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25 Jul 2022Trailer Grey Dynamics Podcast00:00:33

The Grey dynamics podcast offers insight into the often murky and hidden world of intelligence. Brought to you by current and former intelligence practitioners that know the routes through the grey zone. With your host Ahmed Hassan.



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29 Jul 2022Episode 1: Interview with former CIA Officer, Jason L.00:49:53

Thank you for joining the Grey Dynamics podcast today! 

We have a very illustrious guest, Jason L. Jason served as a Marine for 12 years.

After that, he joined the Nuclear Security Industry. And from there on out, he was recruited by the CIA.

Today he has a different role in the Intelligence Community (IC).

The Podcast is available here and on most streaming platforms!


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05 Aug 2022Episode 2: Former Military Intelligence Analyst Alcon S200:44:52
Today we spoke with former military intelligence analyst and New Zealand native Alcon S2. We talked about the role of OSINT in social media discourse and taking the mystique out of intelligence analysis tradecraft on social platforms.

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12 Aug 2022Episode 3: Former DIA intelligence Analyst Marcel Plichta01:01:34
Marcel is at the moment doing his PhD at St. Andrews. And before that, he was an intelligence analyst for the DIA, which stands for Defence Intelligence Agency and is the Pentagon's intelligence agency. Right now he lives in beautiful Scotland working on other exciting problems that he will talk about with us today.

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26 Aug 2022Episode 4: Punxsutawney Phil and FBI Insider Threat Detection With Kyle Cunliffe00:54:00

Hello everybody! Thank you for joining the Grey Dynamics Podcast. I'm your host Ahmed Hassan.

We spoke with Kyle Cunliffe. Kyle is a lecturer at Salford's University Intelligence Programs. His research focuses on intelligence and Cyberspace, particularly where those two meet. 


We spoke about 


  • The difficulties facing human intelligence practitioners in a growing world of high-tech surveillance.  
  • How video games inspired Kyle to study intelligence.
  • The Tensions between intelligence scholars and practitioners.
  • Knowing what you are good at and utilising that for a role in Intelligence.
  • Information overload through social media.
  • And much more!


The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available everywhere 

If you want to get in touch with Kyle: @Kyle_Cunliffe on Twitter.


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02 Sep 2022Episode 5: Illicit Nuclear Technology Procurement and Dark Networks With Jack Margolin00:56:57

Thank you for joining the Grey Dynamics podcast. We have a very special guest, Jack Margolin! Jack is the program director of the Conflict-Affected States Program at C4ADS, which is a nonprofit organization that uses publicly available information and emerging technology to disrupt international crime and conflict. He has investigated corruption, arms trafficking, and nuclear proliferation from Russia to South Sudan.


We spoke about


  • Illicit Nuclear Technology Procurement by companies in Pakistan and India
  • Sudanese state-owned cartel and its connections with the Wagner Group 
  • Comparing and contrasting publicly accessible information (PAI) and open source intelligence (OSINT) 
  • Flight data tracking using C4ADS's proprietary ADS-B Exchange data tool 
  • How the desire of being first on Twitter can lead to misinformation propagation 
  • North Korean networks in Africa
  • Find your passion and niche down if you want to stand out and build transferable skills 


You can find Jack's work at https://c4ads.org/people/jack-margolin/ or via Twitter @Jack_Mrgln


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16 Sep 2022Episode 6: Humanitarian work, Exploration and the Art of Storytelling with Dave Luke00:57:01

In this episode, I sat down with my friend and former British Army engineer, paratrooper turned humanitarian, adventurer, filmmaker and entrepreneur Dave Luke.

Dave is Artios Global's CEO and an Information and Strategy advisor who has led humanitarian relief, research assessments and media production in complex emergencies and transitional states for 15 years. He has worked in more than 50 countries.


We discussed:


  1. His journey from Northern Ireland to the highest peaks in the world.
  2. His love for humanitarian work
  3. The art of storytelling and its role in research and intelligence.
  4. How to lead with unconditional honesty and trust
  5. Building your own tribe
  6. Being fearless in approaching opportunities


For more information about the Grey Dynamics Podcast, please visit https://greydynamics.com/podcast


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23 Sep 2022Episode 7: Intelligence Led Policing, OSINT and Facing PTSD With Julie Nel00:52:42

In this episode of the Grey Dynamics Podcast, I spoke with my old mentor partner and friend Julie Nel! Julie is an experienced senior leader within the security industry, with a career spanning 30 years across UK Military and Law Enforcement. She specialises in Intelligence and Serious and Organised Crime and has served as Force Director of Intelligence and the National Lead for Intelligence in Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies (HMIC).

Currently, she is the founder and managing director of the private intelligence and investigative firm B4secure 


We Spoke about:


  • Julie's career in the military and police
  • The value of intelligence-led policing
  • The creativity of OSINT researchers 
  • What it takes to be a great intelligence analyst
  • Facing and dealing with PTSD and survivor's guilt 
  • The power of having hobbies to switch off from work 


Please give us feedback and reviews on platforms where you listen to the podcast!


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30 Sep 2022Episode 8: Corporate Intelligence, Global Risk and OSINT Tips with Gareth Westwood00:57:25

In this episode of the Grey Dynamics Podcast, I spoke with Gareth Westwood. Garrett is an 11 year veteran of the intelligence community in the uk. He served in different roles in the military as well as in the foreign service. In the last two years, He spent his time building and running an internal global corporate intelligence team in a large pharmaceutical company as the head of Global Intelligence. 


We Spoke about:


  • Gareth's career starting as Music teacher
  • The intersection of complex musical composition and technical intelligence analysis 
  • The value of joining the military and foreign service 
  • Why it is crucial to focus on accuracy, brevity and clarity in your briefings to intelligence consumers 
  • Keeping lists and prioritisation to combat burnout as an intelligence analyst 
  • How the take over of Afghanistan was predicted but still shocking (Read Ghost Wars by Steve Coll)
  • OSINT Tools, Tips and Tricks 


You find Gareth on LinkedIn: Gareth Westwood

Please give us feedback and reviews on platforms where you listen to the podcast on any platform!


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07 Oct 2022Episode 9: Drones, Robotics, AI and Hybrid Warfare in Ukraine with Samuel Bendett00:42:11

Thank you for joining the Great Dynamics Podcast, today I spoke with Samuel Bendett! Samuel is an advisor with the CNA Strategy, Policy, Plan, and Program centre where he is a member of the Russia Studies program.

He's also an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for New American Security. His work involves research on Russian defense and technology developments, unmanned and autonomous military systems and artificial intelligence, as well as Russian military capabilities and decision-making during crises. 

And he's also an honorary Mad Scientist, which is very cool with the US Army TRADOC Math Scientist Initiative!


We Spoke about


  • Russian military developments and failures in Ukraine
  • How Ukraine turned the table on the "masters" Hybrid Warfare 
  • The effectiveness of Turkish and Irani drones
  • The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Ukraine War
  • Military technology developments despite sanctions


You can find more out about Samuel's work via his Twitter 

Follow us on Instagram:

The Podcast is available on all platforms and I would love for you guys could subscribe and rate the podcast if you have a minute!


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21 Oct 2022Episode 10: Selling Terror Online and Information Warfare with Anna Kruglova00:51:00

Today I spoke with Anna Kruglova! Anna is a Lecturer of Terrorism Studies and a Programme leader for MA Terrorism and Security at the School of Arts and Media at the University of Salford. 

She obtained her PhD in international studies from Queen’s University Belfast and her MA in international conflict studies from King’s College London and her MSc in Security Studies from UCL. 

Her research interests are focused on terrorist propaganda and she is particularly interested in exploring what role the Internet, media and social media play in the recruitment process and radicalisation. 

She recently published a book Terrorist Recruitment, Propaganda and Branding: Selling Terror Online.


We spoke about


  • ISIL Cat memes
  • Anna's research into ISIS Digital Marketing techniques to recruit and spread propaganda 
  • The recruitment of social media and branding experts
  • 5 Star Jihad and how ISIS catered towards different audiences 
  • The role of adventure, belonging and nostalgia in recruitment messaging
  • Role of the media and policy maker receptivity 
  • Academic bureaucracy and the role of researchers 
  • Information warfare meets Active Measures in Ukraine


The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!


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

28 Oct 2022Episode 11: SOCMINT, OSINT and Censorship with RageX00:52:17

Today I spoke with RageX! he collects, processes and processes before turning that into analysis 2.0. He focuses on Social Media intelligence (SOCMINT) and open-source intelligence (OSINT). On all his platforms, he caters to an audience of around 500 thousand.

