Podcasts about diplomatic security

Rescue and patchwork relationship.B Book 3 in 18 parts, y FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.Loving your enemy is easy, you know precisely where both of you stand(Right where we left off)The closest Marine had been waiting for me to finish my bonding moment with Menner before speaking. He walked and talked like an officer."You are certainly Mr. Cáel Nyilas," he nodded. "I'm Lt. Robeson, United States Marine Corps. I would like to take you and your party home. What is the situation?""Lieutenant, this young lady is Aya Ruger. She was kidnapped along-side me and managed to kill over twenty of our enemies, so be careful around her." I was deadly serious about what I said. Aya should get proper credit for all the people she sedated then drowned. Dead was dead, even if it was accidental."These two," I pointed to Zhen and Mu, "are Lúsìla ninda and Amar, Taiwanese nationals suffering some shock from the abrupt crash landing of the aircraft. They don't seem to know why they were kidnapped, but they were instrumental in aiding Aya and me making it to shore during the typhoon.""If you say so, Sir," he nodded. He did believe me, yet a soldier was taught to be skeptical of anything a civilian told him about a military situation. "The bodies?""Those are the corpses we found after the storm. I decided we should attempt to place them in your custody so you can figure out who they are," I suggested."Sir, I don't think we can let civilians keep their weapons aboard the flight," the Marine Lt. stated since I had both a pistol and submachine gun, Aya had her pistol and Zhen had her and Mu's blades. A Marine NCO sent a party to gather the dead."Marine, I am Cáel Nyilas, Irish diplomat, freebooter and Champion of the worst possible causes," I began my spiel."You probably have some orders concerning bringing me in alive. I am not so constrained and am more than willing to steal this aircraft and fly back to Hawaii without you. My team keeps their weapons, or you give me your best shot, right now," I met his gaze. He mulled over his options. Two Romanians and two Marines were starting to load the ad hoc body bags aboard the C-37B."Normally I don't take that kind of crap from a civilian and I don't want you to think I'm making an exception because of your Security Clearance. I'll let your people keep your weapons, but if something goes wrong, I'm shooting you first," he assured me."Done deal," I offered my hand and he shook it."Oh and Happy Tibetan Independence Day," he congratulated me."What?" I gasped. Rescue and patchwork relationships{6 pm, Sunday, August 17th ~ 22 Days to go}{11 pm Sunday, Aug. 17th (Havenstone Time)}{And just this once, 11am Monday, Aug. 18th Beijing Time}"Oh and Happy Tibetan Independence Day;, nice work.," the Marine congratulated me."What?""How is that possible?" muttered Mu."Yippee!! No more burning monks," Aya fist-pumped. Personally, I think she did that for the enjoyment of our guardians and to piss off Zhen and Mu just a tiny bit more.(Mandarin) "Brother," Zhen studied her brother's pained expression. "What has gone wrong?"(Mandarin) "The province of Tibet apparently has broken away," he groused. In English, to the Marine Lieutenant he repeated, "How is this possible?""I take it you didn't know Peace Talks had broken out?" he grinned. I doubted the Lt. bought my 'these are my two Taiwanese cobelligerents' story, but belief was above his pay grade, so he didn't give a shit."Yes," Mu mumbled, "we knew of the proposed cease-fire.""Yes, you mean both sides actually honored it?" I added. I really had been out things for a while."Nearly two days ago, noon, Peking Time, the People's Republic of China and the Khanate put a six month cease-fire into effect which has remained intact for forty-one," he looked at his watch, "forty-one and a half hours." He was being a cock to the petulant Mu. No one called Beijing 'Peking' anymore. I had even ordered Beijing Duck on several menus. Peking was the height of Western Imperialist thinking, or so it looked to Mu.(Mandarin) "He is yanking your chain, Mu," I explained. "You are looking pissed off at being rescued, which isn't doing my alibi for you much good.""My apology," Mu nodded to the lieutenant. "Is there any news from the Republic of China? Are they free as well?" That was nice of Mu to call Taiwan by its pet name, the ROC."Not yet," he patted Mu's unwounded leg, "but with the utter shellacking the Khanate put on the People's Navy (really the People's Liberation Army Navy, but the Marine was getting his shots in) it is only a matter of time."I had been translating in a low voice to the V nători de munte in order for them to keep up with the conversation. They all started laughing. The Marines joined in. There was a huge joke here that we had missed out on while stranded.(Romanian) "So, ask them if they know where their aircraft carrier is," Menner chuckled. Most Romanians had grown up knowing of only one China.Me: (Romanian) "What!"A Naval Corpsman who didn't know Romanian, but knew 'aircraft carrier' just fine jumped in: "Oh yeah, the missing Chinese Aircraft carrier," she chortled.Mu: "What!"I'd only been gone two and a half days. What the hell had been going on?(What had transpired in my absence and the subsequent consequences)(Notes:P R C = People's Republic of China; PLA = People's Liberation Army;P L A N = People's Liberation Army Navy;P L A A F = People's Liberation Army Air Force;R O C = the Republic of China {aka Taiwan, aka Chinese Taipei, aka the "other China"};The First Unification War {aka what the Khanate did to China in 2014};Truce lasts from August 16th 2014 until February 15th, 2015 = 183 days)There are several classic blunders grownups should know to avoid: never fight a land war in Asia, never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line, and, if you are going to cross a master thief, first make sure you have nothing of value. For the land war in Asia, check with my partner, the Khanate. Substituting Black Hand for Sicilian ~ check with Ajax, use an Ouija board. So far, destiny was batting .500.The last blunder I created entirely on my own, but I felt it was the true and right response for the circumstances. So witness the Six Families of the Ninja and the greatest theft in all of recorded history.In the closing hours of the First Unification War, as in many wars, some serious theft was going on; mainly it was the People's Republic getting fleeced.The most obvious and immediate blows came in the Spratlys and Parcel Islands where Khanate forces (actually, elements from all the JIKIT players) seized the key island in the Parcel chain, Woody Island, and secured the P L A N base the Chinese had created there, including the 2,700 meter runway built there in the 1990's. The 1,443 Chinese civilians and 600 military inhabitants in the area were incidental complications and the survivors were about to be 'repatriated' to the mainland anyway; the Khanate didn't want them hanging around as they prepared for the inevitable end of the six-month truce.Yes, the Khanate had stolen the most important island airfield ~ an unsinkable carrier really ~ in the South China Sea. It was also the northern end of the potential People's Republic of China's stranglehold on the east-west sea lanes between East Asia and the rest of the World, i.e., roughly 25% of all global trade.The southern end? That would be the Spratlys. There are few 'real' islands in that 'island group' and only two worth having: the artificial one the P L A N was building and the one the ROC has a 1200 meter airfield on. That artificial island and every other PRC/P L A N outpost in the region was also stolen by the Khanate between 4 a.m. and noon of that final day of active conflict.Every geological feature that had been the basis for the PRC's claims to all of the South China Sea was now in Khanate hands. Considering how much the P L A N had bullied everyone else in that portion of the globe, the Khanate taking over their geopolitical position was incredibly awkward. It was going to get worse.Technically, the Khanate hadn't stolen the P L A N 'South Sea Fleet' (SSF); they'd blown the fuck out of it, including sinking the sole fully-functioning P L A N carrier Liaoning as well as five of the nine destroyers and six of the nineteen frigates in her battle group. The Liaoning and one destroyer had died in those last few hours as the SSF was racing for the relative safety of Philippine waters ~ so close, but no cigar.So the Khanate had stolen the ability of the P L A N to project power in the South China Sea until February 15th, 2015 when the U N brokered truce ended. But that was not the epic theft, though. That distinction went to the Ninja. What did they steal? A semi-functional Chinese nuclear powered super-aircraft carrier still under construction.The beast had no official name yet, but she was a 75,000 ton engine of Global Domination laid down in 2011 and clearly complete enough to float and to be steered under her own power. (To be on the safe side, the Ninja included stealing four tugboats to help in their getaway.) So, you may be asking yourself, how does one 'steal' a nuclear-powered, 1000 foot long, 275 foot wide and ten-story tall vessel?For starters, you need a plan to get on board the sucker. We had begun with the Black Lotus. They wanted to sneak onboard, exit the dockyard the ship was being built in, then sink it off the coast so it couldn't be easily salvaged. That was plan A.Enter the Khanate and their plans; they too wanted to sink this vessel, and destroy the dry docks while they were at it. That was plan B. Actually, the Khanate desire was to contaminate that whole section of the port city with fallout from shattered reactors. They knew they would have to apply overkill when they smashed that bitch of a ship because the PLAN had hurriedly put on board its defensive weaponry ~ ensuring that the Khanate couldn't easily destroy it. For their approach, Temujin's people wanted the Black Lotus' help with the on-the-ground intelligence work. But the Black Lotus didn't want to help anyone irradiate Chinese soil.Enter JIKIT as referee. All those islands the 'Khanate' was busy stealing were actually part of a larger JIKIT mission called Operation Prism. Another object that was a part of the overall plan was Operation Wo Fat, the sinking of the Liaoning ~ again GPS direction and distance to be courtesy of the Black Lotus.JIKIT absolutely needed the Black Lotus. The Black Lotus wouldn't help anyone planning on poisoning any part of China for the next thousand years. Sinking the unnamed and incomplete vessel off the coast in deep waters meant no nuclear leakage and plenty of post-war time to salvage the wreck before it did start to hemorrhage. The Khanate wanted to kill this potential strategic nightmare no matter what it cost the Chinese ecology.JIKIT went to the Ninja to help them adjudicate the issue. All the lights flared brightly in Ninja-Town when they heard of that delicate dilemma. They could make everybody happy and send a clear message to the Seven Pillars expressing how unhappy the six surviving families were about the 7P's trying to annihilate them when all of this 'unpleasantness' began.The Khanate was already going to blast the shipyards and docks, the Black Lotus was already going to sail the ship into deep waters, so why not take it one step further, sail the ship into Japanese waters and declare it Khanate property as a colossal Fuck You! to the PRC, PLAN and specifically the Seven Pillars, all at the same time?Now normally, you can't steal a ship that big. The owners will notice it is missing and come looking for it. And you can't sell or hide the damn thing. So, you steal it at the tail end of a war before the players can capture, or sink it. It just so happened the Ninja had access to a war and such a time table.The next problem: where do you put it? The Khanate's closest safe haven was 8,000 km away at the Eastern Mediterranean Seaport of Izmir.But wait!The Khanate was about to steal an island airbase with its own (albeit small) harbor. The Khanate was confident that a few weeks after the truce, an alternate port, or two, would become available for the two-to-three year process it would require to prepare the vessel so it could be commissioned as the true warship it was meant to be.So, how do you steal a well-guarded, humongous ship with its skeleton crew of 500? You need a distraction ~ a big one. Remember those Khanate airstrikes? They intended to destroy the dockyards anyway. Now all they had to do was 'miss' the carrier.They could do that. If you recall, to dissuade the Khanate from sinking the ship in the final days of the war, the PLAN had hastily put teeth on the thing by giving it all its pre-designed defensive weaponry and added jury-rigged radar and sonar systems. The carrier could defend itself if needed. With the new plan (C), the airstrikes could avoid those teeth, thus reducing the risk of losing their precious planes and pilots.A series of bombing runs and missile hits near the carrier would convince the PLAN admiral in charge to hurriedly put some distance between the ship and shore, Not out to sea. That would be stupid. Within the harbor, his weaponry could adequately defend his ship. And if she took serious damage, he could run her aground, so the vessel wouldn't really sink.The only problem was that out in the harbor, with everything exploding, he was away from the only ground security support available. That was when the Amazons, Black Lotus, Ninja and JIKIT mercenaries would make their move. How could they sneak up on such a big, important ship? By using the submarines the US Navy, the British Royal Navy and Japanese Defense Force were providing, of course.Note: As I stated earlier, Lady Fathom, Addison and Riki had wandered way off the reservation . By this time, if you were a Japanese, British, or American submarine commander in the Yellow Sea and you weren't part of this madness, you were insanely jealous of those who were.The missions JIKIT was sending them on were:-definitely Acts of War if they were ever discovered,-far more dangerous than any war game exercise they'd ever been part of, and-the ultimate test of their crews and equipment.These people weren't suicidal. They believed they were the best sneaks under the Seven Seas and now they could prove it ~ in 50 years when this stuff was declassified (if it ever was).For the one American, two British