Weekly Intelligence Notes

15 - 21 January 2025
(Issue 03)

CONTENTS

Section I - CURRENTS

(Recent Developments)

General Interests

• Trump Names Acting Spy Bosses - Wall Street Journal, 21 Jan 25
• Trump moves to suspend clearances of ex-intel officials who signed letter on Hunter Biden laptop - Associated Press, 20 Jan 25
• U.S. intelligence agency selects 13 companies for satellite data contract - Space News, 15 Jan 25
• Gabbard tries to explain Snowden support to skeptical intel leaders - The Hill, 18 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• Iran unveils spy ship during major war games: state media - Spacewar.com, 15 Jan 24 (Member Contribution)
• Former CIA analyst pleads guilty to leaking info on planned Israeli attack on Iran - Associated Press, 17 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• US House leader picks Trump ally Crawford as intel panel chair - Reuters, 16 Jan 25
• A Spymaster Sheikh Controls a $1.5 Trillion Fortune. He Wants to Use It to Dominate AI - Wired, 14 Jan 25

Special Collections

• Counterespionage - Arrests, convictions, expulsions, and more...
• Cyberespionage - New actors, collection and sabotage ops, countermeasures, policy, other...
• Covert Action - Influence ops, assassinations, sabotage, intel agency paramilitary action, countermeasures, etcetera...

• How the CIA and Ukrainian intelligence secretly forged a deep partnership - ABC News, 17 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• Muhammad Herindra: New Indonesia National Intelligence Agency Head - Grey Dynamics, 18 Jan 25
• Senate Confirmation Hearing for CIA Director Nominee John Ratcliffe - U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, 15 Jan 25 (145 min) (Member Contribution)
• How ‘Mild Bill’ Burns led a covert CIA campaign in Ukraine - Washington Post, 17 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• Spy vs. AI: How Artificial Intelligence Will Remake Espionage - Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• The Secretary of Hard Problems: Bill Burns has played an unusual role for a CIA director. - The Atlantic Monthly, 14 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• Trump’s Threat to U.S. Intelligence: Disruption and Demands for Loyalty Would Undermine National Security - Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

• Huge challenges await the next director of national intelligence - by Former CIA Executive Brian O'Neill - The Hill, 15 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• How Do You Fool Russian Intelligence - with former U.S. Military Intelligence Officer Bryan Stern - SpyCast, 14 Jan 25
• The Origin & Intent of (Sp)identity - by Former CIA Operations Officer Holly Stofa - (Sp)identity, 14 Jan 25
• ‘Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have left us no safer’ - with Former CIA Analyst David McCloskey - The Telegraph, 19 Jan 25
• An “Overhaul” for the US Intelligence Community? (16 mins) - with Former CIA Executive Ralph Goff - Cipher Brief Podcast, 17 Jan 25
• Inside the White House Situation Room (36 mins) - with Former CIA Director's Chief for Policy and Coordination and White House Situation Room Senior Director - SpyTalk Podcast, 17 Jan 25

Books: (Forthcoming, New Releases, Overlooked)

• An O.S.S. Secret Agent Behind Enemy Lines: The Second World War Exploits of Lieutenant Leif Bangsbøll by Brook Bangsbøll (13 Feb 25)


• The Hidden Cost of Freedom: The Untold Story of the CIA's Secret Funding System, 1941-1962 by Brad L. Fisher (18 Nov 24)


• Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII Damien Lewis (01 Jan 14)

True Intelligence Matters on Film: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare - Guy Ritchie (2024)

Intelligence in History - A Collection of Recently Released Content

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

Obituaries

Research Requests and Academic Opportunities

• Call for Papers: Twenty Years After the Butler Review: Have we learned anything? Oxford Intelligence Group Conference. 5-6 June 2025. 01 Apr 25 deadline for proposals.
• Academic Opportunity: The International Security & Intelligence Programmer at Emmanuel College in the University of Cambridge, Summer 2025. Residential Programmer: Cambridge, Sunday 6 July to Saturday 2 August 2025.
• Information Sought: 1969 "KGB Wanted List"
• Call for Collaboration: AFIO member seeks help establishing YouTube channel focused on Russian and Chinese influence operations.
• Internship Opportunity: International private intelligence company accepting applications for analyst internship program.
• Call for Information: Child of former CIA Como Officer Walter E. McLeod seeks information about father's life and work.
• Call for Intelligence Studies Course Syllabi: Florida International University adjunct professor tasked with creating a new course is in search of existing syllabi to help build new content.
• Call for Interviews: Documentary film executive seeking extraordinary, true story material.
• Call for Online Survey Participants: Institution Review Board approved research project from Northeastern University on critical thinking skills for national security intelligence analysts.
• Call for Information and Interview Subjects: In search of information on possible espionage activity in New York City in the WWII and post-war era.

Employment

• Assistant Professor in Intelligence and National Security Studies - University of Texas, El Paso
• 2 Assistant Professors in Intelligence and Security - Institute of Security and Global Affairs, University of Leiden, Netherlands
• Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies - Mercyhurst University - Erie, Pennsylvania
• Associate Professor and Chair of National Security - University of New Haven, Connecticut
• Wanted: Former intelligence officers to lead spy-themed walking tours in Washington, D.C. - Spyher Tours
• Assistant Professor - Intelligence Studies - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Arizona

Upcoming AFIO Events

• Monday, 3 February 2025, noon - San Antonio, TX - San Antonio AFIO Chapter will feature Dr Lenczowski and James Hughes on "Chinese influence operations directed at the US by Chicom Party agents."
• Saturday, 8 February 2025, 11:30 a.m. - Indialantic, FL - AFIO Florida Satellite Chapter hears David Hunt, former senior CIA Operations Officer, on "Intelligence Threats from the French to the Chinese and More
• Friday, 21 February 2025, 1100 - 1400 - McLean, VA - AFIO National Spring Luncheon - Registration has Opened

Events of Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, Others

• 30 Apr - 02 May 2025 – In Person – Cryptologic History Symposium - National Cryptological Foundation and NSA Center for Cryptologic History, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
• 30 Aug - 8 Sep 2025 - Mediterranean Cruise - Spies, Lies & Nukes announce Espionage on the High Seas! Plan NOW to join the late-summer 2025 cruise.

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.

- RELEASED TODAY TO MEMBERS ONLY -

Jesse Fink
on his latest book:

The Eagle in the Mirror:
The Greatest Spy Story Never Told

The story of Charles Howard "Dick" Ellis,
MI6's top agent in the United States during WWII

Recorded: 01 Oct 2024
Interviewer: AFIO President James Hughes
Duration: 16 minutes

Jesse Fink's website.
Fink's full bio here
Purchase The Eagle in the Mirror here.

