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Central Intelligence Agency

You might have heard a thing or two about the CIA, but have you ever heard from the CIA? In the Central Intelligence Agency's first public podcast, you will. Let us be your guides around the corridors of CIA Headquarters in Langley, as you step beyond the Hollywood scripts and shadowed whispers to hear directly from the people serving each day as America's first line of defense. These are their stories. This is The Langley Files.

The Langley Files: CIA's Podcast

If you’ve been listening to The Langley Files, you’ve heard about CIA operations, facilities, and legendary officers. But have you ever wondered—how is the gear for those operations transported? How are those facilities set up? How are those officers equipped and kept safe? And most of all—how is it all done in secret, even when CIA is operating in broad daylight? Stay tuned. Because to keep CIA’s global presence running 24/7, the Agency relies on an elite cadre of highly skilled logistics, security, medical, and other support specialists. And on this episode of The Langley Files, Dee and Walter sit down with a veteran Directorate of Support leader, to hear about what it takes to make the mission of the world’s premiere foreign intelligence agency possible. From an inside look at establishing CIA’s presence in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks to the range of support roles available at CIA—and what it takes to join the team—this is an exclusive look at how CIA goes where others cannot go and accomplishes what others cannot accomplish. Anything, anywhere—secretly. 

Look Inside FILE 020:

To learn more about how the Directorate of Support enables CIA’s global reach, check out this article about the DS. 

 

Interested in joining this world class cadre of support officers? Take a peek at the different DS occupations and career opportunities here.

FILE 020 - Anything, Anywhere, Secretly: Supporting CIA's Global Mission

How well do you know the difference between the CIA and FBI? Who undertakes which national security missions, and where? Who has which critical authorities, and when? And how do both agencies work together to keep Americans and others around the world safe? Well, you’re in luck! On this special episode of The Langley Files, CIA Deputy Director David Cohen returns to unpack just that—and this time, he’s brought an interagency guest with him: FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. They’ll discuss the distinct but collaborative roles these two legendary organizations play in protecting the United States—and debunk a few myths and misconceptions with Dee and Walter along the way. So tune in, because the next time you see a CIA officer make an arrest on a TV show, or an FBI agent carry out a covert action in a movie, you’ll be able to tell the person next to you that the FBI and CIA’s second in command told you how it really works. 

LOOK INSIDE FILE 019: 

 

This isn’t the first time CIA Deputy Director David Cohen has stopped by The Langley Files to sort spy fact from fiction—listen to him unpack what’s real and simply “reel” in movies and TV shows about the CIA on Episode 6 of The Langley Files. 

 

FBI Deputy Director Abbate and CIA Deputy Director Cohen discussed the different career paths FBI and CIA offer to those ready to answer the call to protect the United States. Check out opportunities with CIA here, or across the Potomac with the FBI here. 

 

Want to learn more about the FBI, from within their own halls? Check out FBI’s podcast, “Inside the FBI,” here.

FILE 019: CIA x FBI

To keep Americans and others around the world safe, CIA operates around the clock—and for some officers, that means overnight shifts. But when darkness falls over CIA Headquarters in Langley, some of those Agency officers have reported mysterious occurrences…things that might just be outside of traditional means of intelligence collection. Things that don’t appear on satellite imagery, or leave digital footprints….or maybe any kind of footprints. And on this Halloween bonus episode of The Langley Files, Dee and Walter take you through the halls of Langley after nightfall, to let you in on a little-known piece of Agency lore: the CIA’s ghost stories. From a secure CIA vault that shows strange signs of activity to a figure in CIA’s elevators whose tradecraft seems to involve disappearing—altogether—these are ghost stories you won’t hear told over most campfires. They’re tales—from the SCIF. 

Look Inside this Bonus Episode:

 

When it comes to CIA ghost stories, what you’ve heard is just the beginning. You can read more here: Spooky Stories for Halloween - CIA—if you dare.

 

Looking for costume tips this Halloween? CIA’s disguise experts know a thing or two about transforming appearances. Check out their tips here: Trick-or-Treat the CIA Way: Tips for a Halloween Spent Undercover - CIA, or listen to Dee and Walter’s discussion with them on FILE 012 of The Langley Files. 