and four Japanese submarines inserting the assault teams, this whole mission had a surreal feel to it. They were transporting a packed assortment of women of Indian, Malaysian and Indonesian descent along with some very lithe Japanese ladies and gents, none of who talked a whole lot.There was a third group with the spooky women and spookier Japanese teams, and that group was scared shitless about the sudden turn their lives had taken. They were all former American and British servicewomen (to not tick off the Amazons too much) with carrier and/or nuclear reactor experience who had been RIFed (Reduction in Force, aka fired) in the past five years from their respective national navies.Around a week ago, they had all answered an advertisement by a logistics support corporation that was going to do a 'force modernization' in an unnamed country. They all knew that mean the Khanate. The job had been laid out as 'basically your old job with the addition of training the natives' and it included the promise of no combat.It was a guaranteed five year contract with an option for a year-to-year extensions for another five years if you desired to stick around. For that, you received your 'pay grade upon retirement + 20%', free room and board, private security, judicial protections and a $10,000 to $10,900 signing bonus. For many struggling military families, it was manna from Heaven and thousands were signing up.Then 72 hours ago, a different group from the same company came knocking on the women's doors. If you could come with them right then and there, they had a satchel of money, $100,000 to $109,000, tax free, and a Non-disclosure Agreement for you to sign. Sure, the deal sounded shady, but the money was very real.Twenty-four hours later those who accepted the money found themselves in a small fishing village on Ko Island, Japan. There some rather fiercely intense people outlined the job they were needed for. From a submarine, the assault teams would sneak aboard the carrier, neutralize the crew and then the new crew (them) would sail it to Jeju, Jeju Island, South Korea.At that point they would be allowed to stay with the vessel (preferred), or depart for a non-war zone of their choice. Both options came with another $100,000 to $109,000 payment. Anyone who declined this particular job would remain incognito on Ko Island for another 48 hours then be allowed to leave without the need to return their initial payment.Of the 312 job applicants, 293 volunteered for both the first and second parts of the assignment. With the technical and linguistic expertise of the Amazons and 9 Clan members that would be enough to get their prize to Jeju Island's temporary safety and then make the last leg to Woody Island and a more permanent anchorage.Besides the airstrikes to goad the carrier away from the wharves, all the Khanate had to do with the carrier was put three or four clearly Mongolian faces onboard when the various nations of the world came calling. After all, what was the public going to believe:, the Khanate had pulled off yet another daring (i.e., mostly JIKIT) Special Forces coup, just as they'd managed to do throughout this short war, or that 'Ninjas stole my Battleship, umm, carrier' stuff some PRC leaders were claiming? Forty-eight hours later the whole globe was able to watch the newly named Khanate supercarrier, the  z Beg Khan, passing through Japanese territorial waters while being escorted by South Korean and Japanese warships.The PRC did complain to the United Nations over the 'theft' of both the carrier and 'their' islands, but the Security Council, led by the UK, could and would do nothing about the 'latest round of injustices heaped upon the People of China'. By the time the UN got around to doing nothing, the next round of JIKIT diplomacy was causing the PRC even greater headaches.That greatest theft, while remarkable in its own right, was really a sideshow to the reordering of the political order in Southeast Asia. The big winner wasn't the Khanate. And it certainly wasn't the mainland Chinese. No, the nations to immediately prosper were an unlikely pair, the Republic of India and the People's Republic of Vietnam (PRV). The Republic of China (R O C) was also getting its own small boost as well.By gambling their precious navy, India had become the largest power broker in the South China Sea's resource bonanza. She went from a minimal presence to being the critical ally of the Khanate and the 'big stick' (naval-wise) of Asia's new dynamic duo. The Indians had the only two functional aircraft carriers in the region and the Khanate had Woody Island with a mega-carrier number of planes sitting on it.Their combined naval aviation was not something any of the others powers wanted to mess with. The duo then sealed their supremacy by making the duo a trio. That third member was the PRV. Vietnam was the land-based logistical anchor of the three regional powers.Not only did Vietnam gain the prestige denied it for over two centuries, it redressed the P L A N humiliating treatment of their own navy for the past thirty years. The Khanate's naval aviation would shield Vietnam's economic exploitation of the Parcel Islands. The Indian Navy could counter anything the P L A N South China fleet could come at them with.Yes, the P L A N had two other fleets, the Northern and Eastern, but both had been put through their own 1001 levels of Hell by the Khanate's air power, plus they had to protect the Chinese heartland from Russia and North Korean ambitions. The South Koreans and Japanese were suddenly a very real threat from the East too. But for the time being, the Indians had the decisive edge.The final location for the  z Beg Khan was an old familiar haunt for some Americans, Da Nang, PRV. It had the facilities, courtesy of the US military from the 1960's and 70's, to be the new base for the Khanate's Eastern Fleet and logistical hub for their naval aviation forces in the Parcel Islands.The Vietnamese were thinking with more than their testicles, as were the Indians. Sure, geopolitical clout was nice, yet that was only the icing on the economic cake that was the Parcel Island Accords. That hasty bit of JIKIT backroom dealings gave a 50% stake in the Parcels to the PRV.India got 20% of something she had 0% in a month ago. The Khanate gained a 20% stake for their audacity and the ROC gained 10% because the other three would protect its share from the PRC. Something was better than nothing and the three legitimate powers agreed to the deal because in less than six months, the PRC would be back in the game.The Indians and Vietnamese wanted the Khanate to stay interested in the region and the Taiwanese wanted to forge closer ties to the Khanate. That treaty was a 'no-brainer'. Within one week, the Vietnamese were strutting like peacocks and internal political opposition to the Indian intervention into the South China Sea in the Indian parliament was silent.The Spratly Islands was a tougher deal to work out within the six month timetable. There were more players ~ the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand (who had a non-functional carrier). The JIKIT deal gave everyone but the Indians a 10% piece of the huge natural gas, oil and fisheries pie and the Indians got 20% once more.The Philippines and Malaysia were both very opposed to this treaty; they believed they deserved a far larger portion of those regional resources. Indonesia and Thailand also felt they could hold out for a bigger slice and weren't happy with India getting so much for basically having a double handful of ships (34 actually) sailing about.That 'handful of ships' was the point JIKIT was trying to make. If the PRC beat the Khanate next year, did any of the players think the PRC would give them anything, even if they promised them more right now? Really? When the PLAN had the biggest guns, they hadn't respected any other claims to the region. Why would that change in the future?The reality was this: India would only stick around if they had the economic incentive to remain. Vietnam, the Khanate and the ROC were watching the clock and realized this was the best deal they would get. Brunei and the Philippines were also coming to that understanding. Brunei was tiny (thus easy to defend), very rich already and a good ally of the British.The Philippines had a very weak navy and a non-existent naval air force. They couldn't even enforce their current claims versus Brunei, much less confront the PLAN, or any other nation's current military. The Philippines was, sadly, relatively big and very poor. Its big traditional ally was the United States, and the US was currently busy doing 'not much' about the South China Sea situation.The world's biggest navy was partially taking up its traditional (and treaty bound) role of interposing itself between the North Koreans, PLAN/PLAAF and Russians arrayed near Japan and South Korea, or busily not 'ratcheting up tensions' in the region by sending more forces into the front lines.President Obama was urging dialogue and 'stepping back from the brink' even though every country in Southeast Asia felt the brink had already dissipated the moment the PRC was forced to accept the cease-fire. In this context, the Philippines had good reason to be feeling lonely at the moment.Bizarrely, both New Delhi and Hanoi were singing the praises of US Secretary of State John Kerry and the Rt. Honorable Phillip Hammond, Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for the UK, for their deft handling of the crisis, thank you, Riki Martin and Lady Yum-Yum.Riki wasn't expecting any thanks. She was certain she'd be fired and imprisoned for the rest of her life. Lady Fathom Worthington-Burke was sure she'd get two additional knighthoods out of the deal, which would look very nice engraved on her tombstone. Javiera had long ago decided to face the music and go down with the ship, so to speak.The CIA's Addison Stuart already had her exit strategy. She was going to go work for the Khanate, building up their clandestine service when this whole mad scheme collapsed into recriminations and 'extreme sanctions'. Mehmet, Air Force Sr. Master Sgt. Billings and Agent-86 had all decided to go with her. Katrina had their escape plane on standby. Mehmet's family was already 'vacationing' in Canada.Anyway, the Republic of India, the Khanate, the Republic of China, the People's Republic of Vietnam (the Vietnamese were happy to already be getting half of the Parcel Island windfall), the Sultanate Brunei (Lady Fathom 'knew' some people and the Sultan was an autocratic Muslim ruler, just like the Great Khan) and the Philippines (because they had no other true choice) were all coming around to signing the Spratly Accords.Indonesia and Thailand were kind of waiting for a better deal. Malaysia was downright hostile, having gravitated toward the PRC over the past decade and been assured by the PRC a better apportionment would be their reward for upsetting the treaty process.The Great Khan's answer was simple. He publically threatened the Malaysian Federation in general and both the King (Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah) and Prime Minister of Malay (Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak) in particular with military action if they kept dragging their feet.He even told them how he'd do it. He'd butcher or expel every living thing in the states of Perlis and Kedah (~ 2.1 million people) and give those empty lands to Thailand to settle along with the added sweetener of Malaysia's 10% of the Spratlys. He would also invade Eastern Malaysia, taking the island state of Labuan for himself while giving Sarawak to Indonesia and Sabah to the Philippines if those to states agreed to the split.He'd also decimate their navy & air force before devastating every port city, just like he'd done to China. He'd already killed more than two million Chinese. What was another two million Malays to him? Also, Indonesia wanted Sarawak and the Philippines had claims on Sabah. While they were openly and publically defying the Great Khan's plan, could Malaysia really take the chance?What would India and Thailand do while this was going on? Thailand stated that it would protect its territorial integrity, whatever that meant. India wasn't returning Malaysia's phone calls while showing their populace re-runs of Malaysian violence against their Hindu minority, the bastards!To the world, the Indian Navy proclaimed it would 'defend itself and its supply lines' which was a subtle hint that they would shepherd any Khanate invasion force to their destination. Why would the Indians be so insensitive? The Malaysians were screwing up their deal to get 20% of both the Parcel and Spratlys wealth, that's why.If the Khanate went down, there was no way India could defend their claims (which they'd won by doing nothing up until now). Oh yeah, Vietnam began gathering up warplanes, warships, transport ships and troops for the quick (710 km) jaunt across the Gulf of Thailand to north-eastern Malaysia to kill Malaysians because Vietnam needed the Khanate to ensure their own economic future as well.That military prospect had a cascade effect, especially among the Indonesian military. If the Indian Navy remained active, the vastly more populous Western Malaysia couldn't reinforce the state of Sarawak. Sure, the Philippines was unlikely to conquer Sabah on their own, but all the Indonesians needed was for Sabah to be kept pre-occupied while their army took their promised territory, fulfilling a fifty year old dream of conquest/unification.The United Nations blustered. It wasn't that they didn't care, they did. They also cared about the deteriorating situations in Libya, Nigeria, Syria and Ukraine. The situation was complicated by the unwillingness of the permanent members of the Security Council, namely the PRC and Russia, to recognize the Khanate.In reverse, when those two tried to stick it to the Khanate, the UK stoically vetoed them. Why? Well, more on that later. Let's just say the Khanate was good for business in the European Union in general and the United Kingdom in particular because the Khanate was prepared to economically befriend the British. Ireland was being treated in a promising manner too. The United States,the United Nations?Let's just say that in the two months following the cease-fire, the Khanate bloodily and brutally solved the ISIS conundrum and the Donbass Crisis. When the smoke cleared, the Khanate had reintroduced