- AFIO National Spring Luncheon -

Friday, 21 February 2025, 1100 - 1400

Registration is open

FEATURING:

The History of Intelligence - A Panel Discussion Panelists: CIA's Chief Historian David Robarge, National Cryptologic Museum curator Vincent Houghton, and OSS scholar and CIA historian Nicholas Reynolds		Joby Warrick Author and a National Security Correspondent for The Washington Post

Schedule:

1030 Check-in (preregistered attendees, no walk-ins)

1100 Panel on Intelligence History with CIA Chief Historian David Robarge, National Cryptologic Museum curator Vincent Houghton, and OSS scholar and CIA historian Nicholas Reynolds.

12-1300 Lunch

1300 Speaker Joby Warrick, Author and a National Security Correspondent for The Washington Post, discussing current events in Syria and his 2021 book "Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and the Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World."

1400 Event ends

Venue:

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, McLean-Tysons, VA
1960 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22102

Registration and Cost:

Registration and credit card payment required before event. Lunch is $60 (members) or $75 (guests, Subscribers).

Registration is now open. Closes 1700 hours (ET), Friday, 16 Feb 2025 or when all seats are sold.

Cancellations: No refund for cancellations after 9 Feb 2025. Payment for reservations canceled 10 to 16 Feb 2025 will be converted to donations to AFIO. Payments for reservations canceled after 16 Feb 2025 are forfeit; the meal will have been guaranteed at the hotel per the contract.
Attendees must be AFIO members or accompanied by a member. For security reasons, no late or last-minute substitutions.

Please direct questions to events@afio.com

For sale...At-the-Event-Only...will be our 50th Anniversary Coin

Celebrate AFIO's 50th Anniversary with our new coin that reflects support of the Intelligence Community and highlights IC member agencies. This coin will first be available for purchase at the 21 February 2025 Spring Luncheon. This special "at the event" price for luncheon attendees is $40.00 for 1 coin with acrylic stand. Note: Some stands may vary in appearance.
This coin will be made available online for purchase in coming weeks. Availability will be announced in our Weekly Intelligence Notes. The online price will be $50.00 per coin plus stand and includes shipping.

- AFIO Scholarship -

Applications Available 1 February 2025
Five Undergrad, Five Graduate Scholarships
$5,000 EACH.

Do not let budget limitations stop you from reaching your potential. Let AFIO offset some of your education costs. Applications for 2025 can be sent to us online starting 1 February 2025 until 1 June 2025. No applications will be accepted after midnight 1 June 2025.

View scholarship requirements here.

AFIO Exclusive Content

WIN Short-form Book Review
(January 2025)

Jennifer Ewbank
Former Deputy Director of CIA
for Digital Innovation

reviews

Subversion: From Covert
Operations to Cyber Conflict

by Lennard Matchmaker
(March 2024)

Access review here.

AFIO Now Podcasts Presents:

Patrick K. O'Donnell, military historian and author,
on his new book
"The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln's Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby's Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America's Special Operations"
released 7 May 2024.

Recorded: 3 Sep 24
Host and Interviewer: James Hughes, AFIO President and former Senior CIA Ops Officer

The audio-only version of AFIO Now, great for listening to in your car or while accomplishing other tasks, can be downloaded or streamed on any of the following podcast platforms by searching for "AFIO":

AFIO Now interviews, video and audio-only forms, in 2024 and 2023, are 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 in the section above.

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

Spyher Winter Savings
Thru 15 March 2025
$15 off and 2-for-1 deals
Book now on Eventbrite

Spyher Gift Cards
Give the Gift of an Exclusive Spy History Tour with a Former Intelligence Officer
Purchase an e-gift card online at https://spyher.co/gift-card/
For a physical gift card - a perfect stocking stuffer - contact rosanna@spyher.co

National Intelligence Summer Academy (NISA) - For High School Students Grades 10-12
14-18 July 2025 - Cumming, GA

at The University of North Georgia, Cumming Campus,
300 Aquatic Circle Cumming, GA 30040

Are you thrilled or fascinated by the field of intelligence – spying and counter spying?

Are you considering a career in the U.S. Intelligence Community? Did you know that the U.S. Intelligence Community is made up of 18 separate agencies? Sign up for an intense and exciting five days of learning from highly qualified Master's and Ph.D. University of North Georgia instructors and practitioners from July 14-18, 2025.

This Academy will: Lift the veil of secrecy on the hidden world of intelligence, exploring the history, challenges, and controversies; Provide a context for understanding the important role intelligence has played in our nation's history and continues to play today; Provide foundational knowledge of intelligence, setting the stage for possible careers in the field; Provide opportunities to learn from the Academy's instructors include academia, practitioners, and guest speakers.
Hear from experts that have worked with the CIA, FBI, and the former Soviet Union KGB.
Explore, Apply, Learn more

Section I - CURRENTS

(Recent Developments)

General Interests

Trump Names Acting Spy Bosses - Wall Street Journal, 21 Jan 25

President Trump has picked two Biden administration deputies to be his acting spy chiefs. The new president named Tom Sylvester as acting head of the Central Intelligence Agency and Stacey Dixon as acting Director of National Intelligence. Sylvester had been the head of espionage at CIA, a deputy director role at the agency, while Dixon has held the number two DNI job. Other agencies, including the Justice Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Defense, saw more resignations of deputy-level officials, allowing Trump greater flexibility to install career officials of his choosing. Trump has nominated John Ratcliffe, his former national intelligence director who had a Senate confirmation hearing last week, to run the CIA, and Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, to lead the DNI office. While Ratcliffe is expected to win easy confirmation after the Senate Intelligence Committee advanced his nomination on Monday, Gabbard has yet to have a confirmation hearing. She has attracted scrutiny, including from some Republican senators, for some of her less conventional national-security views. (Access here.)

Trump moves to suspend clearances of ex-intel officials who signed letter on Hunter Biden laptop - Associated Press, 20 Jan 25

President Donald Trump says his administration will move to suspend the security clearances of the more than four dozen former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter saying that the Hunter Biden laptop saga bore the hallmarks of a “Russian information operation.” The action is an early indication of Trump’s determination to exact retribution on perceived adversaries and is the latest point of tension between Trump and an intelligence community of which he has been openly disdainful. The sweeping move, announced via executive order Monday, also sets up a potential court challenge from ex-officials seeking to maintain access to sensitive government information. “The president has a lot of authority when it comes to security clearances. The problem the White House will run into is, if they depart from their existing procedures, they could set up a judicial appeal for these 51 people — and it will probably be a class-action suit since they’re all in alike or similar circumstances,” said Dan Meyer, a Washington lawyer who specializes in the security clearance and background check process. (Access here.)

