Popular in Arts and Humanities

Arts and Humanities

Titus Quinctius Flamininus’ “Italian triumph”

McGill University Michael Fronda

Arts and Humanities

Lincoln and the Jews

Brandeis University Jonathan Sarna

Arts and Humanities

Amputations and Convalescence

University of Western Australia Emily Brink

Art

Drawing on the past: Palladio, his precursors and knowledge of ancient architecture

University of Birmingham David Hemsoll

Art

Language, Sound, and Image in Wallace Berman’s Aleph, 1956–1966

University of San Diego Chelsea Behle Fralick

Arts and Humanities

Early Modern Natural Law Theories

University of Copenhagen Knud Haakonssen

Stories from Langley

View more insights in Arts and Humanities - Books - History - History of North America and the United States

View more figures from University of North Florida

View the page of Edward Mickolus

Read the Study

· Tools Cite Embed

Edward Mickolus, a former CIA intelligence officer, reveals the breadth of career opportunities available at the CIA

Image courtesy of interviewee. August 22, 2024

Log-in or Sign-up to Faculti
Currently viewing this subject insight as a guest. You have insight(s) remaining for this month.

Workspace

Faculti AI is thinking...

< >

Summary
Related Studies
Faculti AI
Key Points
Key Quotes
Translate
Transcript

Export as PDF

This video appears to be a transcription of an interview discussing a book focused on the diverse roles and experiences within the CIA, particularly those of analysts and other non-operational personnel. The author, Ed, outlines his motivations for writing the book, which stemmed from a lack of literature regarding the various functions of CIA employees beyond just operatives and directors. He gathered firsthand accounts and mini memoirs from colleagues to provide insights into their work and experiences.

The interview also explores the recruitment process for the CIA, emphasizing that a wide range of backgrounds and skill sets are welcome, and not limited to traditional fields. It provides an overview of a typical day in the life of a CIA analyst, highlighting the collaborative nature of the work, which involves processing information from various sources and briefing policymakers.

Ed shares anecdotes from his career and emphasizes the constant changes and opportunities for growth and new responsibilities that come with working at the agency. He discusses significant moments in his career, including helping prevent terrorist attacks and participating in important discussions on international relations.

Lastly, Ed mentions his future writing projects, including a follow-up book featuring diverse perspectives within the agency, humorous pieces about the CIA, and a collaborative fiction project with other CIA personnel. The interview showcases Ed's deep commitment to sharing the untold stories of those who work in intelligence and the varied career paths available within the CIA.

Language:

Export as PDF

Export as PDF
Here are five key points from the video:

1. **Focus on Analysts and Support Roles**: The speaker, a former recruiter for the CIA, noted the lack of literature on the roles of analysts and support staff within the agency, prompting them to seek contributions that would provide insight into these careers.

2. **Diverse Career Opportunities**: The speaker emphasized that the CIA employs individuals from various educational backgrounds and professions, including nurses and makeup artists, highlighting the wide range of skills needed in the agency.

3. **Dynamic Career Paths**: The speaker shared their own diverse career trajectory within the CIA, illustrating that employees often change roles and areas of focus throughout their careers and that adaptability to organizational and global changes is essential.

4. **Importance of Responsibility and Collaboration**: Those working at the CIA are given significant responsibilities early in their careers, often engaging in high-level discussions and collaborating with colleagues across different aspects of intelligence work.

5. **Contributions to Storytelling and Public Understanding**: The speaker aims to provide a broader understanding of the agency's work through memoirs and guides, while also correcting misconceptions about CIA terminology (e.g., referring to personnel as "officers" rather than "agents").

Export as PDF
Here are some key quotes from the video:

1. "People would ask me, what should I read about you guys rather than just watch, uh, TV or movies."

2. "There were a lot of books on what operatives do... but nothing really on what analysts do."

3. "This is aimed principally at applicants, but also at professors who were teaching people about what the real agency is like and somewhat for the general public as well."

4. "You don’t have 300 pages in you, but you might want to give me 10 pages."

5. "We will say that this is a calling rather than a job."

6. "You have a huge amount of responsibility at a very tender age."

7. "I don't care what your major is. You probably have a position at CIA awaiting you."

8. "We don't advocate policy. What we do instead is go through the welter of material that we are getting and serve as essentially a local guide through all of that jungle of detail."

9. "Folks need to be aware that you are going to be experiencing constant change throughout your career."