You can find RageX on:



We spoke about


  • Studying conflicts through OSINT
  • Finding victims of war crimes
  • His loyalty to the truth 
  • The use of social media to disseminate information and intelligence 
  • His struggles with censorship on social media and powerful interests 
  • The Speed of dissemination on Twitter 
  • Telegram is a conflict search engine 
  • Power of information warfare in Ukraine 


The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!




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

04 Nov 2022Episode 12: Update on the Caucasus and the Future of Journalism With Mike Godwin00:52:45

Today I spoke with Mike Godwin! Mike is a freelance journalist who focuses on defence and security matters in Eastern Europe and the caucuses as well as NATO. He's a combat veteran of the United States Army and currently lives in Tbilisi, Georgia, where he runs his own journalism and OSINT platform.

You can find Mike on:



We spoke about


  • Mike's experience in the US Army
  • His life as a journalist in Georgia
  • South Ossetia and Abkhazia 
  • How Partisanship influences journalism 
  • The importance of on-the-ground experience 
  • The Role of Caucuses in the Ukrainian invasion 
  • Importance of having a life outside of your work 


The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!




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18 Nov 2022Episode 13: WW3 Averted, Wagner in Mali and Reality TV With Marcel Plichta00:41:56

Today I spoke with Marcel Plichta! He is at the moment doing his PhD at St. Andrews. And before that, he was an intelligence analyst for the DIA, which stands for Defence Intelligence Agency and is the Pentagon’s intelligence agency.

You can find Marcel on:


We spoke about


  • Ukrainian interceptor missile lands in Poland 
  • The Role of OSINT on Twitter
  • British military withdrawal from Mali
  • Wagner PMC in Mali 
  • The importance of intelligence training 
  • Kamikaze drone solutions in Ukraine 
  • Reality TV Show "Make Me Prime Minister" 


The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!




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25 Nov 2022Episode 14: Tsunami Torpedoes, Ukrainian USVs & Narco Subs with HI Sutton00:40:11

Today I spoke with HI Sutton a.k.a Covert Shores. He writes about the changing world of underwater and seabed warfare, covering secretive and unusual vessel technologies used to fight beneath the waves. Combining the latest open-source intelligence (OSINT) with traditional science of defense analysis.

You can find HI Sutton on:


We spoke about


  • Illustrating cutting-edge technology in MS Paint
  • How Ukrainian USVs are changing naval warfare
  • The future of Frogmen
  • Narco Submarines
  • Tsunami creating Russian Poseiden torpedo
  • Russian Submarine activity in the Arctic


The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



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10 Dec 2022Episode 15: Expert advice for getting into intelligence00:48:48

Today I thought we would round up some of the best advice from our guests so far on the podcast. If you would like to check out further advice, here is Marcel Plichta's article on becoming an Intelligence Analyst. You can also find the links to the individual podcasts featured in this episode below.


We spoke to


  • Jason L. spoke about being impartial, learning a language, writing for intelligence and more.
  • Jack Margolin spoke about having a sense of purpose and finding your niche.
  • Julie Nel spoke about problem-solving mindsets, constantly learning and not relying only on technology.
  • Dave Luke spoke about finding a mentor, forming the right attitude, understanding what you can offer and more.
  • Marcel Plichta spoke about critical thinking in the age of social media.
  • Gareth Westwood spoke about understanding how you best consume information, demonstrating skills, the value of public sector work and more.


The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



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

16 Dec 2022Episode 16: Covert Action, The Royals, Coups & Espionage with Rory Cormac00:45:26

Today I spoke with Rory Cormac, an international relations lecturer at the University of Nottingham. He specialises in UK covert action and has written six books on the matter. Including his latest "How To Stage A Coup and ten other lessons from the world of secret statecraft".

You can find Rory Cormac on:



We spoke about


  • Thoughts on the recent German coup attempt.
  • Do coups work?
  • The difference between UK & US intelligence culture.
  • Staying away from conspiratorial mindsets.
  • Foreign espionage in UK academia.
  • The royal family and their relationship to UK intelligence.
  • Intended consequences of covert action.
  • Learning from failures.


The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



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23 Dec 2022Episode 17: Call of Duty 4 – Modern Warfare, an Intelligence perspective01:55:00

When we're not with family, some of us at Grey Dynamics are spending the holiday break playing the new Modern Warfare! As a bonus for the holidays, we decided to record some episodes looking at the franchise's realism. In this first episode, we will take a look at the granddaddy of modern shooters, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

You can find Marcel Plichta on:



You can find Michael Ellmer on:



We spoke about


  • Realism in the series.
  • Special Air Service (SAS).
  • Where is JSOC?
  • The consequences of nukes in the Middle East.
  • Russian Civil War.
  • Ghillie Suits.
  • AC-130.
  • Psyops.


Related Articles:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!




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30 Dec 2022Episode 18: Call of Duty Modern Warfare, an Intelligence Perspective (Pt. 2)01:37:28

Part 2 of our series analysing the Call of Duty series from an intelligence perspective. This episode we look at 2009's Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. We travel the world from Afghanistan, to Brazil to the Virginia suburbs. Encountering Far Right Terrorists, Gun Runners, Spetsnaz and PMCs.

You can find Marcel Plichta on:



You can find Michael Ellmer on:



We spoke about


  • Rangers in Afghanistan.
  • CIA Recruitment and Deep Cover.
  • James Bond level spectacle.
  • How realistic is the "No Russian" mission?
  • Russian in the Virginia suburbs.
  • Evil PMCs.
  • Russian gear and the Ratnik Program.
  • Perspectives in conflicts and their portrayal in propaganda.
  • The pain of using a real Javelin.


Related Articles:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics


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06 Jan 2023Episode 19: Call of Duty Modern Warfare, an Intelligence Perspective (Pt. 3)01:08:03

Part 3 of our series analyzing the Call of Duty series from an intelligence perspective. In this episode we look at 2011's Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, the most extravagant game yet. Storming Wallstreet, assaulting a hotel in Dubai, shootouts on the London Underground, and a chase through the Catacombs of Paris. It has it all.

You can find Marcel Plichta on:



You can find Michael Ellmer on:



We spoke about


  • Failing as a grey man in Amsterdam.
  • Russian Spetsnaz in India.
  • The Russian Navy in New York.
  • Illicit trade routes through Sierra Leone.
  • SAS shootout on the London Underground.
  • Chemical weapons.
  • Mid-flight plane hijacking.
  • Call of Duty's portrayal of Somalia.
  • War in Europe and much more.


Related Articles:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics


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27 Jan 2023Episode 20: OSINT, Military Career Transition & Language Skills with Skip Schiphorst01:08:27

Welcome back for season two of the Grey Dynamics Podcast! We're kicking things off by talking to Chinese and Arabic OSINT trainer, Skip Schiphorst. Skip is an ex-Dutch Royal Marine who went onto do Chinese studies and now teaches OSINT skills.

You can find Skip Schiphorst on:



We spoke about


  • Skip's background (1:08)
  • Language learning tips and tricks (20:06)
  • The social importance of learning a language (30:07)
  • Teaching a Chinese and Arabic OSINT course (39:44)
  • Researching workshop (44:55)
  • Understanding different national perspectives (47:43)
  • The importance of analysis and critical thinking (54:40)
  • What media Skip is consuming at the moment (59:08)
  • Advice (1:02:25)


Related Articles:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics



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03 Feb 2023Episode 21: GEOINT, OSINT & Facing Vicarious Trauma with Benjamin Strick00:59:16

This week I spoke to Benjamin Strick, director of investigations at the Centre for Information Resilience. He leads teams using open source intelligence to support civil society, media, government and accountability mechanisms. He is also a Bellingcat contributor and previously worked as an investigator at BBC Africa Eye.

You can find Benjamin Strick on:



We spoke about


  • Benjamin's background (2:46)
  • Investigative diligence and the power of collaboration in OSINT (6:02)
  • Mapping complex situations (7:52)
  • Benjamin's most fulfilling project (12:13)
  • Adding value and being a specialist (15:20)
  • Generalists versus Specialists (19:19)
  • Facing vicarious trauma (25:14)
  • Why he does OSINT tutorials on YouTube (32:45)
  • Digital literacy (35:48)
  • Tools and advice (42:17)
  • Advice on training (46:51)
  • The importance of being to write for intelligence (49:35)
  • What media Benjamin is consuming at the moment (53:16)


Related Articles:



Resources on Vicarious Trauma:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics



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10 Feb 2023Episode 22: Wagner PMC, Spy Balloons & Spearfishing with Marcel Plichta00:49:40

This week I caught up with Marcel Plichta. He is a PhD candidate at St. Andrews, Ex-DIA Analyst and a colleague. We discussed the details of the upcoming Grey Dynamics Intelligence course, some recent events, and what we have been into recently. 