the practice of impalement to the modern battlefield, driven the separatists from the Ukraine and was on the border with Israel and Jordan.Sure, the Ukrainians were stun-fucked by the Khanate's 'peace-keepers' going on a bloody rampage through the eastern rebellious regions, but they had delivered up peace by mid-September. Yes, the Russians were in an uproar about the impalements.As the Khanate spokesperson said, 'if they aren't your people, then it is not your problem' and 'there are no more Russians left alive in the Ukraine'. In fact, fewer than a thousand people, all armed insurgents, were executed in such a manner, but the terror created by the highly publicized killings had the effect of sending a hundred thousand people stampeding over the frontier into Russia proper.Next, the Khanate said it wanted to 'reexamine' the Crimean situation. There were Turcoman in that area and they weren't being treated well, or so it was claimed.Even as Russia and the Khanate were posturing in the Donbass, the Khanate struck in the Middle East. By the end of September, Syria and Lebanon had ceased to exist as organized entities. Most of those two countries as well as portions of western Iraq became Turkish provinces in the Khanate infrastructure. Northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq became the Khanate state of Kurdistan.It was a campaign reminiscent of the 13th century Mongol conquest, not a modern military struggle. Whole villages were eradicated. The entire Arab population of Mosul was exiled to the new territories in the East. The city was repopulated with Kurds from Turkey. Back in Turkey, those Kurds were replaced by Armenians from Azerbaijan, cauterizing another internal issue within the Khanate.Jordan was cautiously hopeful. Israel? "We don't seem to be having problems with Hezbollah anymore," with a shrug and "it could be worse." As for ISIS; there really was an Islamic State controlling more than half of Iraq and all of Syria now and it allowed no other pretenders to that distinction. By the time the world woke up to that reality though, the Great Hunt had happened and I was dealing with the consequences of that.A larger ideological and political matter was occurring in the United States, the United Kingdom (and to a limited extent Australia and Canada). The Ramshackle Empire (aka the Khanate) was just that ~ a Frankenstein nation fueled more by nationalistic pride and nostalgia for a Super-State (that only two living people had firsthand experience with) than an integrated armed forces and infrastructure.It may have been built upon more than a 13th century creation and two hundred years of real and imagined oppression. It did have long term planning and real genius driving it forward. Having throttled the PRC into giving them six precious months of peace to 'tidy up the backyard' (aka the Middle East and Russia) and forge a true nation, the Khanate was now hiring experts to aid them in the task.First and foremost, Temujin and the Earth & Sky had envisioned an armed state built upon military principles and discipline. Fate had delivered to them the means of their own salvation in the form of NATO's policy of disarmament and 'Reduction-In-Force' levels (RIFed).The US and UK had trained tens of thousands of male and female volunteers in their Armed Forces in infrastructure creation and management for the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. From 2010, those militaries had informed those experts that their services were no longer required. Unlike the shrinking militaries of the 1990's, there was no private sector to 'soak up' the majority of those personnel.The Earth & Sky had been working on the problem of nation-building on a time table and they kept coming up short. They had to fight to create their state first, so the all-important after-battle had been something their leaders dreaded. Temujin had been understanding about not everything being 100% ready. Few wars were fought that way.Then a young male Amazon of mixed Magyar ancestry talked history with the Earth & Sky representative to a seemingly inconsequential personage's funeral. A few critical E&S leaders (a minority, to be sure) immediately sought ways to cultivate this man into what was a ten year plan to open doors to the Amazons. Then that man saved the Great Khan's life and everything changed.Before the E&S had even remotely considered directly approaching the Amazons for help, the Amazons came knocking on their door. The Seven Pillars of Heaven had tried to kidnap a camp full of Amazon children ~ an assault on their future. The two secret societies were bound by one unique, fortunate idiot and a mutual thirst for vengeance.They were also directed by two incredibly foresighted, ambitious and brilliant people. In Katrina of Epona, the E&S elders found someone who equaled their hope to see the Seven Pillars humbled and humbled immediately. Moreover, these were the Amazons they were dealing with. Amazons always sought both lightning decisions and long term solutions.From the moment Iskender left his third meeting with Cáel Nyilas, Katrina put the fruits of the First Directive (the Amazons efforts to recruit militant outsider women) into overdrive. Havenstone had the apparatus in place to screen potential inductees. All they had to do was add a "can you suggest any other people who might be interested in this line of work" box to their employment forms.That brought men into the process in surprising numbers. The market was flush with military veterans having trouble readjusting to the civilian community. The Khanate wasn't hiring killers. They wanted ex-military and civilian police officers to create a national police force.They also wanted engineers and builders, cadres for their cadet corps and a whole range of specialist in jobs most of the Western World took for granted. The money came from off-shore accounts funded by Havenstone International. The employment opportunities came from Earth & Sky front companies operating in the UK and the US (and Israel, but that was another matter).They had already started hiring scores of civilian English-speaking experts to help build their newborn nation's infrastructure before the first blow landed. English hadn't been chosen out of any cultural bias. Relying on Russian and Chinese sources wasn't feasible, the Khanate wasn't overly linguistically gifted where distant tongues were concerned and, as pointed out, the English-speaking world had a glut of applicants.Now to the problem, there were people in the US and UK who weren't happy with their citizenry going to the Khanate and helping them to survive and thrive. These power groups wanted the Mongol-Turkish Empire to keep the resources flowing to the West, without any reciprocal commitment on their part.Imagine their surprise when some wonks at the State Department and Foreign Ministries found bundles of expedited passport requests to the (former) nations of Turkmenistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Mongolia (and later Afghanistan and Iraq). The Department of Defense  Ministry of Defense were discovering their former military personnel and civilian contractors with Security Clearances were heading the same way.Of all those destinations, only Mongolia and Kazakhstan were under any kind of 'Restricted Travel' advisories. Barring any coherent anti-Khanate strategy from their administrations, the bureaucracies were doing their jobs, with Havenstone exerting just enough influence to get the job done while flying beneath the radar.After JIKIT was created, the group had a US Senator greasing the wheels to get the requests expedited. In England, Lady Worthington-Burke shamelessly used the people at the other end of the O'Shea hotline to get the job done overseas. She did have to sell out a teammate, but that was what good boys were for ~ taking one for the team. (That would be me, if there was any misunderstanding.)When Cáel Nyilas was kidnapped under the watchful eye of the FBI (I wasn't sure how they got that bum-wrap), the whole situation exploded. The PRC didn't have me, yet promised they might produce me if certain concessions were made. According to Addison, I was worth 5,000 barrels a day of refined fuel oil and 50 tons of coal a month, and the Great Khan agreed to pay! Woot! I was loved by somebody who was a somebody.All that attention drove home some salient points. I was a noble scion of Ireland, Romania, Georgia and Armenia (in no particular order) and they all wanted to know why the US had let me be kidnapped. Didn't my president know I was a sacred national treasure? After JIKIT tracked down the bribes and clandestine activities to Chinese shell corporations, those powers wanted to know what sanctions would be applied.'But wait, wasn't I a private citizen?' my national leaders pleaded. Then the PRC made a case which boiled down to 'I had it coming for being a fiancé to Hana Sulkanen and a brother to the Great Khan', while ignoring me being snatched in the territorial US of A. Of course, they didn't claim to have actually done the kidnapping.Javiera was waiting on that one; 'What was their excuse for kidnapping a little US girl to force my compliance?' The furious Federal authorities even found two dead adult bodies and two digits from said child to add to the media frenzy. To prove I had migrated to fantasy land, the CNN journalist got it right ~ they had tortured the girl and I had killed two of them for it. Just ask the Romanian Army how lethal I could be.In a rare comment, Temujin informed the international press that he believed I was still alive. Why did he believe that? If I wasn't, they would have been able to spot the pile of dead enemy around me and my 'boon companion' (go Aya!) from orbit. Until they discovered this carnal pit from Hell, I was surely still alive.Just at the cusp of turning publically against the Mongol barbarians, the world suddenly got angry with their enemy, the PRC. The principal two Western regimes were paralyzed with indecision until my miraculous cry for help from the middle of the Pacific showed the world I was alive, had punished my enemies and rescued others from under the opponent's cruel thumb.Clearly if I started ranting against the People's Republic of China, my government would be rather peeved with me. I hadn't screwed a dozen poli-sci majors to miss out on that obvious situation. I behaved and hoped they wouldn't make me die from an embolism, or some other equally implausible cause.(DC is a marvel. 9 pm, Monday, August 18th. 21 days)I'd been dragged to DC, to honor promises made in Rome a week ago. I had another choice; I could have justifiably said I was still getting over my kidnapping ordeal. But that choice fucked over Javiera Castello, my boss at JIKIT (Joint International Khanate Interim Task force).That was how I ended up in a 'secret and secure' meeting with Tony Blinken, Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA) and his experts. He was someone I didn't know. The rest, I'd had a verbal run-in with them after the Romanian bloodbath. I'd been cranky. I would hardly consider us to be on good terms now.All four experts were from the US State Department. They were foregoing their usual group of flunkies because this meeting wasn't really happening. All the participants were officially somewhere else, mostly not even in D.C. Had this soiree 'really happened', the Congressional sub-committees would have been able to request the minutes of Tony's meeting with members of JIKIT and:·         Victoria Nuland, Ass. Sec. of State for European & Eurasian Affairs (ASSEEA)·         Robert O. Blake Jr., Ass. Sec. of State for S & C Asian Affairs (ASSCAA)·         Daniel R. Russel, Ass. Sec. of State for E. Asian and Pacific Affairs (ASSEAP)·         Bill A. Miller, Director of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) (aka Big Willy)We made stiff, formal introductions (which signaled the utter lack of trust in the room.) Javiera hadn't wanted to put me through an interrogation this soon after my near-death experience, considering my snarky nature when stressed. The White House was putting the squeeze on her. The main player was Tony, who talked with the Leader of the Free World on a weekly, if not daily, basis.The Diplomatic Security Service people had successfully peeled off Pamela and my SD Amazons only after they agreed I could keep Aya. They tolerated me keeping the nine-year old girl despite the obvious fact she had gone through worse hardships than I had endured and was still packing her Chinese QSW-06 suppressed pistol.I had already fabricated and submitted my report on how I'd overcome a plane-full of rogue delinquents from the Forumi i Rinis  Eurosocialiste t  Shqip ris  (Euro-socialist Youth Forum of Albania) bent on recruiting impressionable European socialites by accessing my Twitter account.That's right, the Albanians had it out for me. I reiterated that critical bit of data to the Department of Homeland Security when they questioned me on the veracity of my memories. The two ethnic Chinese I was found with? I thought they were from Taiwan, and they both appeared to be suffering from amnesia.I was already suffering repercussions from my pathological refusal to take life seriously. Javiera believed I was about to get a formal apology from Ferit Hoxha, Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations. Damn it! Now I had to do something nice for the Albanians. Maybe I'd offer them membership in the Khanate, full-statehood with an economic package to sweeten the deal.Yes, that was how Albania and Kosovo joined the Khanate, a product of my love for exaggeration and a little post-Ottoman solidarity over Tarator (cold soup made of yoghurt, garlic, parsley, cucumber, salt and olive oil with a side of fried squids), Tav  Kosi (lamb meatballs) and Flia & Kaymak (a dessert I highly recommend).We had toasted the Pillars of Kanun (Albanian oral law and tradition): ~ Nderi (honor), Mikpritja (hospitality), Sjellja (Right Conduct) and Fis (Kin Loyalty), ~ and he promised to tell his people that I had Besa which was an Albanian-ism for being a man who would honor his word of honor (despite us being brought together by my lie). The shit-ton of financial and military aid I asked the Great Khan to sweeten the pot with might have helped as well.Later, Lady Yum-Yum told me that the military leaders of NATO called it a 'master-stroke' in neutralizing Comrade Putin's Russian-backed 'Greek threat