10. "What really stood out for me was when we had a not young 9-year-old child come in for just let's have him meet the director... and you can see the little spark in his eyes."

11. "If you see one of us referred to as an agent, that is incorrect, we call ourselves officers."

12. "Agents are the folks overseas who are stealing secrets for us... of that nationality."

These quotes capture the essence of the speaker's reflections on their experience in the CIA, the responsibilities and opportunities within the agency, and the broader themes of change and service.

Export as PDF
Here are some similar articles that relate to the themes, subjects, and insights discussed in the video regarding the CIA, intelligence work, and the personal experiences of agency employees:

1. **The Unseen Side of the CIA: Analysts and Their Role**
This article delves into the daily operations of CIA analysts, highlighting their contributions beyond fieldwork. It discusses how these individuals interpret intelligence, support national security, and work closely with policymakers.

2. **A Day in the Life of a CIA Analyst**
This piece provides a detailed narrative of a typical day for a CIA analyst, outlining their responsibilities, the tools they use, and the kinds of interactions they have with other intelligence agencies and government entities.

3. **Diversity in Intelligence: Broadening Recruitment in the CIA**
This article examines the CIA's recruitment strategies, focusing on the importance of diverse backgrounds and experiences. It features interviews with current CIA personnel who discuss how their unique skills enhance the agency's capabilities.

4. **Inside the CIA: Personal Accounts from Former Analysts**
This collection of essays or interviews captures the experiences of former CIA analysts, revealing the strategic thinking and emotional toll associated with the job. They reflect on significant events they were involved in and the lessons learned.

5. **The Untold Stories of the CIA: A Historical Perspective**
This article investigates the lesser-known roles within the CIA, such as support staff and intelligence analysts. It emphasizes the history of these positions and their evolution over time in relation to the agency's operations.

6. **Writing in the Shadows: CIA Employees Share Their Stories**
This article presents a compilation of narratives and anecdotes from CIA personnel, showcasing their experiences and contributions to national security. The focus is on breaking down the misconceptions surrounding who works at the agency.

7. **From Operative to Author: Former CIA Employees Share Their Insights**
This article profiles former CIA operatives and analysts who transitioned to writing. They discuss their motivations for crafting books and articles that shed light on their careers and the agency's operations.

Each of these articles can provide additional insights into the roles within the CIA, the recruitment process, personal experiences, and the overarching impact of intelligence work on national security and policy-making.

X-TIMESTAMP-MAP:LOCAL=00:00:00.000,MPEGTS=900000

00:00.185 --> 00:02.685
Was working as a recruiter for the agency.

00:02.905 --> 00:06.285
People would ask me, what should I read about you guys

00:06.865 --> 00:09.885
rather than just watch, TV or movies.

00:10.705 --> 00:14.525
And there were a lot of books on what operatives do

00:14.545 --> 00:16.365
or what directors of the agency do,

00:16.985 --> 00:20.205
but nothing really on what analysts do.

00:21.125 --> 00:25.965
Scientists, technical folk support folk, you name it.

00:26.425 --> 00:29.845
So I wanted to offer those views.

00:30.545 --> 00:31.965
Um, I asked my friends,

00:32.315 --> 00:34.165
what are the unconsidered opportunities

00:34.635 --> 00:36.885
that people aren't getting from the literature?

00:37.625 --> 00:42.265
Um, you don't have 300 pages in you,

00:42.685 --> 00:44.585
but you might want to give me 10 pages.

00:45.125 --> 00:47.425
So people gave me many memoirs.

00:48.165 --> 00:50.905
Um, this is aimed principally at applicants,

00:50.905 --> 00:53.705
but also at professors who were teaching people about

00:53.735 --> 00:55.265
what the real agency is like

00:55.885 --> 00:58.585
and somewhat for the general public as well.

00:59.385 --> 01:02.065
I also wanted to have the opportunity to tell the story

01:02.085 --> 01:05.705
of a friend of mine who was captured in Cuba while doing an

01:05.705 --> 01:08.225
audio operation back in 1960.

01:08.845 --> 01:10.825
Uh, tell the story of his heroism

01:11.245 --> 01:14.785
and you find stories of heroism throughout the agency.

01:14.965 --> 01:17.585
So I wanted to give him that opportunity as well.

01:17.685 --> 01:21.665
We have geographers economists, multiple skills folks.

01:21.925 --> 01:24.825
Uh, for example, I was an analyst,

01:24.965 --> 01:29.065
an operations officer, covert action officer Manager,

01:29.325 --> 01:30.745
did public affairs for a while.

