Association of Former Intelligence Officers

Weekly Intelligence Notes

21 - 27 February 2024
(Issue 08)

Readers who encounter problems with the email version of the WIN can
view the latest web edition here.

Please send contributions and comments to: winseditor@afio.com.


CONTENTS


Section I - CURRENTS

(Recent Events, Developments, Highlights)



Section II - DEEP DIVES

(Research Papers, OpEds, Analysis, Podcasts)



Section III - FORMERS' FORUM

(Legacy Intel Practitioners' Informed Perspectives)



Section IV - MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS

(All Categories)

  • Article: CIA's Former Chief of Disguise Reveals Spy Secrets: 'People Who Knew Me Well Will Be Shocked' (Exclusive) - People, 21 Feb 24
  • Article: Leaked files from Chinese firm show vast international hacking effort - Washington Post, 22 Feb 24
  • Article: Man Extradited to U.S. in Suspected Iranian Plot to Kill Activist - New York Times, 21 Feb 24
  • Article: Reality Check Commentary: Kremlin’s World-Class Dashboard Maximizes Disinformation, at 26 Cents Per Lie - NewsGuard's Reality Check, 21 Feb 24
  • Article: Brussels spyware bombshell: Surveillance software found on officials’ phones - Politico, 21 Feb 24
  • Article: EXCLUSIVE: Communist Influence Network Is Deeply Involved With Nonprofit Connecting China To US Heartland - Daily Caller, 21 Feb 24
  • Article: India hosts global intel chiefs' meet - Economic Times, 21 Feb 24
  • Article: The Spy War: How the C.I.A. Secretly Helps Ukraine Fight Putin - New York Times, 25 Feb 24
  • Article: Former U.S. spies warned in 2020 that the Hunter Biden scandal had Russian fingerprints. They feel vindicated now. - NBC News, 24 Feb 24
  • Article: My Mother’s Secret: A top Middle East analyst for the CIA who begged me to not raise my children Jewish - Tablet, 25 Feb 24

*The editor thanks the following contributors of content for this issue:

JH, EB, CP, FR, GR, LR


Section V - BOOKS, FILM, HISTORY, POP CULTURE

Books: (Forthcoming, New Releases, Overlooked)

True Intelligence Matters in Film: Pollard - Omri Assenheim (2023)

Intelligence in History - A Collection of Recent Content

Infographic: Breaking Down $1.3T in NATO Defense Spending - Visual Capitalist, 23 Feb 24

Walking Tours: "The Spies of Embassy Row" and "Spies of Georgetown" - Washington, DC. (Sundays, Dates/Times Vary)



Section VI - Obituaries and Classifieds

(Research Requests, Academic Opportunities, Employment)

Obituaries

  • Mary Lynne McElroy, Former AFIO Staff and Event Volunteer
  • Susan Finke, Former CIA Analyst
  • Barry Hilton, Former Diplomat and East Asia and Southeast Asia Specialist
  • Ed Cahill, Decorated Former CIA Security Officer

    • Research Requests and Academic Opportunities

    • Seeking Interview Subjects: Current or former intelligence officers, analysts, and counterintelligence (CI) professionals with firsthand experience in dealing with Russian illegals to participate in confidential interview sessions as part of a PhD dissertation.
    • Call for Information: Swiss photographer Bruno Zehnder and research activity/death in Mirny Antarctica 1997 / info on climate between Russia and the CIA in the 19980s/90s regarding adhering to the scientific treaty and the race to be the first to breach Lake Vostok.
    • Call for Information: DIA officers VADM Eric Burkhalter and Colonel Roy Jonkers 1980 - 1985
    • Call for Information: University professor seeks information about POW camp in Ambon, 1942-45
    • National Intelligence Summer Academy (NISA) for High School Students 15-19 July 24 in Cummings, GA. Deadline 15 April 2024
    • Call for Interviews: Author of forthcoming book seeks conversation with intelligence officers who have worked on China during their career
    • Call for Information: CIA’s Office of Soviet Analysis (SOVA) 1981-1992
    • Call for Information: Al "Albert" Purdum, stationed at Arlington Hall 55, Defense Language School - Albanian 55-56, NSA Linguist, Sr. Cryptologist 57-95
    • Call For Articles: AFIO Journal, The Intelligencer

    Employment



    Section VII - Events

    Upcoming AFIO Events

    • 06 Mar 24, 1800 hours (ET) - The East Tennessee AFIO Chapter hosts Jennifer Daniel on her 37-year IC career, including work at NGA and the DNI. - Virtual
    • NOTE NEW DATE: 26 March 2024, noon EDT - The Florida Suncoast AFIO Chapter hosts Michael Pullara on "1993 Murder of CIA Station Chief Freddie Woodruff." - In-Person at MacDill AFB, FL or by Zoom
    • Friday, 19 Apr 2024, 1100 (EST) - AFIO National Spring Luncheon features fireside chat with Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence. Morning speaker is Jonna Mendez, CIA's former Master of Disguise, "In True Face." - In Person, Tysons, Virginia
    • NOTE NEW DATE: 30 July 24, 1900 (PST) - Former CIA Director General David Petraeus on challenges in Ukraine and the Middle East - In-Person, Yorba Linda, CA - AFIO Los Angeles Chapter; Dinner after presentation.

    Events from Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, Others

    See the AFIO Calendar of Events for scheduling further in the future.



    DISCLAIMER


    The Weekly Intelligence Notes include a wide range of articles and commentary to inform our readers. It also includes several paid advertisements. Views expressed in articles and advertising are those of the authors and advertisers; they do not reflect AFIO's support or endorsement. Notices about non-AFIO events do not reflect AFIO endorsement or recommendation.
    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 readers, who should exercise caution and good judgment when responding and independently verify the source before supplying resumes, career data, or personal information.

    		     

    LATEST FROM AFIO

    Registration quickly filling... Will you be joining us?

    AFIO National In-Person Spring Luncheon features fireside chat with Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence.
    Morning speaker is Jonna Mendez, CIA's former Master of Disguise, "In True Face."

    AFIO Spring Luncheon, Friday, 19 April 2024

    Avril Haines, DNINOON SPEAKER: Fireside Chat with Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence, begins at noon. Please note the earlier time.

    MORNING SPEAKER: Jonna Mendez, former CIA Chief of Disguise, speaks at 11:00 a.m.

    She will be discussing her latest book: "In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked" - published 5 March 2024. Copies will be available.

    Jonna MendezQ&A follows each talk or presentation.

    Lunch served 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

    Event ends at 2:00 p.m.

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    Cancellations after 12 April are not donations because your meal has been guaranteed to hotel per event contract. Thank you for your understanding.

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    Questions regarding this event to events@afio.com

    Released exclusively to members on 20 February 2024...

    Cambodian Allies who Defied the Khmer Rouge


    Recorded 19 October 2023

    Dr. Chip Beck,
    CIA Officer, Foreign Service Officer, Naval Commander on
    "Final Days of Heroes"

    Interview of Thursday, 19 Oct 2023 between Chip Beck, CIA Officer, Sailor, Artist; and AFIO President James Hughes, a former senior CIA Operations Officer. They discuss Chip's book "Final Days of Heroes: How a CIA Agent and his Cambodian Allies Fought, Defied, and Resisted the Khmer Rouge."
    The interview runs 25 minutes and includes several Q&As.
    His book FINAL DAYS OF HEROES is available for purchase here

    Access the Chip Beck video interview here or click above image.

    The AFIO Now video series in 2024 continues to be proudly sponsored by Northwest Financial Advisors.

    The Podcast

    LATEST PODCAST: In this episode, Strategic Warning Intelligence and "The Paradox of Warning" Dr John A. Gentry, Former Senior CIA Analyst, Professor Georgetown University,and AFIO President James Hughes, a former senior CIA Operations Officer discuss "Strategic Warning Intelligence" based on John's book "Strategic Warning Intelligence: History, Challenges, and Prospects." The interview runs 37 minutes and includes several Q&As.
    Strategic Warning Intelligence: History, Challenges, and Prospects     [Georgetown Univ Press, 2019] is available here. Also see Dr. Gentry's recent book, Neutering the CIA: Why US Intelligence Versus Trump Has Long-Term Consequences (Armin Lear Press, 2023).
    Podcast here.

    Are you too busy to watch an entire AFIO Now episode on YouTube? Would you rather listen in your car or while accomplishing other tasks? You can download or stream episodes on any of the 8 podcasting platforms that host AFIO Now. Search for 'AFIO Podcast' for a selection of the interviews above (public released ones) on:

    Podbean; iTunes; Google; Spotify; Amazon Music; TuneIn; iHeartRadio; Pandora

    VOLUNTEER GRANT WRITER SOUGHT


    AFIO is excited to announce that we have begun planning for an update to the 2016 Guide to the Study of Intelligence, widely used by academics around the world. The new release will bring previous content up to date and include material on wholly new developments in the past decade--OSINT, cyberespionage, AI, and more.

    To cover editorial and publication costs, we are seeking the volunteer assistance of a member—or someone recommended by a member—who can help explore grant opportunities and draft grant applications. If you are interested in helping, please contact winseditor@afio.com for additional information.

    The Archive

    AFIO Now Video Interviews and Podcasts in 2023 were sponsored by
    Northwest Financial Advisors

    Click here to watch interviews in the AFIO Now series released in 2024.
    View interviews from 2020 to 2023 here.
    Watch public-release interviews on our YouTube channel or listen to them in podcast form at the links below.

    Log into the member-only area for member-only features.


    The OSS Society Virtual Event is tomorrow, Wed 28 February...



    Full information and registration here.