You can find Marcel Plichta on:



We spoke about


  • Update on Wagner Group (0:50)
  • Sahel Week (9:02)
  • Chinese Spy Balloon (15:41)
  • Russian & Iranian Spearfishing (19:00)
  • The Earthquake in Türkiye & Syria (22:32)
  • Details of the Grey Dynamics Training / Capability Development Program (25:15)
  • Underestimation of the spread of technology in Africa (31:15)
  • Useful Tools (35:34)
  • Cultural Recommendations (40:09)


Related Links:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics


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20 Feb 2023Episode 23: ChatGPT, The Intelligence Community & Career Advice with Mike Evans00:57:51

Today I spoke with Mike Evans, head of intelligence at Securitas. Mike has been working in the private intelligence sector for nearly a decade, now leading an award-winning threat and intelligence service. He also has an intelligence background within the military. In this episode, we dive into topics such as the rise of AI, getting into the industry for young analysts, and what keeps us up at night.

You can find Mike Evans on:



We spoke about


  • Mike's background (00:54)
  • Mike's team set up and capabilities (03:28)
  • Sharing information for the greater good in the private sector (07:21)
  • How military intelligence shaped Mike's thinking (10:23)
  • How an intelligence manager can make an impact (14:10)
  • How to deal with things when they go wrong (19:33)
  • ChatGPT and its role in intelligence (21:33)
  • Creating a reliable and motivated sensor network (24:50)
  • Incoming trends to look out for (29:24)
  • Opening the door to more people for a career in intelligence (30:44)
  • Intelligence misconceptions (33:49)
  • Career advice (40:24)
  • What does Mike look for in young analysts (46:08)
  • Cultural recommendations (47:21)
  • What keeps Ahmed up at night (52:19)


Related Links:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics


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24 Feb 2023Episode 24: Sahel Security Week, French Exodus & Wagner COIN Efforts with Menastream01:08:17

Today we spoke with Héni Nsaibia, the man behind Menastream. Héni is among the most knowledgeable people online regarding the Sahel, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. He is also a senior researcher at ACLED. We discussed his background, the situation in the region, and the key external actors.

You can find Héni Nsaibia on:



We spoke about


  • Héni's background (0:53)
  • Growing Menastream (11:11)
  • Overview of the current situation in the Sahel (13:41)
  • Malian government's newfound lethality with Russian support (22:36)
  • The trajectory of Burkina Faso (26:24)
  • Wagner's business model in Africa (29:19)
  • The trajectory of Niger (31:13)
  • The situation in Chad (36:55)
  • How Mauritania has remained unscathed (41:51)
  • The UN Missions in Mali and Niger (46:44)
  • The US contribution to the region (49:06)
  • 12 months outlook (52:51)
  • Cultural recommendations (1:03:52)


Related Links:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics


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03 Mar 2023Episode 25: News in the Age of Social Media with The Rage X00:50:05

Today I spoke with The Rage X again, now going by his real name, Carlos. He has been closely following breaking news on conflicts since the second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020. I spoke with him about his background, his process, and the importance of reading into both sides of conflicts.

You can find The Rage X on:




We spoke about



  • Carlos' background (01:20)
  • Creating The Rage X (12:32)
  • His process (20:42)
  • His favourite sources (24:01)
  • Reading into both sides of conflicts (25:40)
  • Having to create content designed for social media (28:04)
  • His motivations (33:57)
  • What is required to work around these topics (40:45)


Related Links:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics


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10 Mar 2023Episode 26: OSINT and SOCMINT for Threat Intelligence with Jordan Ponath00:57:41

Today I spoke with Jordan Ponath, senior intelligence analyst at Lockheed Martin, ex-US Marine, and self-described 'data geek'. Jordan leads a team constantly on the lookout for threats to his organization using OSINT and SOCMINT techniques. In this episode, we get into the tools he and his team use as well as unconventional routes into the sector. 

You can find Jordan on:



We spoke about


  • Jordan’s background (1:34)
  • Having an unconventional background in intelligence (6:30)
  • The changes to TweetDeck (8:19)
  • How travelling affected Jordan (11:18)
  • What a day in Jordan’s team looks like and the tools they use (14:40)
  • What is the most fulfilling part of Jordan’s job? (24:13)
  • The importance of clear direction from leadership and understanding of OSINT’s limits (27:00)
  • What keeps Jordan up at night (31:48)
  • Advice to young aspiring analysts, those looking to switch careers, and organizations looking to build intelligence capability (33:50)
  • What Ahmed would have done differently as well as the importance of cyber and data in today's intelligence landscape (42:39)
  • Cultural recommendations (50:35)


Related Links:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics


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18 Mar 2023Episode 27: AI Arms Race, Drone Warfare and Cognitive Enhancement with Paul Scharre00:53:03

Today I spoke with Paul Scharre, the vice president and director of studies at the Center for New American Security (CNAS). Previously he has worked for the Office of the Secretary of Defense as well as being a team leader in the US Army's 75th Ranger Regiment. Scharre's latest book "Four Battlegrounds: Power in the age of artificial intelligence" discusses some of the bleeding edge issues facing US national security. We discussed the use of drones in Ukraine, limiting China's access to cutting-edge chips, data advantages and much more.

You can find Paul on:



We spoke about


  • Why AI? (2:18)
  • How being a ranger affects Paul’s view on technology (4:02)
  • What Paul’s work at CNAS is like and their focus (7:19)
  • The impact of the restrictions imposed on China’s ability create to chips (8:55)
  • How chips affect the potential conflict over Taiwan (13:06)
  • How physical and cognitive advancements can allow soldiers to meet new challenges on the battlefield (17:11)
  • The use of drones in Ukraine (25:23)
  • Does China have a data advantage? (34:33)
  • Career Advice (42:07)
  • What will be important in the job market of tomorrow (44:20)
  • Cultural recommendations (48:21)
  • Resources to learn about AI (49:15)


Related Links:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics



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24 Mar 2023Episode 28: Drone Threat Intelligence, 3D Printing and Dark Networks with Mike Monnik01:21:30

Today I spoke with Mike Monnik, CEO of DroneSec. They focus on drone threat intelligence, documenting the latest developments in the use of drones by malicious actors. We discussed the use of drones in bank robberies, drone innovation in Myanmar, China’s role in the supply chain and much more.

You can find Mike on:



We spoke about


  • Why Mike started DroneSec (0:34)
  • The most recent developments in drone threat intelligence (7:49)
  • Drone bank robberies (15:59)
  • Man in the middle attacks using drones (18:05)
  • Tactical drone innovation in Myanmar (31:13)
  • How much of the innovation is crowd-sourced and how much is indigenous to drone-involved conflicts (37:26)
  • What is the next step in drone warfighting innovation (44:49)
  • China’s role in the supply chain (54:47)
  • How AI will affect drones (58:43)
  • What keeps Mike awake at night (1:01:15)
  • Will actors of the future revolve their future operations around drone capabilities? (1:04:23)
  • Advice for those that want to get into this line of work, make a career switch, and businesses (1:11:22)
  • Cultural recommendations (1:15:28)
  • Final thoughts (1:18:34)


Related Links:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



Subscribe to Grey Dynamics


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31 Mar 2023Episode 29: Arms Tracking, Drone Supply Chains and Blow Back with Jonah Leff00:54:35

Today I spoke with Jonah Leff, the director of operations at Conflict Armament Research (CAR). He has extensive experience investigating sanctions violations and advising policymakers on issues related to armed violence and conflict. We discussed the role of OSINT in his work, 3D printed guns, drones in Ukraine and much more.

You can find Jonah on:



We spoke about


  • Jonah’s background (1:11)
  • Why did it take governments so long to take an interest in arms tracking? (11:54)
  • What role does open source play in CAR's process? (15:39)
  • The tools they use (18:42)
  • 3D printed guns (21:43)
  • Nonpermissive countries and countries Jonah would like access to (24:41)
  • The use of drones in Ukraine (28:00)
  • What keeps Jonah up at night (32:33)
  • Dealing with PTSD / Trauma (38:38)
  • Advice for people that want to get into this line of work (42:38)
  • What Jonah does in his free time (46:09)
  • What countries Ahmed would like to work in (48:38)


Related Links:



The Grey Dynamics Podcast is available on all major platforms!



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07 Apr 2023Episode 30: Finland in NATO, UGVs and ChatGPT for Intelligence Analysts with Marcel Plichta01:06:07

This week I caught up again with Marcel Plichta. Marcel is a member of the Grey Dynamics team, he is also a PhD candidate at St. Andrews and an Ex-DIA Analyst. We discussed the context of Finland's NATO membership, the state of UGVs, the Great power competition in Africa, and how generative AI models like ChatGPT could be applied to intelligence in practice.

