Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (2017)

You beat me to it. Much appreCIAted.

Same. I applied online and then got a phone call. I wasn't expecting it and sounded like a complete idiot when it caught me out of the blue. I straight up asked at one point, "So like wait, this is for the CIA right?" There was some dead silence for a few seconds after that where she probably considered her life choices before continuing on.

Good question on Snowden. I saw he did an AMA the other day sounding the alarm about Congress trying to sneak mass surveillance into law or something...and then it didn't happen. So I'm not sure what he's up to these days. I'm not familiar with his new App but I would think that if it's attached to his name, and meant for journalists or whistleblowers like Signal or Tor, then it's probably very likely already at the top of the list for cracking and bypassing.

Right on.

• No, but it definitely helps to have studied a foreign language before you apply. Not at all mandatory, but entirely helpful.

• Not strenuous.

• Well I haven't went through Selection or the Q course but I've known plenty of dudes who have that can attest it's no walk in the park. The Farm is incredibly intense as well but its not like you're getting hosed down with water while you do bicycle kicks in the air at any point.

• No, but then understand that it was largely on me to run my own operation so if it was morally unconscionable I wouldn't have put myself in that situation to begin with.
• I am still transitioning and its getting easier every day. I was still pretty paranoid about even uttering the letters C-I-A after I first got out but I've been coming around with the help of tv shows like Scandal and Get Smart.
• I haven't seen Burn Notice but I heard its about a field guy who gets "disavowed" whatever that means.
• I don't know but I think you could still apply if you meet their age requirements. I don't know what their cutoff is these days but you should look it up and apply!
• I've heard there's a lot of people locked up in the 4 Seasons in Riyadh and all knowledge of them has been denied but I'm not sure what else James Olson might have been referring to.

Ha. Yeah, what has been seen cannot be unseen, right? I got into the CIA by applying online. Yep, just go on over to their website and it's all right there.

As for things I never thought I would see -- sure, I saw a lot of wacky shit go down in a bunch of foreign countries but it was never supernatural by any means. At least I didn't think so. I'm in Nevada now though and have probably seen more weird shit on the ET Highway than my career in the Agency. But then I guess that's all kind of related in a way when I really think about it...

Brother, more than a lot. I'm currently in Nevada. What would you like to know?

Not 9 of them.

Let me ask you this, have you ever driven north of Las Vegas? Specifically on NV - 375? Also known as the E.T. Highway? Because I just did it for the past three days...yes, that's how I spend my holidays. Yes, it's everything you would imagine it to be and more. Yes, the locals have the most insane stories I have ever heard in my life. Yes, they all have pictures to show you if you're nice to them. And yes, there is a haunted clown motel at the end of the line in Tonapah. Come for the coffee. Stay for the brownies.

Can't say I have heard of that one but since you mention 1984, here's a fun link someone sent me recently about an official meeting the CIA had with a "remote viewer" in the same year. So I don't know, seems like weird shit was going down back then.

https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00788R001900760001-9.pdf

I get asked about what my former colleagues think about the president a lot as well as what they think about a variety of other things. The truth is, unless they are former colleagues that are now out in the open with their cover rolled back, I do not maintain contact with active officers. It wouldn't be good for either of us. So, unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, I don't know what the current consensus is for those who are still doing it every day.

You mean like domestic US political parties? Or communist parties vying for supremacy worldwide?

Ha. I haven't seen much 24 but of course I know what it's about so that's cool. I saw the first episode of Homeland and that wasn't bad either but I've come to learn over the past 18 months that a lot of people view that show as "highly accurate" which is just silly. As for fearing for my life, yeah, the first time you do anything dangerous you are pretty scared and amped up. But then you get used to it, like sky diving or competing in martial arts, and you begin to adapt and get used to things being dangerous eventually becoming the norm, or at the very least, not as scary as they were previously.