    Special Walking Tours Announcements
    by SpyGuide Tours Inc

    Weekend Tours in Washington DC

    New 2024 Dates

    Spring has sprung and Spyher is here for it. See our lineup of spy-themed tours and events. Visit us at https://spyher.co to book or schedule a private experience.

    Nighttime is the Right Time for a spy tour.
    Whether you're a history buff or simply curious about the shadowy world of spies, these 90-minute walking tours promise an unforgettable experience. Available in Washington D.C. and New York City.

    Secret Agent Birthday Party Tour: (Ages 12 and under)
    Have what it takes to be a secret agent? Is it your birthday? Book a Secret Agent Birthday Tour hosted by a real CIA officer who will ... read description here.

    The January 6th Experience: Saturday 2 March and Saturday 20 April
    See the sights of Pennsylvania Avenue, from the White House to the Capitol with an expert in misinformation and trained intelligence analyst ... read full description of tour here.

    Secret Stories of Arlington National Cemetery: Saturday 16 March, Saturday 30 March, Saturday 13 April, Saturday 27 April. This tour of Arlington National Cemetery, visits the gravesites of select intelligence officers and interprets their extraordinary stories. ... read full description of tour here.

    Vintage Espionage - A Wine-Tasting Event with an Espionage Twist: Thursday 28 March at The Italian Oven in McLean, VA. Immerse yourself in a world of mystery and intrigue. For security reasons your sommelier remains encrypted, known only as DECANTER/1 (C/1). ... read full description of event here.

    Learn more and book at https://spyher.co

    Visit Spyher Book | Buy | Contact us to schedule a private event |
    Subscribe and “Get the Intel” for not-yet-public information on upcoming events

    Vintage Espionage travels throughout the U.S. 
    Visit https://spyher.co to learn more and book all tours.

     

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    Special Gifts for Colleagues, Self, or Others

    NEW Gray long-sleeved polo shirts with embroidered AFIO logo. Men's sizes only.
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    CIA's In-house Gift Shop



    One special benefit of AFIO membership is access to CIA's EAA Store.

    After completing the required, quick pre-approval process for all AFIO members described here, you can purchase directly from the EAA online store their unusual logo'd gift items for self or colleagues. EAA on 20 October 2023 released the photo above, which features some of their newest CIA items and other gift suggestions.

    Section I - CURRENTS

    (Recent Events, Developments, Highlights)

    Ronald Moultrie to Step Down as Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security - ExecutiveGov, 22 Feb 24

    “[Moultrie] has shown a far-sighted approach to complex intelligence issues, built a rapport with domestic and international intelligence leaders, and established stewardship of our Defense Intelligence and Security Enterprise,” Defense Secretary Loyd Austin said in a statement published Wednesday. The under secretary was sworn in on June 1, 2021, and has, since then, served as the principal adviser to Austin on intelligence, counterintelligence and security matters. He has authority, control and direction of all DOD intelligence and security organizations, including the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Reconnaissance Office. Highlighting Moultrie’s contributions, Austin, a previous Wash100 awardee, said, “His achievements include the designation of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security as the Principal Staff Assistant for law enforcement; advancing the Department’s ability to provide insights into adversary capabilities via the Foreign Language Roadmap; and initiating a landmark review of the Department’s credibility assessment program.” (Read more here.)

    Dutch MEP Calls for EU Parliament Spy Agency - The European Conservative, 23 Feb 24

    After a series of spyware and espionage scandals over the past month, MEPs are considering a revamp of security at the European Parliament, with one Dutch lawmaker calling for the parliament to establish its own counterintelligence service. The move, however, has caused concerns among the Right. Security services in Brussels and Strasbourg are this week coming to terms with the news that multiple MEPs on the parliament’s highly sensitive defence committee had their phones hacked with spyware by an unknown third party. The revelations come after MEPs sounded the alarm on potential Russian espionage operations after one Latvian MEP was named as a Russian intelligence asset. The revelations that MEPs had their phones surveilled by the Pegasus malware comes after a year of tumultuous scandals around the so-called Qatargate affair and questions about the extent to which foreign nations have penetrated the EU’s inner sanctum. (Full article here.)

    NGA goes big on commercial satellite data with $290 million ‘Luno’ program - Space News, 22 Feb 24

    The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is supercharging its use of commercial satellite imagery and analytics with a new procurement program dubbed “Luno.” “We’re trying to drive that market signal,” Devin Brande, director of the NGA commercial operations group, said Feb. 22. The Luno program seeks to leverage commercial satellite imagery and data analytics to enhance NGA’s global monitoring capabilities. The agency in January issued a solicitation for Luno “Part A” bids, and proposals are due in late March. Contract awards are expected sometime this year, Brande said at the Commercial Space Transportation Conference hosted by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. Brande and other government officials at the conference discussed the perceived disconnect between the government’s professed long-term demand for certain technologies and the actual investments made. NGA aims to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to leveraging commercial space capabilities and services, he said. (Full article here.)

    China’s Spy Agency Sees Threats Everywhere in Data Security Push - Bloomberg, 21 Feb 24

    Plane tracking. Weather monitoring. Marking locations in mapping apps. China’s spy agency is now warning that these everyday acts are increasingly being exploited by foreign actors to harm the country’s national security. It’s the latest sign of increasing scrutiny of data flows, one that is likely to heighten risks for businesses operating in the world’s second-largest economy. The Ministry of State Security has identified at least 11 kinds of data as being pilfered by malicious foreign entities since September, according to a Bloomberg News tally of its official WeChat posts. These unnamed actors are obtaining information about key issues such as food production, genetics and weather through software, non-governmental organizations and unwitting Chinese citizens, the agency said. “MSS is operating on a ‘better safe than sorry’ mentality when it comes to data security,” said Dominic Chiu, senior analyst at Eurasia Group. “By mentioning those seemingly innocuous acts, MSS is making clear that its mandate encompasses all areas of security, and that the ministry is serious about enforcing the law and prosecuting those who violate them.” (Full article here.)

    Australia’s defence staff ‘actively targeted’ by foreign intelligence officials as ASIO officials warn of unprecedented threats of espionage - News.com AU, 22 Feb 24

    Australia’s ex-military staff are being “actively targeted” by hostile foreign actors to spill the nation’s most sensitive security secrets, as officials call for tougher rules for individuals leaking classified information overseas. The federal government has introduced legislation that could see individuals jailed for up to 20 years if they work for a foreign government or military without approval. ASIO official Ewan Macmillan told an inquiry looking into the new laws that Australia currently faced “unprecedented” levels of espionage and foreign interference. “Hostile foreign states and their intelligence services and their proxies are aggressively seeking access to Australia’s secrets – whether this be information or knowledge or expertise of our defence and national security capabilities,” Mr Macmillan said. (Full article here.)

    Chinese ship docks in Maldives, India suspects espionage - Le Prensa Latina, 22 Feb 24

    A Chinese research ship docked in Maldives on Thursday to replenish supplies amid a rift between Male and New Delhi and India’s suspicions of Beijing using such ships for espionage. The ship, Xiang Yang Hong 03, reached Male port at 8.30 am, the archipelago’s port authority reported on its website. The ship set sail from Sanya port in southern China on Jan. 16 and glided on the margins of exclusive economic zones of Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives, according to specialized ship-tracking website MarineTraffic. In January, China had requested Maldives for a stopover at its port for personal rotation and replenishment, Male said. China had assured that it would not carry out any research while it was in the Maldives waters. “The Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries, and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes,” Male said. In the past, India had raised objections to similar research vessels from China docking in neighboring Sri Lanka. (Full article here.)

    Moscow hired gunmen to murder Russian defector, Spanish intel says - Politico, 22 Feb 24

    Spanish intelligence services accused the Kremlin of orchestrating the murder of Maksim Kuzminov, the Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine last year. Kuzminov, who was reportedly living in Spain under a false identity, was found dead in the Spanish town of Villajoyosa, near Alicante, on Feb. 13. Police said attackers shot the former pilot six times before running him over with a car, Spanish media reported. Sources in Spanish intelligence services told Spanish outlet El País that it will be hard to directly link the murder to one of Russia’s agencies, but they believe Moscow hired hitmen from outside Spain to carry out the assassination. (Full article here.)

    Elon Musk's SpaceX is getting tighter with American intelligence and defense agencies - Quartz, 20 Feb 24

    Elon Musk’s company SpaceX reportedly has a $1.8 billion classified contract with an unnamed U.S. government agency, expanding its work with American intelligence and defense agencies. Documents reported by The Wall Street Journal show the contract will eventually become a major part of the company’s revenue. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday morning. SpaceX’s work with intelligence and defense agencies dates back to the company’s early days, when it won a launch contract with an unnamed U.S. intelligence agency in 2005. In March 2022, thousands of the company’s Starlink satellite internet terminals were sent to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion of the country, as U.S. officials sought to keep the Ukrainian government online in anticipation of Russian physical and cyberattacks. Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request in 2022 showed that government contractor DAI began searching for equipment to help Ukraine starting on Feb. 11 of that year. The U.S. Agency for International Development initially purchased 1,333 terminals for Ukraine, while SpaceX donated 3,600 terminals. (Full article here.)

    Goodbye SF-86? White House Approves "Personnel Vetting Questionnaire" (23 mins) - Inside the IC Podcast, 23 Feb 24

    The Standard Form-86, a long-used questionnaire for government positions requiring security clearance, is set to be phased out after the White House Office of Management and Budget approved a new form replacing the SF-86 and several other legacy forms. I spoke with John Berry, a security clearance attorney at Berry and Berry PLLC law firm, about some of the big changes new "Personnel Vetting Questionnaire," including questions around marijuana use, mental health history, and foreign connections. (Listen here.)