You can find Marcel on:



We spoke about


  • Context of Finland’s NATO membership (1:05)
  • The state of UVGs (9:58)
  • The limited footage available of UGVs deployment (14:29)
  • Potential Wagner attack on Chinese miners in CAR (17:35)
  • The West’s waning influence over Africa (23:09)
  • Iranian Drones in the Middle East (35:07)
  • The application of ChatGPT in intelligence (40:10)
  • Grey Dynamics analysis (50:36)
  • Cultural recommendations (53:50)
  • Closing words (1:02:49)


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28 Apr 2023Episode 31: Russian Private Military Contractors in Ukraine with Alec Bertina00:54:55

This week I spoke to Alec Bertina, a non-traditional security actor researcher, specialising on Russia security affairs. In this episode, we discussed the wild and confusing network of Russian private military contractors, the people behind them and their mission. From ex-special forces to far right to oil and gas companies, there are many actors at play here. Alec does a fantastic job of breaking down the key groups and their motivations.

You can find Alec on:



We spoke about


  • Alec’s background (1:15)
  • Wagner PMC’s background and role in Ukraine (3:51)
  • Wagner’s intelligence operation (7:33)
  • Who is Prigozhin? (10:34)
  • Power struggles in the Russian military establishment (12:35)
  • Rusich Group (16:05)
  • Patriot PMC and its purpose (19:04)
  • Patriot’s high salaries and potential use of ex-KSSO operators (24:05)
  • Redut (27:24)
  • Gazprom’s PMCs (31:59)
  • How Russian PMCs dispose of their staff (36:15)
  • The use of PMC in case of Russian collapse (40:03)
  • Advise to those that want to study this topic (41:38)
  • Is there any legitimacy to these PMCs? (46:16)
  • Russia reading recommendations (49:46)
  • Cultural recommendations (51:49)


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05 May 2023Episode 32: Intelligence Tradecraft Week, Tools, Tips and Tricks00:38:40

It is Intelligence Tradecraft Week here at Grey Dynamics, so for this week's episode we thought we'd round up the tools and tricks used by practitioners we've had on the podcast, in the real world. They cover social media tools, advanced search techniques, monitoring services, AI and more. Be sure to check out their full episodes, linked below.


Practitioners We Spoke To




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12 May 2023Episode 33: ISKP, Taliban Response and Violent Non-State Actors with Lucas Webber00:40:25

Today I spoke with Lucas Webber, co-founder of Militant Wire, an organization focused on providing independent analysis of militant activity and armed conflict around the world. We discussed Russia's "White Power Rangers", Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), interviewing violent non-state actors, Lucas' writing process and more.

You can find Lucas on:



Practitioners We Spoke To


  • Lucas’ background and The Militant Wire (0:43)
  • What is Lucas currently working on? (06:48)
  • The White Power Rangers (7:56)
  • Who is ISKP? (10:30)
  • ISKP’s media operation (14:51)
  • The Taliban and GDI response to ISKP (17:41)
  • What makes ISKP so robust? (21:06)
  • What does Lucas’ process look like (22:59)
  • Where Lucas sources his information (25:36)
  • Talking to members of the groups Lucas writes about (27:12)
  • Lucas’ structure for researching and writing (27:57)
  • Advice for people trying to get into the field (30:50)
  • Cultural recommendations (32:33)
  • Lucas asks how Grey Dynamics started (33:49)


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02 Jun 2023Episode 34: Canadian Intelligence, the ICC and Career Development with Kelly Wong00:47:54

Today I spoke to Kelly Wong, a security analyst in the Canadian Senate. She has previously worked for multiple private intelligence firms and has interned at the International Criminal Courts. We discussed the challenges and rewards of working in intelligence, the obstacles ethnic minorities face in the application process, and Kelly's advice for young professionals.

Apologies for the mic quality in this episode.

Disclaimer:

Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the Interviewee are solely that of the Interviewee and do not reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of any institution or organisation.

You can find Kelly on:



We spoke about:


  • What working at the ICC was like as an intern (3:00)
  • Moving from an international organisation to the private sector (6:13)
  • The experience of working away from home (10:09)
  • Kelly’s current job at the Senate of Canada (11:09)
  • The precautions involved in working with classified material remotely (12:33)
  • What working for the Senate of Canada in an intelligence role involves (14:42)
  • Canada’s intelligence capability (16:05)
  • OSINT and application of investigative mindset in Kelly’s role (17:25)
  • What sets Kelly apart from others, professionally (19:46)
  • What helped shape Kelly as a person and a professional (22:03)
  • How being from an ethnic minority has impacted Kelly’s journey (24:44)
  • What’s next for Kelly (28:37)
  • What area Kelly would like to work in going forward (29:53)
  • Mentoring (31:13)
  • Career advice for young / mid career professionals (33:31)
  • Cultural recommendations (35:05)
  • Kelly’s question about the origins of Grey Dynamics (36:41)
  • Kelly’s advice on languages (42:35)
  • Final thoughts (46:29)


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09 Jun 2023Episode 35: Australian Intelligence, Demystifying HUMINT and Mental Health with D.00:42:37

Today I spoke to D., a former Military Intelligence operator from Australia. He has also worked in law enforcement and is currently doing contracted work. We spoke about his experience transitioning from combat engineer to intelligence operator, his time in Afghanistan, mental health, demystifying HUMINT, getting into OSINT and more.

You can find D. on:



We spoke about:


  • The reality on the ground in Afghanistan during his deployment (3:08)
  • Staying on and changing roles after his first deployment (4:55)
  • Transitioning from a combat engineer to intelligence (6:21)
  • Lessons learned and experiences on deployment in intelligence (9:42)
  • Whether he maintained any relationships from operations (12:31)
  • Learning languages (13:43)
  • Recognizing burnout and mental health struggles (16:43)
  • Starting the.dirtydingo Instagram account (21:46)
  • AI and the future of intelligence (27:04)
  • Advice to professionals in the industry (29:56)
  • Advice for getting started in OSINT (33:35)
  • Cultural recommendations (39:07)


  • Related Links:



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16 Jun 2023Episode 36: Warzone Extraction, China vs Taiwan and Project Dynamo with Bryan Stern01:29:40

Today, I spoke to Bryan Stern, who has 25 years of service focused on intelligence and special operations with the US. He specializes in counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, hostage rescue, personnel recovery, critical technology protection, and unconventional warfare against near-peer threats. He is a Purple Heart recipient and is credited with being a military first responder at the World Trade Center on the morning of the 9/11 attacks. Currently, he manages Project Dynamo, a non-profit international search, rescue, aid, and assistance organization. Initially established to aid individuals in leaving Afghanistan after the US withdrawal, Project Dynamo has since been involved in extracting people from Ukraine, Sudan, and various other perilous locations.

You can find Project Dynamo on:



We spoke about:


  • Bryan’s background (0:56)
  • Bryan on the focus of near-peer threats (4:40)
  • US-China strategy and national focus (7:40)
  • Developing US capability to fight near-peer threats (11:26)
  • Questioning China’s combat experience (15:06)
  • China’s legal claim to Taiwan (17:10)
  • Do Americans care about Taiwan? (20:18)
  • Project Dynamo and its origins during the withdrawal from Afghanistan (21:15)
  • Project Dynamo after Afghanistan (31:57)
  • Discussing what human infrastructure is (41:28)
  • Project Dynamo in Sudan (49:02)
  • Preparing for an evacuation from Taiwan (59:28)
  • Advice (1:10:36)
  • Being disarming (1:12:04)
  • Advice continued (1:15:06)
  • Cultural recommendations (1:24:50)


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23 Jun 2023Episode 37: Information Insurgencies, Energy Security and Great Power Competition with Drew Biemer00:54:22

Today, I spoke to Drew Biemer, a strategic management, and communications professional with over two decades of experience in governmental, public, and civil affairs. Currently serving as the administrator of the Site Evaluation Committee and agency director for Energy Facility Siting, Permitting, Investigation, and Enforcement in the US State of New Hampshire.

His political experience spans campaign management and legislative staffing at the local, state, and federal levels, working with notable figures such as members of Congress, governors, and presidential candidates.

As a frequent panellist and moderator at energy conferences in the US and Africa, Drew shares his expertise in resilience, energy security, stakeholder engagement, land use, politics, and local content. He also has additional experience in executive protection, public safety, information operations, geopolitical risk analysis, and crisis management.

