PODCAST · government
DIA Connections
by Defense Intelligence Agency
The official podcast of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Our mission is to provide intelligence on foreign militaries to prevent and decisively win wars.
Episodes
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CI and the Year of the Spy
Forty years ago, spies were being exposed at an alarming rate, which led the press to dub 1985 the Year of the Spy. In this episode, you'll hear about two DIA analysts involved in espionage that year — one working for us and the other against us. Additionally, you'll hear from DIA's chief of...
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Shoshana’s Story
As a specialist in a maintenance company during the Iraq War in 2003, the last thing Shoshana Johnson expected to happen was to be captured by the enemy and held in captivity for 22 days. In this episode, you’ll hear about her rescue and the attention that followed, which included appearances on...
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Candid Cameras
During the Iraq War in 2003, U.S. Special Operations Forces rescued Pfc. Jessica Lynch from a hospital in Baghdad. It was the first successful rescue of an American prisoner of war since World War II, and the first-ever rescue of a woman. In this episode, you’ll learn how a DIA team hid a camera…
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The Fentanyl Fight
Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. On this episode, you’ll hear a DIA counter narcotics officer discuss the agency’s efforts to combat the most devastating drug epidemic in U.S. history. We also spoke with Mariana Van Zeller, an investigative...
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Best of Season 4
This episode of DIA Connections features highlights from Season Four. Catch up on this season's best moments with an American pilot who landed his plane safely after a mid-air collision with a Chinese fighter jet, a cosmochemistry professor who led NASA’s mission to an asteroid, a DIA analyst...
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Lasers, Asteroids, and The Jetsons
Wouldn’t it be unbelievable if a spaceship could land on an asteroid, collect rocks that could reveal the secrets of life’s origins, and then return to Earth? Well, believe it, because it already happened! On this episode, a conversation with Dante Lauretta, leader of NASA’s expedition to the…
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Glossophobia
Does public speaking cause you to quiver in fear? You're not alone - but it's not a good trait to have when briefing policymakers! On this episode, we’ll get tips on how to speak in public from DIAloguers, a group that helps DIA officers overcome their glossophobia. You’ll also hear how a great...
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The Write Stuff
Who said writing intelligence reports for policymakers is boring? Not us--and certainly not former DIA intelligence analyst turned Hollywood screenwriter Mitchell LaFortune. On this episode of DIA Connections, LaFortune talks about his creative approach to intelligence writing. Learn how it…
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Show & Tell: Iranian UAVs in Ukraine
How did a soccer match and a children’s magazine inspire a team of analysts to create an unclassified report proving Iranian military support to Russia in Ukraine? Find out on this episode of DIA Connections. *Nothing in this podcast should be construed to be an endorsement by the DIA or the U.S....
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The China Incident
In 2001, an American spy plane collided with a Chinese jet fighter, killing the Chinese pilot and forcing the American aircraft to land at Hainan Island, where Chinese authorities took the crew of 24 into custody for 11 days. On this episode of DIA Connections, you'll hear pilot Shane Osborn tell...
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Saving the History of the World
Picasso, Rembrandt, Renoir, da Vinci – just a few of the artists whose masterpieces were stolen by the Nazis. On this episode of DIA Connections, Robert Edsel, author of The Monuments Men, talks about the greatest treasure hunt in history and the scholar soldiers who found civilizations' most...
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DIA Connections - Season 3 - Episode 7: Best of Season Three
On this special episode of DIA Connections, catch up with the best of season three. We spoke with a wide range of guests including the creator of the Iraqi Most Wanted Deck of Cards, a saxophonist who went on a spy mission behind the iron curtain, a pilot of a plane that crashed during the...
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DIA Connections - Season 3 - Episode 6: The Last Monday in May
Memorial Day, celebrated on the last Monday in May, honors service members who died while serving in the military. On this episode of DIA Connections, a discussion on the traditional sound of remembrance – Taps. Jari Villanueva, the country’s foremost expert on America’s most familiar bugle call,...
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DIA Connections - Season 3 - Episode 5: "Iraqi Most Wanted Deck of Cards"
Diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades. On this episode of DIA Connections, listen to how a team of analysts developed a special deck of playing cards used in Operation Iraqi Freedom. You’ll also hear how they became one of the most significant pieces of DIA history and heritage, not to mention a...