    Ex-FBI informant charged with lying about Bidens had Russian intelligence contacts, prosecutors say - Associated Press, 20 Feb 24

    A former FBI informant charged with making up a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden, his son Hunter and a Ukrainian energy company had contacts with Russian intelligence-affiliated officials, prosecutors said Tuesday. Prosecutors revealed the alleged contact as they urged a judge in Las Vegas to keep Alexander Smirnov behind bars while he awaits trial. But U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Albregts allowed Smirnov to be released from custody on electronic GPS monitoring. He is accused of falsely telling his FBI handler that executives with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid Hunter and Joe Biden $5 million each around 2015 — a claim that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress. (Read here.)

    Counterespionage Corner - Recent Arrests, Convictions, Expulsions, and more...

    Cyberespionage Collection - Newly Identified Actors and Operations, Countermeasures, Policy, other...



    Section II - DEEP DIVES

    (Research Papers, OpEds, Analysis, Podcasts)

    The prospect of a second Trump presidency has the intelligence community on edge - Politico, 26 Feb 24

    Former top officials from Donald Trump’s administration are warning he is likely to use a second term to overhaul the nation’s spy agencies in a way that could lead to an unprecedented level of politicization of intelligence. Trump, who already tried to revamp intelligence agencies during his first term, is likely to re-up those plans — and push even harder to replace people perceived as hostile to his political agenda with inexperienced loyalists, according to interviews with more than a dozen people who worked in his administration. That could empower the former president’s top subordinates to shield him from information that doesn’t conform with his politics and even change the wording of assessments with which he disagrees, many said. (Full report here.)

    France’s External Intelligence Agency: The DGSE - Grey Dynamics, 22 Feb 24

    The DGSE, formally known as La Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure and to others ‘La Piscine’ (The Pool) is the nation’s secret front line of defence. Every year, the DGSE produces over several thousand pieces of intelligence to the French state in protection of her national interests. For context, the DGSE serves a similar role in function to that of the US’s CIA and Britain’s SIS. However, it is perhaps the lesser known agency within the realm of Anglo dominated intelligence literature and media attention. In reality, France and their external intelligence services outreach dominates on a global scale, influencing states and thwarting those who wish harm to La Francophonie. (Full report here.)

    The Strange Case of the Bulgarian Not-Quite-Illegals - Brunel Center for Intelligence and Security Studies, 14 Feb 24

    In September 2023 when five Bulgarians—Orlin Rusev, Vanya Gaberova, Ivan Stoyanov, and Bizer Dzhambazov and Katrin Ivanova as a couple—appeared in a British court charged with ‘conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy’, in other words, espionage. Some have assessed that the five Bulgarians were Russian intelligence illegals similar to others arrested since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, like Mikhail Mikushin/José Assis Giammaria, who was arrested while working at the Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø, and Sergey Cherkasov/Viktor Muller Ferreira, who was refused entry into the Netherlands to start a position at the International Criminal Court. Both Mikushin and Cherkasov were affiliated with the Russian military intelligence service, the GU (formerly known as the GRU). However, several aspects of the Bulgarians’ case are different and cast doubt on the assessment that they were illegals like Mikushin and Cherkasov. (Full report here.)

    Women, intelligence and countering terrorism (CT) in Indonesia: Where are the women? - Journal of Policing, Intelligence, and Counterterrorism, 19 Feb 24

    This article explores women's roles in Indonesian intelligence services in response to the rising trend of women’s involvement in terrorism in Indonesia. It seeks to understand the extent to which gender dynamics influence women’s roles in CT efforts, including detection, surveillance, analysis, and intelligence gathering. Employing Feminist Security Studies and gendered organisational lens frameworks, the paper analyses women’s experiences in masculinist intelligence institutions. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) adopted in 1979 and The United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2242 adopted in 2015 highlight the importance of gender in promoting women’s participation in security sectors, including within the intelligence agencies. Focusing on Indonesia as a case study, this paper conducts a gender analysis to examine how gender and the framing of female bodies construct and affect women’s roles within the Indonesian intelligence agencies as institutions of hegemonic masculinity. Drawing from data obtained through interviews with intelligence agents and experts from 2021 to 2023 in Indonesia, this paper argues that despite women’s crucial roles in CT efforts, they still encounter gender bias, discrimination, stigmatisation, societal gender norms and systemic neglect of their specific needs.(Full report here.)

    Shaping the Future of GeoIntelligence: NGA's Quest for Innovation through The Globe Project - BNN Breaking, 21 Feb 24

    Imagine a world where every decision made by national security agencies is backed by the most precise, up-to-date geospatial intelligence (GeoInt) available. This isn't a scene from a futuristic movie; it's the vision the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is striving to turn into reality with its latest initiative - The Globe Project. In a bold move aimed at redefining the landscape of GeoInt, the NGA issued a Portico Request for Information (RFI) on February 16, igniting interest across the tech industry. This initiative isn't just about enhancing software; it's about securing a future where GeoInt can be more dynamically and securely integrated into national defense strategies. (Full report here.)

    Identification-imitation-amplification: understanding divisive influence campaigns through cyberspace - Intelligence and National Security, 21 Feb 24

    Cyber-enabled influence campaigns sit at the nexus of intelligence-based deception and strategic-oriented delivered effects. They represent an increasing potential for states to re-configure domestic political dynamics at scale. We offer an analytical construct to better understand the mechanism by which cyber-enabled influence operations work and better discern the strategic goals behind cyber-enabled influence campaigns. Interest in influence operations skyrocketed in the aftermath of Russian interference in the 2016 United States Presidential election. Election interference was not a new phenomenon generally or in the United States.Footnote1 However, despite its long history, facilitated by cyberspace, influence operations overall appear to have the potential for expanded intensity (both in immediacy and frequency), scope, and scale.Footnote2 The use of cyber-enabled influence operations in 2016 is not an isolated and peculiar event. Reports suggest that Russia has also engaged in cyber-enabled influence operations in Germany, as well as in the United Kingdom, suggesting that Russian influence is the new normal.Footnote3 Although influence operations in and through cyberspace have fueled much discussion in public and policy fora, the field of cybersecurity studies has to date devoted limited attention to constructing analytical frames to better study how they are conducted and, thus, better understand how they can potentially be managed. (Full report here.)

    DOD Can Meet the Need For Climate Intelligence With a Community-Wide Center - Just Security, 22 Feb 24

    2023 was the hottest year on record, a distinction that capped off 12 months punctuated by extreme weather events. Already the start of 2024 has brought deadly fires to Chile and extreme flooding in California. As climate change continues to shape the strategic interests of the United States, the Department of Defense should create a community-wide center within the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) focused on climate intelligence. Doing so would help maximize future opportunities and mitigate the warfighting challenges that climate change will bring. Despite the vast resources of the DOD and the various agencies within the Intelligence Community (IC), these bodies often take a reactive approach to managing threats. For example, DIA created the China Mission Group, a dedicated group focusing on China, 11 years after the Obama administration announced its “pivot to Asia.” (Full report here.)

    Spies, Honeytraps, and Dissident Hunters: The Chinese Communist Party lives, breathes, and hallucinates espionage. - Quillette, 21 Feb 24

    The Chinese Communist Party has received some unexpected and unwanted attention in recent weeks, following an incident that is being dubbed “Pianogate.” The scene was London’s St Pancras train station. A group of flag-toting Chinese mainlanders approached a public pianist, instructing him not to broadcast any footage showing their faces or voices. They claimed to be filming for Chinese television nearby; they needed to protect their “image rights.” Communist Party rich kids are accustomed to getting their own way, and while these ones were civil at first, they were clearly in no mood for objections: “We will put a legal action into it [sic]. I’m sorry, this is the end of the conversation.” Observing their flags, the pianist (Brendan Kavanagh) grumbled that “You’re not in Communist China now, you know.” His interlocutors smugly seized their opportunity: “This is racist.” (The Party is a quick study when it comes to weaponising progressive rhetoric.) Kavanagh continued in his futile attempts to explain that they were in Britain, not in China, and as he reached out to touch one woman’s Chinese flag to illustrate the difference, her male companion roared: “Stop touching her!” He would go on to repeat the words “Don’t touch her” a further 25 times, adding, as if by way of explanation, “You are not the same age!” (Full report here.)

    Russian spies are back—and more dangerous than ever - The Economist, 20 Feb 24

    t is unusual for spymasters to taunt their rivals openly. But last month Bill Burns, the director of the cia, could not resist observing that the war in Ukraine had been a boon for his agency. The remark might well have touched a nerve in Russia’s “special services”, as the country describes its intelligence agencies. Russian spies bungled preparations for the war and were then expelled from Europe en masse. But new evidence gathered by the Royal United Services Institute (rusi), a think-tank in London, shows that they are learning from their errors, adjusting their tradecraft and embarking on a new phase of political warfare against the West. The past few years were awful for Russian spies. In 2020 operatives from the fsb, Russia’s security service, botched the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, the most vocal opposition activist. He mocked them for spreading Novichok on his underwear. Then the fsb gave the Kremlin a rosy view of how the war would go, exaggerating Ukraine’s internal weaknesses. It failed to prevent Western agencies from stealing and publicising Russia’s plans to invade Ukraine. And it was unwilling or unable to halt a brief mutiny by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, last year. (Full report here.)

    Cuban spies have a particular talent for getting people to spill secrets. That's a problem for Washington - Canadian Broadcast Corporation, 25 Feb 24

    Cuba lies more than 100 kilometres from the nearest slice of the continental United States, but it has managed to keep a close eye on what Uncle Sam is up to for a very long time. That's because it has repeatedly been able to find high-flying American sources who are willing to spill U.S. secrets to Havana — for years, or even decades. They include Ana Belén Montes, the U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency analyst who passed secret information on to her Cuban handlers from the mid-1980s through to the start of this century. Her spying days ended with an arrest days after the 9/11 attacks. Then there's Walter Kendall Myers, the great-grandson of Alexander Graham Bell and former State Department employee, who spied for Cuba nearly twice that long and was arrested in his retirement years. Now 86 years old, he is serving a life sentence at a Colorado prison. (Full report here.)