You can find Drew Biemer on:



We spoke about:


  • Drew’s background (1:30)
  • Policy campaigns as information operations (3:44)
  • Why disrupt an adversary’s energy operation (8:37)
  • Load shedding and South African case study (12:02)
  • How ESG has impacted US business and policy (17:49)
  • How can Western countries successfully partner with other countries going forward? (22:13)
  • The western infantilization of African countries (25:34)
  • What is the apprehension of nuclear power? (30:47)
  • Are there any recurring issues Ahmed finds with his clients, concerning African energy (37:24)
  • Career advice (45:40)
  • Cultural Recommendations (48:39)


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07 Jul 2023Episode 38: Career Advice from Intelligence Professionals01:00:40

Today we are rounding up the best advice we have had so far in season 2 of the podcast! Advice from professionals from across the industry, whether it be corporate, government, or non-profit, it's all here. Be sure to check out the episodes featured. This is our last episode of season 2, but keep on the look out for bonus episodes over the summer.


Professionals Featured:



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14 Jul 2023Grey Dynamics Intelligence School: The Origins, Structure, and Vision for the Future00:54:09

Welcome to the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School (GDIS). In this special podcast, we provide an all-encompassing look at our unique approach to intelligence training, discussing our origin story, course structure, and future vision.

Recognising a gap in existing intelligence training – a disconnect between academic studies and on-the-job experiences – we founded GDIS. Our mission? To bridge this gap and offer an effective transition from theoretical knowledge to practical intelligence work.

The heart of our intelligence training is a series of six crucial modules, each addressing a distinct phase of the intelligence cycle:


  • Intelligence Fundamentals
  • Intelligence Direction Fundamentals
  • Intelligence Collection Fundamentals
  • Intelligence Processing Fundamentals
  • Intelligence Analysis Fundamentals
  • Intelligence Dissemination Fundamentals


Our podcast also offers a glimpse into the future, revealing our plans for Phase 2 and Phase 3 of our intelligence training program. These upcoming phases will introduce specialised and advanced modules, deepening our intelligence training further. To ensure quality training, we limit our student intake to 100 per cohort (for the whole bundle and each 2/3 months), maintaining a focus on personalised attention and mentorship.

Despite the comprehensive nature of our intelligence training, the courses are around $200/$250 per course. While the bundle is economically priced between $1000 and $1250. We will continuously update and refine our courses to stay current with the industry's evolving landscape, ensuring our students receive up-to-date and relevant intelligence training.

Tune into our latest podcast episode for an exclusive look at how GDIS is reshaping intelligence training. Whether you're a prospective student, potential partner, or an intelligence enthusiast, join us to explore the innovative world of intelligence training.

Timestamps:

0:00 Why we made the course

9:22 The Fundamentals

15:35 Direction

19:24 Collection

21:05 Processing

25:38 Analysis

31:38 Dissemination

34:18 Caveats and FAQ

37:46 Instructors

38:24 Phase Two and Difficulty

40:40 Career prospects

42:57 External courses and instructors

45:37 Marcel’s thoughts

47:40 Who can take this course?

Grey Dynamic Intelligence


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10 Nov 2023Episode 39: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) an Intelligence Perspective01:21:25

We're back to discuss the 2019 reboot of Call of Duty's Modern Warfare series! In this episode we'll be talking about the inspirations for the campaign, the controversies that made headlines, chemical weapons and much more.

Make sure to stay tuned for the first episode of season three, coming very soon!

You can find Marcel Plichta on:


You can find Michael Elmer on:


We Spoke About:

0:00 - Intro

1:27 - Context

5:54 - Marines vs. Spetsnaz in Kastovia

20:26 - The London Attack

27:07 - Russian occupation in Urzikstan

36:11 - US Marines and CIA search for Al-Qatala

38:03 - Storming of the US embassy in Urzikstan

44:27 - The Highway of Death

49:39 - The flashback 

52:20 - Designating the rebels as terrorists and intel briefings

58:05 - Second flashback

1:00:16 - Clandestine operation in Russia and going to get General Barkov in Moldova

1:09:25 - Summary


Related Articles



Previous Call of Duty Podcast Episodes



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08 Dec 2023Special Boat Service, Afghanistan and Close Protection with Pasha Munro00:58:27

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast for season 3! We're kicking things off with a fascinating guest today, Pasha Munro. Pasha served as a Royal Marine Mountain Leader and Special Boat Service operator as part of UKSF in the British Armed Forces. Today, he is the director of operations at the private security company Black Box Global. Pasha has honed his skills in high-pressure environments, where precision, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of excellence are paramount. His extensive experience in conducting complex operations and mitigating security risks allows him to provide invaluable guidance and leadership in safeguarding organisations and their assets.

You can find Pasha Munro on LinkedIn.


We spoke about:


  • 0:37 - Pasha’s background
  • 4:34 - Becoming a Royal Marine
  • 9:54 - First time in Special Forces selection
  • 12:12 - Becoming a Royal Marine mountain leader and returning to Special Forces selection
  • 15:35 - Joining the Special Boat Service (SBS)
  • 18:31 - Why Pasha choose the SBS
  • 19:18 - Training and earning his keep in the SBS
  • 21:25 - Deploying to Afghanistan with the SBS
  • 31:13 - Getting back into maritime activities
  • 32:32 - The Afghanistan pullout
  • 35:11 - Operational scenarios in the SBS
  • 37:32 - The psychological aspect of being in the water
  • 38:55 - Life after the SBS, office life and close protection
  • 43:27 - Black Box Global
  • 46:33 - Mentoring and advice
  • 49:17 - Being able to switch off
  • 50:52 - Advice to young people


Advance Your Intelligence Career Today!


Sign up to the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School (GDIS) for Top Instructors, Practical Skills, and Real-World Application.

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 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!


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15 Dec 2023What do Humanitarian NGOs and the Private Sector want from Intelligence? With E. - Episode 4201:05:33

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This week, we are talking to a risk management expert in the humanitarian sector. E. has previously worked in the military and private security sector in many countries and conflict zones. We'll discuss the opportunities presented during crisis, how humanitarian NGOs use intelligence and the complexity of navigating the current information space.


We spoke about:


  • 0:00 - Intro and E's background
  • 5:13 - Getting into humanitarian security
  • 7:26 - How the private sector can learn to see risk as an opportunity
  • 9:00 - Why is the private sector so conservative with risk
  • 14:23 - Is there space for the private and humanitarian sector to work closer together
  • 16:50 - Does the humanitarian sector have anything to learn from the private sector in terms of their approach to security
  • 19:17 - How organisations such as humanitarian NGOs can use intelligence to support their operations
  • 21:01 - Overcoming the stigma associated with intelligence in the humanitarian sector
  • 24:39 - How unhelpful the mystification of intelligence is
  • 28:54 - How has OSINT impacted the humanitarian sector?
  • 32:25 - How do humanitarian organisations navigate the complexity of the current information domain
  • 40:31 - What are some of the tools and techniques E uses for his work
  • 45:23 - Advice on getting into security risk management in the humanitarian sector
  • 47:31 - What keeps E up at night
  • 53:29 - The emerging weaponisation of refugees
  • 59:32 - Cultural recommendations


Advance Your Intelligence Career Today!


Sign up to the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School (GDIS) for Top Instructors, Practical Skills, and Real-World Application.

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 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!


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22 Dec 2023From the Defence Human Intelligence Unit to Recruitment with Mack - Episode 4300:56:49

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week, we are talking to Mack! Mack is a former British Army Infantryman and Team Leader. He then went on to be recruited as an Intelligence Officer in the tri-service Defence Human Intelligence Unit (DHU). After leaving the armed forces, Mack became a recruiter. Spending some time working in the Private Equity space, before joining cyber specialists Trident Search, where he is now. We discussed transitioning from infantry to intelligence, Mack's time in DHU combatting the Islamic State, the importance of culture in the work environment and much more.


Find Mack:



We spoke about:


  • 0:33 - Mack’s background
  • 6:02 - Bridging the gap between the military and the private sector
  • 9:20 - Upskilling for veterans
  • 10:14 - Lack of consensus on intelligence job titles
  • 12:52 - Intelligence as a function constantly having to prove its worth
  • 16:05 - Mack’s time in the infantry and transition to intelligence 
  • 19:14 - Mack’s first tour as DHU
  • 21:00 - Advice to people wanting to join DHU
  • 23:07 - Referencing for employers as intelligence professionals and veterans
  • 24:44 - Moving directly from the military to private equity
  • 26:14 - The importance of culture in a workplace
  • 29:41 - Moving to different countries to offer services
  • 31:51 - Considering culture when recruiting
  • 34:04 - What long-term career advice would Mack give to those looking to join the armed forces
  • 37:05 - Getting into cyber as a route into intelligence
  • 39:18 - Salary ranges in intelligence and cyber
  • 45:02 - Mack asks Ahmed where he sees Grey Dynamics 2-3 years
  • 50:14 - Cultural recommendations 
  • 54:34 - Final thoughts


Advance Your Intelligence Career Today!


