Background

Korean Linguist: I joined the Air Force straight out of High School in 1980 and attended the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) located in Monterey, California at the Presidio of Monterey. It’s the U.S. military’s primary school for training linguists across all branches. I was there for a year, all of 1981.

 

Off to “Goodbuddy”: Upon completion of language training at DLI I was assigned to Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, TX in January of 1982. Linguists are typically sent to Goodfellow to learn how to apply their new language skills in real-world intelligence operations. The training covers signals intelligence, analysis, reporting, targeting, and mission systems.

 

Osan AFB, Korea and “Skivvy Nine” - Known (at the time) as the 6903 ESS, Skivvy Nine is legendary, the most respected intelligence unit in the Pacific theater. The unit handles intelligence operations, linguist missions, SIGINT collection, analysis, and real-time support to U.S. and allied forces. The unit has a reputation for high standards, long shifts, difficult missions, and some of the sharpest linguists and analysts in the force. I spent two years there on “back to back” remote tours. Those years shaped the way I analyze information, detect patterns, and separate signals from noise.

 

National Security Agency (NSA): After Korea I was assigned to NSA as an analyst. Intelligence from collection missions poured in, and we figured out what it all meant. NSA had what they called a “professionalization program” - just a fancy way to say school. Most NSA employees are civilians and classes were available to improve your skills in everything related to intelligence collection, analysis, processing, and reporting. I learned on the job, and took every formal training course I could get my hands on. I also worked in the National SIGINT Operations Center (NSOC)  as a watch officer on the North Korean desk.

 

Switch To Spanish: Spring of 1986 - Think Oliver North, Iran - Contra, President Reagan in charge. This was before the end of the Cold War. The US was concerned Central America was about to flip communist. Danny Ortega was in charge of Nicaragua. Cuba was supplying weapons to the guerrillas in El Salvador. The US woke up realizing the military was full of native Spanish speakers, but practically none of them were trained SIGINT professionals. So I went back to DLI for Spanish. Then Goodfellow again, and then to Survival School in Spokane WA because I was going to be doing the job while flying on a C-130.

 

Howard AFB, Panama: I flew Peacetime Aerial Reconnaissance Program (PARPRO) missions as a Spanish linguist aboard modified C-130 aircraft using the Comfy Levi and Senior Scout SIGINT collection systems. Both involved specialized modular systems installed on existing aircraft. While I was assigned there, the US invaded Panama in Operation Just Cause to remove Manuel Noriega - a former CIA informant who was no longer useful as soon as the Cold War ended. I like to say I didn’t have to “invade” anything because I was already there. During this assignment I completed an Associate Degree in Intelligence Collection from the Community College of the Air Force by attending night school on base. Go ‘Noles.

 

Ft. Meade, MD: In 1990 I was assigned to the 6994th ESS at Ft Meade, MD. The ‘94th had a worldwide deployment mission, also equipped at the time with the Senior Scout collection system. That assignment gave me a world-wide focus. Our unofficial unit motto was “Anytime, Anywhere, For Per Diem.” One year I spent more than 300 days deployed, including 90 days in Saudi Arabia flying on RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft following Desert Storm, as well as flying on AWACS drug interdiction missions in the Caribbean. One exercise had me deployed as an intelligence liaison aboard the USS America (CV‑66), a Kitty Hawk-class super-carrier. I got to do a trap and a cat shot on the cod. Navy guys will understand. During this assignment I earned a Bachelor Degree in International Business, also by attending night school on base. Go ‘Terps.

 

DIA JMIC PGIP: In 1994 I was selected to attend the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Joint Military Intelligence College (JMIC) Post Graduate Intelligence Program (PGIP) - earning a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence (MSSI). Yes, the military loves its acronyms. There were about 150 senior military intelligence officers in my class. I was one of only six enlisted personnel selected to attend. Think of this as “finishing school” for intelligence professionals.  There were visiting professors from other intelligence organizations such as the CIA. This school is required for military intelligence officers to have any chance at all of being selected for promotion to “Full Bird” Colonel (O-6). Almost no one in the enlisted community gets to attend, so just being selected was an honor. I graduated with the second highest GPA in the class in the summer of 1995. They don’t have a sports team.

 

Special Operations: My next assignment was to the Special Operations Command - South (SOCSOUTH) in Panama. I was the “SIGINT Guy” in the J2 (Intel) section working for Lt Col Mark Wilkins. This was easily the most interesting, challenging, and rewarding assignment of my career. As the SIGINT collection manager and requirements officer, my job was to make sure the Special Forces operators from all branches deploying downrange had the information they needed, whatever the mission. Working in SOF was absolutely incredible. I earned the trust and respect from those hard and salty Special Operators. I was there for five years until retiring from active duty after a 20 year career.

 

Civilian Military Contractor: Upon retirement from the military I was hired by a civilian defense contracting company to provide “intelligence support” services to “three letter agencies” all over Latin America. And that’s about all I can say about that. The contract ran through the summer of 2005.

 

Investigative Journalist: I started a website - panama-guide.com - in the middle of 2004. The job was to provide English language news to the expatriate community living in Panama. It started as nothing and grew into the most widely read and respected English language news source in the country. I got my “15 minutes of fame” by getting several serial killers arrested, including William Dathan “Wild Bill” Holbert, his wife Laura Michelle Reese, Javier Martin, Brian Brimager, and others. These cases landed me on CBS 48 Hours (twice), and shows like Dateline, Nightline, the Discovery Channel, BBC, and others. People really like “true crime” shows. I really like putting murderers in prison, so it works out. I eventually became the most famous Gringo in Panama. I ran that website as my primary job until 2013.

 

Back Home: By 2013 my mother was 82 years old and dad was 80. I wanted my son and daughter to really get to know their grandparents, and not just be a voice on a long distance phone call saying “happy birthday, Grandma!” We shut everything down in Panama and moved back to the Hudson Valley region of NY.

 

Sales To Pay The Bills: I started selling just about anything to put food on the table. Cars, solar systems, replacement windows, home remodeling - whatever. People need stuff, and I sold it to them on commission. A career in intelligence and analysis made it easy. My approach was always customer focused - it wasn’t about me making a sale, my focus was always on whatever the customer needed - whatever  problem or issue that needed fixing. Leaky windows, a worn out car, high electrical bills. And I like talking to people, so it was generally nice.

 

Then mom died in 2017. Then dad passed out and had his “is this what it’s like to die” moment. Then I hit 62 and applied for Social Security. Now, I do Near Death Research full time.