    Diversifying the Intelligence Community Highlight Innovative Strategies, Inclusive Future for Security - BNN Breaking, 22 Feb 24

    In the dimly lit corridors of power, where secrets and strategies intertwine, there exists a pressing narrative often overshadowed by the intrigue of international espionage: the critical mission to diversify the ranks within the Intelligence Community (IC). It's a narrative that unfolds not in the dead of night or within the secluded confines of a secure briefing room but through the open discussions and determined efforts of those at the helm of America's security apparatus. Today, let me take you behind the scenes of this pivotal endeavor, as recently spotlighted in a webinar hosted by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA). The annual report on workforce demographics published by the IC serves as a stark reminder of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in fostering a diverse national security workforce. It was in this context that speakers from esteemed agencies like the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) convened to shed light on the necessity of cultivating and retaining diverse talent. The consensus was clear: diverse talent is not just beneficial but essential in tackling the complex intelligence challenges of our time. Yet, the path to achieving this diversity is fraught with obstacles, from the limitations of traditional hiring platforms like USAJobs to the need for a paradigm shift in recognizing the value of non-traditional career paths. (Full report here.)

    The Latest from International Spy Museum Historian Andrew Hammond, PhD.

    Spycast is the official podcast of the International Spy Museum and hosts interviews with intelligence experts on matters of HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT, OSINT, and GEOINT. Spycast is hosted by historian Andrew Hammond, PhD.

    20 Feb | A CIA Psychologist on the Minds of World Leaders, pt. 1 with Dr. Ursula Wilder Dr. Ursula Wilder joins Andrew to discuss the intersections between psychology and intelligence. Ursula is a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working at the Central Intelligence Agency.  


    Section III - FORMERS' FORUM

    (Legacy Intel Practitioners' Informed Perspectives)


    The Latest Insights from Former CIA Acting Deputy Director for Operations Jack Devine.

    In Other News The proprietary analytic newsletter crafted for The Arkin Group's private clients by former CIA Acting Deputy Director for Operations Jack Devine.

    23 Feb | Saturday marks the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and recent developments underscore the current grim state of the war. Though its traditional economy has been decimated, much of its foreign reserves frozen, its access to Western markets greatly proscribed, much of its pre-invasion military forces injured or killed, still in many respects things are now going Putin’s way -- at least temporarily. Russia has been bolstered throughout the war by ongoing trade with key powers like India and China. Leaders like Putin and Xi also recognize that domestic strife can weaken a nation’s resolve on international issues, and we can expect our adversaries to continue inciting and enflaming polarization through global disinformation campaigns that advance their interests. (Full report here.)


    Daily Analysis of Security Issues and Geopolitical Trends

    Intel Brief The Soufan Center's flagship, daily analytical product focused on complex security issues and geopolitical trends that may shape regional or international affairs. The Soufan Center was founded by former FBI Special Agent and Soufan Group CEO Ali Soufan.

    27 Feb | Great Power Competition Goes to Space

    On Monday, the White House released “Back to the Building Blocks: A Path Toward Secure and Measurable Software,” a new paper highlighting the urgent need to proactively reduce the attack surface in cyberspace. In the report, special attention is paid to the unique vulnerabilities posed by software in the space ecosystem. While the paper calls for the overall reduction of the attack surface in cyberspace by moving rapidly to memory safe programming languages – programming languages that protect against bugs and vulnerabilities from being introduced to how memory is used – several constraints in the space ecosystem exist that make the transition to such software perhaps not feasible. According to the report, these technical constraints require additional memory safety measures such as safe hardware and formal methods to achieve memory safety.

    26 Feb | The Red Sea Crisis Continues with No Resolution in Sight

    23 Feb | Border Skirmish between Armenia and Azerbaijan Reignites Dispute Over Zangezur Corridor

    22 Feb | The Threat Landscape of North Korea’s Cyber Arsenal

    21 Feb | Iran’s Battles are Fought Out in Syria



    Former CIA Acting Director Michael Morell and former CIA Chief Operating Officer Andy Makridis on critical security challenges.

    Intelligence Matters: The Relaunch is a Beacon Global Strategies podcast.

    21 Feb | The Art of Strategy: Hal Brands Michael talks with Hal Brands, who edited the new book "The New Makers of Modern Strategy: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age." It focuses on how the theory and practice of war and statecraft have been shaped throughout the centuries. Hal is the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.



    Honoring the Oath Taken by Intelligence Officers Means More than Politics by former CIA Executive Mark Kelton - Cipher Brief, 26 Feb 24

    A poster I recently saw at CIA Headquarters reminded me of a project on which my late colleague and friend, Patty Brandmaier, and I worked towards the end of my Agency career in 2015, when I served as Chief of Counterintelligence. That venture, called “Honor the Oath”, was a campaign intended to remind Agency personnel (and, by extension, those serving in sister intelligence and law enforcement agencies) of the oaths they’d taken at the start of their government service wherein they pledged to protect secrets entrusted to them. At the time, there was growing concern that professional discipline amongst those charged with protecting the nation’s most closely guarded secrets – as evidenced by a spate of leaks of classified information – was fraying. Unfortunately, the relatively anemic wave of leaks we saw in those days turned into a tsunami as seemingly politically motivated, deliberate leaks of classified information became de rigueur and were even lauded as acts of “resistance” during succeeding years. (Read here.)

    CIA officer reveals how she leveraged NGOs for U.S. covert operations in Nigeria under Buhari with former CIA Ops Officer Molly Chambers - Peoples Gazette, 19 Feb 24

    A case officer with the United States Central Intelligence Agency has narrated how she played a key role in setting up an outfit that was used as a cover for clandestine counter-insurgency measures against the dreaded Boko Haram sect. Molly Chambers, a California native who was among the new generation of women who joined the CIA after September 11, 2001, said she was sent to Maiduguri around 2017 to track down late Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau when multinational efforts intensified towards rescuing the schoolgirls abducted from Chibok in 2014, according to a new book by journalist and author Liza Mundy. In “The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA,” Ms Chambers, now retired and running a private intelligence consultancy, narrated how, shortly after Boko Haram rebranded as Islamic State in West Africa, she settled down in Maiduguri without knowing anyone in the area and only with about $100,000 handed to her by the agency. (Read here.)

    Russia has really been weakened by Putin with former CIA Director David Petraeus - New Eastern Europe, 19 Feb 24

    DAVID PETRAEUS: It’s tragic and it’s deeply saddening. Navalny was a courageous Russian patriot and it was really quite extraordinary that he had, again, the courage to go back to Russia, knowing that this might be the kind of conclusion that waited him. To see the most effective, most articulate and most capable of Putin’s opponents and opposition figure in Russia, pass away as he has, presumably from unnatural causes, is, again, really tragic. It is also one more reflection of the state that Russia has become. We’ve also seen recently, that a major figure who could have run against Putin in the March election, Boris Nadezhdin, has been declared ineligible for trumped up reasons. We also saw what happened when Yevgeny Prigozhin challenged Putin. We have seen time and again what happens to anyone who criticizes the tsar… (Read more here.)

    The former CIA chief confirmed the Russian coup on the 1,000 kilometer border with Former CIA Director Robert Gates - World Nation News, 23 Feb 24

    Russian troops are no longer on the defensive in Ukraine. Talking about a paralyzed war front is wrong, there is no stagnation and Vladimir Putin’s people are taking the initiative. This is what the former head of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Robert Gates, said. “Today, many people are calling the war a stalemate,” Gates told The Washington Post in an interview. “I’m afraid in my mind, at this point, it’s not really a stalemate, but the Russians have recovered again.” “It’s not about a revolutionary enthusiasm, but about the feeling that now they are the ones pushing the offensive,” he explained. Gates, who also served as Secretary of Defense during the Bush and Obama administrations, continued in his interview that Ukraine’s loss of the strategically important city of Avdiivka allowed the Russians to shift the battle lines to the east. (Watch here.)

    Life of a KGB spy: The Illegals Program, Training, Skills, Spying, The Americans, FBI (110 mins) with former KGB Officer Jack Barsky - The Smart Cookie's Podcast, 16 Feb 24

    The Illegals was a network of sleeper agents created by KGB, who were sent into western countries, pretending to be ordinary citizens. Jack Barsky was a young German man when he signed up and became one of the few Illegals who sent straight into the belly of the beast - into the US. We discuss his early life in East Germany, the KGB training he went through in Moscow, his mission in the US, the eventual arrest by the FBI, as well as famous films portraying spying. (Watch here.)

    PRC Espionage Methodology (68 mins) with former DIA and CIA Officer Nicholas Eftimiades - ThinkJSOU Video Podcast, 21 Feb 24

    In February 2024, Mr. Michael Parrott, JSOU Faculty, interviewed Nicholas Eftimiades. Mr. Eftimiades has over 30 years of government service, is a veteran of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, State Department, and Defense intelligence agency. He is an author and renowned educator for his work concerning PRC intelligence operations. Nicholas is a current professor at Penn State Harrisburg University and founder of Shinobi Enterprises LLC, a company focused on countering China’s espionage, covert influence, and theft of technology, and trade secrets. Mr. Eftimiades is a globally recognized authority on Chinese Intelligence: Operations and Tactics. He authored books, reports, and numerous articles on China’s commercial and national security espionage methods in his book Chinese Intelligence Operations and in 2020, with Chinese Espionage: Operations and Tactics. In Nicholas’ recent publication by the Research Institute for European and American Studies titled China’s Espionage Recruitment Motivations – Getting Rid of the MICE, he proposes a new methodology for examining China’s intelligence recruitment motivations and tactics – the acronym BEWARE. Which brings us to today’s discussion on the PRC’s espionage methodology. (Watch here.)