Sign up to the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School (GDIS) for Top Instructors, Practical Skills, and Real-World Application.

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.


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12 Jan 2024Electronic Warfare, SIGINT and Corporate Intelligence with Michael Blicher Soerensen01:12:10

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking to Michael Blicher Soerensen. Michael is a veteran of the Danish army, specialising in electronic warfare and SIGINT. He is currently a global security site lead at Meta. We discussed what makes a good analyst, deploying to Iraq, corporate intelligence and much more. Enjoy!


Find Michael


LinkedIn


We spoke about:


  • 2:40 - Michael's background
  • 5:15 - Opportunities after working in SIGINT and Electronic Warfare
  • 9:17 - Killings your darlings
  • 10:40 - Adjusting to work outside of the army
  • 14:09 - Learning to build rapport with collegues in the workplace
  • 16:22 - What makes a good intelligence analyst
  • 20:21 - Discovering new career opportunities and staying open minded
  • 24:49 - Michael’s experience on deployment
  • 28:17 - Michael's experience working with allied intelligence counterparts
  • 32:07 - Commentary on how training and background can heavily influence analyst’s perspectives
  • 36:32 - Tailoring intelligence to the consumers needs and creating valuable products
  • 38:08 - Issues in the field of OSINT
  • 48:30 - Intelligence professionals being able to educate consumers on intelligence can and cannot do
  • 51:30 - Competing with other internal and external intelligence professionals in the corporate world
  • 1:01:50 - Lack of Tactical intelligence in the private sector
  • 1:03:24 - Intelligence products currently consumed by in the corporate world
  • 1:05:47 - Cultural Recommendations


Advance Your Intelligence Career Today!


Sign up to the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School (GDIS) for Top Instructors, Practical Skills, and Real-World Application.

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 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!


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26 Jan 2024From Unconventional Warfare to Hybrid Warfare with former SF Operator Curtis Fox - Episode 4501:26:36

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today, we are talking to Curtis Fox, former Green Beret, author, graduate of Georgetown University and currently a program manager. His book 'Hybrid Warfare: The Russian Approach To Strategic Competition & Conventional Military Conflict' is out now. We discussed some of the fascinating topics covered in it. Including how Russia has applied hybrid warfare in Ukraine since 2014, the collapse of effective cooperation between the FSB and GRU, as well as the destruction of Russia's special forces capability.

Disclaimer: All of Curtis Fox's opinions are his own and do not reflect the policy of the US Department of Defense or the US Government.


Find Curtis:



We spoke about:


  • 0:55 - Why Curtis chose to join the Green Berets
  • 4:26 - Deployments during the war on terror as part of 10th Special Forces Group
  • 5:15 - Experiencing other cultures
  • 6:23 - Observations on Somalia
  • 13:01 - The legacy of French colonialism and Wagner’s activities in the Sahel
  • 22:00 - Historical Russian strategy and hybrid warfare
  • 32:38 - Did Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy work in Ukraine from 2014?
  • 41:31 - The GRU, Salisbury and being cut out of planning for the 2022 invasion
  • 48:09 - The FSB’s botched invasion plan and feeding the Kremlin bad intelligence
  • 56:29 - The future of Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy and destruction of their special forces capability
  • 1:00:27 - Could Serbia use Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy themselves?
  • 1:04:26 - Does the West underestimate the Iranians?
  • 1:10:00 - Career advice for young people, including those looking to join special forces
  • 1:13:58 - Advice to those looking to write a book
  • 1:15:57 - How Grey Dynamics decides what topics to cover
  • 1:21:24 - Cultural recommendations


Advance 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 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!


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02 Feb 2024Influence and Interference: Decoding Politics and Power with Drew Biemer - Episode 4601:06:36

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! Today we have Drew Biemer back with us again. Drew is a strategic management and communications professional with 2 decades of experience in governmental, public and civil affairs. His prior experience includes congressional and gubernatorial campaign management, legislative staffing, executive protection, geopolitical risk management, investigations, intelligence, and public information. We spoke about how dark money gets into the political process, how nation-states interfere in third-world countries' elections, targeting using social media and much more.


Find Drew Biemer:


We spoke about:


  • 1:06 - The presidential nomination process
  • 8:14 - How dark money gets into the US electoral process 
  • 18:22 - How corporations interfere in the US political process
  • 24:43 - Interference in other countries elections
  • 28:40 - Psychological micro-targeting using social media
  • 36:42 - The effect TikTok could have on US and other elections
  • 48:28 - Ahmed and Drew’s experience concerning elections abroad
  • 53:40 - Cultural recommendations
  • 59:14 - Cultural observations


Advance 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 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!




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08 Mar 2024Editor's Note 01: Intelligence School News, Next Guests and Reading List00:20:32

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. Today, we are trying something new! This is the first episode of Editor's Notes, where we keep you updated on what we're up to. We'll be discussing the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School, future podcast guests, our new website and what I'm reading. Enjoy!

Related Links:



Advance 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 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!




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15 Mar 2024DIA Counterintelligence Officer and Scholar on the FSB with Kevin P. Riehle - Episode 4700:59:33

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today, we are talking to Kevin Riehle. Kevin has thirty years of experience in the US intelligence community and specialises in Russia and Counter Intelligence. Retiring in 2021, Kevin now works as an academic and author. He is currently a lecturer at the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (BCISS). Kevin's latest book, "The Russian FSB: A Concise History of the Federal Security Service", takes a detailed look at the service and its activities.


Enter to the giveaway to win a signed copy of Kevin Riehle's "The Russian FSB"

In celebration of Kevin's new book on the Russian FSB we have teamed up with him to give away two (2) copies of the book to members of our Community!

Follow the instructions and enter our competition for the chance to win a copy of The Russian Fsb: A Concise History of the Federal Security Service!


  1. Click on the following Link to enter our Competition!


https://www.tropee.com/greydynamics

2. Complete any of the below to collect a 100 points to enter the giveaway!

A) Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

B) Join Grey Dynamics Newsletter!

C) Listen to the latest Podcast with our guest and book author, Kevin P. Riehle and Comment!

D) Follow Grey Dynamics on LinkedIn.

E) Follow Grey Dynamics on Instagram.

3. Go to the rewards tab, click on the Giveaway and click on the "Enter Draw" button!

The Competition will last for a week, ending at March 22nd 2024, 12 PM London Time.

Good luck!


Find Kevin Riehle:



We spoke about:


  • 0:36 - Kevin’s background
  • 5:09 - Who is the FSB?
  • 7:32 - What is the FSB’s jurisdiction 
  • 10:33 - How comparable is the FSB to intelligence organisations in the US and UK?
  • 12:22 - Could an organisation similar to the FSB exist in a democracy?
  • 13:52 - What are the functions of the FSB’s special operations units, Alpha and Vympel?
  • 19:30 - What is SMERSH, and why is it being revived?
  • 23:26 - Where does the FSB fit into Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy?
  • 26:31 - How has the FSB’s ideology evolved?
  • 31:22 - The FSB’s relationship with PMCs, far-right groups and hackers
  • 34:44 - FSB corruption and criminal activity
  • 41:50 - Kevin on counter intelligence
  • 44:34 - How did Ahmed’s time at Brunel University, studying the Intelligence & Security Studies MA, impact his career?
  • 47:19 - The importance of effective dissemination of intelligence
  • 49:43 - Cultural recommendations 
  • 52:59 - Advice to those seeking a career in intelligence


Advance 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.

https://school.greydynamics.com/


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22 Mar 2024Senior CIA Ops Officer John Atwell on Culture Change, Working with Five Eyes and Career Advice - Episode 4800:47:40

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today, we are talking to John Atwell. John spent over twenty-three years of experience in operational and analysis roles at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Since leaving the agency, John has spent time as a consultant, become a columnist for the Haiwaii-Tribune Herald, became editor of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers and a college lecturer at Haiwaii Community College. We discussed the culture shift in CIA after 9/11, views on allied and adversarial agencies around the world, advice for a career in intelligence and much more.