Smart question. Love it. They didn't do the greatest job I can tell you that much. I'm from the country, rural with amish and trailer parks, so anytime you pull up to either of these types of homes in a black SUV, in a black suit, with a clipboard, and start asking questions about my being trustworthy...well, it definitely makes people suspicious. Oh, and also, "I'm from the government. Doug's applying for a position with a government." was a really horrible explanation to give my friend while he was milking cows that day. Thanks dudes.

Yes, it's called blending in. That photo was taken at a tavern in my hometown.

Only on Christmas.

Oh man! Did you ask me this question via PM earlier in the year by chance??? I recognize your handle. Because I have an answer for you.

I've been pretty busy throughout 2017 because I get bored very easily. I made a tv show for Discovery channel at the top of the year and then edited it in New York most of the summer. Now I'm in Nevada working on a story with a buddy of mine about the alien highway and the recent UFO disclosures by the pentagon. Because, you know it's, "All the Small Things", that are the most interesting. (Hope you see what I did there.)

Fuck yeah man! I answered that question for a Video AMA I did this past summer but we never aired it. I have it on one of my hard drives. Let me find it during lunch and I will post that shit on youtube for you.

Sometimes Archer. But most of the time Cyril Figgis.

1. Perfect day on the calendar to ask me questions about James Jesus Angleton. Also perfect because I have T.S. Eliot's book of poems on cats here in Nevada with me. So you're 2/2.

2. My favorite food is taco bell. All of it. And now you're 3/3.

Only if it makes the front page.

Hello ThatTexas_Guy - thanks for the questions. I get these a lot via PM so I'm glad you're asking.

You can become a case officer by applying online at the Agency's website. That's the first step of course but it is the only way to begin the process so don't believe a lot of mountebanks out there who try to sell you on the lie that they can get you in through the back door, or they know somebody who knows somebody, or they will help you develop some killer resume like you're applying to grad school. Nope. Apply online.

It's a really fun job and the field operations are incomparable to any other experience I have had in life. Having said that, you're asking how much time was spent on a desk? My answer to that would be this: the more you do in the field, the more you have to sit down and document what you did in the field. So, bottom line, if you're a high speed ops guy always out in the field, you're going to be high speed ops guy typing it all up at some point as well.

Don't know on the MOS front. I could tell you work in intelligence but it's not really going to give you that much of a leg up when you switch over to intelligence ran by a civilian organization a la CIA.

You 100% should try and learn a foreign language...and you should travel overseas as much as possible. (Not just with your unit.)

Yes, it is very hard to have a family and/or relationship. It's the hardest part of the job -- at least it was for me -- and why I chose to write about it extensively in my book even when a lot of outside commentators were telling me to leave it out.

Merry Christmas to you too! Thanks for taking the time to read it.

Ummmmmm I just took a photo of a dude's license plate at the Little A'Le'Inn in Rachel, NV yesterday that had a license plate that read "Skunkworks: My TR-3B is in the shop." You can't make this shit up. I'll send you the photo in a second. Let me upload it to imgur or something for you.

Yeah I think there is -- but to what extent at this point I don't know. It's the federal government and everyone has their own little rice bowls and unfortunately that bleeds into the IC and LEF as well. So I think its to be expected and will likely continue.

I would prefer you anonymize it and ask about your friend and give me your friend's qualifications in the event others reading this have the same questions. Will that work for you? If not and its super personal and private, go ahead and PM me and I will take a look. Thanks!

Good morning goodmorningfuture - yeah for real. I was a core collector in the field so I felt the same way sometimes like "WTF did they do with that report?" It can be entirely frustrating can't it? Those layers between collector and user are there for a reason, obviously, and I fully understand why but it fucking sucks being in the dark. I am guessing you quit or retired so can I ask what you're doing now?

Thanks for the question. I think drones have really helped to win that war worldwide. So, I would advocate an increase in spending on drones. Jeremy Scahill I am sure would agree.

My cat is back in Ohio with my parents. Which also means he's probably eating too much tuna because that's how they ply him to come out from wherever he's hiding. So, yeah, probably a diet on the horizon for Bubbins in 2018.

Boboblah780 - Roger that, buddy.

You mean, CIA specifically?