    Dispatches from Munich (10 mins) - with Former NSA Director Mike Rogers, The Cipher Brief, 18 Feb 24

    Suzanne Kelly, CEO & Publisher, The Cipher Brief, interviews Adm. Mike Rogers (Ret.) from the 2024 Munich Security Conference. (Watch here.)

    Biden has a Secret Weapon for Ukraine. Will he use it? - by former CIA Executives Paul Kolbe and Glen Corn, The Cipher Brief, 21 Feb 24

    Amidst the ongoing debate in Congress over additional U.S. assistance to Ukraine, there is a way for President Biden to eliminate a significant obstacle to Ukraine’s success on the battlefield and at the same time build support for Ukraine in Congress, encourage business investment, and better inform the American public – all at zero cost. What is this secret weapon? We must lift risk averse and counterproductive restrictions on travel to Ukraine by U.S. officials, members of Congress, and government contractors. In addition, State Department guidance, which currently warns against ANY travel to Ukraine, should be updated to provide more nuanced guidance considering actual conditions. Imagine if during the London Blitz, the United States had prevented officials from visiting the United Kingdom and warned private citizens and businesses against any travel to the embattled nation. How would America have understood the facts on the ground, coordinated aid, and supported our ally with just a handful of officials largely confined to an embassy compound? (Read here.)




    Section IV - MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS

    (All Categories)

    Article: CIA's Former Chief of Disguise Reveals Spy Secrets: 'People Who Knew Me Well Will Be Shocked' (Exclusive) - People, 21 Feb 24

    When Jonna Mendez, then the CIA’s chief of disguise, was asked to brief President George H.W. Bush on the agency’s new mask technology in the early 1990s, she wanted to make a powerful impression to secure more funding. “It’s expensive to make these masks,” says Mendez, 78. Meeting Bush in the Oval Office disguised as a Latina woman with black curly hair, she described the extraordinary results her team achieved to evade Russia’s KGB. Bush curiously glanced to her side, perhaps looking for a briefcase holding the new disguise. She told him she was wearing it. “He said, ‘Hold on, don’t take it off yet.’ Then he got up and took a closer look,” she recalls. “He said, ‘Okay, do it.’ ” Like a Mission: Impossible character, Mendez slowly peeled off a remarkably lifelike mask, revealing her true face: blue eyes, fair skin and short, dark blonde hair. When she held up the disguise that duped everyone in the room, Bush and his advisers seemed dazzled. (Read full report here.)

    Article: Leaked files from Chinese firm show vast international hacking effort - Washington Post, 22 Feb 24

    A trove of leaked documents from a Chinese state-linked hacking group shows that Beijing’s intelligence and military groups are attempting large-scale, systematic cyber intrusions against foreign governments, companies and infrastructure — with hackers of one company claiming to be able to target users of Microsoft, Apple and Google. The cache — containing more than 570 files, images and chat logs — offers an unprecedented look inside the operations of one of the firms that Chinese government agencies hire for on-demand, mass data-collecting operations. The files — posted to GitHub last week and deemed credible by cybersecurity experts, although the source remains unknown — detail contracts to extract foreign data over eight years and describe targets within at least 20 foreign governments and territories, including India, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Taiwan and Malaysia. Indian publication BNN earlier reported on the documents. (Read full report here.)

    Article: Man Extradited to U.S. in Suspected Iranian Plot to Kill Activist - New York Times, 21 Feb 24

    A man charged with participating in a plot hatched in Iran to assassinate Masih Alinejad, an Iranian American human rights activist and a sharp critic of Iran’s repression of women, has been extradited to the United States, American authorities said on Wednesday. The man, Polad Omarov, 39, was turned over to representatives of the U.S. government at Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague on Wednesday morning, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the Czech Justice Ministry. He was arrested in the Czech Republic in January 2023. A federal indictment unsealed in New York last year said Mr. Omarov and three co-conspirators were part of an Eastern European criminal organization known by its members as Thieves-in-Law, which has ties to Iran and in 2022 was given the assignment to kill Ms. Alinejad, a journalist in Brooklyn. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have said that Mr. Omarov, a citizen of Georgia, held a leadership role in the organization and resided in Eastern Europe. (Read full report here.) (NOTE: Access to this article may require a one-time, free registration or a paid subscription.)

    Article: Reality Check Commentary: Kremlin’s World-Class Dashboard Maximizes Disinformation, at 26 Cents Per Lie - NewsGuard's Reality Check, 21 Feb 24

    NewsGuard analysts track state-sponsored disinformation, but until now we didn’t know how authoritarian governments track their wins in this arena. A recent Washington Post report based on Kremlin documents the Post says it obtained from a European intelligence service makes clear — assuming the documents are authentic — how Russia earns its disinformation superpower status. The documents include screenshots of a sophisticated digital dashboard measuring how well Vladimir Putin’s operatives spread falsehoods and propaganda to undermine democracies. Disinformation Dashboard: The Washington Post reported that this dashboard is reviewed nearly weekly by the Kremlin to measure the success of its “information psychological operations” targeting Ukraine. A translation of a sample screenshot from the dashboard indicates that it measures goals including discrediting the Ukraine government, dividing the elite in that country, demoralizing the Ukrainian armed forces, and creating divisions among the Ukrainian population. The platforms listed by the Russian officials that they use to spread disinformation need no translation: Twitter (X), Facebook, Telegram, and Instagram... (Read more here.)

    Article: Brussels spyware bombshell: Surveillance software found on officials’ phones - Politico, 21 Feb 24

    The European Parliament on Wednesday asked members on its defense subcommittee to have their phones checked for spyware after it found traces of hacking on two devices. Members and staff in the chamber's subcommittee on security and defense (SEDE) have had their phones hit with intrusive surveillance software tools, the institution said in an internal email. All lawmakers in the subcommittee have been advised to take their phones to the institution's IT service to be checked for spyware, according to the email, seen by POLITICO. The European Parliament is on high alert for cyberattacks and foreign interference in the run-up to the EU election in June. POLITICO reported in December that an internal review showed that the institution's cybersecurity "has not yet met industry standards” and is “not fully in-line with the threat level" posed by state-sponsored hackers and other threat groups. (Read more here.)

    Article: EXCLUSIVE: Communist Influence Network Is Deeply Involved With Nonprofit Connecting China To US Heartland - Daily Caller, 21 Feb 24

    A politically-connected Midwestern nonprofit focused on “building bridges” with China has extensive ties to groups and individuals who are affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) influence arm, the Daily Caller News Foundation has found. The Missouri-based United States Heartland China Association (USHCA), a 501(c)3 bipartisan organization, characterizes its mission as “building bridges and promoting opportunities” between U.S. officials and businesses in Midwestern states and China. USHCA runs a number of U.S.-China programs, including agricultural roundtables, business seminars, student forums and political junkets to China. Records show that USHCA-hosted events and trips are often conducted in partnership with organizations affiliated with the CCP’s United Front Work Department (UFWD). The UFWD is a “Chinese intelligence service” responsible for coordinating “influence operations,” according to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which Congress created to study national security threats from China. USHCA’s board of directors and strategic advisory team includes several individuals who also work for UFWD-affiliated groups, according to a DCNF review of those groups’ membership records. (Read full report here.)

    Article: India hosts global intel chiefs' meet - Economic Times, 21 Feb 24

    Counterterrorism efforts are at the top of the agenda of the third edition of the annual gathering of global intelligence chiefs being held in Delhi. The two-day meeting which began on Tuesday, is being held to discuss contemporary security challenges which have global ramifications. It provides an opportunity to intelligence chiefs to share insights and strategies and establish cooperation to fight transnational crimes, including cyber threats, terrorism and terrorism financing, said people familiar with the matter. Threats from cross-border terrorism, radicalism and extremism are expected to figure prominently in the meeting, they said, adding that global challenges including in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region are also expected to be discussed. The gathering has been organised since 2022. (Read full report here.)

    Article: The Spy War: How the C.I.A. Secretly Helps Ukraine Fight Putin - New York Times, 25 Feb 24

    Adam Entous and Michael Schwirtz conducted more than 200 interviews in Ukraine, several other European countries and the United States to report this story. Nestled in a dense forest, the Ukrainian military base appears abandoned and destroyed, its command center a burned-out husk, a casualty of a Russian missile barrage early in the war. But that is above ground. Not far away, a discreet passageway descends to a subterranean bunker where teams of Ukrainian soldiers track Russian spy satellites and eavesdrop on conversations between Russian commanders. On one screen, a red line followed the route of an explosive drone threading through Russian air defenses from a point in central Ukraine to a target in the Russian city of Rostov. The underground bunker, built to replace the destroyed command center in the months after Russia’s invasion, is a secret nerve center of Ukraine’s military. There is also one more secret: The base is almost fully financed, and partly equipped, by the C.I.A. “One hundred and ten percent,” Gen. Serhii Dvoretskiy, a top intelligence commander, said in an interview at the base. Now entering the third year of a war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, the intelligence partnership between Washington and Kyiv is a linchpin of Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. The C.I.A. and other American intelligence agencies provide intelligence for targeted missile strikes, track Russian troop movements and help support spy networks. (Read full report here.) (NOTE: Access to this article may require a one-time, free registration or a paid subscription.)