Find John Atwell:



We Spoke About:


  • 0:32 - John Atwell’s background
  • 4:59 - What made John suitable for an operational role at CIA?
  • 9:10 - The shift towards paramilitarism at CIA after 9/11
  • 12:21 - Will CIA return to its pre-9/11 culture with its focus back to strategic targets?
  • 15:04 - CIA and diversity
  • 19:40 - Which international intelligence agencies was John impressed by during his career?
  • 21:31 - Thoughts on adversarial intelligence agencies
  • 23:44 - The growing use of intelligence and counter intelligence by non-state actors
  • 26:56 - Is the swing to OSINT, geospatial and cyber at the detriment of HUMINT?
  • 29:38 - Why John did not join the private sector after leaving the intelligence community
  • 32:06 - John on working with his wife at CIA
  • 33:08 - What advice would you give someone who wants a career in intelligence?
  • 35:59 - Ahmed’s career journey
  • 40:51 - Cultural Recommendations


Advance 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 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!



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05 Apr 2024German Military Intelligence Officer and Trainer Ole Donner on Intelligence Education - Episode 4900:58:09

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! Today we are talking to Ole Donner. Ole is a former German Bundeswehr Officer and analyst. He spent time his teaching intelligence strategies, such as structured analytic techniques. Now he has own training and consulting company called Gründer Strukturierte Analyse Deutschland. He is also a research fellow at the Institute for Intelligence and Security Management. We discussed his time in the military, how to get into intelligence in Germany, tradecraft, key intelligence readings and much more.


Find Ole Donner:



We Spoke About:


  • 0:51 - Ole’s background
  • 4:57 - Getting into the military and intelligence corps
  • 07:06 - Careers pathways into intelligence in Germany
  • 11:02 - How does Germany’s culture affect perspective on intelligence?
  • 12:52 - What role do contractors play in German intelligence?
  • 15:11 - Why Ole start Gründer Strukturierte Analyse Deutschland
  • 18:24 - The intelligence training landscape
  • 23:30 - Bottle necks in the process of making intellignece products
  • 28:08 - How to break into the intelligence industry beyond Germany and key readings
  • 33:03 - Using AIMS to improve intelligence dissemination
  • 36:24 - When do the Grey Dynamics courses start?
  • 37:27 - Ole’s intelligence course
  • 42:00 - Is social media effecting attentions spans and how does that effect intelligence analysis
  • 47:21 - Cultural Recommendations


Advance 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 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!


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12 Apr 2024Editor's Note 02: Building Self Reliance and Musings About Somalia00:34:40

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 Recommendations


Related Links:



Advance 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 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!



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19 Apr 2024Sibylline Head of Global Intelligence Gareth Westwood on Intelligence Management - Episode 5001:25:48

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking again to Gareth Westwood, Sibylline's head of global intelligence. Gareth is a highly experienced practitioner, having previously worked for the UK government in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Ministry of Defence and in the private sector with AstraZeneca. We talked about demystifying the private sector, implementing AI and machine learning into intelligence, what makes a great leader and much more.


Find Gareth Westwood:



We Spoke About:


  • 0:35 - Response to the podcast
  • 2:07 - Gareth’s background and demystifying the private sector
  • 5:20 - How Sibylline’s team is set up and how private intelligence vendors and in-house teams work together
  • 13:53 - Data Analysis and AI, how Gareth’s organisation implements it and what the future could look like
  • 24:02 - Strategies for fully understanding what the stakeholder wants to know and getting feedback
  • 37:31 - What makes a good intelligence and business leader?
  • 57:34 - What advice Gareth has for managers and leaders
  • 1:03:36 - The importance of one-to-ones with your staff
  • 1:08:23 - Is it healthy to create a competitive workplace with visible analytics based on performance?
  • 1:15:32 - Cultural recommendations


Advance 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 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!



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04 May 2024Director of MENA Analytica Dr Andreas Krieg on Strategic Weaponization of Narratives01:11:44

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking to Dr Andreas Krieg, director of MENA Analytica and associate professor at King's College London. He is also the author of Subversion: The Strategic Weaponization of Narratives. Andreas has a wealth of experience in the private sector, academia and supporting the UK armed forces training and doctrine. We discussed learning how to spot opportunity, getting exposure outside of academic circles, ways forward for the situation in Gaza and much more.


Find Dr Andreas Krieg:


We Spoke About:


  • 0:44 - Andreas’ background
  • 6:15 - Hunting for opportunities 
  • 11:10 - Legacy, economy of effort in academia and exposure outside of academia
  • 15:00 - Academic publications and their relationship to the public
  • 19:48 - Getting exposure outside of academic circles
  • 25:29 - The situation in Gaza and possible ways forward
  • 49:00 - Andreas discusses his work surrounding subversion, and how Israel uses it
  • 54:56 - Career advice
  • 1:06:28 - Cultural recommendations


Advance 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 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!




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17 May 2024Crypto Currency Intelligence with Keven Hendricks - Episode 5200:59:59

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics Podcast! This week we are talking to Keven Hendricks, an expert and pioneer in Crypto and Dark Web investigations. Keven is the founder of Ubivis, a project dedicated to combatting the spread of narcotics using the dark web. He has worked previously under the FBI and DEA, taking part in various task forces. We discussed adapting to the changing crypto landscape, taking down criminals operating on the dark web, privacy in crypto, the tools he uses to keep himself secure and much more.


Find Keven Hendricks:



We Spoke About:


  • 1:10 - Kevin’s background
  • 3:54 - Being part of an anti-online exploitation task force
  • 6:17 - How Kevin began specialising in cryptocurrencies
  • 10:03 - Working with federal and international organisations, adapting to the changing crypto landscape and participating in the take down of illicit marketplaces
  • 15:24 - Where adversaries on the dark web slip up
  • 18:34 - How criminals using cryptocurrencies cash out
  • 22:02 - Cryptocurrency ATMs
  • 24:44 - Monero and other privacy centric cryptocurrencies
  • 29:07 - Using privacy centric crytocurrencies
  • 31:56 - What is TOR?
  • 36:09 - Disscusing Torndao Cash
  • 44:14 - Most private and secure messaging apps
  • 47:25 - Which mobile OS is more secure?
  • 50:00 - Recommendations for tools similar to TOR and TailsOS
  • 52:09 - Advice for conducting investigations into crypto and the dark web
  • 55:32 - Cultural recommendations
  • 57:22 - Final thoughts and the increasing relevancy of cryptocurrencies


Advance 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 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!



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24 May 2024Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) an Intelligence Perspective - Episode 5301:24:27

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 Recommendations


Previous Call of Duty Episodes:



Advance 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 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!




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31 May 2024Former 22 SAS & 14 Int Operator Michael Hawkes on his Illustrious Career01:38:06

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:



We 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 recommendations


Advance 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 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!




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28 Jun 2024Former CIA Collection Management Officer on Life with Esther Atwell – Episode 5501:01:24

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


Related Links:



Advance 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 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!




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25 Oct 2024Former Senior CIA Officer Raymond White on HUMINT and Training the Next Generation - Episode 5601:00:58

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


Advance 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 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!




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01 Nov 2024Editor's Notes 03: Intelligence Courses Update00:24:18

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This week, Marcel Plichta, the lead instructor of the intelligence school, joins us to discuss writing a killer intelligence report, the future of the course, and the feedback we have received.


Join our "How to Write a Killer Intelligence Report" workshop:



We spoke about:


  • 0:00 - How to write a killer intelligence report workshop
  • 4:02 - Discussing the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School (GDIS) and feedback
  • 14:54 - Future GDIS courses on HUMINT and Crypto Intelligence



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08 Nov 2024Global Intelligence Leader Lewis Sage-Passant on the Private Intelligence Industry - Episode 5701:03:40

Save $500 on our Intelligence Cycle Fundamentals Course



Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. This week we are talking to Lewis Sage-Passant about the obscure and understudied world of private sector intelligence. Lewis is the Global Head of Intelligence at a major pharmaceutical company and an Adjunct Professor at Science Po. Previously, Lewis served in the British Armed Forces and worked in private intelligence roles in the energy, banking and software sectors. His new book, “Beyond States and Spies: The Security Intelligence Services of the Private Sector” provides an overview of corporate intelligence structures and functions. We discussed how intelligence interacts with different industries, industrial espionage, controversial firms and much more.


Find Lewis Sage-Passant:



We Spoke About:


0:45 Lewis’ background

4:28 The differences between working in government and private intelligence

8:37 Lewis’ previous experience with a travel risk start-up

13:32 Why Lewis wrote his new book, Beyond States and Spies: The Security Intelligence Services of the Private Sector

18:06 What is the difference between in-house corporate intelligence teams and private intelligence vendors/service providers, and how do they interact?

21:23 The variety of private intelligence service providers

24:48 The role the oil and gas industry has played in developing in-house intelligence capabilities

26:40 Pharmaceutical companies have developed intelligence capabilities, how do they use them?