Thank you, Princess_O-Kenny.

I have my cover rolled back so I am allowed to talk about general shit as well as whatever they cleared for my book. Which is a lot. So, no, I don't worry about saying anything I shouldn't. And yeah, anytime you meet any journalist looking for a story they 100% of the time ask ridiculously compartmentalized and top secret questions to see if you are stupid enough to answer them. And based on some of their reporting, there truly are people out there dumb enough to provide them with answers.

StainedTeabag - I probably drove on your land yesterday. Sorry about that. Generally speaking, they don't sell patches at the Nellis BX based entirely on rumors...

https://imgur.com/gallery/cHF1Wu7

Thanks for the questions and thanks for asking how my day is going. It's going pretty good so far aside for the opening salvo question on rape. How's everything going with you?

Yes, I had to leave quickly on numerous occasions but that's also because I made it clear that I was willing to be that guy.

The transition is still ongoing and in a word it is "refreshing." I like being honest with everyone up front these days and not having to lie to someone from the jump off. At the same time, I still find myself lying to friends-of-friends these days about what I do because I just really don't want to get into a 30 minute conversation about terrorism and the threat of ISIS with every new person I meet.

Sometimes I flew home and other times I worked from the field. Honestly, some of my best memories come from holidays I have had overseas while operational.

Well, it is precisely why I left to put it as bluntly as I can. Stifling.

I am on here today to answer any questions you have. I have gotten over a thousand PMs in the past 18 months but haven't responded to hardly any of them because I've been waiting to do it publicly since other people very likely have the same question. If you can anonymize it as best you can I would be happy to answer it via this AMA. If it truly is personal though, then yeah, send me a PM and I'll see if I can help.

Thanks for ordering the book. Hope you like it.

Merry Christmas to you too!

Cool screenname. I'm guessing you like guns. Those both shoot bullets good.

I am really glad you took the opportunity to ask this question. Probably a lot of lurkers have the same question and didn't so kudos to you. Definitely fine that you aren't a military type. I don't have a military background either and was only armed with my bachelor's degree when I joined so the world is your oyster. What are you interested in? Is there a particular region of the world you like to study or already know quite a bit about? There are tons of positions at the CIA and within the IC you might really like and be a great fit for. Let me know your thoughts and I will try to steer you in the right direction.

Oh man I don't really read those books but I know my dad read Extreme Ownership by a couple Navy Seals and he really liked it. Maybe it will help your friend! Merry Christmas to you as well.

Depends on who you've heard of.

I'll answer this one right after I take my blue pills.

I believe it is mandatory that you hold a bachelor's degree to work at the Agency. At least in the NCS I know it is.

DIA is cool. I have no bad blood with them.

Master a foreign language.

Live overseas.

Great question. I think you are spot on when you describe it as irresponsible because I do think it was very much that. Did some good actually come out of it? I am sure you could argue that. As for endangering operatives in the field, I'm not so sure and I haven't seen anything concrete about that. But then again, I didn't know about Ice9 until James discovered that Walter Burke was just a big fat liar.

I did get some awards but I left them all behind in a cardboard box on the day I left. I wasn't sure what the exact protocol was for some of them so I just said fuck it and left them at my desk. I'm sure they have been properly disposed of by now.

AARP

I don't know because I never made it to the illustrious retired lifestyle. It's possible. Do you live there? Are tons of people walking around talking into their fists?

Nope. I'll field that one. I think it was horrendous and unacceptable. That was actually the 327th MP and Tom Pappas who were responsible though at Abu Ghraib. I think he's a civilian SIS now actually...so, you know, might be worth requesting an AMA of him.

Oh. You mean yesterday?

https://imgur.com/gallery/DkvtoWm

Depends. What's my UFO related work?

Coffee. But I'm in Vegas, so that's about to change.

I have traveled overseas and yes, all countries keep tabs on former intelligence officers -- but given that I'm a known quantity I'm the least of their worries.

Retired for good. Only way to reactivate me is if Bubbins were to be kidnapped by Albanian sex traffickers.