Mel Harrison is an amazing author whose story will inspire and uplift you. Don't miss this special episode as we dive  into “overcoming adversity as an author” After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in Economics, Mel Harrison joined the US Department of State Foreign Service, spending the majority of his career in the Diplomatic Security Service. Over the next 28 years, he served in American embassies as either a Special Agent/Regional Security officer or Economic Officer in Saigon, Quito, Rome, London (twice), Islamabad, and Seoul. While in Islamabad, as the Senior Regional Security Officer, he won both the State Department Award for Valor, and its worldwide Regional Security Officer of the Year Award. Following government retirement, Mel spent ten years in corporate security and consulting work with assignments often taking him throughout Latin America and the Middle East. Mel met his wife, Irene, while both served in Quito. Irene, a Foreign Service Management Specialist, and Mel married in Rome, beginning their lifelong love of travel and all things Italian. They now reside in Florida. Mel can be contacted at melharrison.author@gmail.com

School safety experts delve into the latest challenges facing K-12 institutions, including cyber threats and physical vulnerabilities. This session will equip you with the tools to identify potential risks, implement effective threat assessment strategies, and ensure the safety of your school community. Learn how to spot emerging threats early, ensuring that vulnerabilities are addressed before they become critical issues.Speakers: James Miller Assistant DirectorArlington Public Schools (APS), School Safety & Emergency Management divisionJames Miller is a Certified Protection Professional and an Assistant Director with Arlington Public Schools (APS), School Safety & Emergency Management division. He holds a masters in Homeland Security from George Washington University. Prior to APS, he was a Senior Security Manager for Amazon Corporate Security and helped grow security programs for HQ2, $2.5 billion infrastructure investment in Arlington. Between 2011 and 2020, Jim was a Special Agent with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. He was trusted and trained to provide a secure environment for the conduct of U.S. diplomacy while protecting people, global property, and information at over a dozen U.S. diplomatic missions around the world. As a community volunteer, Jim was appointed to the Community Oversight Board in March 2022. He currently serves as one of two, non-voting members for a four-year term. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Jim spent eight years as an infantryman in the United States Marine Corps, including three combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. When not busy keeping our schools safe, Jim spends time with family and training for triathlons. You can find him running on Four Mile Run trail or swimming at Wakefield.Dr. Judith Solis Deputy Director Region One Education Service CenterDr. Judith M. Solis is a passionate educator with over 40 years of experience in leadership roles that prioritize educational excellence, fiscal responsibility, and organizational health. Currently serving as the Deputy Director of Region One Education Service Center, Dr. Solis leads critical regional initiatives, including the implementation of AI gun detection technology and the "Driving for Success" program. She is a regional trainer for Behavioral Threat Assessments and oversees Adult Education and Early Childhood Intervention programs, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.Dr. Solis's career also includes leadership roles as Assistant Superintendent at San Antonio ISD, Superintendent at La Villa ISD, and Principal at PSJA Memorial ECHS, where she consistently drove improvements in student performance, college readiness, and district operations. Her innovative leadership has earned multiple accolades, and she continues to influence educational practices with a focus on collaboration and strategic growth.Aaron SkrbinDirector of Safety and SecurityAllegheny Intermediate UnitAs the Director of Safety and Security for Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Aaron Skirbin leads the development and implementation of safety initiatives designed to ensure the well-being of students, staff, and facilities. With a strong background in emergency preparedness, Aaron works closely with school leaders to establish crisis management protocols, integrate security technologies, and foster a culture of safety throughout the district. His expertise helps create secure learning environments while staying ahead of emerging safety challenges.

Charting Her Own Course: Building the Right Skills to Thrive at PostMelissa Dokurno's career has taken quite a few twists and turns since her spouse joined the Foreign Service, and even before he was officially on board. While they've both made sacrifices for each other's careers, they've kept their family strong even when physically separated.In this interview, Melissa tells the story of their difficult decision to live in different countries to take advantage of career opportunities. She also shares her recipe for success: be open to what's available!.BIOMelissa Dokurno, Esq. is a career public servant and proud mom.  Over the past decade, she has strived to find the necessary work-life balance to both thrive as an EFM and build a career she is passionate about.Melissa began her career as a local prosecutor in Long Island, NY, serving for 3 years to help victims find their voice in an often daunting criminal justice system.Capitalizing on an opportunity to test-run EFM life, she and her 2-year-old daughter took a leap of faith to join her husband in El Salvador while he worked as a third-party contractor for U.S. Embassy San Salvador.In life's twists and turns, Melissa returned to Washington, D.C. to work as a Staff Attorney for Bread for the City Legal Clinic representing low-income and marginalized clients facing unlawful evictions; she served in that role until she departed Washington to officially begin her new life as an EFM.Melissa has also lived in Matamoros, Mexico, and Bangkok, Thailand, and used these opportunities to pivot her career to become an Investigative Analyst for Diplomatic Security. Building on that wealth of knowledge, Melissa finally joined the Civil Service in 2024 where she continues to serve as an Analyst while her family is posted in D.C. for the next two years.Melissa remains ready to discover new and enriching career opportunities while also enjoying where life takes her!..AW SponsorThis episode is sponsored by the Available Worldwide Network. AWN  is a community-led private social network – i.e. not on Facebook –  providing professional development, personal connection, and social support for the accompanying partners of the US Foreign Service.We all contribute a small fee to fund the platform, but right now in October 2024, you can check us out for free using coupon code FALL24. If you're a motivated EFM or MOH looking for connection in an empowering community, we invite you to join what we're building together!We know the challenges of trying to build and maintain careers both at home and abroad. But making friends in a safe and supportive community like AWN can make life a little easier and a lot more fun. Check out all the FAQs and find the coupon code FALL24 on our website: https://availableworldwide.net/awn/

Disclaimer: Episode 115 is a re-release of our original Episode 96, which explored the 1999 Kargil Conflict and its implications for irregular warfare in South Asia. Due to an unfortunate data corruption issue with our original file, we are re-publishing this important discussion. The content remains as relevant and insightful as when it first aired, featuring our distinguished guests Professor Sumit Ganguly and Professor Tricia Bacon. Our guests kick off by exploring the regional security dynamics germane to South Asia. They delve into the impact of nuclear weapons on fostering irregular warfare strategies, highlighting the specific ways in which the acquisition of nuclear capabilities by India and Pakistan has reshaped their relationship. This shift has driven Pakistan towards a heightened dependence on proxy forces to achieve its political objectives. The discussion culminates in a focused analysis of the bilateral relationship between New Delhi and Islamabad, offering a clear and insightful perspective on the evolving dynamics between the two nations. Professor Sumit Ganguly is a specialist on the contemporary politics of South Asia and a distinguished professor of political science at Indiana University. He currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Studies Review, and in 2019, Professor Ganguly authored a Foreign Affairs article entitled, “Why the India-Pakistan Crisis Isn't Likely to Turn Nuclear,” which serves as the anchor for episode 96.  Professor Tricia Bacon is an Associate Professor at American University's School of Public Affairs. Prior to teaching at American, Professor Bacon worked on counterterrorism for over ten years at the Department of State, including in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, the Bureau of Counterterrorism, and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Her work on counterterrorism in the intelligence community has received numerous accolades.

Over a period of roughly 14 years, according to the feds, Linda Sun rose through the ranks to become deputy chief of staff to Governor Hochul, before she was fired for unspecified reasons and became a target of federal investigators. But according to the DoJ, the 41-year-old was secretly using her position to advance Chinese political and business interests and steal relevant documents. In return, the feds say, Beijing's spy service showered the couple with millions of dollars that afforded them lavish homes, a Ferrari Roma sports car, and—people had fun with this—special salted duck dishes prepared by a Chinese Embassy chef. In court on Tuesday the couple entered not guilty pleas to charges of acting as unregistered foreign agents.One person who is absolutely not surprised by all this is Nicholas Eftimiades who became a leading expert on Chinese espionage over his 34-year government career, which included work for the CIA, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and as a Senior Intelligence Officer in the Defense Intelligence Agency. Today he teaches at Penn State and is a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. He is also the author of “Chinese Intelligence Operations,” which will soon be reissued with an update. China's MSS spy agency, of course, couldn't care less about which party, or level of US government, it infiltrates. Its goal is to weaken the United States by any means necessary.Nick Eftimiadeshttps://twitter.com/neftimiadeshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/eftimiades/ Follow Jeff Stein on Twitter:https://twitter.com/SpyTalkerFollow Michael Isikoff on Twitter:https://twitter.com/isikoff Follow SpyTalk on Twitter:https://twitter.com/talk_spySubscribe to SpyTalk on Substackhttps://www.spytalk.co/Take our listener survey where you can give us feedback.http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

When a company experiences such immense growth that the name becomes synonymous with video conferencing, the importance of security measures increases accordingly. Nathan Mills joins the podcast to discuss the risks that come along with protecting people and assets for one of the most visible, evolving companies in the world.As an Electrical Engineer with an MS in Strategic Intelligence and Project Management credentials, Mills spent the past 20 years developing, implementing, managing, and innovating enterprise risk management frameworks. He has extensive international experience as a Foreign Service Officer (Security Engineering Officer) in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security and as the Director of Security Risk and Crisis Management at General Electric before his current role of Head of Global Security (CSO - Physical) at Zoom. Key topics of Mills' discussion with host Fred Burton include:Why the risk profile of a dynamic, highly visible product differs from a company with a more established line of business.How Mills structures his security program and the strategies he leverages to be more efficient.Advice for security teams who lead operations on a global scale and the top three things they should focus on.Key takeaways:08:29: Fred: You're working in an industry and a company that has become almost like the word Google. And you think of the success over the pandemic and how you provide such a vital business continuity resource to the private sector.09:00: Nathan Mills: Completely. Yeah, it's it's very interesting to work for a company that has become a verb and there's a lot of unique risks that come with that. In regards to the growth stage of an IPO and being new and having a lot of attention, that risk profile is very different than the ‘okay now you're established.' You've been built people are using your products you have a market. Now you're in different places in the world. Now you have people traveling a lot more and now you have an expanding portfolio of products. How does the physical security element come into play and help educate the executives and other people who are maybe not familiar with a mature physical security organization? 13:29: Fred: What advice do you have for security teams who lead operations on a global scale?14:12: Nathan Mills: One of the things that I've learned is how do you do more with less and I think that's obviously a tired cliche, but leveraging the relationships is something that I think a lot of practitioners might overlook. The ability for me to get it in front of the right people at the right time to be able to influence change is the hardest part about it. So as I was building the program the one thing I constantly talked about with my team was building relationships with intentionality knowing who your stakeholders are within our groups and reaching out to them to build a cadence and learn more about them.

Join host Mark Ledlow in this captivating episode, where he interviews Peter Ford, a former Army commander, and experienced negotiator within the State Department. Discover the critical role of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) and the State Department. In this episode, they delve into navigating life's unexpected turns and leveraging networking opportunities, drawing insights from Pete's experiences and strategies in the security, business, and entertainment sectors. Pete shares invaluable advice on maximizing events, making lasting connections, and utilizing networking as a tool for career growth. This discussion unveils the art of effective networking, providing practical tips for professionals seeking to thrive amidst adversity and uncertainty.Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.KEY TAKEAWAYSMaximizing Networking Events: Discover the art of networking and leveraging opportunities at professional events.Strategies for Effective Networking: Learn practical tips for making lasting connections and enhancing career prospects.Adaptability Amidst Adversity: Understand the importance of adapting to life's unexpected challenges and turning them into opportunities.Utilizing OSAC Resources: Uncover the benefits of engaging with organizations like OSAC for professional growth and development.Preparing for the Future: Explore the significance of intelligence, data analysis, and adapting to technological advancements in the security sector.QUOTES"Networking is an art and a catalyst for career growth.""Everybody's got a story, and networking is a great way to learn and share.""Adapting to adversity is a skill that leads to opportunities.""Your network is your net worth in the professional world.""Maximize OSAC opportunities—it's about engaging, learning, and contributing."Get to know more about Peter Ford:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-ford-8b841710/To hear more episodes of The Fearless Mindset podcast, you can go to https://the-fearless-mindset.simplecast.com/ or listen to major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also subscribe to the Fearless Mindset YouTube Channel to watch episodes on video.