01:31.225 --> 01:33.145
I was a recruiter. I was an instructor.

01:33.985 --> 01:36.585
I also have in the book a photo interpreter,

01:37.065 --> 01:39.785
a congressional liaison officer, a finance officer,

01:40.825 --> 01:45.755
logistics, essentially a gadget guy,

01:46.295 --> 01:48.995
and a secretary plus folks who briefed presidents

01:49.015 --> 01:50.315
and presidential candidates.

01:51.235 --> 01:53.915
A huge breadth of operations,

01:54.135 --> 01:56.635
of opportunities that people have.

01:56.695 --> 01:59.475
People are surprised when I say, I don't care

01:59.505 --> 02:00.595
what your major is.

02:01.175 --> 02:05.195
You probably have a position at CIA awaiting you.

02:05.905 --> 02:09.355
I've hired nurses, I've hired analysts.

02:09.865 --> 02:11.835
I've hired anything you can imagine.

02:12.415 --> 02:16.035
Uh, sometimes we hire makeup artists, for disguises.

02:16.935 --> 02:19.435
You name it, there's a job in there for you.

02:19.535 --> 02:23.275
You come in and you read traffic cables that have shown up,

02:23.295 --> 02:25.595
photos, intercepts, whatever.

02:26.015 --> 02:28.875
And you're trying to figure out, is there something

02:28.875 --> 02:32.035
that the president needs today from me on my topic?

02:33.095 --> 02:36.755
Or is there something that other senior policymakers need

02:37.375 --> 02:39.715
or other policymakers

02:40.295 --> 02:44.195
or you name it, what do they need today from me

02:45.005 --> 02:46.785
and what don't I know at the moment?

02:46.895 --> 02:48.505
What don't we know at the moment?

02:48.685 --> 02:51.625
So you're drafting requirements for all

02:51.625 --> 02:54.705
of those different collection capabilities that we have,

02:55.325 --> 02:58.545
be it human source satellites or others.

02:59.485 --> 03:01.385
You're then trying to figure out, okay,

03:02.205 --> 03:04.145
anyone in the intelligence community

03:04.145 --> 03:06.465
or the policy community have anything

03:06.465 --> 03:07.745
to contribute to this as well?

03:08.285 --> 03:10.305
So you communicate with them for a while

03:10.965 --> 03:12.625
if you're writing a long-term paper.

03:12.885 --> 03:17.625
And this isn't, as frequent as it used to be.

03:17.725 --> 03:19.145
As you'll see in the book, we used

03:19.145 --> 03:20.425
to do a lot of long-term papers.

03:21.245 --> 03:22.505
You might work on that.

03:23.045 --> 03:24.905
You'll probably are going to go downtown

03:25.005 --> 03:26.665
to do a briefing or two as well.

03:27.525 --> 03:32.025
Our customers prefer to have a briefer attached to the paper

03:32.025 --> 03:34.305
that we write so that you can ask questions

03:34.305 --> 03:37.585
and get better insight into what's going on.

03:38.325 --> 03:41.025
Uh, you might be at a national intelligence

03:41.545 --> 03:44.625
estimate meeting, which brings all

03:44.625 --> 03:46.385
of the intelligence community together.

03:47.005 --> 03:50.745
Um, you probably are going to be coordinating, a term

03:50.745 --> 03:54.985
of art for us on what your piece says

03:55.335 --> 03:58.425
that their office might be able to contribute to as well.

03:58.605 --> 04:01.465
So you're doing a lot of collaboration with people.

04:02.165 --> 04:04.025
You might contribute to the World Fact book

04:04.025 --> 04:05.865
that day on your country

04:06.845 --> 04:10.225
and you're working with editors all the time.

04:10.405 --> 04:14.545
We will say that this is a calling rather than a job.

04:15.285 --> 04:16.705
You have a huge amount

04:16.705 --> 04:19.585
of responsibility at a very tender age.

04:20.295 --> 04:24.345
When I came in, two years in at age 27,

04:24.945 --> 04:27.265
I was meeting with the British cabinet for a long weekend.

04:27.965 --> 04:30.625
Um, at Ditchley, if you recall where that is.