U.S. intelligence agency selects 13 companies for satellite data contract - Space News, 15 Jan 25

The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) announced Jan. 15 it selected 13 companies for a $200 million contract to provide commercial satellite data and analytics, marking a shift in how the intelligence agency acquires critical information for national security. Under the five-year contract, known as Luno B, these vendors will compete for task orders to provide commercial satellite imagery analysis and insights. With this procurement, NGA is reducing its traditional reliance on classified data processed in secure facilities. The contract follows a $290 million Luno A procurement announced in September, and represents the intelligence community’s growing embrace of commercial space technology. The 13 selected vendors are: Airbus U.S. Space & Defense; BAE Systems; Booz Allen Hamilton; BlackSky; BlueHalo; CACI; Deloitte; Electromagnetic Systems; Maxar Intelligence; NV5 Geospatial; Planet Labs; Royce Geospatial; and Ursa Space Systems. Ten of the 13 vendors were selected for Luno A. Newcomers to Luno B are defense contractor BAE Systems, the consulting firm Deloitte, and satellite imagery provider Planet Labs. The NGA, which provides geospatial intelligence to military and civilian decision-makers, will use the commercial data to monitor global economic activities, environmental changes, and military movements. This includes tracking shipping patterns, construction projects, natural disasters, and foreign military capabilities. (Access here.)

Gabbard tries to explain Snowden support to skeptical intel leaders - The Hill, 18 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

Tulsi Gabbard is trying to explain her past support for Edward Snowden, including her push to pardon the national security leaker, to a tough crowd: members of the Senate Intelligence Committee considering her confirmation. When she was still in the House, Gabbard introduced a resolution calling for all charges to be dropped against Snowden. And she urged President-elect Trump at the end of his first term to pardon people who “exposed the deception and criminality of those in the deep state,” in commenting on another post specifically mentioning Snowden. That is not the type of rhetoric you hear on Snowden from members of Congress’s two intelligence committees. “I don’t think Edward Snowden is a patriot by any means. He’s a traitor to his own nation,” said Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. (Access here.)

Iran unveils spy ship during major war games: state media - Spacewar.com, 15 Jan 24 (Member Contribution)

The Iranian army has unveiled an advanced reconnaissance ship, state media said on Wednesday, as military forces conducted drills nationwide focused on safeguarding the country's nuclear facilities. "The country's first signals intelligence ship, named Zagros, is added to the Navy's combat operations," state TV reported. The Iranian-made vessel is equipped with "electronic sensors", interceptors, and other cyber and intelligence capabilities, the report said. Zagros's launch comes days into major military exercises conducted by the army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which are set to continue until mid-March and are focused on protecting key nuclear sites including Natanz, Fordow and Khondab. (Access here.)

Former CIA analyst pleads guilty to leaking info on planned Israeli attack on Iran - Associated Press, 17 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

A former CIA analyst pleaded guilty Friday to leaking information on a planned Israeli attack on Iran. Asif Rahman, 34, was arrested by the FBI in November weeks after classified documents appeared on the Telegram messaging app. He entered guilty pleas in federal court in Virginia to two counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information related to the national defense, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Prosecutors say Rahman, a CIA employee since 2016, abused his access to top-secret information by accessing, removing and printing out two documents related to Israel and a planned attack on Iran. He then shared them with people not authorized to receive them. Two documents that surfaced on Telegram in October, attributed to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, noted that Israel was still moving military assets in place to conduct a military strike in response to Iran’s blistering ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1. (Access here.)

US House leader picks Trump ally Crawford as intel panel chair - Reuters, 16 Jan 25

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson named Representative Rick Crawford on Thursday to chair the House intelligence committee, the latest promotion of an ally of President-elect Donald Trump to a key national security post. The panel chairman is among eight congressional leaders, known as the Gang of Eight, briefed on the most classified U.S. intelligence matters. "I will aggressively uphold our mandate to provide credible and robust oversight of the Intelligence Community's funding and activities," Crawford said in a statement. (Access here.)

A Spymaster Sheikh Controls a $1.5 Trillion Fortune. He Wants to Use It to Dominate AI - Wired, 14 Jan 25

For a while in the mid-2000s, a refrigerator-sized box in Abu Dhabi was considered the greatest chess player in the world. Its name was Hydra, and it was a small super-computer—a cabinet full of industrial-grade processors and specially designed chips, strung together with fiber-optic cables and jacked into the internet. At a time when chess was still the main gladiatorial arena for competition between humans and AI, Hydra and its exploits were briefly the stuff of legend. The New Yorker published a contemplative 5,000-word feature about its emergent creativity; WIRED declared Hydra “fearsome”; and chess publications covered its victories with the violence of wrestling commentary. Hydra, they wrote, was a “monster machine” that “slowly strangled” human grand masters. (Access here.)

Special Collections

Counterespionage - Recent arrests, convictions, expulsions, and more...

• Philippines arrests Chinese man for 'spying' on military camps - CNA, 20 Jan 25
• A Latvian court convicted a former Soviet officer of espionage - LNG, 16 Jan 25
• Protecting Shipbuilding Technologies: The Risks of Chinese Industrial Espionage - The Spy Hunter, 16 Jan 25
• Suspected Moroccan spy in German custody - Deutsche Welle, 16 Jan 25
• Afghan Spy Killed in Security Forces Operation - Jasarat, 14 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• Chinese air fryer spies on Americans: Suspicious permission requests spark controversy, experts explain the truth - Kangnam Times, 15 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

Cyberespionage - New actors, collection and sabotage ops, countermeasures, policy, other...

• Suspected Ukrainian hackers impersonating Russian ministries to spy on industry - The Record, 15 Jan 25
• Hackers Likely Stole FBI Call Logs From AT&T That Could Compromise Informants - Wired, 16 Jan 25
• Microsoft catches Russian state-sponsored hackers shifting tactics to WhatsApp - CyberScoop, 16 Jan 25
• Strengthening America’s Resilience Against the PRC Cyber Threats - Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, 15 Jan 25
• FBI hacked thousands of computers to make malware uninstall itself - The Verge, 14 Jan 24

Covert Action - Influence ops, assassinations, sabotage, intel agency paramilitary action, countermeasures, etcetera...