Join Mark Ledlow in an insightful conversation with Peter Ford, a former Army commander, and experienced negotiator within the State Department. Discover the critical role of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) and the State Department in addressing current global security challenges. Gain valuable insights into the real-time intelligence, coordination, and support provided by OSAC to businesses operating in high-risk areas, especially in the Middle East. Dive deep into the interconnectivity between various interest groups and embassies, understanding the significance of collaborative security efforts. Delve into Pete's extensive experience, from his military service to his role in diplomatic security, and learn about his perspectives on the evolution of security measures in the diplomatic landscape.Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.KEY TAKEAWAYSRole of OSAC & State Department: Learn about the pivotal role OSAC plays in providing real-time intelligence and security support to businesses operating in high-risk areas, facilitated by the State Department.Collaborative Security Efforts: Understand the significance of collective efforts among various interest groups and embassies to share security insights and support in high-risk regions.Diplomatic Landscape: Explore Pete's extensive experience in the military and diplomatic security, shedding light on the evolving security measures and the challenges faced in different global regions.OSAC Annual Meeting: Gain insights into the significance of the OSAC annual meeting as a pivotal event, facilitating networking, information exchange, and building connections across various interest groups.QUOTES"It's not an ocean anymore; it's a small pond. We deal with everything overseas." - Pete Ford"The world's so exciting when you get out there and see it." - Pete Ford"You've got to treat everybody equally; when they go overseas, make them feel like they're right up there with the big boys." - Pete Ford"If you have a company functioning in a different country, OSAC has the liaison right to the embassy, providing essential on-ground insights." - Mark LedlowGet to know more about Peter Ford:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-ford-8b841710/To hear more episodes of The Fearless Mindset podcast, you can go to https://the-fearless-mindset.simplecast.com/ or listen to major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also subscribe to the Fearless Mindset YouTube Channel to watch episodes on video.

This week Justin sits down with Robert David Booth. Robert served as a special agent with the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security all over the world for nearly 30 years, in locations like Beijing, Geneva, Tokyo, Haiti, and Paris. He was the deputy director for the Office of Counterintelligence from 1996 until 2002,  and afterwards served as a consultant for the same office until 2012.  Today Robert shares about his career with the State Department and several of the very famous and infamous espionage cases he worked on over the years.Connect with Robert:Email: swampfox1@verizon.net Check out his book, State Department Counterintelligence, here.https://www.amazon.com/State-Department-Counterintelligence-Leaks-Spies/dp/1612542158Connect with Spycraft 101:Check out Justin's latest release, Covert Arms, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: spycraft-101.myshopify.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Kruschiki The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off!Soteira Systems Escape is an option. Save 10% with code SPYCRAFT101Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Police vs The Mob, Deep Undercover Truths. Special Digitally Remastered Episode. Disregard any ideas you may have about the realities of undercover police work, especially those shaped by Hollywood's depictions. Meet Lieutenant Ray Hassett, a retired police officer with 25 years of experience. His journey traversed the ranks from patrol officer to detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and even district commander in one of Connecticut's busiest police districts. Ray's experience goes far beyond the silver screen. He delves into the gritty world of deep undercover operations, facing the unvarnished truths of combating violent organized crime. During a three-year covert assignment, he infiltrated and dismantled a menacing organized crime syndicate. This wasn't just about going undercover; it entailed assuming a new identity, severing all ties with the police department, and confronting the very real skills, threats, and dangers lurking in the criminal underworld. Hassett's expertise extends to hostage negotiation, having received FBI training and serving as the Officer in Charge of the NHPD's Hostage Negotiation Unit since 2003. He's Crisis Intervention trained (CIT) and leads CIT officers in Connecticut, recognized as CIT Officer of the Year by the Connecticut Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement (CABLE). Today, he continues to instruct police officers in de-escalation techniques, fostering improved interactions with the public and individuals in the mental health community. In addition to his local impact, Lt. Hassett's influence spans the globe. As a contractor for the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, he imparts his wisdom on hostage negotiation and behavioral observation development to foreign police agencies in various countries, from the Middle East to the Philippines, India, Colombia, Tajikistan, Jamaica, and North Africa. But Ray's journey into law enforcement wasn't conventional. He began as a patrol officer in 1987, only to officially leave the force in 1990, adopting a new identity to work undercover in organized crime. In 1993, he rose to the rank of detective, tackling cases in the Narcotics Division, the Major Crimes Unit, and the Arson Squad. His dedication to community service led him to collaborate with The Yale Child Studies Program. This initiative brought together child psychologists and first responders, helping children affected by homicide and domestic violence. As a Fellow with the Yale Child Studies Center, Hassett spread this program to other police agencies in the region. In 1996, he ascended to the rank of Sergeant, serving as Acting District Commander of the Chapel/Dwight Police District after a brief stint as a street supervisor in Patrol. By 1999, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant and became the permanent District Commander of the Chapel/Dwight Neighborhood, one of the busiest police districts in New Haven. It was in this role that he excelled, implementing innovative problem-solving strategies and nurturing close collaborations within diverse and ever-changing neighborhoods, significantly enhancing the quality of life. Before his entry into law enforcement, Ray's life took an interesting turn. He was once a professional actor who toured Europe with his improv partner John Ratzenberger. His film credits include iconic titles like "Superman: The Movie," "Ragtime," "The Spy Who Loved Me," "The Empire Strikes Back," and "Body Double." Interestingly, he often employs professional actors to simulate real-life incidents, aiding negotiators in better preparation for unit callouts. In essence, Lt. Hassett's career exemplifies the stark realities and multifaceted nature of law enforcement, particularly when confronting organized crime and the challenges faced by deep undercover officers. His valuable skills, combined with a commitment to community engagement and crisis intervention, have made a lasting impact on the law enforcement landscape. Interested in being a guest, sponsorship or advertising opportunities send an email to the host and producer of the show jay@letradio.com. Follow us on MeWe, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. Never miss out on an episode of the Law Enforcement Talk Podcast subscribe to our free email newsletter, never more than 2 issues a week sent out. Click here and scroll down about halfway. Background song Hurricane is used with permission from the band Dark Horse Flyer. Be sure to check out our website. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend or two, or three about it. If you are able to leave an honest rating and, or, review it would be appreciated.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Jordan's financial journey started when he first asked himself, “What am I doing, and why am I doing it?” Since taking control of his financial future, he now enjoys a life where the usual worries surrounding finance have disappeared. Michael's lifestyle is a reflection of the simple plan he put into action many years ago, a strategy that is available to all of us, regardless of age or experience!   Hear Michael discuss: How simply starting allowed him to become a millionaire in 12 years Straightforward ways anyone can overcome debt and start investing The opportunities he leveraged throughout his career in foreign service Why time and consistency are so important when investing   …and so much more!   Supervisory Special Agent Michael Jordan joined Diplomatic Security in May 2002. Prior to his September 2021 arrival in Ottawa, Michael served as Deputy Regional Security Officer at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center. Some of Michael's prior assignments were RSO Montreal, DRSO Basrah, Career Development Officer, and Branch Chief Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program. Michael graduated from University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations.   Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers

Listen in as NYT Best Selling Author and former Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent Fred Burton discusses his role in the DS Counterterrorism Division (currently known as PII) investigating some of the most high profile cases including the investigations of the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing - Ramzi Yousef, the kidnapping of Beirut CIA Station Chief William Buckley, Americans kidnapped by Hezbollah and more!

The Author Mel Harrison is an American author from The Villages in Florida where he presently lives with his wife Irene to whom he has been married to for some considerable time. He spent twenty-eight years working for the US Department of State. Most of his career years were spent working in the Diplomatic Security […] The post The Alex Boyd Spy Thriller Series by Mel Harrison appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

Geoffrey chats with DSS Agent Ron Holloway as he discusses his career as a Diplomatic Security Special Agent. Ron was also the first social media influencer in the US Government. Where he was considered a thought leader and inspiration to many.Ron is also the CEO of Arrow Coaching LLC, where he helps individuals and organizations develop the traits, skills, and beliefs necessary to prevail in an ever-changing world. Ron is also the author of Antifragility: 10 Principles to Live by to Turn Crisis into Opportunity. For the full in-depth and uncut interview about working as a diplomat and Special Agent with the State Departments Bureau of Diplomatic Security just join our community and get access to our character database.--> https://www.thesuccessfulscreenwriter.comYou can find Ron's Book and more about his coaching at https://arrowcoachingllc.com/This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4506618/advertisement

Todd Fox is a former Marine, an accomplished Brazilian JIuJitsu black belt, Combatives and integrated martial arts subject matter expert, an author, and the CEO of Tour Protection.  They provide protective services, training, and risk management to the who's who in Hollywood, the music industry and diplomatic security globally.  Some of their notable clients are….Madonna, Tool, ColdPlay, Nine inch Nails, Motley Crew and Journey to name a few.  This show we spend some time talking about his new book Protective Perspective which takes a behind the curtain look at tour security from Todd's perspective and his camera.   https://www.tourprotection.com/ Intro and Outro Music by: The Tactical Twins, Jason Bieler and The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra and Tim Alexander/Fata Morgana Please subscribe and share our podcast with friends and family.  Visit our website for bios, future events and info at www.evosec.org  Like, follow and share us on Facebook and Instagram @evosecusa WE ARE PUMPED TO HAVE A NEW AFFILIATE LINK FOR ORIGIN AND JOCKO FUEL!!!  Help support this show by purchasing any of your JiuJitsu gear, Jocko Supplements, books clothing and more... link below. Origin/Jocko Fuel – Bringing back American manufacturing, producing the best Jiu-Jitsu Gis on the market, Jeans, rash guards, and world class supplements to help you on the path.  Use EvoSec10 at checkout for 10% off, this helps us greatly.  EVOSEC Originusa.com AFFILIATE LINK Tenicor – www.tenicor.com they are educators, and innovators in the holster market.  They are firearms instructors themselves, pressure testing their gear in multiple force on force events every year.  We support those who do the work.   Again, patronizing our sponsors helps us greatly.  Evolution Security is Eric Davis, Aaron Davis and Brian Schilt; specializing in self-protection education, defensive pistol and carbine, consulting, and weapons based grappling.  Their mission is to help those serious about protecting themselves and their loved ones, become more capable though filtered information, recommended study, and highlighting their mentors who are the best in the field.   In addition, Eric and Aaron (twins) are musicians keeping with Musashi's adage that martial artist should focus on art outside of the martial (bumper music recorded by the brothers). 

Today we have another great episode lined up for you. I originally got connected with this guest via our OG department at Hite. They sent me over his information and mentioned he would be a great guest for the podcast. He and I hopped on a quick Zoom call to learn more about each other, and I'm excited for this episode. He's a former DSS Special Agent who in 2011 became cognitively and physically impaired after a decade in the most stressful job in federal law enforcement.  He decided he would rebuild himself better than he was and on this journey became the first social media influencer in the federal government, earned a master's degree in LOD with a focus on executive coaching, to a senior advisor in the US Department of State responsible for developing the mental skills of 2,000 special agents and 50,000 support personnel, and he's now an entrepreneur.  This journey accompanied by training from Harvard, career experience, self study, and a lot of time as my own guinea pig lead to my becoming a sme on antifragility and crisis leadership.My guest today is Ron Holloway. He is an Anti-Fragility Coach, Consultant, and Public Speaker. He's also written an e-book called “Antifragility: 10 principles to live by to turn crisis into opportunity”Ron Holloway is the CEO of Arrow Coaching LLC, where he helps individuals and organizations develop the traits, skills, and beliefs necessary to prevail in an ever changing world.  Ron is also the author of Antifragility: 10 Principles to Live by to turn Crisis into Opportunity.   Ron is a former diplomat and Special Agent with the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security.Ron was also the first social media influencer in the US Government.  Where he was considered a thought leader and inspiration to many.He holds a master's degree in Leadership and Organizational Development from UT-Dallas and has advanced training in crisis leadership from Harvard.During Ron's journey he developed a health condition that affected him cognitively, emotionally, and physically.  Over the course of overcoming this condition he delved deeply into philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, physiology and spirituality and blended them to create a unique way to handle challenges and live a fulfilled life.

