022 - Glen Burnie, MD - National Cryptologic Foundation General Membership Meeting (GMM) & 18th CCH Cryptologic History Symposium

The 24th NCF GMM will take place on May 10th as a hybrid event with virtual attendance via Zoom and very limited in-person seating at our office in Glen Burnie, MD. Lunch will be optional for in-person attendees. 
Our program will include presentations to our first corporate and individual Education Program awardees: Mr. Greg Von Lehmen and Northrop Grumman. Our featured guest speakers will be Mr. Harry Wetherbee and Ms. Betsy Rohaly Smoot. The program will also include, In Memoriam, special recognition of past staff and volunteers, and Foundation & Museum updates. Click to REVIEW THE AGENDA.
We will have signed copies of our guest speakers' books for sale for in-person attendees, as well as a rare and used book sale. Please bring cash or check for book purchases.
The bi-ennial CCH Cryptologic History Symposium will take place on May 11-12. See more about the 2022 Symposium later in this e-letter. We hope you will sign up for both programs and make it Three Days of Cryptology!

The Center for Cryptologic History (CCH) and the National Cryptologic Foundation (NCF) will host the 18th Cryptologic History Symposium on May 11-12, 2022. The Symposium will be held as an all virtual event via the Microsoft (MS) Teams Live Events platform. Attendees will be able to view sessions either through the MS Teams application or with a standard web browser. The theme for the 2022 Symposium is "Icons & Innovation." Click here to view the preliminary program. Registration is free, but required, and is hosted by the NCF on the NCF website. Registration opens 3 April and will close at 9pm EDT on 10 May. Learn more about the program and to register, explore those here.

19-22 June 2022 - Treviso (near Venice), Italy - 2022 IAFIE and IAFIE-EC Conference and CFP

Theme: "Working Wicked Intelligence Challenges: Intelligence Research, Education-Training and Practice"
The 2022 CALL FOR PAPERS addresses engaging themes that combine the different Intelligence domains and disciplines with a look into the future challenges.
Read the Call for Papers to know the main Conference themes, requirements, deadline and the new IAFIE Study Group Initiative.
Those who had planned to attend and present papers at the postponed 2020 or 2021 Italy conference can resubmit their papers--or propose to present new papers--at the June 2022 Treviso-Venice Conference.
Presenters are encouraged to submit papers for publication in the Journal of Security, Intelligence, and Resilience Education (JSIRE). IAFIE announces the requirements for a peer-reviewed paper to be accepted for publication in the Call for Papers.
The Call for Papers includes details about Registration, Fees, Travel, and Accommodations along with additional tour options and partners/spouses' tour.
Conference includes a tour to Venice (free of charge) at the end of the Conference.
Event will be hosted by École Universitaire Internationale - Italy.
The Conference will take place in the territories that have witnessed the rise of the first structured Intelligence service in the world, and have always been the bridge between west and east, forefront observer of their evolution through time;
Be with us to live what freedom and Democracy are. Be with us to be a sign, a design for what freedom and democracy will be in the future.
We will meet in Treviso, near Venice, crossroad city that unites cultures, east-west, north-south for a vision of the global universe.
For more information, to respond to the CFP, or to register, do so here.

DATES VARY. Spy Tours in Washington DC Area: Spring has Sprung! Book a Spy-themed Tour Today

Former intelligence officers deliver tours of Washington D.C. and share unique insights on what it's like to operate in the world of espionage. Alternate dates and times or custom tours available upon request. Tours option include:

  • "The Spies of Georgetown Private Walking Tour" - 2 hour tour through the scenic Georgetown neighborhood with a former CIA officer. Learn about the role the residents here played in the WWII era. These pre- and post- war influencers played friend and foe alike to the Soviets. Learn more about the origins of the CIA, and the life of an operative shared through curated (and unclassified) real-life stories. Group Size: up to 17 people. More info here.
  • "The Spies of Embassy Row Private Walking Tour" - 2 hour tour of Dupont Circle and Embassy Row through the eyes of a spy! Hear contemporary and historical stories of conspiracy, politics, cover-ups and assassinations… We'll start where the battered body of a Kremlin insider was discovered in 2015. Then, we'll walk up Massachusetts Avenue, part of "Embassy Row", an elegant boulevard lined by homes originally belonging to some of the richest and most influential people, now housing Embassies, associations, foundations, and clubs. Visit the spot where a car bomb killed beloved Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier and U.S. citizen Ronni Moffitt, and pass the former home of FDR and Jay Pollard. By the end of this tour, you will see the people and neighborhoods around you in a new light… Time: 2 hours. Group size up to 17. More info here.
  • "The Spies of Arlington National Cemetery Private Walking Tour" - Learn about intelligence professionals buried in Arlington National Cemetery. These quiet heroes lived extraordinary lives and in some cases made the ultimate sacrifice. Along the way we'll stop at the Kennedy gravesites and the Tomb of the Unknown soldier. We'll also visit the PanAm Memorial and the Beirut Barracks Memorial, in addition to sections 34 and 59. If visitors want to visit a particular grave we can also adjust to make that possible. Time: 3.5 hours. Group Size: up to 25 people. More info here.
  • "Custom Tours" - We also offer custom, private tours upon request. Not seeing a tour that works in your schedule? Contact us and submit a request for a new date/time.
    We'll work with you and do our best to accommodate your needs. More info at here.

Questions or more information here or email Rosanne at rosanna@spyher.co

Store Items:

ITEMS FOR SALE AT AFIO FOR MEMBERS...including NEW ALL-BLACK SHORT-SLEEVED POLO SHIRT

Now available: Black short-sleeved polo shirts with Embroidered AFIO logo
Show your support for AFIO with our new Black Short-sleeve Polo Shirts. Shirts are shrink and wrinkle resistant of fine cotton with a soft, "well-worn, comfy" 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 $50 each including shipping.
Sizes for (M) men, only; Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL. $50 per shirt.
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. Questions? Contact Annette at: annettej@afio.com.

PopSocket for cellphones or tablets
Show your support to AFIO while enjoying the convenience offered by our AFIO Logo PopSocket. The PopSocket is most commonly used as a stand and as a grip for your mobile phone or tablet; handy for taking selfies, watching videos, and for texting. The PopSocket looks like a small button or sticker which, when closed, sticks flat to your mobile device. However, its accordion-like design enables it to pop open for use. The benefits of using a PopSocket make it a must-have accessory for your mobile phone or tablet. It also aids in keeping your phone from slipping off your hand during use, falling, or breaking.
Price: $15. Order this and other store items online here.

Caps - Dark Navy with Navy AFIO Logo
 An authentic silhouette with the comfort of an unstructured, adjustable fit. Fabric: 100% cotton. Unstructured. Fabric strap closure with adjustable D-clip. Price: $30. Order this and other store items online here.

Duffel Bags - Royal Blue and Black with Full Color AFIO Logo This duffel has it all when it comes to value, style and organization.
600 denier polyester canvas with polyester double contrast; D-shaped zippered entry for easy access. Front pocket with hook and loop closure. End mesh pocket Easy-access end pockets. Four durable, protective feet and built-in bottom board for added strength. Web handles with padded grip. Detachable, adjustable shoulder strap.
Dimensions: 11"h x 19.75"w x 9.75"d; Approx. 2,118 cubic inches
Price: $50. Order this and other store items online here.

AFIO Mug with color glazed logo. Made in America. 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.

Guide to the Study of Intelligence and When Intelligence Made a Difference

"AFIO's Guide to the Study of Intelligence" has sold out in hard-copy.
However, it is available in digital form in its entirety on the AFIO website here.

Also available on the website here are the individual articles of AFIO's history project "When Intelligence Made a Difference" that have been published to date in The Intelligencer journal. More articles will be forthcoming in future editions.

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