31:20 How does private sector intelligence interact with the professional sports industry?

34:15 What role does government play in the private sector in cases of state-sponsored industrial espionage

40:17 Is the line between state and private intelligence capabilities blurring, and will it lead to regulation?

44:25 How much can governments influence the activities of the private sector?

45:48 Cooperation on dual-use technologies and supply chain risk

48:29 Controversial private intelligence firms and tactics

52:05 Advice for people trying to get into private intelligence

56:28 Cultural recommendations

1:00:44 What did Lewis not cover in the book?


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22 Nov 2024Former German Military HUMINT Operator Christoph Stegemann - Episode 5800:57:57

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This week we are talking to Christoph Stegemann, former head of the Bundeswehr's HUMINT school. Christoph has worked across the German intelligence community in both the military and civilian agencies. In 2019, he moved on to work in Germany’s private intelligence sector. Since then he has gone onto to work corporate intelligence teams and worked to counter the use of performance enhancing drugs in professional sports. We spoke about working alongside different nations, not overly relying on technology, how the German private intelligence sector looks and much more.


Find Christoph Stegemann:



We spoke about:


  • 0:00 Christoph’s background in the Bundeswehr and how he got into HUMINT
  • 5:57 Differences in culture and approach compared to allied nations
  • 8:55 Becoming head of HUMINT training in the Bundeswehr and understanding the tradecraft
  • 10:54 Being trained to as both an agent handler and as an interrogator
  • 12:14 How has German military intelligence changed over the war on terror and not overly relying on technology
  • 18:16 What were the differences Christoph felt after transitioning between military intelligence and civilian agencies
  • 21:02 How do you build a network in the private sector after working in public sector intelligence?
  • 27:21 Christoph’s anti-doping work in the professional sports world
  • 32:50 How does the German private intelligence sector look?
  • 36:20 How was the war in Ukraine impacted the German private intelligence sector
  • 38:53 Being able to communicate with stakeholders effectively in German corporate intelligence
  • 41:42 What advice Christoph has for young people looking to work in the private intelligence sector
  • 44:55 Christopher’s advice for those looking to work in government 
  • 46:04 Tradecraft and Cultural recommendations 
  • 54:03 Final Thoughts


Advance 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 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!



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29 Nov 2024How Write a Killer Intelligence Report - Bonus Episode01:01:30

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This episode looks at how to write a Killer Intelligence Report. It builds on many of the skills students learn in our intelligence fundamentals course. This is from our live workshop from the 6th of November. Presented by Marcel Plitcha, lead instructor of the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School. He is currently completing his PhD at St Andrews and is a former DOD Analyst and FBI contractor. We cover the key elements you need to understand how to write an effective intelligence report!


Check out the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School Courses


Find the Grey Dynamics Intelligence School Instructors:



We spoke about:


  • 1:31 Introduction
  • 2:49 Who are we?
  • 5:03 What’s the point of an intelligence report?
  • 7:12 Is there a right way to do an intel report?
  • 8:15 Front matter of a report
  • 15:11 Introduction to report
  • 20:03 The body of your report
  • 20:44 Assessments
  • 26:59 Evidence
  • 33:40 Visual Elements
  • 44:24 Structured Analytic Techniques (SATs)
  • 53:07 Concluding a report
  • 59:19 How strict are these rules?


Advance 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 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!




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06 Dec 2024Former Paramilitary Operations Officer Ric Prado on his life in the Shadows - Episode 5901:01:14

Ric Prado teamed up with Grey Dynamics to give away signed copies of his book. The only thing you have to do to win is to comment “blackops” under the episode of this post. You will receive a DM with instructions!

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! The week we are talking to Ric Prado, a former CIA paramilitary operations officer and clandestine Special Activities Division (SAD) operator. Ric spent 24 years in the CIA, operating in the Middle East, Latin America, and East Asia. During the war on terror, Ric served as Chief of Operations at the CIA Counterterrorist Center (CTC), as well as setting up the Bin Laden Task Force. Previously, he served as an elite US Air Force Pararescue man. His New York Times Bestseller book, “Black Ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior”, tells his life story and extraordinary experiences along the way. We spoke about leaving Cuba as a refugee, experiences on operations, being in the CIA as 9/11 unfolded and much more.


Find Ric Prado



We Spoke About:


  • 0:00 Ric Prado’s background
  • 2:50 Leaving Cuba alone at the age of ten after the revolution
  • 6:26 Having a mischievous streak and not fitting in
  • 7:54 Ric’s first day at CIA headquarters
  • 10:14 What was the onboarding process and first mission like?
  • 13:32 What makes Cuban-Americans so patriotic?
  • 17:53 Ric’s experience working with the Sandinista’s in Nicaragua
  • 21:43 Studying to become a CIA officer and going to “the farm”
  • 24:48 Going to work in Costa Rica
  • 27:51 Experiencing 9/11 from inside the CIA
  • 35:13 Experiencing the culture change in the CIA during the war on terror
  • 40:10 Discussing Billy Waugh
  • 45:50 Why do intelligence professionals in fiction get such a negative reputation?
  • 48:17 Advice for young people
  • 53:19 What Rick does now he has retired from the CIA
  • 56:35 Cultural recommendations
  • 1:00:34 Book Giveaway


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20 Dec 2024Former Naval Counter Intelligence Officer and Founder of Grey Bull Rescue Bryan Stern - Episode 6001:10:07


Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast! This week we are speaking again to Bryan Stern, founder and head of Grey Bull Rescue Foundation. Bryan has 25 years of military experience, including combat tours with the US Army and Navy. His specialisms include unconventional warfare, hostage rescue, and counterterrorism. During the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, Bryan organised flights to evacuate 117 US citizens after the US military had left. Since then, Grey Bull Rescue has conducted thousands of missions and rescued over 7,100 people from crises around the world. We spoke about breaking a US citizen out of a Russian FSB prison, operating where other won’t, and much more.


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07 Mar 2025The Inner Workings of Wagner with John Lechner00:59:20

Grey Dynamics welcomes John Lechner to the podcast. He is a journalist and researcher, focusing on security issues with a heavy approach to on-the-ground coverage. John is also an expert on Russia’s growing influence in Africa. He speaks fluent Russian; advanced French, Turkish, and Georgian; and conversational Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian (BCS), Chechen, German, and Sango.

You can find his articles published in Foreign Policy, War on the Rocks, Kyiv Post, The Diplomat, Africa is a Country, African Arguments, The National Interest, and Defense One, among others. Additionally, his book on the inner workings of the Wagner Group is for sale on Amazon


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Advance 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 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!


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14 Mar 2025Former CIA Senior Team Leader and GRS Veteran Thomas "Tom" Pecora00:48:34

Grey Dynamics welcomes Thomas Pecora, a former CIA/GRS Senior Security Manager with over twenty-four years of experience working in protective operations, crisis management, physical security, and counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Iraq, Sudan and the Philippines.

Tom was awarded both the Intelligence Star “for voluntary acts of courage performed under hazardous conditions ”and the Career Intelligence Medal for “exceptional achievements that substantially contributed to the mission of the agency”. He is also an adjunct professor at Wright State University and the author of the book, “Guardian: Life in the Crosshairs of the CIA’s War on Terror”.


Find Thomas Pecora


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Advance 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 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!



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21 Mar 2025Former Diplomat and Founder of Intrigue Media John Fowler01:14:55

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. Today we are honoured to have John Fowler, founder of the global affairs start-­up International Intrigue Media and former Australian Foreign Service diplomat. During his diplomatic career, he served and lived in Beijing and Shanghai after a lengthy training in Mandarin. John Fowler also holds a Master of Business Administration from the London Business School.


Find John Fowler


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Advance 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 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!



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28 Mar 2025Former CIA Intelligence Officer and Daily Briefer David Priess01:05:03

The Grey Dynamics Podcast welcomes you back. Today, we have an amazing guest: David Priess, a former intelligence officer, intelligence manager and daily briefer of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Bill Clinton and George Bush administrations. Additionally, David Priess worked at the State Department as a desk officer in the Near East Bureau.


Find David Priess



Advance 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 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.

11 Apr 2025Ahmed Hassan on Grey Dynamics Media Side, Intelligence Operations and Training00:29:05

Welcome back to the Grey Dynamics podcast. This week, we are doing another editor’s note with some current insights about the company. During this episode, I will be discussing how Grey Dynamics deals with -sometimes opposite- worlds of operational contracts and media publications. Furthermore, I will also provide some recommendations from the intelligence professionals looking to enter intelligence and security company management.


Find Ahmed Hassan



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Advance 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 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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