    Article: Former U.S. spies warned in 2020 that the Hunter Biden scandal had Russian fingerprints. They feel vindicated now. - NBC News, 24 Feb 24

    The Justice Department’s assertions this week that a longtime FBI informant was seeking to “spread misinformation” designed to hurt President Joe Biden after speaking to Russian intelligence operatives has put a new spotlight on an old debate: To what extent, if any, has the Russian government manufactured or amplified unproven allegations of corrupt Ukraine dealings by Joe and Hunter Biden? In a request to revoke his bail, prosecutors said that former informant Alexander Smirnov, charged last week with lying to the FBI in 2020 when he said Joe Biden had received a $5 million bribe, “is actively peddling new lies that could impact U.S. elections after meeting with Russian intelligence officials” as recently as last fall. (Read here.)

    Article: My Mother’s Secret: A top Middle East analyst for the CIA who begged me to not raise my children Jewish - Tablet, 25 Feb 24

    My mother died on Dec. 4 of last year. On her deathbed, she begged me not to raise my children Jewish. In life, she worked for the CIA, in the Near East Southern Asia Division, for six years as head of the Arab-Israeli Division. She was an expert on Syria and political Islam. We were watching footage of hostages being paraded around Gaza when she said it. “I worry about them,” she murmured, her eyes fixed on the TV. “It’s too dangerous a religion,” she told me. “I don’t want that target on their backs.” I couldn’t tell what she was asking of me: Did she want me to skip the few traditions my family has held onto? Hanukkah candles and meager Seders? Or was she saying I shouldn’t tell my kids that they were Jewish at all? I didn’t ask. I was too afraid of what she would say. (Read here.)



    Section V - BOOKS, FILM, HISTORY, POP CULTURE

    Books — Forthcoming, Newly Released, Overlooked


    In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked
    by Jonna Mendez
    (Public Affairs, 05 Mar 24)

    Jonna Hiestand Mendez began her CIA career as a “contract wife” performing secretarial duties for the CIA as a convenience to her husband, a young officer stationed in Europe. She needed his permission to open a bank account or shut off the gas to their apartment. Yet Mendez had a talent for espionage, too, and she soon took on bigger and more significant roles at the Agency. She parlayed her interest in photography into an operational role overseas, an unlikely area for a woman in the CIA. Often underestimated, occasionally undermined, she lived under cover and served tours of duty all over the globe, rising first to become an international spy and ultimately to Chief of Disguise at CIA’s Office of Technical Service. In True Face recounts not only the drama of Mendez’s high-stakes work—how this savvy operator parlayed her “everywoman” appeal into incredible subterfuge—but also the grit and good fortune it took for her to navigate a misogynistic world. This is the story of an incredible spy career and what it took to achieve it.

    Purchase book here. Also


    The Broken Whistle: A Deep State Run Amok
    by Pedro Israel Orta
    (Pedro Israel Orta Productions, LLC, 19 Feb 24)

    The Broken Whistle is a searing exposé that unveils a chilling chapter in American history, a narrative meticulously recounted by Pedro Israel Orta. Plunged into the heart of power and deception, Orta emerges as a force to be reckoned with. On September 23, 2019, his single Twitter thread ignited a tempest, tearing through the sinister underbelly of the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act (ICWPA), which had been perverted for political ends. In this gripping account, Orta fearlessly shines a light on a corrupt system that brazenly weaponized the very process designed to uphold truth and accountability. As the pages unfold, Orta unflinchingly reveals how the Intelligence Community (IC) whistleblowing process was perverted to target a sitting president, while genuine whistleblowers endured unimaginable torment and abandonment. With chilling detail and unyielding determination, Orta pulls back the curtain on the U.S. National Security Bureaucratic State, exposing the rampant abuse of power by the Deep State, shielded by Congress's deafening silence. Delving deep into the heart of darkness, Orta uncovers the unsettling saga triggered by the enigmatic "Ukraine whistleblower," whose disclosures unleashed a political storm, despite falling outside the jurisdiction of ICIG and DNI, as confirmed by the Department of Justice. These allegations, detached from intelligence activities, were shamelessly exploited-an elaborate ruse orchestrated to manipulate public opinion and orchestrate the impeachment of a president. Through the pages of The Broken Whistle , Orta lays bare his own harrowing journey, navigating the treacherous corridors of the Central Intelligence Agency. Within these walls, truth becomes an enemy, and those who dare to speak out face ruthless retribution and termination. As Orta's unwavering voice rises above the cacophony of corruption, readers are led on an odyssey that unveils a bureaucratic machine bent on crushing dissent and preserving its shadowy secrets. The Broken Whistle is an unapologetic chronicle of one man's fight for justice-a clarion call that reverberates through the darkest corners of power. Prepare to be captivated by Orta's unflinching courage as he peels back the layers of deception, exposing a broken system that has forsaken its sacred duty.

    Order book here.



    The World's Greatest Military Spies and Secret Service Agents: With the Introductory Chapter 'The Ethos of the Spy'
    by George Barton and Hamil Grant
    (Alpha Edition, 01 Jan 08)

    First published in 1917, “The World's Greatest Military Spies and Secret Service Agents” contains real accounts of men and women throughout history who have risked their lives in daring exploits for the sake of flag and country. A collection of nineteen unbelievable stories related to historical espionage and spying not to be missed by those with a keen interest in history. Contents include: “The Alsatian Smuggler Who Helped Napoleon to Capture the Austrian Army”, “Belle Boyd, The Confederate Girl Who Saved Stonewall Jackson”, “The Indian Scout Who Was the Hero of King Philip’s War”, “How the Suicide of a Staff Officer Once Averted War Between Austria and Russia”, “The Romantic Side of Major André’s Unsuccessful Exploit”, “The Strange Adventures of the Chevalier D’eon at the Russian Court”, “How Napoleon’s Chief Spy Hoodwinked the Emperor of Austria”, etc. Read & Co. History is proudly republishing this classic work now in a brand new edition complete with the introductory chapter 'The Ethos of the Spy' by Hamil Grant.

    Order book here.


    True Intelligence Matters in Film - Pollard - Omri Assenheim (2023)

    Pollard is a documentary series about the Jonathan Pollard spying scandal that is still seen as the most significant trauma in Israel-United States relations, which since the 1960s have been characterized by strategic, close and warm relations. In 1985, then-U.S. intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard was caught selling closely guarded state secrets and classified intelligence material to foreign countries, admitting in the ensuing investigation that one of the recipient countries was in fact America’s close ally, Israel. In its four episodes, the series outlines the evolution of the affair using rare archival materials and with interviews that are revealed for the first time, and tells it through the eyes of those who knew the story of Jonathan Pollard - a young American Jew with ambitions to save the Jewish State.

    More information about this based-on-true-events production here.


    Intelligence in History - A Collection of Recent Content

    Infographic: Breaking Down $1.3T in NATO Defense Spending - Visual Capitalist, 23 Feb 24

    The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a political and military alliance comprising 31 countries. Its primary purpose is to facilitate cooperation among member nations, ensuring mutual defense and security. This graphic breaks down the expected defense expenditures of NATO members in 2023, using data from NATO and based on current prices and exchange rates. (View graphic here.)

    Walking Tours - "Spies of Embassy Row" and "Spies of Georgetown" - Washington, DC - Sundays (Dates/Times Vary)

    Former intelligence officers guide visitors on two morning and afternoon espionage-themed walking tours: "Spies of Embassy Row" and "Spies of Georgetown." For more information and booking, click here or contact rosanna@spyher.co



    Section VI - Obituaries and Classifieds

    (Research Requests, Academic Opportunities, Employment)

    Obituaries

    Mary Lynne McElroy — Former AFIO Staff and Event Volunteer

    Mary Lynne McElroy, 87, of Washington, DC died on January 15, 2024. Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1937, Mary Lynne was a world traveler and a music, art, and literature aficionado. She retired from a career as Assistant to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, S. Dillon Ripley, where she also led numerous tours abroad. For many years she served as a volunteer board member and officer of The Choral Arts Society of Washington. She prided herself on also appreciating the music of the rock group "Nine Inch Nails" - a group popular with her younger relatives whom she encouraged in their musical interests. She is survived by friends the world over as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and god-children whose love for her was matched by her adoration of them.

    Susan Finke — Former CIA Analyst

    Susan Finke died peacefully on February 18, 2024, three months shy of her 100th birthday, at The Highlands in Northport, Michigan. Susan was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She graduated from the Hillsdale School and, in 1946, from Wellesley College. She attended Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in New York City, after which she moved to Washington, DC to take a secretarial position at the Central Intelligence Agency. She was promoted to intelligence analyst and remained in that job the rest of her career. After retiring from the CIA in 1982, Susan stayed in Washington, taking classes in a variety of subjects and, for the next 26 years, volunteering as a reader for the visually impaired, an undertaking she enjoyed and found especially gratifying. In 2011, she moved to Traverse City, Michigan, near her cottage in Leland where she had spent summers with her family. She moved in 2019 to Northport, where she was living at the time of her death.