• Trump’s strong hint of coming CIA covert action against Mexican drug cartels - Washington Examiner, 20 Jan 25 (Member Contribution
• Fact-Checking Rollback: Implications for Propaganda, Extremism, Misinformation - Grey Dynamics, 18 Jan 25
• GRU runs 'saboteur university' to train recruited foreigners - New Voice of Ukraine, 17 Jan 25
• Russia plotted terror attacks on airlines around the world, Poland’s Tusk says - Politico, 15 Jan 25 (Member Contribution
• Russia plans terror attacks ‘in the air’, warns Polish PM - Financial Times, 15 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• Turkish intelligence recruited far-right figure to assassinate Christian pastors in Turkey- Nordic Monitor, 15 Jan 25
• Israel accused of planting explosives inside Iran’s nuclear equipment- Telegraph, 15 Jan 25
• Danish Intelligence: Russia forged letter to spark Trump’s Greenland purchase bid - Euromaiden Press, 13 Jan 25
• Inflaming Divides: Russian Narratives on the California Wildfires - Alliance for Securing Democracy, 15 Jan 25

Section II - DEEP DIVES

(Research Papers, OpEds, Analysis, Podcasts)

How the CIA and Ukrainian intelligence secretly forged a deep partnership - ABC News, 17 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

Lt. Gen. Valeriy Kondratyuk had come to Washington, D.C., with a mission: to persuade American intelligence agencies to trust him. It was 2015, a year after Russia had seized Crimea and started a war in eastern Ukraine. It was still six years before Russia would move to its full-scale invasion, but the front-line in eastern Ukraine still smoldered amid a poorly observed ceasefire agreement. General Kondratyuk was the head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency. Convinced Ukraine’s future was with the West, he wanted the United States to help strengthen his agency to better hold off Russia. But so far he had found American intelligence wary. To change that, he believed he needed a bold gesture. That was why his luggage was stuffed with top-secret Russian military documents. Kondratyuk said he brought the documents to meetings with senior American intelligence officials in Washington. "I was like, 'Holy s---!'" a former U.S. official told ABC News. "And he's like, "'Yes, we have a gift.'"(Access here.)

Muhammad Herindra: New Indonesia National Intelligence Agency Head - Grey Dynamics, 18 Jan 25

We assess that Muhammad Herindra’s appointment as Indonesia’s State Intelligence Agency (BIN) aligns with Indonesia’s goals of diplomatic and political predictability. However, Herindra inherits an unstable security landscape with continuous threats from terrorism and cyber attacks, as well as rising tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea. He was appointed on 21 October 2024, following a recommendation from President Joko Widodo and the approval of the House of Representatives. His appointment is seen as a step to consolidate the intelligence community under Indonesia’s new president Prabowo Subianto, with whom he has a close working relationship through his most recent role as Deputy Minister of Defense. Herindra is seen as someone who is very loyal to his country and duty. (Access here.)

Senate Confirmation Hearing for CIA Director Nominee John Ratcliffe - U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, 15 Jan 25 (145 min) (Member Contribution)

Hearing Type: Open Date & Time: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 10:00am. Location: Dirksen G-50. Witnesses: Honorable John L. Ratcliffe. Opening Statement, Response to Questionnaire for Completion by Presidential Nominees, Response to Committee Additional Pre-Hearing Questions (Access here.)

How ‘Mild Bill’ Burns led a covert CIA campaign in Ukraine - Washington Post, 17 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

Jane DOE speaks with ODNI’s Susi Carpenter, an intelligence analyst and co-chair of ODNI’s Employees with Disabilities Employee Resource Group, about neurodiversity and the complexities of a neurodivergent diagnosis in the IC. They highlight the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals and the need for allyship. They explore the importance of valuing and accommodating neurodiversity in national security organizations and discuss the unique skills and advantages the neurodivergent brings to the workplace and the need for creating an inclusive workplace culture that values diversity. (Access here.)

Spy vs. AI: How Artificial Intelligence Will Remake Espionage - Foreign Affairs, 15 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

In the early 1950s, the United States faced a critical intelligence challenge in its burgeoning competition with the Soviet Union. Outdated German reconnaissance photos from World War II could no longer provide sufficient intelligence about Soviet military capabilities, and existing U.S. surveillance capabilities were no longer able to penetrate the Soviet Union’s closed airspace. This deficiency spurred an audacious moonshot initiative: the development of the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. In only a few years, U-2 missions were delivering vital intelligence, capturing images of Soviet missile installations in Cuba and bringing near-real-time insights from behind the Iron Curtain... (Access here.)

The Secretary of Hard Problems: Bill Burns has played an unusual role for a CIA director. - The Atlantic Monthly, 14 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

Bill burns has spent much of his nearly four-decade career in government arguing about words. As he was packing up his office this week at CIA headquarters, the language of a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which he had toiled over for the past 15 months, was at the top of his mind. If the parties agreed to the deal, as he was cautiously confident they would, Israeli hostages in Gaza would go free and Palestinians would receive vital humanitarian aid. “In many ways, this [negotiation] was the hardest” of his long career, Burns told me in one of two recent conversations—harder even than the secret talks with Iran that he helped lead and that eventually produced the 2015 agreement placing restrictions on the country’s nuclear program. For starters, Hamas’s military leaders were hiding in Gaza, making communications with them cumbersome. The parties debated for months over the presence of Israeli military forces on the Gaza side of the border with Egypt, a stretch through which Israel said Hamas was smuggling weapons. “And this had such an intensely human dimension to it,” Burns said, speaking of the Israeli hostages as well as the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians whose homes have been turned to rubble in Israel’s campaign against Hamas. Burns told me that he had worked to ensure that these people were not mere “brackets in text” of an official peace plan. (Full article here.)

Trump’s Threat to U.S. Intelligence: Disruption and Demands for Loyalty Would Undermine National Security - Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

On January 21, 2017, the day after his inauguration, U.S. President Donald Trump visited Central Intelligence Agency Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. It was one of his first official actions as president and an opportunity to reset relations with the intelligence community. Just ten days prior, he had accused intelligence agencies of helping to leak a report that claimed that Russian operatives had his personal and financial information. But Trump quickly went off the rails, setting the tone for his relationship with the intelligence community for the rest of his first term. (Access here.)

Section III - FORMERS' FORUM

(Legacy Intel Practitioners' Informed Perspectives
and Recent Endeavors)

Huge challenges await the next director of national intelligence - by Former CIA Executive Brian O'Neill - The Hill, 15 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)

Tulsi Gabbard’s designation as director of national intelligence continues to invite skepticism. Critics question her qualifications and whether she has the experience needed to manage one of the nation’s most complex bureaucracies. Her foreign policy positions and combative political style add to concerns about her ability to build trust within the intelligence community and foster cohesion among its 18 components. The director’s responsibilities extend far beyond management. The role requires delivering insights that are accurate, timely and actionable — no matter how unwelcome they may be — while contending with the inherent challenges of intelligence work and the growing pressures of a polarized political climate. (Access here.)

How Do You Fool Russian Intelligence - with former U.S. Military Intelligence Officer Bryan Stern - SpyCast, 14 Jan 25

Former intelligence officer Bryan Stern describes the tradecraft he used on Russian intelligence and military services to rescue an American imprisoned in Russian-occupied Ukraine. (Order book here.)