Don’t scare easily? Ready to respond to a midnight alert on something afoot in a darkened CIA vault? A job with CIA’s Security Protective Service might just be for you. Read more here: Police Officer-Security Protective Service - CIA

Halloween Bonus Episode - Tales from the SCIF

PART THREE: FINDING BIN LADEN. On May 2, 2011, officials with a “need to know” monitored the highly sensitive US operation against the most wanted terrorist in the world in real time. But for a CIA officer named Kevin watching that night, the mission against Al Qaeda’s seniormost leader had a uniquely personal resonance. Because as a young Navy officer working in the Pentagon, he had nearly died on September 11th, 2001. Sustaining extensive injuries in the attack, he was rushed to Walter Reed Medical Center, where doctors were unsure whether he would survive; later, in recovery, he would flatline twice. But his story was far from over. Because Kevin would overcome his injuries, join the CIA, and ultimately take his place on the CIA team tracking down the terrorist leader who oversaw the attacks: Usama Bin Laden. And on this special, three-part episode of The Langley Files, Kevin returns to CIA Headquarters to share his incredible journey.

In this third and final part of FILE 018, Kevin's story comes full circle. As the clock ticks down to perhaps the most famous special forces mission in history, Kevin shares with you a one-of-a-kind, insider's look at the final chapter of the search for Bin Laden. Hear what it was like in one of the designated centers watching the operation unfold live, the unique role Kevin played in the aftermath of the raid--and about the first phone call he made upon learning its outcome, to a person he met on September 11th, 2001. It's the powerful conclusion to a part of this story that's never been told--until now.

Look Inside FILE 018 – Part Three:

 

Kevin discussed the extreme secrecy in which the mission against Usama Bin Laden was planned, but you can now see a replica of the model of Bin Laden’s Abbottabad compound that was used to prepare for the operation: Model of Abbottabad Compound - CIA. It stands today in the CIA Museum.

 

US forces recovered an enormous amount of material from Bin Laden’s compound—and you can see much of it for yourself here, after public releases by the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the interest of transparency and to enhance public understanding. The materials were sent all the way from Abbottabad to the United States for analysis—and you now know the CIA officer who brought key portions of it back to Langley just days after the raid.

FILE 018: PART III - The 9/11 Survivor Turned CIA Usama Bin Laden Tracker - Finding Bin Laden

PART TWO: JOINING CIA'S MANHUNT. On May 2, 2011, officials with a “need to know” monitored the highly sensitive US operation against the most wanted terrorist in the world in real time. But for a CIA officer named Kevin watching that night, the mission against Al Qaeda’s seniormost leader had a uniquely personal resonance. Because as a young Navy officer working in the Pentagon, he had nearly died on September 11th, 2001. Sustaining extensive injuries in the attack, he was rushed to Walter Reed Medical Center, where doctors were unsure whether he would survive; later, in recovery, he would flatline twice. But his story was far from over. Because Kevin would overcome his injuries, join the CIA, and ultimately take his place on the CIA team tracking down the terrorist leader who oversaw the attacks: Usama Bin Laden. And on this special, three-part episode of The Langley Files, Kevin returns to CIA Headquarters to share his incredible journey.

In Part Two, Kevin recounts returning from the hospital - and what he did next. First, turn his focus to understanding the events behind the attacks, by serving as an investigator for the 9/11 Commission. Then, turn his focus to tracking down and stopping future threats - by joining the CIA. It's the chapter of his story that will see him join CIA's HVT1 Team - the CIA team tracking down High Value Target #1. If you've ever wondered what the search for Bin Laden was like inside the team spearheading it, you won't want to miss this episode.

Look Inside FILE 018 – Part Two:

 

Are you interested in a career as the kind of “high-tech CIA detective” that Kevin described? Check out the Agency’s Targeting Officer role here. 

 

Kevin just shared with you a firsthand, insider’s account of a pivotal chapter in CIA’s search for Usama Bin Laden. You can read more about that search—and see photos of the AC1 compound for yourself—here.