Join the Geopolitical Pivot cast as we interview Retired Diplomatic Security Special Agent Cody Perron in a blockbuster episode highlighting his impressive background in the Marines and Diplomatic Security, education background, current geopolitical trend analysis and implications of the Russia-Ukraine war, and Perron's current Bureau of School Security initiative for domestic school security, and his book entitled "Agents Unknown: True Stories of Life as a Special Agent in the Diplomatic Security Service".Definitely an interview you do want to miss! Definitely recommend giving a follow and taking a listen to Cody Perron on his podcast and Instagram "Off The X", join his patreon, and give a Twitter follow!The Geopolitical Pivot thanks Cody Perron for his time to join us for this episode! Enjoy!

 Dave Benson speaks of his experience as a Special Agent for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and lessons learned from this pivotal event during his conversation with Fred Burton. He is an accomplished security professional with over 40 years of Public and Private Sector expertise in the areas of security management, protective operations, travel security, contingency planning and vulnerability/risk assessment, and mitigation. Prior to his government service, Dave served in various management positions for Walt Disney World Security.Dave and Fred discuss:Pitfalls in protection during the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in 1996How his role as Director of Training for DSS led him to a career focused on behavioral threat assessments and addressing targeted violenceStrategies to address concerning behaviors and mitigate risk in today's threat environment

Tune in to the next episode of the Off The X Podcast where I have a conversation with DSS Supervisory Special Agent Kevin Warrener. Kevin served at NYFO, U.S. Embassy Manama, Bahrain, Counterintelligence Branch, as Site Security for the U.S. Mission to China, at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Bangkok and at High Threat Protection unit.

The State Department has several annual fellowship programs designed to bring in new talent. We've been bringing you their stories here on the Federal Drive. Today we're talking about the William D. Clarke, Senior Diplomatic Security Fellowships. Joining the Federal Drive with the details, the assistant secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, Gentry Smith.

From a desire to enter the sportscasting arena, Wendy Bashnan quickly pivoted to a life in Law Enforcement fueled by a desire to be in Diplomatic Security.  Wendy takes a career worth of experience and talks to the team about what she learned and how she used those lessons to pivot into a corporate security leadership role with a Fortune 500 organization.  Grab your pencils and get ready...

Your Working Dog Radio hosts, Eric @vanessk9 & Ted @ted_summers, sit down with former adjunct professor, former ATF K9 Trainer & Instructor, former DHS Field Canine Coordinator, the CEO of Project K9 Hero, the CEO of Paradigm Defense Concepts, the CEO of K-9 Solutions International, published author, and Johnny A. Masengale Memorial Award recipient; Jason Johnson @projectk9hero ⁣ It's fair to say, Johnson's resume speaks for itself; as a nationally recognized subject matter expert in scent detection and K9 procurement, the man is a bit of a legend in the Explosives field. (Be sure to check out the projects he's currently working on at the end of the post!) Johnson started as a police K9 handler and trainer, a member of SWAT, a Defensive Tactics Instructor, a Field Training Officer and the Officer in Charge of the Honor Guard. Johnson honorably served in the US Army as a Military Police Officer, and served as an Explosive Detection K9 Handler, Trainer, Kennel Master and Protective Security Specialist for the U.S. Department of State in support of the Worldwide Personal Protection Services contract with U.S. Diplomatic Security throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. Johnson was then a K9 Trainer/Instructor and Course Developer for ATF. He planned, developed and was the Lead Instructor for Explosive Detection Courses to a variety of domestic and International Federal Agents, LE and US Military. He trained, instructed and certified students in multiple federal agencies such as ATF, US Marshals, FBI, CIA, National Geospatial Intelligence, DHS/Federal Emergency Management Agency and many others working specifically in explosives detection. He worked with the MWD program, training over 1,000 MWDs. He was also involved in developing and instructing the agency's first off leash detection program, SEEK (Search Enhanced Evidence K-9), and the agency's first SRT dual purpose patrol/explosives detection canine. He instructed explosive detection canine courses for the US Department of State's Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program. Johnson then served as a Field Canine Coordinator for DHS, and is actively working with Congress to see that his vision of the K9 Hero Act, HR #5081, gets passed as a law to bring a positive change to the K9 Community for generations to follow. Be sure to check out his current projects:

Ellen Tannor, new Executive Director at the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), tells Security about her journey into security and diplomacy, the ambitions she has for OSAC and its growth, advice for advancing security careers and more!

In this episode Jodi discusses careers in Diplomatic Security within the U.S. State Department, specifically focusing on the position of Special Agent. Many of us may falsely assume that Diplomatic Security personnel are all either ex-military or former police officers, but that's not the case, and the State Department is very interested in recruiting from our talented, culturally competent pool of RPCVs for these positions. If you're interested in a career overseas, this is a great opportunity! Listen to this podcast to learn more about the position and what they're looking for from State Department Recruitment Specialist David Pernal, plus hear insight from Becky McNight (RPCV Mauritania, '03—'05), who currently serves in the role of Diplomatic Security Special Agent in The Gambia.  NOTE: The 2022 Diplomatic Security Special Agent vacancy announcement referenced in this podcast was open for one week only, and closed on February 1, 2022.  This recruitment window usually happens around the same time every year, so if you missed it this year, mark your calendar to look for it again on USAJobs next year. Featured Guests:Dave Pernal, Global Recruitment Specialist at the State Department, who shares information about opportunities and the selection process for careers with Diplomatic Security, and why RPCVs make great candidates for such positions.Becky McNight (Mauritania 2003–05) who currently works in the Diplomatic Security division of the State Department. Becky shares her own career trajectory, her fulfilling career, and how her Peace Corps service positioned her for working with Diplomatic Security.

Is there a middle ground between embedding a Paramedic on the team and upskilling team members with basic lifesaving skills? Should everyone have tactical medicine in their back pocket or is this something so specialized that you don't want to distract from other team members main roles? In this episode we're going to explore the role of the embedded tactical medic and where they fit into the overall care provision picture. Today, we are joined by Kris Zerkowitz, Director and trainer at Amarante Academie and big proponent of the tactical medic. With Kris' knowledge and insights on the subject we're going to be asking: Why do we need tactical medics, why not just directly embed a highly trained paramedic on the team?  Should all team members have tactical medical skills? Or would this dilute their primary purpose and CP roles? How important is physical fitness in distinguishing tactical medics from paramedics? What does the right skill set look like and where can you attain it?  Tune in to this week's episode for more insights on the subject of the purpose of tactical medicine. As Kris puts it… “We need to keep the paramedic or doctor as far from the action as possible but keep the patients alive long enough for them to get them there.” More about Kris: Kris specialises in Diplomatic Security and the survivability of close protection teams and clients in hostile environments. Providing training and consulting worldwide to all those travelling to- and working in hostile environments. Kris delivers skill and knowledge based training to Auriex and their clients and staff. https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisztian-zerkowitz-cpoi-sas-ap-tp-c-583762b1/ (LinkedIn) Amarante Academie More about the Circuit: The Circuit Magazine is written and produced by volunteers, most of who are operationally active, working full time in the security industry. The magazine is a product of their combined passion and desire to give something back to the industry. By subscribing to the magazine you are helping to keep it going into the future. https://circuit-magazine.com/read/ (Find out more >) If you liked this podcast, we have an accompanying weekly newsletter called 'On the Circuit' where we take a deeper dive into the wider industry. http://bit.ly/OntheCircuit (Opt in here >) The Circuit team is: Elijah Shaw Jon Moss Shaun West Phelim Rowe   Connect with Us:  https://circuit-magazine.com/ (Circuit Magazine) https://mailchi.mp/the-bba.org.uk/bba-connect (BBA Connect) https://www.theprotectorapp.com/ (NABA Protector) https://the-bba.org.uk/ (British Bodyguard Association)

More than 50 special agents with the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service joined the surge of first responders who rushed to the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. In the days and weeks that followed, they went supported emergency workers and federal colleagues at Ground Zero. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman spoke with two of them. Diplomatic Security Service Supervisory special agent Christopher Gu. And, the voice you'll hear first, the assistant special agent in charge of the New York Field Office of Diplomatic Security, Elizabeth McAleer

  Vern Abila is an accomplished broad-spectrum security, investigative and training professional with nearly 30 years of comprehensive, large scale leadership and operational experience in diversified domestic and international fields. For the past nineteen years, Vern has been the President and CEO of Abila Security & Investigations. Inc. (ASI) and has led ASI from a micro business operating from his home to a successful multi-million-dollar worldwide organization, earning the Colorado Small Minority Businessperson of the year for 2012. Vern's core competencies are corporate complex litigation investigations, threat and vulnerability assessments, surveillance and counter-surveillance operations, specialized critical incident training, logistical support, riot control tactics, overseas courier services, along with a wide variety of low and high-threat protective details, pre-employment screening services. Mr. Abila is considered a subject matter expert by the U.S. Department of State in VIP Protection, Critical Infrastructure, National Leadership and Diplomatic Security for their Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program. The combination of cyber, operational, physical security. Association of Threat Assessment Professionals Relationship between physical and cyber security. Training is not just for the one person, it's for everyone. Does this person belong Role of social media and personal privacy in the security realm. Lots of people trying to tear them down. Looking for people who are trying to find a cause.   Doxxing & Hardening the target. Parents, know what your kids are doing. Very difficult, everyone is public knowledge Find people through relatives, so talk to them. Growing interest in joining the influencer community. Helping schools become more preventative How to harden the target: Threat and vulnerability assessment Build on a plan "Knowing a person" could be a double-edged sword. Don't be single-focused on one aspect How to talk to police. Real talk.

Clare M. Lopez is a strategic policy and intelligence expert with a focus on Middle East, national defense, WMD, and counterterrorism issues. Specific areas of expertise include Islam and Iran. Lopez began her career as an operations officer with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), serving domestically and abroad for 20 years in a variety of assignments, and acquiring extensive expertise in counterintelligence, counternarcotics, and counterproliferation issues with a career regional focus on the former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. She has served in or visited over two dozen nations worldwide, and speaks several languages, including Spanish, Bulgarian, French, German, and Russian, and currently is studying Farsi.Now a private consultant, Lopez also serves as Vice President of the non-profit forum, The Intelligence Summit, and is a Professor at the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies (CI Centre), where she teaches courses on the Iranian Intelligence Services, and the expanding influence of Jihad and Sharia in Europe and the U.S. She is affiliated on a consultant basis with DoD contractors that provide clandestine operations training to military intelligence personnel. Lopez was Executive Director of the Iran Policy Committee, a Washington, DC think tank, from 2005-2006. She has served as a Senior Scientific Researcher at the Battelle Memorial Institute; a Senior Intelligence Analyst, Subject Matter Expert, and Program Manager at HawkEye Systems, LLC.; and previously produced Technical Threat Assessments for U.S. Embassies at the Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, where she worked as a Senior Intelligence Analyst for Chugach Systems Integration.Lopez received a B.A. in Communications and French from Notre Dame College of Ohio (NDC) and an M.A. in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. She completed Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Quantico, Virginia before declining a commission in order to join the CIA. Lopez is a member of the Board of Directors for the Institute of World Affairs and also serves on the Advisory Board for the Intelligence Analysis and Research program and as an occasional guest lecturer at her undergraduate alma mater, NDC. She has been a Visiting Researcher at Georgetown University and a guest lecturer on terrorism, national defense, international relations, and Iran there, at the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA, and the National Defense Intelligence College in Washington, D.C. Lopez is a regular contributor to print and broadcast media on subjects related to Iran, Islam, counterterrorism, and the Middle East and is the co-author of two published books on Iran.Cowboy Logic Radio: http://cowboylogic.usPlease consider in donating to the program:DONATE: https://paypal.me/RocciStucciPatriot Supply: http://GetMyPatriotSupply.comMugs, Hats, and Apparel:Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/meatball-armyGet you CBD and Skin Care Products with Verve!! Use Code: VERVE50 for 50% off you order!Verve Forever (CBD) https://GetVerveNow.comKickAss Beef Jerky (Code: meatball for 15% off) https://kickassbeefjerky.comMedia Sites:http://rsmedia.ushttp://ThePatrioticReport.comRumble: https://rumble.com/user/RocciStucciMediaCloutHub: https://app.clouthub.com/private/7dcc1ca9-2514-44aa-9c8b-fedbfb62e04eCloutHub Channel 144Rocci Stucci Media FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/RocciStucciMediaPODCAST PAGE:Spreaker The SitRoom: https://www.spreaker.com/show/rocci-stuccis-situation-room

Repealing Schedule F in the Biden administration Jessica Klement, Staff Vice President of Policy and Programs at NARFE, discusses federal employee executive orders and prioritization of human capital Using the Defense Production Act for vaccine distribution Bill Greenwalt, Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, analyzes the implications of invoking the DPA on agencies and companies Changing the culture of risk aversion at the State Department Gregory Starr, Former Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security, explains how reducing risk aversion would improve implementation of foreign affairs policies

Join Billy Mac and I as we discuss his time as a Diplomatic Security Special Agent serving in Cairo, Niamey, Kinshasa, DS Training Center, Baghdad, Gaborone, DS R&D, and Abidjan. 