The Origin & Intent of (Sp)identity - by Former CIA Operations Officer Holly Stofa - (Sp)identity, 14 Jan 25

This newsletter will explore the intersection of identity and performance in all its complexities. Everything is fair game ~ from self-belief to connection to the importance of relationships in fueling high performance. Who is it for? Chances are, if you’re reading this, it’s for you. It’s for leaders, high performers, and driven people who care deeply about what they do, sometimes at the expense or replacement of who they are. (Access here.)

‘Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have left us no safer’ - with Former CIA Analyst David McCloskey - The Telegraph, 19 Jan 25

Even before the death of John le Carré in 2020, his readers had started to wonder if another spy novelist would ever be able to fill his shoes. We may, finally, have found the man who can. David McCloskey, a 39-year-old CIA analyst-turned-author, who wowed critics with his first two novels – Damascus Station in 2021 and Moscow X, two years later – looks increasingly like an American le Carré, though, he says, “I find the comparisons faintly ridiculous.” His imminent third book is unlikely to dispel them. The Seventh Floor, in which a disgraced senior CIA operative hunts for a Russian mole at the top of the agency, reads like a modern-day homage to le Carré’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974). The heavy-drinking, memorably-named Artemis Aphrodite Procter could be seen as an updated George Smiley, though she is so much less strait-laced, she feels closer to Jackson Lamb, the foul-mouthed, flatulent anti-hero of Mick Herron’s Slow Horses series. Like le Carré, who was employed by the British intelligence services before embarking on a writing career, McCloskey knows of what he writes. He worked for eight years as a CIA analyst covering Syria, living in Damascus, before and during the civil war, and writing for the president’s daily briefings. McCloskey quit the agency in 2014, partly in response to the continuing deterioration of the situation in Syria – and the West’s apparent inability or unwillingness to stop it. “That was hard to watch, as somebody who wants [US] policy to be some combination of effective and moral and honest,” he tells me. “It kind of felt like we were not doing well across any of those dimensions.”  (Access here.)

An “Overhaul” for the US Intelligence Community? (16 mins) - with Former CIA Executive Ralph Goff - Cipher Brief Podcast, 17 Jan 25

Ralph Goff is a 35-year veteran of the CIA where he was a 6-time Chief of Station with extensive service in Europe, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia including several war zones. He served as Chief of Operations for Europe and Eurasia. Goff also served as Chief of CIA’s National Resources Division, working extensively with “C Suite” level US private sector executives in the financial, banking, and security sectors. (Access here.)

Inside the White House Situation Room (36 mins) - with Former CIA Director's Chief for Policy and Coordination and White House Situation Room Senior Director - SpyTalk Podcast, 17 Jan 25

Former senior CIA official and situation room Director Larry Pfeiffer goes inside the White House situation room with SpyTalk host Jeff Stein. (Access here.)

Section IV - BOOKS, FILM, HISTORY, POP CULTURE

An O.S.S. Secret Agent Behind Enemy Lines: The Second World War Exploits of Lieutenant Leif Bangsbøll
by Brook Bangsbøll
(Frontline Books, 13 Feb 25)

More than a Viking call to arms, An O.S.S. Secret Agent Behind Enemy Lines chronicles the incredible life of Leif Bangsboll up to and including the Second World War. Compiled by Bangsboll’s son, this book explores the life of, variously, a Danish sailor, Norwegian aviator, American airborne serviceman, Green Beret soldier, and secret agent with the Office of Strategic Services. Brook G. Bangsboll heard his father’s stories told and retold around the dinner table as far back as he could remember. He recalled his father talking of his christening at five weeks old aboard His Danish Majesty’s Ship Grønsund in the middle of the North Sea during the First World War; about his attendance as a young man at German Chancellor Adolf Hitler’s 50th birthday celebration in Berlin; and about his unplanned role in a rescue mission off the embattled shores of Dunkirk. Invigorated by the heroic efforts of the Allies at Dunkirk, Leif then joined the Norwegian Air Force and was trained as a pilot in Canada as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Prior to being assigned to an operational squadron, Flight Sergeant Bangsboll was recruited into the United States Army by Colonel William ‘Wild Bill’ Donovan to become a field agent for the Office of Strategic Services, or O.S.S. After completing his O.S.S. training at the top-secret facility known as Camp X, located on the shores of Lake Ontario, Second Lieutenant Bangsboll was sent to the United Kingdom to work with the O.S.S.’ counterparts at Special Operations Executive. In October 1944 Lieutenant Bangsboll was parachuted into in the dark skies over occupied Denmark to lead the Danish Resistance forces in the central region of Jutland, operating out of the city of Aarhus. Operating under the field name of Mr. Jorgen Bech, ostensibly a Danish Maritime Engineer and businessman, Bangsboll trained Danish resistance fighters, planned and led sabotage missions against the German occupation forces and hunted down and eliminated known collaborators. For ten months he played a dangerous and daring game of cat and mouse with the Gestapo. In the spring of 1945, Lieutenant Bangsboll was reassigned by the O.S.S. to Copenhagen where during the final days of the war, he led an assault to capture the fortified German garrison at Ryvangen. His efforts in this assault would earn him the United States Distinguished Service Cross as well as the Danish Royal Knights Order of King Christian X – sighted for ‘courage and selfless bravery in the face of the enemy’.

Order book here.

The Hidden Cost of Freedom: The Untold Story of the CIA's Secret Funding System, 1941-1962y
by Brad L. Fisher
(University Press of Kansas, 18 Nov 24)

How is it possible for an agency of the United States government to be exempt from providing what the US Constitution’s Appropriations Clause describes as “a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money”? In The Hidden Cost of Freedom, author Brad Fisher presents a comprehensive narrative of the origin and early development of the CIA’s clandestine financial system, beginning with the establishment of the Office of Strategic Services’ Special Funds Branch during World War II. Fisher documents the controversial legislative history of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 from the standpoint of the CIA, the General Accounting Office, and congressional insiders, and describes the act’s role in the transformation of the CIA’s financial administration into a global enterprise for financing its foreign intelligence activities. Finally, he brings to light the story of his grandfather, Edwin Lyle Fisher, who had a major role in the postwar establishment of the CIA’s funding system as the GAO’s legal liaison to the CIA. While the existence of the CIA’s clandestine funding is no secret, Fisher’s book is the first to trace its development and to show how the CIA’s covert financial system was allowed to develop in a democracy devoted to checks and balances.

Order book here.

Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII
by Damien Lewis
(Quercus, 01 Jan 14)

In the bleak moments after defeat on mainland Europe in winter 1939, Winston Churchill knew that Britain had to strike back hard. So Britain's wartime leader called for the lightning development of a completely new kind of warfare, recruiting a band of eccentric free-thinking warriors to become the first 'deniable' secret operatives to strike behind enemy lines, offering these volunteers nothing but the potential for glory and all-but-certain death. Churchill's Secret Warriors tells the story of the daring victories for this small force of 'freelance pirates', undertaking devastatingly effective missions against the Nazis, often dressed in enemy uniforms and with enemy kit, breaking all previously held rules of warfare. Master storyteller Damien Lewis brings the adventures of the secret unit to life, weaving together the stories of the soldiers' brotherhood in this compelling narrative, from the unit's earliest missions to the death of their leader just weeks before the end of the war.