FILE 018: PART II - The 9/11 Survivor Turned CIA Usama Bin Laden Tracker - Joining CIA's Manhunt

PART ONE: SURVIVING 9/11. On May 2, 2011, officials with a “need to know” monitored the highly sensitive US operation against the most wanted terrorist in the world in real time. But for a CIA officer named Kevin watching that night, the mission against Al Qaeda’s seniormost leader had a uniquely personal resonance. Because as a young Navy officer working in the Pentagon, he had nearly died on September 11th, 2001. Sustaining extensive injuries in the attack, he was rushed to Walter Reed Medical Center, where doctors were unsure whether he would survive; later, in recovery, he would flatline twice. But his story was far from over. Because Kevin would overcome his injuries, join the CIA, and ultimately take his place on the CIA team tracking down the terrorist leader who oversaw the attacks: Usama Bin Laden. And on this special, three-part episode of The Langley Files, Kevin returns to CIA Headquarters to share his incredible journey. In Part One, Kevin recounts his experiences on 9/11: the US Navy service that led to his posting at the Pentagon, his fight to survive amid the chaos of the attack, and how a stranger saved his life on that dark day. You may have heard of some of the people involved in the search for Usama Bin Laden, but you haven’t yet heard this part of the story—until now.

Look Inside FILE 018:

A memorial to those lost on September 11th, 2001 stands on the grounds of CIA’s Headquarters in Langley, VA: a steel column from World Trade Center Building Six that still carried the smell of smoke from that day over a decade later. You can read about that solemn tribute here. 

 

Kevin discussed following news of the United States’ response to the 9/11 attacks as he recovered from his injuries; CIA played a key role in that response, with a legendary CIA team “first in” on the ground in Afghanistan just 15 days after the attack. The helicopter that carried that team now sits at CIA Headquarters at Langley, Virginia, but you can see it here.

Johnny Micheal Spann, a CIA paramilitary officer serving in that initial Agency response to the 9/11 attacks, was the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan. His last act was to warn a CIA colleague of imminent danger, helping that colleague get to safety. You can read about Johnny’s story and sacrifice here. A sign in Afghanistan honoring him still resides at the CIA Museum today.

FILE 018: PART I - The 9/11 Survivor Turned CIA Usama Bin Laden Tracker - Surviving 9/11

CIA’s digital systems need to process some of the most sensitive data in the world—intelligence that is vital to keeping Americans safe and must be kept from falling into the wrong hands. But who is responsible for ensuring the security of those systems? And do they have any best practices that you could incorporate into your own tech life? On this episode of The Langley Files, you’ll find out. Dee and Walter are sitting down with Jennifer Link, CIA’s Chief Information Security Officer, to discuss her background and responsibilities, and how she goes about keeping herself cyber-safe in everyday life. So, from mystery phone calls and online pop ups to the increasing world of cyber-enabled home appliances—this is an episode chock full of CIA cyber safety news you can use. 

Look Inside FILE 017

Want to dive deeper into today’s episode? Here's a look into more of Langley's (unclassified) files:

Interested in cyber security and want to take your skills to the next level? Put them to the test defending CIA—and the nation—from cyber threats. Check out career opportunities as a CIA Cyber Security Officer here. 

 

Looking for handy factsheets on keeping yourself, your family, or your business safe online? The US Government’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has you covered. 

 

Did you know that Morocco borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea? Learn incredible facts about places near and far with CIA’s World Factbook.

FILE 017 - CIA Cyber Safety 101

PART TWO: CIA OPERATIONS. In Part One of this special two-part episode, George E. Hocker, Jr.—the trailblazing Black CIA operations officer who joined the Agency in the 1950s and ultimately rose to its seniormost ranks—shared with Dee and Walter the trials and triumphs of undergoing CIA operations, paramilitary, and survival training—and doing so as the only Black officer in his class. But George’s career with the Agency was just getting started—and only going to get more intense. In Part Two, you’ll hear about the CIA operations George led overseas—directly from this legendary CIA officer himself. Tune in to learn how George ended up on the wrong end of an AK-47 rifle, in the middle of a mystery that had beguiled the local CIA station for years, and tasked with getting a key Soviet officer sharing information with CIA to safety under cover of darkness. It’s a journey that’ll see George overcome discrimination and break down barriers at Langley, serve as a trusted advisor to not one but two Directors of Central Intelligence, and ultimately achieve a feat still considered a Cold War espionage first. 

Look Inside FILE 016:

Want to dive deeper into today’s episode? Here's a look into more of Langley's (unclassified) files:
 
Read more about George E. Hocker, Jr.’s remarkable career—and see photos from his time at CIA, including his original Agency job offer letter—here.

Want to follow in George’s footsteps and become one of the CIA operations officers gathering intelligence across the globe to keep Americans and others around the world safe? Apply here. 