    Barry Hilton — Former Diplomat and East Asia and Southeast Asia Specialist

    Barry Hilton passed away peacefully on April 23, 2022 after a long battle with Parkinson’s. Barry was an intellectual’s intellectual, with deep interests in literature, poetry, linguistics, computer science, and music. Born in Sterling, Kansas in 1945 to a military family with ambitious academic aspirations for their children, his youth was unusually itinerant: he had moved seven times before the age of ten. His successful primary and secondary school career ranged from a one-room schoolhouse to a public high school in Ohio. With a National Merit Scholarship and a Harvard National Scholarship in hand, Barry headed East in 1962. Having polished his rough edges as a student announcer at WHRB-FM, he graduated from Harvard College with a degree in English Literature. He began a masters program in Southeast Asian Studies at Yale University, but left to join the United States Marine Corps. He spent the next thirty-five years serving his country: first as a soldier and then as a diplomat. His career took him all over the world, including extended periods in France, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, Japan, and Singapore. After his marriage in 1970, he left a lasting mark on several generations when, as their sponsor, he resettled his large family of Vietnamese in-laws in the United States. A lifelong aficionado of East Asian and Southeast Asian studies and an avid independent scholar, he was one of the premier Vietnamese linguists in the US military, an official interpreter at the US Embassy in Paris during the time of the Paris Peace Accords, and an owner of more than 100 Chinese dictionaries. He spent a considerable portion of his final years in pursuit of his beloved, but ultimately unfinished, Chinese dictionary project. Barry loved the written word with a passion, and in his retirement edited several books. Wherever he lived, he brought with him a library-sized collection of books - a collection that had grown to more than four thousand volumes by the time of his last residence in Brunswick, Maine. Conversant in six languages, Barry liked nothing better than to discuss the finer points of a translated word or phrase - he has described himself as an “armchair philologist and recovering polyglot.” He was a master of the obscure pun and the esoteric reference, and was always delighted to share his immense store of knowledge with those who knew him.

    Ed Cahill — Decorated Former CIA Security Officer

    Edward (Ed) A. Cahill passed away peacefully on February 2a,2024 in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, after a long illness. Ed was born on October B, 1931 to Dr. James and Alice Cahill in Syracuse, New York. He was the first of four boys and spent his early years in Syracuse. He attended high school at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse and graduated in 1949. Afterwards, he attended the University of Notre Dame in lndiana and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1953. Ed served in the Notre Dame Air Force ROTC program and was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force. He was assigned to the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations and proudly served his country during the Korean War. In 1956, Ed was recruited to work for the Central lntelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia. At the CIA, he was assigned to the Office of Security where he spent the next 26 years working domestically and overseas. He held many managerial positions including serving as a regional security manager overseas. He also was in charge of the CIA Director's security staff. Through his Agency career he met many interesting people and traveled around the world. He retired in 1982 and received the Career Intelligence Medal for his outstanding work. Following his retirement, Ed worked on contract with the Agency.



    Research Requests and Academic Opportunities

    • Seeking Interview Subjects:Current or former intelligence officers, analysts, and counterintelligence (CI) professionals with firsthand experience in dealing with Russian illegals to participate in confidential interview sessions as part of a PhD dissertation. Research Topic: The research investigates the impact of technological advancements on the operations and effectiveness of the Russian illegals program. Your insights will be invaluable in understanding the evolving landscape of espionage and informing potential countermeasures. Confidentiality: Your anonymity will be strictly protected. No identifying information will be used in the dissertation or any subsequent publications unless otherwise agreed to. However, written transcripts of the interviews will be retained for academic purposes. Eligibility: If you possess relevant experience and are willing to share your expertise in a confidential setting, please email omid.townsend@kcl.ac.uk.
    • Call for Information: A documentary on the life and death of Swiss photographer Bruno Zehnder needs some help. His family members received information that Bruno may have been approached by the CIA in the 1990s to help inform on Russian research activity in Antarctica. Bruno died whilst on a 1997 expedition there at Mirny under questionable circumstances as he was dubbed ‘ the western spy’ on board. We are looking for anyone who may have any information in Bruno or more generally who may be able to speak to the climate between Russia and the CIA in the 19980s/90s regarding adhering to the scientific treaty and the race to be the first to breach Lake Vostok. Contact Thomas Whitmore at Naomi.harvey@clockworkfilms.tv.
    • Call for Information: Private civilian researcher seeking information about VADM Eric Burkhalter and Colonel Roy Jonkers working in the Defense Intelligence Agency during the period of 1980 to 1985, and VADM Burkhalter’s activities as Director, Intelligence Community Staff during that time. Contact Thomas Whitmore at twhitmore87@gmail.com.
    • Call for Information: Professor Emerita Joan Beaumont, Australian National University, Canberra, is currently revising, for republication in 2025, her 1988 book on Australian prisoners of war on Ambon, Gull Force: Survival and Leadership in Captivity. The POW at Tan Tui (Tan Toey), Ambon, was bombed twice during the war, on 15 February 1943 and 28 August 1944. These raids were two of many on the island. I am trying to ascertain whether the presence of the POW camp was known to the USAAF and RAAF when they set targets for bombing the island. The existence of the POW camp was reported by men who escaped back to Australia in March–April 1942 and reported to Army Headquarters in Melbourne. This information was shared with senior US naval officers (Vice Admiral Leary vetoed a proposed rescue plan in June 1942). My question: would this intelligence have been forwarded to air force bases in the Norther Territory? And how were targets for bombing raids set? The Australian official history of the air war in the Pacific by George Odgers (vol. II 41) suggests that the squadron involved in the 15 February 1943 bombing might have been no 319, 90th Bombardment Group, based at Fenton. Any information that might be germane to my research should be sent to joan.beaumont@anu.edu.au. or +61418376909.
    • National Intelligence Summer Academy (NISA) for High School Students: 15-19 July 2024. University of Northern Georgia - Cumming Campus. $149 fee covers meals, course materials, and the motor coach travel on the last day of the program. Scholarships available. Application deadline 15 April 2024. More information, including eligibility and application, here.
    • Call for Interviews: Alex W. Palmer, a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine, is working on a book about the history of American intelligence on China. He's looking to speak with any intelligence officers who worked in or on China during their career, from whatever timeframe and in whatever role. He can be reached at alex.palmer@nytimes.com and +1-262-894-7160 on Signal.
    • Call for Information: Dr. Andrew Hammond and Dr. Mark Stout are seeking interviewees for a journal article on the CIA’s Office of Soviet Analysis (SOVA). The final output will be based on oral history interviews which can be (a) on-the-record (b) off-the-record or (c) utilizing a pseudonym. The data will be used for this project only and thereafter destroyed. Our aim is to understand how people who served in SOVA or who worked alongside SOVA made sense of it: what was it like, what was its culture, what were its strengths and weaknesses, how did it relate to the rest of the CIA and other agencies, is there anything we can learn from SOVA re the new era of Great Power Conflict, etc.? If you served in SOVA during the period 1981 to 1992 and would like to be interviewed, please contact Dr. Andrew Hammond at ahammond@spymuseum.org.
    • Call for Information: Seeking information on Al "Albert" Purdum, stationed at Arlington Hall 55, Defense Language School - Albanian 55-56, NSA Linguist, Sr. Cryptologist 57-95. Looking for colleagues or friends who knew him, of him. Researching Role of National Security Linguists and Foreign Affairs. Contact cristina.purdum@gmail.com.
    • Call For Articles: AFIO's Journal, The Intelligencer. AFIO seeks authors for its section on "When Intelligence Made a Difference" in the semi-annual Intelligencer journal. Topics of interest for which we are seeking authors include:

      - The Richard Sorge espionage ring in Tokyo in World War II and the impact of his intelligence on Stalin and the battle for Moscow.
      - How Rommel’s Afrika Korps used SIGINT against the British in World War II and how allied SIGINT isolated the Afrika Korps from its logistics chain. (Potentially two separate articles.)
      - The breaking of the Nazi U-boat SHARK encryption system.
      - How A.Q. Khan’s nuclear proliferation efforts were uncovered and stopped.
      - How US intelligence found Usama Bin Laden in Abbottobad, Pakistan.
      - How US intelligence discovered the Soviet’s high speed Shkval torpedo.
      - Intelligence and the rescue of Scott O’Grady.
      - The Trust (Bolshevik deception operation -1920-26).
      - The hunt for Pablo Escobar.
      - How National Technical Means (NTM) have been used for environmental purposes (MEDEA Program).
      - Other topics are also welcome.

      Interested authors can contact The Intelligencer's senior editor, Peter Oleson, at peter.oleson@afio.com

    Jobs

    • Wanted: Former intelligence officers to lead spy-themed walking tours in Washington D.C. - Spyher Tours

      • These are 90-120 minute historical tours with an interactive "operational" component. Most tours start at 10am on select Thursdays-Sundays. The immediate opportunity is for dates in March, but additional opportunities are available through June, and new opportunities are likely to become available throughout the year. This is a fun way to get back out on the streets, engage/educate the public on the world of espionage, and make some extra cash. The next opportunities to see a tour in action (and train before the Spring rush) are Sunday 2/18 and Sunday 3/3. Please contact Rosanna at 571-236-9052 or rosanna@spyher.co. Visit https://spyher.co.

    • Wanted: Retired Federal Government Employees - NSA - Fort Meade, Maryland

      • The National Security Agency (NSA) may occasionally need skilled civilian retirees to augment the existing work force on high priority projects or programs. In order to fill these temporary positions quickly, we need to know who may be interested and available to return to work with us on a short notice basis as well as their skills. Retired federal government employees at NSA provide expertise and corporate knowledge to temporarily support mission requirements, manpower shortfalls, and/or mentor the next generation of Agency employees. Applications accepted until 30 September 2024.

      Additional information and application here.

    • Assistant/Associate Professor of Intelligence Studies (Global Security and Intelligence Studies) - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott, Arizona

      • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott, Arizona campus is accepting applications for a tenure-track assistant or associate-level professor of intelligence studies to teach intelligence courses to students in the Global Security and Intelligence program. The successful candidate will teach students about the intelligence community, strategic intelligence, the intelligence cycle and intelligence analysis, writing, and briefing. Prior experience working in the intelligence community is strongly preferred. We are interested in candidates with teaching acumen in intelligence analysis and writing using structured analytical techniques.

      Additional information and application here.


