Former Senior CIA Officer Raymond White on HUMINT and Training the Next Generation - Episode 56

10/25/24 • 60 min

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Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast. This is our first episode of season 4! This week we are talking to Raymond White, a former CIA senior operations officer. Raymond has spent over 25 years in the agency, in the directorate of analysis and directorate of operations. He has worked on issues such as Iran’s Nuclear capabilities, the Syrian civil war and North Korea. As well as training the next generation of intelligence officers. Since his career in the CIA, Raymond has founded Wolfpack Consulting. Teaching clients CIA methodology for optimal outcomes. We spoke about CIA priorities over the years, the role of HUMINT in modern intelligence operations, which agencies have most impressed him and more.

Find Raymond White:

We Spoke about:

0:00 - Ray’s background
7:39 - Beginning work in CIA operations
12:11 - Moving laterally in the agency
14:02 - Following Iran’s nuclear capabilities
14:52 - CIA culture over time and working during the global war on terror
17:48 - New era great power competiton and proxy warfare
23:21 - Confronting the changing landscape, priorities and the importance of HUMINT
29:15 - Which allied and adversarial foreign agencies have impressed Ray?
38:44 - Ray’s time supporting the development of the next generation of CIA officers
41:51 - Life after the CIA and entering the private sector
47:37 - Advice to young people looking to get into intelligence
53:03 - What Ray is reading and cultural recommendations

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Find Raymond White:

We Spoke about:

0:00 - Ray’s background
7:39 - Beginning work in CIA operations
12:11 - Moving laterally in the agency
14:02 - Following Iran’s nuclear capabilities
14:52 - CIA culture over time and working during the global war on terror
17:48 - New era great power competiton and proxy warfare
23:21 - Confronting the changing landscape, priorities and the importance of HUMINT
29:15 - Which allied and adversarial foreign agencies have impressed Ray?
38:44 - Ray’s time supporting the development of the next generation of CIA officers
41:51 - Life after the CIA and entering the private sector
47:37 - Advice to young people looking to get into intelligence
53:03 - What Ray is reading and cultural recommendations

Advance Your Intelligence Career Today!

Get access to exclusive Grey Dynamics Reports

The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Former CIA Collection Management Officer on Life with Esther Atwell – Episode 55

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today we are talking to Esther Atwell, a former linguist and collection manager who spent over a decade at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Esther has had a varied career beyond intelligence, working as a tutor, realtor and court interpreter on the island of Hawaii. We discussed working in the CIA and overseas, what it takes to work in intelligence, immigrating to the US and much more. Esther is also the partner of our previous guest, CIA operations officer John Atwell.

Find Esther Atwell:

We Spoke About:

1:10 - Early life, learning languages, tutoring, livining overseas and joining the CIA with her husband.
18:42 - Being an Operationally Certified Collection Management Officer
23:59 - The desired traits of someone wants to work in this field
28:47 - Esether's view on faith and not mourning over missed opportunity
33:30 - Immigrating to the US and sense of patriotic duty
40:05 - Esther on working in the CIA and overseas as a woman and someone with foreign heritage
45:50 - Advice for young people looking to work in intelligence
54:16 - Cultural recommendations

Advance Your Intelligence Career Today!

Get access to exclusive Grey Dynamics Reports

With security clearance, you can take a crucial role in our intelligence community. As a cleared member, you get access to secret & top secret grade publications. If you are a Top Secret holder, you also get access to our community area, where you can interact with other members and with our analysts! Subscribe today!

The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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