Interested in the other high-impact CIA Directorate of Operations jobs? Check out the Collection Management Officer, Targeting Officer, Staff Operations Officer, Directorate of Operations Language Officer positions.

Does this episode’s trivia have you curious about the adventures of Mischief the Fox and Secret Squirrel? Check out this article.

FILE 016: PART II - Meet the Legendary Black CIA Officer who Made Cold War History

PART ONE: CIA TRAINING. George E. Hocker, Jr. joined CIA in the 1950s, as one of just a few Black employees in the Agency’s records office. Over three decades later, he retired from CIA’s senior ranks as a veteran clandestine operations officer with a series of intelligence successes to his name—including a Cold War espionage history first. Now, for the first time ever, hear about those espionage feats—and the barriers George broke as he rose through the Agency’s ranks back home—directly from the CIA officer who lived them. In part one of this special two-part episode, George returns to Langley to share with Dee and Walter the path that led him from a childhood in a still-segregated Washington, DC, to the CIA; what inspired him to apply for the Agency’s clandestine service; and the challenges and triumphs he experienced as the only Black officer in his CIA operations training class. From a moment of revelation watching Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech to overcoming the elements in some of CIA’s toughest trainings, this is a story you won’t want to miss.

Look Inside FILE 016:

Want to dive deeper into today’s episode? Here's a look into more of Langley's (unclassified) files:
 
Read more about George E. Hocker, Jr.’s remarkable career—and see photos from his time at CIA, including his original Agency job offer letter—here.

Want to follow in George’s footsteps and become one of the CIA operations officers gathering intelligence across the globe to keep Americans and others around the world safe? Apply here. 

Interested in the other high-impact CIA Directorate of Operations jobs? Check out the Collection Management Officer, Targeting Officer, Staff Operations Officer, Directorate of Operations Language Officer positions.

FILE 016: PART I - Meet the Legendary Black CIA Officer who Made Cold War History

As part of The Langley Files’ ongoing focus on tech at CIA, Dee and Walter sit down with CIA’s Deputy Director for Digital Innovation, Juliane Gallina, and CIA’s Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Lakshmi Raman, to talk about the ones and zeros of spycraft in the 21st century, and how CIA is applying the latest in digital technology to help protect America from threats around the world.

Want to dive deeper into today’s episode? Here's a look into more of Langley's (unclassified) files:

CIA Names Juliane Gallina as Deputy Director for Digital Innovation
 
 For more about the trivia answer:

 

Want to know a little more about Nathan Hale – American patriot, Army Ranger, spy? Check out this article. 

 

Read more about the Nathan Hale statue here. 

 

Do you think you have what it takes to join a team of world-class experts in digital innovation and artificial intelligence? Check out CIA’s career offerings here.

 

In the private sector and have a tech idea to share with CIA? https://www.cia.gov/tech/

FILE 015 - Spies Supercharged: Talking AI and Digital Innovation at CIA

You might’ve seen spies use disguises in movies, but for real-life CIA officers, masks, wigs, makeup, and clothing are just the beginning. So what else do Agency officers need to transform themselves into someone else? How do they pull off such sleight of hand under pressure—and under surveillance? And most of all, who makes their disguises and how? On this episode of The Langley Files, Dee and Walter sit down with two of CIA’s disguise specialists to pull back the curtain on those questions and more. Tune in to learn some of the tricks of the disguise trade—and hear how they’ve made all the difference in real-world CIA operations. 

Look Inside FILE 012:
 
Want to dive deeper into today’s episode? Here's a look into more of Langley's (unclassified) files:

Want to read about the life—and surprising second career—of another CIA master of disguise? Check out this profile.
 

CIA’s disguise technology has had an impact on more than national security—it has also benefitted the world of custom prosthetics. Read about that and other CIA contributions to modern technology. 

How does CIA test applicants to its disguise team? One way has been to ask them to sculpt an ear. 

See a piece of CIA disguise history with this disguise kit. 

Did the CIA really create a fake Hollywood production company to exfiltrate six State Department employees from Tehran? Watch The Debrief: Behind the Artifact - ARGO.

 For more information about ARGO, check out this story.

Are you curious about some of the occupations CIA has to offer? Check out our website CIA.gov for more information.

FILE 012 - The Art of Deception: CIA’s Disguise Experts Take You Behind the Scenes

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