Dave Benson is a 40+ year security professional who has worked with the State Department, Diplomatic Security, Risk Assessments and Mitigation strategies and so much more. In this broadcast, Dave very generously and clearly articulated some of the risks and scams we could run into online, while traveling, even on the phone. Knowledge is Power and we are learning from one of the best in this interview. The more informed you are about the potential risks, the more empowered you are to handle them, and the less fearful you will be. This is an interview you may want to listen to a few times in order to get all the information that Dave shares. Be sure to look for his new podcast called BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEE AND HEAR, all about your personal security and awareness. To reach Dave you can email him at dave@securingsouls.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wendy-green9/support

Join Hudson Institute and Center for American Progress for an address by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen followed by a discussion with Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office Representative Bi-khim Hsiao, Hudson Senior Fellow Seth Cropsey, and Center for American Progress Vice President Kelly Magsamen.

Join Joe as he discusses his time conducting security operations globally as a Marine Security Guard and Diplomatic Security Special Agent in the Miami Field Office, Criminal Investigative Liaison Branch, US Embassy Baghdad, US Embassy Rome, US Consulate Nuevo Laredo, US Embassy Colombo and the DS San Francisco Field Office. 

Join Matthew "Matt" Kovats as he discusses his time as a Marine Security Guard and a Diplomatic Security Special Agent. Matt talks about his time working in Benghazi, Libya, US Embassy Baghdad, Iraq, the Chicago Field Office, Diplomatic Security Headquarters and US Embassy Kabul, Afghanistan.

From responding to the Marriott bombings in Islamabad, Pakistan to the protection of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens in Benghazi, one year before the attack on Benghazi, John Fluker discusses his 12 years serving as a Special Agent in the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service. Assignments: New York Field Office, Mobile Security Deployments, US Embassy Islamabad Pakistan, Office of Professional Responsibility, Houston Field Office, US Embassy Lima Peru and International Programs.

Retired agent Jim Casey served in the FBI for 25 years.  Prior to joining the FBI, he was a police officer in Arlington, Virginia, and a Special Agent with the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Jim Casey reviews a Group I undercover case from early in his career when he was in the Detroit Field Office and assigned to investigate a major auto-theft ring stealing Mercedes Benz luxury cars, and equipment and vehicles from the Ford Motor Company. Two of his fugitive subjects were caught after being featured on the TV show "America's Most Wanted." Later in his career, Jim Casey served in the Indianapolis, and Cincinnati Field Offices, as well as two tours at FBI Headquarters. Most of his assignments were in counterterrorism and national security matters. He was a Director of Intelligence Programs on the National Security Council (NSC) at the George W. Bush White House. His Bureau career culminated in his assignment as the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office. Currently, Jim Casey is the President of FCS Global Advisors, a brand-new spin-off of the twenty-year-old security firm, First Coast Security Services (FCS). FCS Global Advisors will concentrate on complex and financial investigations; conducting due diligence and deep background investigations; security assessments; crisis management; and cyber investigations and support.  Join my Reader Team to get the FBI Reading Resource - Books about the FBI, written by FBI agents, the 20 clichés about the FBI Reality Checklist, and keep up to date on the FBI in books, TV, and movies via my monthly email. Join here.   Jerri Williams, a retired FBI agent, author and podcaster, attempts to relive her glory days by writing and blogging about the FBI and hosting FBI Retired Case File Review, a true crime/history podcast. Visit her website to check out her books, available as audiobooks, ebooks and paperbacks wherever books are sold. 

Today on the Sup pod, Bryan and Amanda are back with the top stories from the weekend. First, they cover Trump firing the State Department Inspector General -- his third such ouster of his impeachment revenge tour. They discuss how the latest watchdog was fired after investigating claims that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo inappropriately had staff run personal errands, including using his Diplomatic Security agents to pick up takeout. Finally we check on the rest of the Trump clan who are doing the most to peddle the conspiracy theories that the coronavirus is a Democratic invention designed to hurt the president.

This was also a video interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n_XlSNFsIE  Jim Casey has had a truly distinguished career of over thirty-two years in law enforcement. Prior to his FBI service he was a police officer for five years in Arlington, Virginia. Jim also served two years as a Special Agent with the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security. In 2004-2005 he was a Director of Intelligence Programs on the National Security Council (NSC) at the George W. Bush White House. This all culminated to him being assigned as the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office between 2008-2012. Jim's links Website https://fcssecurity.us/  Twitter https://twitter.com/jim_casey_  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FCS-First-Coast-Security-376687796503017   And don’t forget to support the podcast by subscribing for free, reviewing, and sharing.   New Livestream https://youtube.com/erichunley   Web: https://unstructuredpod.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/unstructuredp Facebook: https://facebook.com/unstructuredp Instagram: https://instagram.com/unstructuredp Join the Facebook group: fb.com/groups/unstructured

In our first installment of law enforcement-related fields, we get a great opportunity to learn about the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).  To advance American interests and foreign policy, DSS protects people, property and information at more than 270 State Department missions worldwide. This agency is assigned many responsibilities as their agents are tasked with such missions as protecting the secretary of state and foreign dignitaries the U.S., combating international human trafficking, and investigation passport and visa fraud to help secure our borders.   Given recent events such as the attack on the U.S. Embassy on December 31, 2019, this episode could not be more relevant today. Special Agent Federico Casso discusses DSS, his assignments and his experience working with this dynamic organization. If you are in college working towards your bachelor’s degree and considering a job in law enforcement, this may be the perfect career for you. Timeline: 00:00    Introduction 00:51    What is Diplomatic Security and what do they do? 02:16    The job, the missions and assignments abroad. 07:32    Building relationships and support with host countries.  Example Paraguay 16:13    Assignments within the United States. 18:32    Requirements to join the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. 19:46    Factors that may affect you negatively in applying to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security or any Federal job. 23:38    Stages of Training to be a member of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security 28:44    What is a typical day for you like? 31:27    What are the challenges you have come across over the 16 years of your Career? 33:33    What are the rewarding aspects of your job? 34:58    How do you manage stress? 35:28    What kind of impact does your job have on spouse and family life? 39:00    Any other memorable experiences in the course of your career? 41:10    The diverse educational backgrounds of agents operating in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. 43:27     What do you know now that you wish you knew back in college? 45:52     What other opportunities are available for someone with your career, your Background? 48:42     Closing and Summary Photo credit: U.S. Department of State Photo(s) Links:   https://www.globaltiesus.org/news/members-in-the-news/1431-agents-unknown-true-stories-of-life-as-a-special-agent-in-the-diplomatic-security-service https://careers.state.gov/ds/ https://careers.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018_SA_Brochure_v1.pdf https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-management/bureau-of-diplomatic-security/ Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/StateDeptDSS/videos/458202725056748/ Link for career information and salary: https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/specialist/career-tracks/diplomatic-security-special-agent/ Great YouTube videos:   https://www.youtube.com/embed/-QTzTP9vZRk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdlTm4q1s_4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pUwqAN4KtM  

Diplomatic security is a serious business for the State Department. To bolster efforts to protect staff members working around the world, the Diplomatic Security Service recently opened an extensive training facility at an Army National Guard complex in Virginia. The Assistant Secretary of State for diplomatic security, Michael Evanoff, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin for details on the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center.

In 1961, Goya's famous portrait of the Duke of Wellington went missing from London's National Gallery. The case went unsolved for four years before someone unexpectedly came forward to confess to the heist. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe one of the greatest art thefts in British history and the surprising twists that followed. We'll also discover Seward's real folly and puzzle over a man's motherhood. Intro: One of the desks on the U.S. Senate floor is full of candy. Astronaut John Young smuggled a corned beef sandwich into space. The following list of "Sasha Spottings" comes from Brandi Sweet, caretaker of Bella, Ojo, Schatzi, Babu, and Atte: Episode 9 Episode 46 Episode 63 Episode 114 Episode 139 Episode 144 Episode 146 ("mentioned as purring but I couldn't hear her") Episode 148 Episode 156 Episode 164 Episode 168 Episode 173 Episode 183 Episode 201 Episode 207 Episode 215 Sources for our feature on Kempton Bunton and Goya's Portrait of the Duke of Wellington: Alan Hirsch, The Duke of Wellington, Kidnapped!, 2016. Simon Mackenzie, "Criminal and Victim Profiles in Art Theft: Motive, Opportunity and Repeat Victimisation," Art Antiquity and Law 10:4 (November 2005), 353-370. Melvin E. DeGraw, "Art Theft in Perspective," International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 31:1 (1987), 1-10. Richard LeBlanc, "Thief-Proofing Our Art Museums: Security Expensive? ... Not the Morning After," UNESCO Courier 18:10 (November 1965), 4-6, 10-17 "Hugh Courts' Papers Relating to the Trial of Kempton Bunton," National Gallery (accessed Nov. 17, 2019). "The National Gallery: The Missing Masterpiece," Royal Society (accessed Nov. 17, 2019). James Whitfield, "The Duke Disappears" History Today 61:8 (August 2011), 43-49. "Thefts From Museums," Burlington Magazine 109:767 (February 1967), 55-56. Noah Charney, "The Wackiest Art Heist Ever," Salon, Nov. 15, 2015. "Spectre of Goya: Letters to the Editor," Times, Oct. 31, 2019, 28. "'The Thieves Vanished Into the Rio Carnival Crowds' - The 10 Most Audacious Art Heists in History," Telegraph.co.uk, Jan. 26, 2018. Adrian Lee, "Britain's Most Bizarre Art Heist," Daily Express, April 16, 2016, 37. Alan Travis, "Revealed: 1961 Goya 'Theft' From National Gallery Was a Family Affair," Guardian, Nov. 30, 2012. "A Blizzard and a Blaze," [Newcastle-upon-Tyne] Evening Chronicle, Dec. 31, 2011, 10. Noah Charney, "Art Thieves No Longer Oddballs," [Christchurch, New Zealand] Press, Sept. 2, 2011. Sandy Nairne, "From National Gallery to Dr No's lair," Guardian, Aug. 6, 2011, 14. Sandy Nairne, "How Goya's Duke of Wellington Was Stolen," Guardian, Aug. 5, 2011. "Hero or Villain?: Geordie's Bizarre Crime of Conscience," [Newcastle-upon-Tyne] Evening Chronicle, June 30, 2010, 10. David Lee, "It's a Steal: Why Art Remains a Favourite Among Thieves," Times, May 22, 2010, 21. Chris Cobb, "Stolen Masterpieces," Ottawa Citizen, Jan. 11, 2009, B.1. "Goya Thief Sent for Trial," Times, Aug. 18, 2001, 25. Peter Lennon and Edward Pilkington, "Files Reveal Innocent Man Was Jailed for Stealing Goya Painting From the National Gallery in 1961," Guardian, Jan. 13, 1996, 3. Paul Hoffman, "Psst! Wanna Buy a Hot Rembrandt?", New York Times, June 1, 1975. "Stolen Wellington by Goya Rehung in London Gallery," New York Times, Jan. 12, 1966. W. Granger Blair, "Briton Acquitted of Stealing Goya; But Admitted Thief Is Guilty of Taking the Frame," New York Times, Nov. 17, 1965. Clyde H. Farnsworth, "Ransom Asked for Goya Stolen in '61," New York Times, Dec. 31, 1964. "Work Said to Be Uninsured," New York Times, Feb. 18, 1964. "'No Questions' Deal Is Offered for Goya," New York Times, Jan. 8, 1964. "Scotland Yard to Examine Alleged Ashes of Painting," New York Times, Jan. 2, 1964. "Greatest Heists in Art History," BBC News, Aug. 23, 2004. "Portrait of the Duke of Wellington," Paintings in Movies (accessed 11/17/2019). Jillian Elizabeth Seaton, "Touching the Void: The Museological Implications of Theft on Public Art Collections," dissertation, University of Edinburgh, 2014. County Cork's Algiers Inn, from listener Ken Murphy. Listener mail: The Algiers Inn. Barry Roche, "Pirate Raid That Stunned Nation," Sun, Jan. 10, 2003, 8. Wikipedia, "Alaska Purchase" (accessed Nov. 22, 2019). Jesse Greenspan, "Why the Purchase of Alaska Was Far From 'Folly,'" History.com, March 30, 2017. "Purchase of Alaska, 1867," Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State (accessed Nov. 22, 2019). "History of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security of the United States Department of State," U.S. Department of State, October 2011 (page xxiii). Ralph E. Weber, "Seward's Other Folly: America's First Encrypted Cable," Studies in Intelligence 36 (1992), 105-109. This week's lateral thinking puzzle was contributed by listener Jesse Schlaud. You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on Google Podcasts, on Apple Podcasts, or via the RSS feed at https://futilitycloset.libsyn.com/rss. Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- you can choose the amount you want to pledge, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support. You can also make a one-time donation on the Support Us page of the Futility Closet website. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