Order book here.

True Intelligence Matters on Film - The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare - Guy Ritchie (2024)

Billed as a true story about a British Special Operations Executive operation, Post Master. Founded by Winston Churchill, their irregular warfare against the Germans helped to change the course of the war, and gave birth to modern black operations. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is based on a 2014 non-fiction book: Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII written by Damien Lewis. Like the book, the movie details the success of a real Second World War undercover mission that aimed to disrupt Axis supply lines and naval efforts.

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

Intelligence in History - A Collection of Recently Released Content

• Stasi secret police, 35 years on: 'My file is mine' - Deutsche Welle, 15 Nov 24
• Surveillance and the Secret History of 19th-Century Wearable Tech - The MIT Press Reader, 14 Nov 24 (Member Contribution)
• MI5's tips for spies and Cambridge Five confessions revealed - BBC, 14 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• My grandfather tried to break spy Kim Philby - but found a master of duplicity - TheiPaper, 14 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• Queen not officially told for years about Palace spy, MI5 papers reveal - BBC, 14 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• Last secrets of notorious spy Kim Philby revealed: from traitor’s confession to Queen’s involvement - The Independent, 14 Jan 25 (Member Contribution)
• When America’s Top Spies Were Academics and Librarians - Mission New Republic, 16 Jan 25

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 V - Obituaries and Classifieds

(Research Requests, Academic Opportunities, Employment)

Obituaries

Dave Lamoureux — Covert USAF Counterinsurgency Operator and Career State Department Officer

David Charles Lamoureux passed away at his home in Mechanicsville, Virginia on Monday, January 13, 2025. Dave was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 7, 1936. After completing high school in Ohio, Dave attended Alleghany College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. He served within the ROTC program with honors graduating in 1957 with a degree in History. After graduation, Dave was commissioned into the United States Air Force and served both domestically and in Japan before joining Operation Farm Gate as a Jungle Jim and sent to serve in Vietnam. Retiring from active duty in 1963, Dave then joined the U.S. Department of State while continuing to serve in the U.S.A.F. Reserves, eventually retiring from military service as a Lt. Colonel. He served in Guatemala, Mexico City, Prague, New York, and Nairobi, with intermittent stops back in Washington, D.C. After returning from his final overseas tour in Kenya, Dave took up permanent in Potomac, Maryland, and retired from the State Department in 1996.

Karl Lemp — Former CIA Executive

Karl Cadem Lemp, 94, died on January 9, 2025, in Easton, MD. Karl was born in Boston, MA, and was educated first in the Dedham public school system and then at Roxbury Latin School, his "proudest and most formative experience." He completed his early education at Phillips Academy in Andover, where he was elected to the Aurelian Honor Society, and graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Amherst College, with a B.A. in Greek and English Literature. He completed a J.D. at Harvard Law School, where he was one of the winners of the 1956 Ames Moot Court Competition; was awarded a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship; and earned an M.A. in Classical Philology at Johns Hopkins University. Karl taught Latin and Greek for several years, first at Phillips Academy and later at Gilman School in Baltimore, where he also coached varsity wrestling and intramural football and baseball. He worked briefly for the Board of Trustees of the Maryland State Colleges, helping convert five state colleges to liberal arts curricula, and spent most of his career at the Central Intelligence Agency, where he was promoted to the Senior Intelligence Service.

Julia Snook — Former CIA Budget Officer

Julia Winger Snook, retired CIA Budget Officer, died on November 18, 2024, at Greenspring Village in Springfield, Virginia. Ms. Snook was born in Springfield, Ohio. She graduated from Western College for Women in Oxford, OH, in 1949 with a major in biology and then attended the Katharine Gibbs School in Chicago. In 1950, she was recruited by the CIA and spent five years in Vienna and Salzburg, Austria. In 1975 and 1976, as a fiscal officer, she was sent on TDYs to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. She retired in 1981 as a budget officer with a Certificate of Distinction and several Letters of Commendation.

Marc Collard — Former Career NSA Analyst

Marc Richard Collard, 74, passed away peacefully at home Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, after a short battle with cancer. Born in Biddeford, Maine, Marc was a proud alumnus of Assumption Preparatory School and went on to earn a bachelor of science degree in sociology from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. He later obtained a master of science degree in strategic intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College. Marc served honorably in the U.S. Army from 1975-81 and then had a distinguished career as a master intelligence analyst with the National Security Agency, a role he held until his retirement in 2007. Marc was a member of the Phoenix Society.

Howard Milor — Sensitive Site Construction Supervisor

Howard A. Milor, Jr. died on Thursday, January 9, 2025 of heart failure as a complication of COVID-19. Howard was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in rural Maryland. Summers were spent at the family farm in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, the site of the current Cool Font resort. In the early 1960's, Howard served in the U.S. Navy as an aircraft mechanic. A man of many talents, he spent most of his working life as a construction supervisor. His work took him to many countries to supervise the building and renovation teams for various sites associated with U.S. installations such as embassies. He was one of the on-site construction managers for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, which had to be re-built after the initial construction was found to be compromised. Howard was also involved with construction projects in such places as Beijing, Mexico City, Vientiane and Conakry, where he met his wife, Carla, a foreign service officer. He was widely respected by everyone with whom he dealt, and his subordinates and colleagues viewed him as an admirable mentor and teacher, knowledgeable about all parts of the construction process. Howard enjoyed spending time at the range honing his marksmanship. He was a proud resident of Maryland, Frederick, and Middletown for more than 20 years.

Diana Worthen — Decorated CIA Officer and Renowned Mole Hunter

Diana Lynn Worthen of Tucson Arizona passed away at home on November 10, 2024, at the age of 76. Diana was born in Alton Illinois and grew up in Wood River Illinois, graduating from East Alton Wood River Community HS. She attended the University of New Mexico, graduating in 1970. Diana was true American and served her country admirably for almost thirty years retiring from the CIA in 1998. Diana's extraordinary work on the Soviet target led her to involvement in several counterintelligence investigations, one leading to the capture of the spy in the CIA, Aldrich Ames, and another case is ongoing. Her contribution to National security resulted in receiving the Distinguish Intelligence Medal. She was highly respected in the Agency for her honesty and integrity. The DIM is an extraordinary award for anyone, much less a female officer, to receive. She also served her country overseas in Mexico, India and Austria.

