After Action: True Stories of the Diplomatic Security Service
From the law enforcement and security organization you’ve never heard of comes a podcast revealing some of the greatest stories in America’s history. Hear from special agents, engineers, technicians, and others who belong to the Diplomatic Security Service as they give Americans insight into what really happened. From the terrorist bombings in East Africa to discovering bugs buried in U.S. embassy walls to dismantling a major sex trafficking network in New York City, listen along as we peel back the DSS curtain.
Episodes
In this episode of After Action, we delve into an extraordinary true story of a capital murder suspect who eluded authorities for an astonishing 34 years. Living under a meticulously crafted false identity, this fugitive navigated life in the shadows, seemingly beyond the reach of justice. Join us as a retired Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent recounts the intense and innovative investigative journey that ultimately unmaske...
Join us for the Season 3 premiere of After Action. Retired DSS Special Agent Robert Booth shares incredible stories including how we identified insider threat Kendall Myers, discovered a sophisticated Russian listening device planted inside the U.S. State Department, and more. This episode takes you behind the scenes, revealing how the Diplomatic Security Service and our intelligence partners counter intelligence threats. Learn abo...
Just as New York City was gearing up for the annual UN General Assembly in 2016, an individual inspired by ISIS threatened the safety of the city. When the bomber’s first explosive detonated in the Chelsea district of New York, a DSS special agent leapt into action, gathering evidence that would eventually lead to the identity and capture of the Chelsea Bomber.
The athletes that are part of Team USA head to Paris to represent America and bring home the gold! While they are competing in the Games, they are considered special U.S. dignitaries, which is why DSS is there to help protect them from threats! Hear more about this unique mission, and how DSS prepared for Paris 2024.
Do you have a plan if a natural disaster strikes? Fortunately, the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal, did when a massive earthquake hit the country in April of 2015. In this episode, DSS Special Agent Dan Art describes the actions he and his colleagues took to safeguard the U.S. embassy and personnel after the disaster hit, and how they worked with multiple entities to provide humanitarian relief and medical aid, and search for vict...
In November of 2015, terrorists attacked the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako, Mali. Popular with Westerners, several Americans were staying in the hotel, including a State Department contractor. Before the morning was over, two DSS special agents rallied four other Americans to fight through smoke, bullets, and hand grenades to save as many as 18 people trapped in the chaos. Hear firsthand from the agents who saved lives that day.
One year ago, DSS special agents led the suspension of operations at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan. Working with U.S. military entities and other partners, DSS ensured that U.S. diplomats and their families withdrew safely from the country. In this three-part series, a variety of DSS personnel discuss how they supported the evacuation of Khartoum in 2023. In episode 3, hear from a DSS special agent who supported evacuation ef...
One year ago, DSS special agents led the suspension of operations at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan. Working with U.S. military entities and other partners, DSS ensured that U.S. diplomats and their families withdrew safely from the country. In this three-part series, a variety of DSS personnel discuss how they supported the evacuation of Khartoum in 2023. In episode 2, a DSS special agent serving as an assistant regional secu...
One year ago, DSS special agents led the suspension of operations at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan. Working with U.S. military entities and other partners, DSS ensured that U.S. diplomats and their families withdrew safely from the country. In this three-part series, a variety of DSS personnel discuss how they supported the evacuation of Khartoum in 2023. In episode 1, you will hear from two DSS special agents and a DSS secur...
In this final episode of Season 1, Assistant Secretary of Diplomatic Security Gentry Smith discusses his 30-plus years with DSS, from serving twice at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo to working on the protective detail of three secretaries of State. Listen as he describes being caught in a standoff between protestors and the Burmese military, responding to the terrorist bombing of the USS Cole, and other events that helped prepare him fo...
In this episode of DSS: After Action, Scott Brawner, founder of Concilium, Inc., discusses how his group and other faith-based organizations leverage the power of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) when threats or crises arise overseas. Hear how he and other OSAC members working in Chad provided crucial updates to DSS during a coup attempt in 2021 and in Guatemala during a crisis.
In the concluding episode of "Operation Cinderella Story: Dismantling an International Crime Network," Special Agent Chris Swenson takes us deeper into the heart of the investigation. Swenson explains the major players involved in the international scheme and how they built upon the initial evidence seized to build a larger case that included a clientele "blacklist," electronic evidence, and wealthy business &qu...
Join Special Agent Chris Swenson in the first part of this two-part series, as he delves into one of DSS' largest, and most complex cases: Operation Cinderella Story. In collaboration with officials from the Republic of Korea and various U.S. law enforcement agencies, Swenson and his team investigated and dismantled an international money laundering network.
Get an insider's view on how DSS built this case using out-of-t...
In this After Action episode, we sit down with retired DSS special agent, Paul Davies, who served as the senior agent and security advisor at the U.S. Consulate in Herat, Afghanistan, during the harrowing attacks on September 13, 2013. The consulate was the target of an attack by Taliban-affiliated insurgents, using vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.
The interview provides a glimpse into the intense firefight and how o...
In this episode, Supervisory Special Agent Kareem Parson recalls the last few days on the ground in Caracas before the U.S. mission to Venezuela was ordered back to the United States. Parson describes the work DSS performed in those final weeks and what it takes to securely close an embassy.
Imagine being a U.S. diplomat posted in Moscow during the Cold War. With the constant threat of planted bugs, spies, and clandestine meetings, DSS personnel worked overtime to secure U.S. embassies and consulates. Security Engineering Officer Larry Doggett describes what it was like working under these conditions at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow in the 1980s and early '90s.
Ever wonder what it takes to keep America’s chief diplomat safe? In this episode, Special Agents Karen Brown Cleveland and Lawrence Casselle discuss their experiences serving on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s protective detail. Learn more about the places they traveled to, what “advancing” a Secretary-level trip entails, and what it takes to work in this high-profile position.
A DSS special agent delves into his fascinating investigation of Anthony Gignac, a masterful conman whose risky schemes included impersonating Saudi and Emirati princes. In this After Action podcast episode, we uncover how Gignac used his fake royal persona to orchestrate an international fraud scheme and accumulate immense wealth. Discover the intricate web of deception he spun as he acquired luxurious vehicles, exquisite jewelry,...
Welcome back to After Action: True Stories of the Diplomatic Security Service. In this second episode, we get to hear from DSS Director Carlos Matus as he recalls some historic moments of his career, and “rites of passage” for many DSS agents. From protecting some of the most notable Secretaries of State and serving at high-threat diplomatic posts to a nearly fatal event in Latin America, his experiences, missions, and remarkable u...
Supervisory Special Agent Kala Bokelman has investigated dozens of criminals operating on a global scale. One of her most complex and demanding investigations involved a photographer who used his legitimate business to sexually exploit children as young as eight years old. Hear how Kala worked with Costa Rican law enforcement and judicial officials to investigate and ultimately convict those involved in this heinous crime.
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