04:31.445 --> 04:35.825
Um, there's a piece by Anne Gruner in the book on

04:36.645 --> 04:38.425
she was 27 as well

04:38.725 --> 04:42.305
and was seconded to an arms control,

04:42.735 --> 04:47.425
negotiation team where she was directly influencing,

04:48.045 --> 04:50.785
how we thought about what the Soviets were going

04:50.785 --> 04:55.025
to be doing, in their propaganda out, outreach

04:55.565 --> 04:58.145
and in other means that they had

04:58.165 --> 05:00.785
and how people would be reacting to that.

05:01.605 --> 05:05.825
And she essentially affected history in how she was,

05:06.405 --> 05:08.505
offering her counsel.

05:09.445 --> 05:10.785
We don't advocate policy.

05:11.095 --> 05:14.745
What we do instead is go through the welter of material

05:14.745 --> 05:19.585
that we are getting and serve as essentially a local guide

05:19.855 --> 05:22.625
through all of that jungle of detail.

05:23.505 --> 05:25.085
So that's what she did.

05:25.825 --> 05:29.825
Um, folks need to be aware that you are going

05:29.825 --> 05:34.025
to be experiencing constant change throughout your career.

05:34.485 --> 05:36.745
Uh, both organizational and personal.

05:37.005 --> 05:40.945
The agency is always reorganizing, creating new,

05:41.255 --> 05:42.305
ways of doing things.

05:43.425 --> 05:45.225
'cause we have to adapt to world change.

05:46.045 --> 05:49.745
So what you come in doing will not be the same thing

05:49.745 --> 05:52.585
that you're doing in five years, 10 years, 15 years.

05:53.125 --> 05:56.785
For example, in my career, I came in as

05:56.905 --> 05:59.125
A a, career trainee.

06:00.065 --> 06:04.125
Um, that's essentially a very senior intern,

06:04.625 --> 06:07.405
but you were treated as a colleague

06:07.635 --> 06:10.805
with the same top secret clearances as anyone else,

06:11.185 --> 06:12.445
and you're given a huge amount

06:12.465 --> 06:14.205
of responsibility as everyone else.

06:14.865 --> 06:18.205
Um, I started off as the,

06:19.145 --> 06:22.245
single analyst on international terrorism.

06:23.305 --> 06:24.705
I wasn't any good at it

06:24.705 --> 06:27.345
because we hired a lot of folks since then on that topic,

06:28.045 --> 06:29.505
but did that for five years

06:30.045 --> 06:32.905
and essentially ran outta useful stuff to say.

06:33.485 --> 06:37.945
So I moved on to African issues, visited a lot

06:37.945 --> 06:39.665
of African countries during that time,

06:40.205 --> 06:42.265
was working on African political issues,

06:42.825 --> 06:44.825
military leadership, you name it.

06:45.695 --> 06:48.795
And again, ran out of things to say after a while.

06:49.135 --> 06:52.755
So moved to psychiatric profiling of world leaders,

06:53.385 --> 06:56.755
what makes them tick, how do you negotiate with these guys?

06:57.535 --> 06:58.875
So did that for a while

06:59.215 --> 07:01.715
and then was curious about what the other side

07:01.715 --> 07:02.875
of the house was like.

07:03.335 --> 07:06.595
How do these guys engage in operations, in collection,

07:07.095 --> 07:09.115
in counterintelligence, in covert action.

07:09.615 --> 07:13.475
So I did that for another 10 years, took me all

07:13.475 --> 07:17.005
around the world as well after 20 years

07:17.185 --> 07:21.205
and working in 12 different offices, which is typical

07:21.385 --> 07:22.525
for a career in the agency.

07:22.525 --> 07:25.365
You're always moving. The director's office called

07:25.365 --> 07:28.725
and said you speak the two languages of the agency.

07:29.345 --> 07:31.285
Uh, there are some dialects as well.

07:31.825 --> 07:35.845
Uh, but you speak analyst and you speak operations.

07:36.545 --> 07:38.965
I'd like you to handle internal communications

07:39.545 --> 07:41.085
and external briefing for me.

07:41.265 --> 07:45.645
So for 10 years, anything that walked in, be it a head

07:45.645 --> 07:50.045
of state ahead of service, someone doing a movie on us,

07:50.325 --> 07:52.765
I got to brief and I was also writing

07:52.825 --> 07:54.085
the internal newsletter.

07:54.625 --> 07:56.725
So that was a blast.

07:57.355 --> 08:01.235
Then, for three years I was recruiting on campus,

08:01.665 --> 08:05.355
finding out what the next generation of agency leaders

08:05.455 --> 08:09.475
and America's heroes were like, retired after that

08:09.935 --> 08:14.715
and came back as an instructor on how to write, how to brief

08:15.325 --> 08:17.595
management techniques and the like.