In this week's episode John talks to Tricia Bacon from American University about her research on why terrorists form international alliances. Prior to her employment at American University, Dr. Bacon worked on counterterrorism for over ten years at the Department of State, including in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, the Bureau of Counterterrorism, and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. However, this interview focuses on her academic research since leaving the Department of State. Anyone who is based in/able to get to London on May 15th is welcome to come along to the launch of the Royal Holloway University of London, MSc in Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Studies. This event will include talks by Baron Bernard Hogan-Howe, and Prof Amina Memon. There will also be a panel discussion including Professor Nick Hardwick, Prof Anna Gupta, Dr. Anthony Richards, and Dr. John Morrison. Anyone wishing to attending can register for free herehttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-of-law-london-lauch-event-tickets-9533712591?utm_term=eventname_text Also anyone wanting the 35% discount on all Middle-East and Politics books from bloomsbury.com can use the discount code TALKINGIBT19 at checkout.

About the Lecture: Mr. Eftimiades will discuss China's espionage scope, operational methods, targets, and the impact on U.S. national security. The discussion presents analysis of over 280 cases of Chinese espionage. About the Speaker: Nicholas Eftimiades is retired from the US Department of Defense. He is currently a professor at Penn State University. His 34 year government career included employment in CIA as a Technical Operations Officer, Special Agent in the US Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and a Senior Intelligence Officer in Defense Intelligence Agency. Mr. Eftimiades held positions in analysis, human and technical intelligence collection, and program management. He distinguished himself numerous times in the senior ranks of the intelligence and defense communities. As a subject matter expert on Chinese espionage, Mr. Eftimiades was called upon to provide Congressional testimony and briefings to the Cox Commission, the Joint Economic Committee, and individual meetings with Congressional Members and staff. He is also one of only seven people appointed as an Intelligence Community Associate to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, National Intelligence Council. Mr. Eftimiades has an M.S. Strategic Intelligence, National Defense Intelligence College; and a B.A. East Asian Studies, George Washington University. He has authored books and many scholarly articles on Chinese espionage, technology, and space issues. His book Chinese Intelligence Operations, is an examination of the structure, operations, and methodology of the intelligence services of the People's Republic of China. To date, it remains the only scholarly analysis of China's intelligence services and operational methodology. Mr. Eftimiades is a frequent lecturer and public speaker on future technology, space, and national security issues. He has appeared as an expert on CBS Evening News, Dateline NBC, ABC's Day One, BBC, BBC America, National Public Radio, and dozens of other television and radio broadcasts. He has been quoted in hundreds of newspapers and magazines across the world.

Dadi is one of those types of men that you meet and you genuinely want to believe that he’s just special, that he simply built from something different and that he naturally has always just been on another level. When you actually speak with him, however, it becomes dramatically apparent that he is extremely down-to-earth and while he definitely is on another level than most and brings with him the types of experiences most of us have only read or dreamed about, he is a very warm, caring and down-to-earth individual. During my time with him in the field, I learned many valuable lessons both about executive protection and about life. He is simply the type of leader I really wish could influence more agents in our field. He was forged in a nation under constant threat and his professional career has the stripes of real-world experience within the protection game. He maintains strict disciplines with regards to his physical fitness, diet and intellectual prowess which gives him a monk-like feel at times and when it is time to work a whole different side to him comes out altogether. I hope that this interview gives the listener the opportunity to benefit from Dadi in ways that will make us all better practitioners in the end. Background: A Homeland Security expert with over 20 years of experience ranging from dignitary protection to aviation and diplomatic security. After a 22-year career in the Israeli prime minister’s office serving in a variety of security and managing positions, Dadi took his expertise to the private sector. He started his career as a special agent in the Israeli dignitary protection unit and moved on to operational and management positions. After serving as Chief Instructor of the Israeli Dignitary Protection Unit, Hewas posted overseas as the Security Manager of Israel's Diplomatic Mission and Aviation in Cairo, Egypt and as the Security Director of the Israeli Aviation in the US West coast. His last position in the Prime minister’s office was head of the branch, in charge of Direction and Regulation of Security overseas Facilities and Diplomatic Missions. Born and raised in Israel, He served in the I.D.F –Israeli Defense Forces, as a Special Forces Sergeant in a Counter Terrorism unit. Dadi holds a BA in logistics and Economics from Bar Ilan University, Israel. https://dadihanoch.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/dadi-david-hanoch-229147133/ Please support the Podcast www.patreon.com/join/ByronR For more from BYRON RODGERS https://byronrodgersmotivation.com www.executiveprotectionlifestyle.com

Southern Sense is conservative talk with Annie "The Radio Chick" Ubelis.  Informative, fun, irreverent and politically incorrect, you never know where we'll go, but you'll love the journey!  Southern-Sense.comDictators and Diplomats: Robert Starnes retired U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security supervisory special agent with expertise in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, investigations, and protective security. Robert served at multiple U.S. embassies worldwide, including reestablishing diplomatic relations with Libya during dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s rein, Guatemala’s civil war and Paraguay’s violent coup d’état.He spearheaded the protective intelligence investigation in New Zealand after receiving a threat letter containing laboratory grade potassium cyanide targeting visiting golfer Tiger Woods.AND Magazine: Sam Faddis, retired CIA operations officer, published author, and national security commentator.  In addition to writing, speaking and teaching, he consults for the U.S. military,  U.S. government and private industry.  Sam graduated from The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland Law School.Dedication: To all those who went before us to create, defend and preserve this Republic in honor of our 242nd Independence Day.Oldest WWII Veteran Robert Overton - ROBBED! See GoFundMe account

Southern Sense is conservative talk with Annie "The Radio Chick" Ubelis. Informative, fun, irreverent and politically incorrect, you never know where we'll go, but you'll love the journey! Southern-Sense.comDictators and Diplomats: Robert Starnes retired U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security supervisory special agent with expertise in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, investigations, and protective security. Robert served at multiple U.S. embassies worldwide, including reestablishing diplomatic relations with Libya during dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s rein, Guatemala’s civil war and Paraguay’s violent coup d’état.He spearheaded the protective intelligence investigation in New Zealand after receiving a threat letter containing laboratory grade potassium cyanide targeting visiting golfer Tiger Woods.AND Magazine: Sam Faddis, retired CIA operations officer, published author, and national security commentator. In addition to writing, speaking and teaching, he consults for the U.S. military, U.S. government and private industry. Sam graduated from The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland Law School.Dedication: To all those who went before us to create, defend and preserve this Republic in honor of our 242nd Independence Day.Oldest WWII Veteran Robert Overton - ROBBED! See GoFundMe account

Southern Sense is conservative talk with Annie "The Radio Chick" Ubelis.  Informative, fun, irreverent and politically incorrect, you never know where we'll go, but you'll love the journey!  Southern-Sense.com Dictators and Diplomats: Robert Starnes retired U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security supervisory special agent with expertise in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, investigations, and protective security. Robert served at multiple U.S. embassies worldwide, including reestablishing diplomatic relations with Libya during dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s rein, Guatemala’s civil war and Paraguay’s violent coup d’état. He spearheaded the protective intelligence investigation in New Zealand after receiving a threat letter containing laboratory grade potassium cyanide targeting visiting golfer Tiger Woods. AND Magazine: Sam Faddis, retired CIA operations officer, published author, and national security commentator.  In addition to writing, speaking and teaching, he consults for the U.S. military,  U.S. government and private industry.  Sam graduated from The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland Law School. Dedication: To all those who went before us to create, defend and preserve this Republic in honor of our 242nd Independence Day. Oldest WWII Veteran Robert Overton - ROBBED! See GoFundMe account

Southern Sense is conservative talk with Annie "The Radio Chick" Ubelis. Informative, fun, irreverent and politically incorrect, you never know where we'll go, but you'll love the journey! Southern-Sense.comDictators and Diplomats: Robert Starnes retired U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security supervisory special agent with expertise in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, investigations, and protective security. Robert served at multiple U.S. embassies worldwide, including reestablishing diplomatic relations with Libya during dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s rein, Guatemala’s civil war and Paraguay’s violent coup d’état.He spearheaded the protective intelligence investigation in New Zealand after receiving a threat letter containing laboratory grade potassium cyanide targeting visiting golfer Tiger Woods.AND Magazine: Sam Faddis, retired CIA operations officer, published author, and national security commentator. In addition to writing, speaking and teaching, he consults for the U.S. military, U.S. government and private industry. Sam graduated from The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland Law School.Dedication: To all those who went before us to create, defend and preserve this Republic in honor of our 242nd Independence Day.Oldest WWII Veteran Robert Overton - ROBBED! See GoFundMe account

Frontis Wiggins, who recently retired from the State Department as its CIO, said the Diplomatic Security and CIO offices have made some progress to work on cyber issues, but more is needed.

"Nowadays, especially with all the eyes on the police, they don't need to be getting emotional. They need to just be professional."Interview with police Detective, Systema Instructor, and author of The Bodyguard Enchiridion, Joe Mayberry. Joe has particular authority to speak on the value of Systema in real life-or-death encounters. He is a former US Marine, a former bodyguard with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and is currently lead homicide detective with the St Louis Police Department. He is also Founder and Chief Instructor of Systema Vasiliev St Louis, where he teaches weekly classes and self-protection seminars. I caught up with Joe in August at Systema HQ's Parameters of Power seminar in Toronto. Here, we talk about his path into training, Systema as an operating system, and its critical worth for law enforcement and security professionals. Find out more about Joe's classes at www.stlsystema.com.The Bodyguard Enchiridion is available on Amazon Books and Kindle Books, here.

John Eustace retired from the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security in late July. On Target USA, he warns that unless the "leadership" wakes up, a tragedy like the one in Benghazi that left a U.S. ambassador and three others dead is going to happen. Money is the issue. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is being asked to trim its budget at the worst possible time. "The world is on fire, " Fred Burton, former deputy secretary for counterterrorism at the Diplomatic Security Service, told Target USA, and diplomats are the first line of defense.

When Henry Kissinger became Secretary of State in September 1973, he declined the usual Diplomatic Security (DS) protective detail, preferring the protection of the Secret Service as he was already under its protection as the head of the National Security Council (NSC) and had a good relationship with the detail leader, Walter Bothe. His wife, Nancy, on the other hand, was quite satisfied with the DS agents attached to her detail. Bruce Tully, who was interviewed by Charles Stuart Kennedy beginning in July 2015, is a veteran of both the Secret Service and Diplomatic Security and was one of the agents on her detail.