Research Requests and Academic Opportunities

• Call for Papers: Twenty Years After the Butler Review: Have we learned anything? Oxford Intelligence Group Conference. 5-6 June 2025. 01 Apr 25 deadline for proposals. See flier with full details here.
• Academic Opportunity: The International Security & Intelligence Programmer at Emmanuel College in the University of Cambridge, Summer 2025. Residential Programmer: Cambridge, Sunday 6 July to Saturday 2 August 2025. See flier with full details here.
• Information Sought: Researcher is seeking information about the document known in the West as the “KGB Wanted List,” the 1969 version of which was brought to the West by a KGB defector in 1972. Vladislav Krasnov analysed a portion of the list in his 1986 book titled “Soviet Defectors.” Both CIA and the FBI responded to FOIA requests indicating that they cannot find the 1969 list (although both CIA and NACIC have cited it in various forums). If you have a copy of the 1969 list, suggestions where it might be found in its entirety, or knowledge of any earlier lists in the series, please contact Kevin Riehle at kevin.riehle@brunel.ac.uk.
• Call for Collaboration: AFIO member seeks a collaborator with YouTube technical expertise to launch a channel that will highlight specific examples of Russian and Chinese misinformation. Please contact Greg Rushford at gregrushford@gmail.com.
• Internship Opportunity: U.K.-based private intelligence company Grey Dynamics is accepting applications for its analyst internship program. Excellent resume building experience for aspiring intel analysts and, for intelligence studies students (and graduates) who are interested in analysis and writing, a great entry-level opportunity to exercise your skills in a real editorial and publication setting. See full details and application instructions here.


• Call for Information: Child of former CIA Como Officer Walter E. McLeod seeks information on her father's life and work to help build a better understanding of the family's history. McLeod EODed in 1951 and served in Saipan, Havana, WTC, Caracas, Jakarta, Saigon, Paris, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, and Bangkok. He retired in 1975. If you have information to share, contact Kathy McLeod katherinemacleod@gmail.com.


• Call for Intelligence Studies Course Syllabi: An adjunct professor in the criminology department at Florida International University in Miami is developing a course in intelligence studies for the school and would welcome the opportunity to review syllabi used by other intel studies teachers. If you have a syllabus that you are willing to share, contact Salvador Rivas at salvador.rivas@fiu.edu or (786) 547-0428.


• Call for Interviews: Kingston Trinder is a Los Angeles-based nonfiction author and documentary film and television executive who is seeking extraordinary true, untold, stories featuring unforgettable characters, and unbelievable narrative arcs. He develops compelling factual storytelling with a variety of international publishing houses and television networks, and is in search of primary source material from former intelligence officers about their lives, specific cases or projects that they can get cleared for discussion, or other aspects of working in the shadows that would be informative and entertaining for readers who live outside of that world. Please email hello@kingstontrinder.com or call (323) 570-5715.


• Call for Online Survey Participants: Northeastern University is conducting an Institution Review Board approved research project on critical thinking skills for national security intelligence analysts and welcomes the input, via online survey, of AFIO members. Access survey here.


• Call for Information and Interview Subjects: In search of information on possible espionage activity in New York City in the WWII and post-war era to help a family investigating their heritage. Specifically looking at The Plaza (1955), Hotel Pierre (1935 through 1970), and Hotel Delmonico (1945) (now Trump Park Avenue) as well as "Office of 39" Room 3603, and the OWI (Office of War Information) (1945). Details on the Grand Central Station underground and Waldorf Astoria Secret Elevator are also of interest. Other areas of interest for any information on the following people or more generally who may be able to speak to the climate include Swiss involvement in the Abwehr, The Nestle Company 1935-1945, Reinhard Gehlen, German Soldier Thilo Von Trotha in Addis Ababa in 1948-53, Michael Wardell in London, John B. McNair, Canada, Lord Beaverbrook in Cromarty 1948-49. Contact Rosanna Minchew at Rosanna@spyher.co.

Jobs

• Assistant Professor in Intelligence and National Security Studies - University of Texas, El Paso

The University of Texas at El Paso invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies in the Department of Criminal Justice and Security Studies. We seek applicants with demonstrated research expertise in one or more of these areas: Open-Source Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Cyberwarfare, or Intelligence Analysis. Successful candidates will indicate how they can contribute to establishing and growing UTEP's Open-Source Intelligence Center. More information about our program and dynamic campus, as well as application materials, can be found here.

• 2 Assistant Professors in Intelligence and Security - Institute of Security and Global Affairs, University of Leiden - Netherlands

The successful candidates will have demonstrable research records in themes related to the vacancy and strong teaching background in intelligence and security, or a related field, as well as in topics related to the Institute's Bachelor's and Master's programme offerings. The candidate will be expected to teach across several programmes in the Institute, notably the master's programme Crisis and Security Management and the bachelor programme Security Studies, and our minor in Intelligence Studies. The positions are aimed at strengthening the Institute's teaching, research and grant-acquisition capacities in a phase of growth and exciting interdisciplinary research opportunities. Full details on qualifications, duties, and application here.

• Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies - Mercyhurst University - Erie, Pennsylvania

Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA, invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies in the School of Intelligence, Computing and Global Politics. The position is at the Erie campus and begins Fall Semester 2024. Successful candidates will teach introductory and applied courses in Crime and Law Enforcement intelligence analysis at the undergraduate and graduate levels, in addition to the ability to teach undergraduate or graduate courses in: Leadership in Intelligence; Advanced Analytic Techniques; Intelligence Collection and Analysis. Additional information and application instructions here.

• Associate Professor and Chair of National Security - University of New Haven, Connecticut

The Department of National Security invites nominations and applications for a tenured Full/Associate Professor and Chair of National Security. The department includes a dynamic undergraduate program encompassing four distinct bachelor's degrees (Security & Defense Policy, Intelligence Analysis, Homeland Security, and International Affairs), a robust master's degree program, and several practitioner-oriented certificates. Qualifications: A terminal degree in national security, public policy, political science, or related field is required; Ph.D. preferred. The successful applicant will have a record of teaching excellence at the university level, established catalog of academic publications, and an innovative research agenda. Applicants should also possess experience in university-level service and leadership. The department is particularly interested in candidates with policymaking experience in national security at either the federal, state, or local level. Tenurable Assistant Professors may also be considered in accordance with the aforementioned qualifications. Application Instructions: Please submit a brief cover letter explaining teaching experience and philosophy, publication record, practitioner-oriented experience (if applicable), CV, and the name and contact information for three references. Applicants may also include up to 3 artifacts of teaching ability (examples include syllabi, student evaluations, learning exercises, assignments, or other feedback) that illustrate teaching experience. More information and application here or contact Search Committee Chair, Dr. Jeffrey Treistman at jtreistman@newhaven.edu.

• 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.