    Section VII - AFIO Events

    06 Mar 24, 1800 hours (ET) - Virtual - The East Tennessee AFIO Chapter hosts Jennifer Daniel to discuss her 37-year IC career, including work at NGA and the DNI. Ms. Daniel is known for her transformational leadership across diverse mission sets including collection, analysis, IT Solutions, human capital, budget management, and international relations. Among her many roles, Ms. Daniel served as the Associate Director for Enterprise at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Mission Priorities, Analysis, and Collection in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of NGA’s Persistent GEOINT Office. Currently, she is President of the NGA Alumni Association East, a board member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, and CEO of JS&N Consulting LLC. Contact admin@ETNAFIO.com for Google Meet invite and/or chapter questions.

    NOTE NEW DATE: 26 March 2024, noon EDT - In-Person at MacDill AFB, FL or by Zoom - The Florida Suncoast AFIO Chapter hosts Michael Pullara on "1993 Murder of CIA Station Chief Freddie Woodruff." The Florida Suncoast AFIO Chapter is holding its upcoming luncheon at noon on Tuesday, 26 March 2024, at the MacDill AFB Activity Center (formerly the Surf's Edge Club), 7315 Bayshore Boulevard, MacDill AFB, FL 33621. Our speaker is Michael A. Pullara, a veteran trial lawyer and masterful storyteller who investigated the 1993 murder of CIA Officer Freddie Woodruff and authored a thrilling true-life espionage tale. Thanks to Pullara's investigation, in 2008 the Russians ultimately freed from prison the original suspect who'd been sentenced to 15 years' hard labor for the crime.
    The luncheon includes a box lunch and costs are based on timing of your reservation/response.
    Early response, $15 luncheon fee, no later than noon on Tuesday, 27 February.
    Response cut-off, $20 luncheon fee, no later than noon on Thursday, 14 March.
    ZOOM registration cut-off, $0 fee, no later than noon on Thursday, 14 March.
    If you wish to participate by ZOOM please click on the this registration link to complete the registration request before noon on Monday, 14 March 2024. This is NOT the ZOOM meeting link. Subject to approval, you will receive the ZOOM meeting link by separate email. Please check your ZOOM program in advance to ensure it is working properly and that you have the confirmed ZOOM meeting link handy to join the meeting. It is next to impossible to trouble-shoot ZOOM connections on the day of the meeting.
    Questions or to attend, contact the Chapter Secretary, Michael Shapiro, for more information, mfshapiro@suncoastafio.org.

    Friday, 19 Apr 2024, 1100 (EST) - Tysons Corner, VA - AFIO National In-Person Spring Luncheon features fireside chat with Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence. Morning speaker is Jonna Mendez, CIA's former Master of Disguise, "In True Face."
    Note different timing: NOON SPEAKER: Fireside Chat with Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence, begins at noon. Please note the earlier start time. MORNING SPEAKER: Jonna Mendez, former CIA Chief of Disguise, speaks at 11:00 a.m. She will be discussing her latest book: "In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked" - published 5 March 2024. Copies will be available. Q&A follows each talk or presentation. Lunch served 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Event ends at 2:00 p.m. Luncheon prices are $60 for Members; $75 for nonmember guests and all Subscribers. Payment by credit card required at time of registration. No mailed checks or "at the door" payments accepted or permitted.
    Register here. Registration closes 5 p.m., Friday, 12 April.
    Check-in and badge pickup for Registered Attendees begins at 10:30 a.m. NO registrations or walk-ins at hotel. No payments by cash or check or onsite registrations at venue.
    Though we do not provide special overnight room rates, if you wish to make room reservations at the hotel, do so here.
    Cancellation Schedule: AFIO must commit to the hotel facilities and regrets it must charge a cancellation fee. No cancellations with refund after 1 April. Any cancellations 2 to 12 April will be converted to donation to AFIO. A donor statement will be sent showing you made a "gift to AFIO." Gifts to AFIO are tax-deductible as charitable donations. Cancellations after 12 April are not donations because your meal has been guaranteed to hotel per event contract. Thank you for your understanding. All attendees must be members of AFIO or accompanied by a current member. For security reasons, we are unable to accept late or last minute substitutions for non-attendance or changes in your guests.
    Questions regarding this event to events@afio.com

    NOTE NEW DATE: 30 July 24, 1900 (PST) - Former CIA Director General David Petraeus on challenges in Ukraine and across the Middle East - In-Person - Yorba Linda, CA - AFIO Los Angeles Chapter.
    Location: Nixon Presidential Library & Museum, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd, Yorba Linda, CA 92886. Following the presentation, we will meet at 2030 hours for dinner at Chilis Grill (18380 Yorba Linda Blvd.). If you plan to attend, please RSVP here. Questions? Contact Vincent Autiero, President, AFIO-Los Angeles Chapter, at afio_la@yahoo.com


    Events from Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, Others

    Tuesday, 27 February 2024, 12pm-1pm – Virtual – "Foreign-Backed Disinformation: Its Impact on the Homeland" – Johns Hopkins University. Inside Intelligence presents Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary for Intelligence Brian Murphy. More information and free registration here here.

    Tuesday, 27 February 2024, 2:00-3:00pm – Washington, DC – SPY with Me: Program for Individuals with Dementia and their Care Partners – Virtual International Spy Museum Program. SPY with Me is an interactive virtual program for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Join SPY as we use music and artifacts to explore some of our favorite spy stories. Programs last one hour and are held virtually through Zoom. To register, please email Shana Oltmans at soltmans@spymuseum.org. Free but space is limited. Visit www.spymuseum.org.

    Tuesday, 27 February 2024, 7pm – Washington, DC – WWI Series Part II: World War I and the Foundations of American Intelligence – Virtual International Spy Museum Program. In the second part of our WWI series, dive deeper into America's intelligence history with author and global security historian, Dr. Mark Stout as he discusses his new book World War I and the Foundations of American Intelligence. The book examines the army, navy, and State Department's increasing reliance on intelligence personnel around the globe during the Great War to create a new professional practitioner that transcended the Armistice to active peacetime service leading up to the founding of the Office of Strategic Services in World War II. Stout examines the breadth of American intelligence in the war, not just in France, not just at home, but around the world, and demonstrates how these far-flung efforts endured after the Armistice in 1918. For the first time, there came to be a group of intelligence practitioners who viewed themselves as different from other soldiers, sailors, and diplomats. Stout will also discuss how this gave the United States a solid foundation from which to expand to meet the needs of the second world war and the Cold War that followed. Support for this program has been provided by a generous grant from the Pritzker Military Foundation, on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library. Visit www.spymuseum.org.

    Gifts for Friends, Colleagues, Self

    NEW Gray long-sleeved polo shirts with embroidered AFIO logo. Men's sizes only.
    Show your support for AFIO with our new Gray Long-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 $60 each including shipping.
    Sizes for men, only: Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and XXXL.  $60 per shirt.     Order this and other store items online here.




    NEW 20 oz ceramic Mug with color glazed logo. Made in America. Check out our new tapered, sleek AFIO coffee mug!! This handsome 20 oz. ceramic mug is made in the USA, has a white matte exterior, sports a beautiful navy-blue interior, and is dishwasher safe.  Order yours today! $35 per mug includes shipping to a CONUS address. [includes shipping to U.S. based address, only. For foreign shipments, we will contact you with a quote.] SHIPPING: For shipment to a U.S.-based CONUS address, shipping is included in price. For purchases going to AK, HI, other US territories, Canada, or other foreign countries the shipping fees need to be calculated, so please call our office M-F 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET at 703-790-0320 or email afio@afio.com providing following information: 1) your name, 2) mailing address (or addresses where each gift item will be shipped), 3) name of the AFIO store items you wish to purchase, 4) quantity of each, 5) your credit card number and expiration date, 6) amount (except for additional of shipping fees) authorized to charge, and 7) your phone number and email should we have questions. Foreign shipments fees will be calculated and estimates emailed to you, awaiting your approval.  Order this and other store items online here.

    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.







    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.




    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.


     

    PUBLISHED IN 2023
    Be informed on career opportunities in the U.S. Intelligence Community
    Intelligence as a Career - with updated listings of colleges teaching intelligence courses, and Q&As on needed foreign languages, as well as the courses, grades, extracurricular activities, and behavioral characteristics and life experiences sought by modern U.S. intelligence agencies.

    AFIO's popular 47-page booklet reaches thousands of high school, college students, university guidance offices, and distributed in classes teaching intelligence, to help those considering careers in the U.S. Intelligence Community.
    This is the all new fifth edition.
    The publication is also popular with University Career Guidance Centers, professors and academic departments specializing in national security, and parents assisting children or grandchildren in choosing meaningful, public service careers.
    This booklet is provided online as a public service from the generosity of AFIO board, volunteer editors/writers, donors, and members.
    We thank all for their support which makes this educational effort possible.
      Careers Booklet (new 2023 Fifth Edition) can be read or downloaded 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.
    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 appear in future editions.



    Address Technical Issues Or Unsubscribe

    Some features of the email version of the WIN do not work for readers who have chosen the Plaintext Edition, some AOL users, and readers who access their email using web mail. You may request to change from Plaintext to HTML format here afio@afio.com. For the best reading experience, the latest web edition can be found here: https://www.afio.com/pages/currentwin.htm

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    Weekly Intelligence Notes (WINs) are a carefully selected collection of timely open source reports and announcements and other media focused on intelligence and related national security matters that is produced for non-profit educational use by AFIO members and WIN subscribers. WINs are protected by copyright and intellectual property laws. They may not be reproduced or re-sent without specific permission from the Producer. Opinions expressed in the materials contained in the WINs are solely those of the content creators listed with each item. Notices in the WINs about non-AFIO events do not constitute endorsement or recommendation by AFIO.

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