08:18.665 --> 08:22.395
That is a typical career for the agency, something

08:22.395 --> 08:24.235
that people wouldn't normally consider.

08:24.435 --> 08:28.795
I mean, I now saved lives, stopped, major,

08:29.455 --> 08:30.675
terrorist attacks

08:30.895 --> 08:35.475
or nuclear proliferation teams, whatever.

08:36.135 --> 08:38.915
But what really stood out for me was when we had

08:39.515 --> 08:43.155
a not young 9-year-old child come in

08:43.575 --> 08:46.755
for just let's have him meet the director.

08:47.415 --> 08:49.595
Um, this was the Make A Wish campaign.

08:50.415 --> 08:52.315
He met the director, he met,

08:52.725 --> 08:54.915
operations guys, analyst folks,

08:55.865 --> 08:58.485
And it just changed his life.

08:58.585 --> 09:01.045
And you can see the little spark in his eyes.

09:01.745 --> 09:06.275
Um, he ultimately succumbed to the illness that he had,

09:06.815 --> 09:09.115
but we made him feel good for that day.

09:09.115 --> 09:12.235
There's a book called More Stories,

09:13.275 --> 09:16.885
from Langley, and this one allows me to show analysts,

09:17.375 --> 09:20.765
librarians, two of them, terrorism analysts,

09:21.285 --> 09:24.645
a scientist, a president's daily briefer

09:24.675 --> 09:26.245
what their morning is like.

09:26.785 --> 09:29.445
Uh, a few do operations, which I didn't do,

09:29.545 --> 09:30.565
in the previous book.

09:31.015 --> 09:33.485
Again, more public affairs, logistics,

09:33.875 --> 09:36.405
what a contractor's life is like,

09:36.515 --> 09:38.845
what an open source analyst is like.

09:39.305 --> 09:42.565
And then at the end, I also include a long bibliography

09:43.065 --> 09:44.605
by agency alumni.

09:45.385 --> 09:46.765
Uh, a lot of us write.

09:47.875 --> 09:51.555
I also have a book called Spycraft for Thriller Writers.

09:52.095 --> 09:55.835
If you were thinking about writing a novel, a TV script,

09:56.035 --> 09:59.555
a movie script, here's what you need to know to

10:00.155 --> 10:01.315
accurately portray us.

10:01.935 --> 10:06.515
And if you're just a consumer of these products, here's what

10:06.515 --> 10:07.595
to be looking for.

10:07.815 --> 10:09.435
So you can say, this guy

10:09.435 --> 10:10.635
doesn't know what he's talking about.

10:11.695 --> 10:13.275
Uh, one quick hint.

10:13.575 --> 10:17.315
If you see one of us, referred to as an agent

10:17.865 --> 10:21.435
that is incorrect, we call ourselves officers.

10:21.975 --> 10:25.315
Agents are the folks overseas that are stealing secrets

10:25.335 --> 10:27.915
for us who are of that nationality?

10:28.775 --> 10:33.195
Um, I also have put together I think eight books so far

10:33.815 --> 10:34.835
on the CIA.

10:34.835 --> 10:36.955
Several are are humorous.

10:37.495 --> 10:40.635
Um, plus I'm now working on two novels

10:41.065 --> 10:44.635
with 16 other agency folk who are either serving

10:44.815 --> 10:49.595
or have retired on, I'm not sure

10:49.595 --> 10:52.355
what you call this, but it's chain authored.

10:52.695 --> 10:54.355
You write the first chapter, hand it

10:54.355 --> 10:55.395
to me, I write the second.

10:55.815 --> 10:59.115
He writes the third and on it goes in a relay race.

11:00.135 --> 11:02.795
Uh, so that's coming out shortly.

Faculti AI can make mistakes

Brandeis University Maura Farrelly

Arts and Humanities

Wardship and the Welfare State

UC San Diego Mary Klann

Faculti

Popular in Arts and Humanities

Titus Quinctius Flamininus’ “Italian triumph”

Lincoln and the Jews

Post-Kantian perfectionism

Amputations and Convalescence

Drawing on the past: Palladio, his precursors and knowledge of ancient architecture

Language, Sound, and Image in Wallace Berman’s Aleph, 1956–1966

Early Modern Natural Law Theories

Stories from Langley

Leave a Reply Cancel reply