• 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 VI - Events

AFIO Events

Monday, 3 February 2025, noon - San Antonio, TX - San Antonio AFIO Chapter will feature Dr Lenczowski and James Hughes on "Chinese influence operations directed at the US by Chicom Party agents."
The Communist Chinese Party (CCP) considers the United States to be the most serious adversary to Communists Party goals for world domination. This 3 February 2025 San Antonio Chapter of AFIO program will be a presentation on Chinese influence operations directed at the United States by the Communist Chinese Party's agents. The CCP have very bold cyber attacks and misinformation programs coupled with an aggressive spying program. The February 3 program will be an interview by Jim Hughes, AFIO President, of John Lenczowski PhD, an expert on China and a former National Security Council advisor on Chinese influence operations. The presentation starts at noon in the Roadrunner Meeting Room. AFIO Members attending should identify themselves to the gate guard as coming for the intelligence meeting in the Roadrunner Lounge at The Towers. Blue Skies Texas West is located at 5100 John D Ryan Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78245. AFIO members attending should park in front of The Towers. You may come early and have lunch in the dining room adjacent to the Roadrunner Lounge. Please pay for lunch with a credit card. Questions/Registrations to John Franklin, President, AFIO San Antonio Chapter, at SATXAFIO@gmail.com, or call 210 863-0430.

Saturday, 8 February 2025, 11:30 a.m. - Indialantic, FL - AFIO Florida Satellite Chapter hears David Hunt, former senior CIA Operations Officer, on "Intelligence Threats from the French to the Chinese and More" AFIO Florida Satellite Chapter hears from David Hunt, former senior CIA Operations Officer, on "Intelligence Threats from the French to the Chinese and More." The event commences at 11:30 AM, Saturday, 8 February 2025, at the Doubletree Hotel, Rt A1A, Indialantic, Florida.
Mr. Hunt's presentation follows a sit-down lunch.
The cost is $35.00. Reservations received by February 3 are required.
Questions? Reservations? Contact: Larry Sanford, President AFIO-FSC at afiofloridasatellitechapter@gmail.com

Friday, 21 February 2025, 1100 - 1400 - McLean, VA - AFIO National Spring Luncheon - Registration has Opened.
Event features: The History of Intelligence - A Panel Discussion. Panelists: CIA's Chief Historian David Robarge, National Cryptologic Museum curator Vincent Houghton, and OSS scholar and CIA historian Nicholas Reynolds. And Joby Warrick, Author and a National Security Correspondent for The Washington Post.
Schedule: 1030 - Check-in for preregistered attendees (no walk-ins); 1100 - Panel on Intelligence History. Panelists: CIA's Chief Historian David Robarge, National Cryptologic Museum curator Vincent Houghton, and OSS scholar and CIA historian Nicholas Reynolds. 12-1300 - Lunch; 1300 - Joby Warrick, Author and a National Security Correspondent for The Washington Post, discussing current events in Syria and his 2021 book "Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and the Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World." 1400 - Event ends
Registration and Fee: Registration and credit card payment required before event. Lunch is $60 (members) or $75 (guests, Subscribers).

Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, McLean-Tysons, VA
1960 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA 22102
Registration has opened here and available while space remains. Registration closes 1700 hours, Friday, 16 Feb 2025 or earlier when all seats taken. Attendees must be AFIO members or accompanied by a member. For security reasons, no late or last-minute substitutions. Please direct any questions to events@afio.com.

Events of Advertisers, Corporate Sponsors, Others

30 Apr - 02 May 2025 – In Person – Cryptologic History Symposium - National Cryptological Foundation and NSA Center for Cryptologic History, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland

Since 1990, the Cryptologic History Symposium has served as an opportunity to present historical scholarship found in unclassified and declassified cryptologic records and engage in discussion about their significance to history. The event is an occasion for historians and those interested in history to gather for reflection and debate on relevant and important topics from the cryptologic past. Regular speakers include historians from CCH, the Intelligence Community, the defense establishment, the military services, scholars from American and international academic institutions, veterans of the cryptologic profession, graduate and undergraduate students, and noted authors. Past symposia have featured scholarship that set out new ways to consider our cryptologic heritage. The conference provides many opportunities to interact with leading historians and other experts. The mix of practitioners, scholars, and interested observers guarantees a lively debate that promotes an enhanced appreciation for past events and their applicability to current and future issues. More information and registration here.

30 Aug - 8 Sep 2025 - Mediterranean Cruise - Spies, Lies & Nukes announce Espionage on the High Seas! Plan NOW to join the late-summer 2025 cruise. Instead of their traditional Spies, Lies & Nukes conference in 2024, Valerie Plame and other intelligence colleagues are thrilled to introduce an exciting variation for 2025: Spies at Sea. A combined cruise and conference through the breathtaking Mediterranean, from August 30 to September 8, 2025! See brochure here.
What to Expect:
• Intimate Conference Setting: Enjoy the same close-knit, engaging environment you've come to expect, with unparalleled access to our expert speakers.
• Exclusive Shore Excursions: Explore clandestine meeting spots, delve into espionage history, and more on excursions EXCLUSIVE TO OUR GROUP.
• Seminars at Sea: Participate in lectures and presentations led by Valerie Plame and other top intelligence professionals, all the while cruising through some of the Mediterranean's most iconic destinations.
• Special Events: Enjoy exclusive cocktail receptions, surprise activities, and one-on-one conversation time.
Exclusive Spies, Lies & Nukes Itinerary Highlights:
• Barcelona, Spain: Begin your adventure in this vibrant city.
• Valletta, Malta: Walk through history with guided tours led by espionage experts who will lift the veil on area spy stories and meeting sites.
• Mykonos, Greece: Discover the charm and beauty of this picturesque island.
• Ephesus, Turkey: Explore ancient ruins with a private guide and enjoy a unique group lunch, all while learning about intelligence activities that took place at each spot.
• Santorini, Greece: Experience the iconic beauty of Santorini with endless photographic opportunities.
• Naples, Italy: Enjoy a group lunch at a local restaurant and an exclusive walking tour with a private guide while learning a few spy secrets from Naples, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast.
We've secured a discounted rate that includes your stateroom, meals, classic beverage package, wi-fi, exclusive excursions, and all conference activities. These cabins will get booked quickly, so don't wait—

Gifts for Friends, Colleagues, Self

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.

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.

AFIO's Guide to the Study of Intelligence...and...When Intelligence Made a Difference

"AFIO's Guide to the 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.

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 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 (2023 Fifth Edition) can be read or downloaded here

To unsubscribe from the WIN email list, please click the "UNSUBSCRIBE" link at the bottom of the email. If you did not subscribe to the WIN and are not a member, you received this product from a third party in violation of AFIO policy. Please forward to afio@afio.com the entire message that you received and we will remove the sender from our membership and distribution lists.