Grey Dynamics

Esther Atwell, former CIA collection management officer, shares her journey from tutoring to CIA work, immigrant experiences, and faith's impact on her career. She discusses traits needed for intelligence work, advice for youth, and working overseas as a woman and immigrant.

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking to Michael Hawkes, a former 22 Special Air Service operator. Michael spent twenty four years in the British Army, twelve of which in the SAS. Including six in covert operations. He also served as a military advisor to UK's intelligence services. For the last twenty two years he has had a successful career in corporate security, working all over the world. We spoke about his experience in UKSF selection, his time in Northern Ireland, getting kidnapped in Bosnia and much more.Find Michael Hawkes:Hawkes & Co. LinkedInWe Spoke About:0:00 - Introduction and Michael’s background 07:14 - Michael’s upcoming book 11:58 - First time in UKSF selection and fatal accidents during training 18:45 - Michael’s day one experience in 22 SAS 22:15 - Michael’s time in Northern Ireland and working undercover 41:58 - Michael’s time in Bosnia and getting kidnapped by Serbians 59:02 - Working as a CQB instructor and working alongside female operators 1:05:33 - Discussing surveillance activities 1:11:00 - Hawkes & Co. 1:26:51 - Should young people join the UK armed forces currently? 1:29:30 - Cultural recommendationsAdvance Your Intelligence Career Today!We are the first fully online intelligence school helping professionals to achieve their long term goals. Our school with tons of new material is currently under construction and will be out there very soon. Meanwhile, you can sign up and be the first to know when we launch, plus get exclusive tips and offers.Get access to exclusive Grey Dynamics ReportsWith 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!Grey Dynamics YouTube Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast Amazon Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. This week we are discussing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (2022) in all its action packed Hollywood glory. As usual we'll be looking at the story from an intelligence perspective, digging into the games' realism, what it got right and what it got wrong.Contents in Mission Order:0:00 - Intro 6:27 - Strike 16:23 - Kill or Capture 19:23 - Wetwork and Tradecraft 29:29 - Borderline 33:31 - Cartel Protection 37:15 - Close Air and Hardpoint 42:18 - Recon by Fire 46:12 - Violence and Timing 49:05 - El Sin Nombre 53:37 - Dark Water 56:56 - Alone 1:00:00 - Prison Break 1:01:21 - Hindsight 1:02:57 - Ghost Team 1:05:01 - Countdown 1:08:46 - Ending 1:09:28 - Thoughts 1:20:49 - Cultural RecommendationsPrevious Call of Duty Episodes:Call of Duty 4 – Modern Warfare, an Intelligence perspective Call of Duty Modern Warfare, an Intelligence Perspective (Pt. 2) Call of Duty Modern Warfare, an Intelligence Perspective (Pt. 3) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) an Intelligence PerspectiveAdvance Your Intelligence Career Today!We are the first fully online intelligence school helping professionals to achieve their long term goals. Our school with tons of new material is currently under construction and will be out there very soon. Meanwhile, you can sign up and be the first to know when we launch, plus get exclusive tips and offers.Get access to exclusive Grey Dynamics ReportsWith 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!Grey Dynamics YouTube Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast Amazon Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keven Hendricks, a Crypto and Dark Web investigations expert, discusses adapting to the changing crypto landscape, taking down criminals on the dark web, privacy in crypto, tools for security, tracing crypto transactions, Monero, Tor, privacy tokens, secure messaging apps, comparison of Android and iOS security, Tor and Tails for privacy, and the evolution of intelligence techniques in the digital era.

Dr. Andreas Krieg, Director of MENA Analytica and associate professor, discusses spotting opportunities, exposure outside academia, situation in Gaza, Israel's use of subversion, and career advice. Emphasizes academic engagement with the public, complexities of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Russia's narrative tactics in the Sahel region. Stresses entrepreneurial skills in humanities and impact of networks on historical events.

Sibylline's head of global intelligence Gareth Westwood talks about demystifying the private sector, implementing AI in intelligence, qualities of great leaders, and the importance of one-to-one meetings. He shares strategies for understanding stakeholder needs, advice for managers, and the impact of visible analytics on workplace culture.

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. This week we are doing another editor's note. I discussed some updates concerning the course, the new website, upcoming espionage week as well as some reflections on my time in Somalia and journey with Grey Dynamics. Enjoy!Contents:1:07 - Grey Dynamics Intelligence School 5:01 - Website changes 6:57 - Forthcoming intelligence guides 8:53 - Phase two of the course 10:16 - Espionage Week 11:22 - Ahmed on Somalia and its future 19:31 - Reflections on experinces, work ethic and more 28:33 - Cultural RecommendationsRelated Links:ahmed@greydynamics.com IncogniAdvance Your Intelligence Career Today!We are the first fully online intelligence school helping professionals to achieve their long term goals. Our school with tons of new material is currently under construction and will be out there very soon. Meanwhile, you can sign up and be the first to know when we launch, plus get exclusive tips and offers.Get access to exclusive Grey Dynamics ReportsWith 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!Grey Dynamics YouTube Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast Amazon Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former German Bundeswehr Officer Ole Donner discusses intelligence education, career pathways in Germany, the role of culture in intelligence perception, upcoming courses on intelligence analysis techniques, adapting education to modern attention spans, engaging media and content strategies, and the importance of effective intelligence writing.

Former CIA ops officer John Atwell discusses post-9/11 culture shift, admiration for international intelligence agencies, rise of non-state actors in intelligence, and advice for aspiring intelligence professionals. Reveals insights on working with spouse at CIA, opting out of private sector, and the importance of diverse experiences in intelligence roles.

Retired DIA officer and scholar Kevin Riehle dives into the history and functions of the Russian FSB, discussing its evolution under Putin. The podcast also covers topics like Ukrainian Orthodox Church independence, counterintelligence, effective communication skills in intelligence analysis, and personal anecdotes of a KGB-CIA trained officer.