The Pic of the Day: Special Forces operator who pioneered HALO capability

According to the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), “Special Forces Noncommissioned Officer and CIA officer Wilfred “Squeak” Charette (nicknamed after the squeak his jump boots made when he walked) who was a pioneer in the development of the High-Altitude Low-Opening (HALO) parachute capability. Charette participated in training the first HALO class from SEAL Team Two […]

Top 5 qualifications for the CIA’s clandestine service

I am an unapologetic believer in our nation’s national security apparatus, and not just because I was a part of it as an officer in both the U.S. military and the Central Intelligence Agency. I also witnessed, firsthand, the dedication of those in the intelligence- and security-agency trenches, and saw them put their considerable skills to […]

How the CIA recruits from elite schools: Part III

One of the perks of studying at an elite U.S. university is that top companies, organisations, and agencies congregate in search of talent. What follows is my experience attending a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruiting brief and simulation session at the Johns Hopkins University. Names have been altered to preserve personal security. You can read part […]

How the CIA recruits from elite schools: Part II

One of the perks of studying at an elite U.S. university is that top companies, organisations, and agencies congregate in search of talent. What follows is my experience attending a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruiting brief and simulation session at the Johns Hopkins University. Names have been altered to preserve personal security. You can read part […]

How the CIA recruits from elite schools: Part I

One of the perks of studying at an elite U.S. university is that top companies, organisations, and agencies congregate in search of talent. What follows is my experience attending a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruiting brief and simulation session at Johns Hopkins University. Names have been altered to preserve personal security. It all began with […]

The national security implications of idea laundering

Recently, there has been an alarming number of professors who have been driven out of the academic community for expressing views that from a rational perspective, are moderate at worst and beneficial at best. At Evergreen University, Brett Weinstein was effectively forced to resign by a militant minority for refusing to take part in their […]

The real reason that America built Area 51 isn’t even a secret

As I write this, the world is only days away from what could potentially be the internet’s crowning moment of idiocy: the “Storm Area 51” raid. What began as a Facebook event created just for laughs was quickly adopted by the media for the sake of traffic, and as a result, given an air of […]

The CIA trained Jim Carrey to withstand torture

For many Americans, the blockbuster movies we watch represent an essential reprieve from the stress and anxiety of real life. Hollywood’s ability to grant us a few hours of peace amid a world embroiled in chaos is perhaps its most significant strength, but rarely do we, the viewers, put much thought into just how miserable […]

10 signs you served in a war zone after 9/11

Millions of Americans have served at least some amount of time in either Iraq or Afghanistan (or both), since September 2001. Otherwise known as going in-theater, to the sandbox, the show, the dance, the war zone, Asscrackistan, the two-way shooting range, the tax-free zone, and/or countless other affectionate labels, deploying to these areas exposed one […]

Did the CIA pull a spy out of Russia out of fear Trump would expose him?

On Monday, CNN reported that a high-level intelligence asset was exfiltrated from Russia in 2017 after senior officials grew concerned that the president may unintentionally expose the person to Russian officials. The story, which is substantiated by CNN’s claims of anonymous informants within the White House, has yet to be corroborated by any further evidence. […]

Former Navy SEALs break down why they hate this legendary SOCOM rifle

For many of us from the conventional side of the military (or who never served at all) the FN Scar tends to carry with it a certain appeal. As a rifle designed specifically for Special Operations troops (SCAR actually stands for Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle), it’s hard not to look at the jagged angles […]