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DIA Connections - Season 3 - Episode 4: "Sax & The Spy"
Merryl Goldberg was followed by the KGB...interrogated by the KGB...even arrested by the KGB. Just another spy that got caught, right? Well, not exactly. On this episode of DIA Connections, we follow the inspirational story of Merryl Goldberg, a saxophonist from Boston who in 1985 volunteered to…
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DIA Connections - Season 3 - Episode 3: "Ukraine: Truth Be Told"
Throughout his country's invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly denied his forces were targeting civilians. The world saw the truth for itself in a shocking image taken by photojournalist Lynsey Addario, which offered irrefutable proof of Russia’s tactics. On this…
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DIA Connections - Season 3 - Episode 2: Ukraine - Children of War
In June 2022, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “Russia is stealing the childhood of our children.” Every victim of war suffers loss, but no one loses as much as children. On this episode of DIA Connections, you’ll hear from a psychologist who treats children suffering from war trauma.…
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DIA Connections - Season 3 - Episode 1: Operation Babylift - Tragedy & Triumph
In April 1975, South Vietnam was on the verge of collapse. As North Vietnamese forces advanced towards Saigon, orphaned babies adopted by American families needed a way out. President Gerald Ford initiated Operation Babylift, a mass evacuation humanitarian mission that ultimately saved thousands…
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DIA Connections - Season 2 - Episode 9: Best of Season Two
On this special episode of DIA Connections…a chance to catch up with the best of season two. We spoke with a wide range of guests including the founder of the original Topgun flight school, a former Secretary of State, an award-winning Hollywood movie director, a journalist in Moscow during the...
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DIA Connections - Season 2 - Episode 8: Strange Things at DIA
We know this is going to sound strange, but it's true! For more than a decade, the Defense Intelligence Agency - the Nation's primary manager and producer of foreign military intelligence - ran a paranormal program. On this episode of DIA Connections, learn how the Agency used psychics to collect...
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DIA Connections - Season 2 - Episode 7: Top Gun
When Tom Cruise landed the role of Maverick in the 1986 box office hit "Top Gun," he probably wasn’t aware of how the Defense Intelligence Agency’s exploitation of captured MIGs played a crucial role in the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School program depicted in the movie. On this episode of DIA...
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DIA Connections - Season 2 - Episode 6: INF Treaty Part 2: Reagan & Smirnoff
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. It’s a story about the most powerful person on Earth, and his comedian friend from the Soviet Union, and how they ultimately saved the world from nuclear disaster. Wanna laugh? On this episode of DIA Connections, we explore how the humor of President…
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DIA Connections - Season 2 - Episode 5: INF Treaty Part 1: Missiles & Movies
The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty marked the first time the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenals, and is just one example of DIA supporting treaty compliance by extensive on-site inspections for verification. On this episode of DIA...
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DIA Connections - Season 2 - Episode 4: Condoleezza Rice
On this episode of DIA Connections, a candid conversation with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the second woman and first African American woman to hold the post. Discussion topics include China, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Russia and Vladimir Putin. Rice speaks about life growing up…
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DIA Connections - Season 2 - Episode 3: Avoiding Armageddon
The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 was the greatest nuclear war threat in world history. In this episode of DIA Connections, we examine how the Defense Intelligence Agency discovered missiles in Cuba, briefed President John F. Kennedy, and then presented the evidence at the United Nations. You'll...
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DIA Connections - Season 2 - Episode 2: DIA Director LTG Scott D. Berrier
In 2020, Lieutenant General Scott D. Berrier became the 22nd Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. On this episode of DIA Connections, the Director shares his thoughts on several topics including the national security environment, strategic competition with China and Russia, and the…
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DIA Connections - Season 2 - Episode 1: September 11th
On this episode of DIA Connections, we reflect on September 11th, 2001. You’ll hear from two former DIA teammates about their roles in the ensuing days and weeks after the attack, seeking out those responsible. Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary for President George W. Bush also...
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DIA Connections - Episode 14: Best of Season One
On this special episode of DIA Connections … a chance to catch-up with the best of season one. Thirty-five guests, including writer Malcolm Gladwell, legendary newscaster Ted Koppel, actor/comedian Rob Riggle, and former White House photographer Pete Souza discuss a wide range of topics…
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DIA Connections - Episode 13: Finding Bin Laden
On May 1, 2011, U.S. Navy SEALs conducted a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden. In this episode of DIA Connections, we discuss the Defense Intelligence Agency's support to locate the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks with a former senior intelligence analyst who was part of the...
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DIA Connections - Episode 12: Guitar Heroes
Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven was the catalyst for luthier Paul Reed Smith's innovative technology that can enhance and clarify the hidden information that's in waveforms, pictures, and images. On this episode of DIA Connections, we spoke with Paul about his contributions to national…
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DIA Connections - Episode 11 - Hiding in Plain Sight
From the day she started working at the Defense Intelligence Agency in 1985 until the day she was arrested for conspiracy to commit espionage in 2001, Ana Montes was a spy working on behalf of Cuban Intelligence. On this episode of DIA Connections, we examine the nefarious activities of this…
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DIA Connections - Episode 10 - Iran Hostage Crisis
On Nov. 4, 1979, the United States Embassy in Iran was overrun by Iranian students. For the next 444 days, 52 American hostages were held in captivity. Five of those hostages were from the attaché office of the Defense Intelligence Agency. This episode of DIA Connections features an in-depth...
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DIA Connections - Episode 9: Spirit
The Spirit of Hope Award, named for entertainment legend Bob Hope, is awarded to men and women of the armed forces, entertainers, and other distinguished Americans, for outstanding patriotism and service to the United States of America. This episode of DIA Connections features a conversation with...
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DIA Connections - Episode 8 - The Arctic
The region at the top of the globe was always considered too cold, too far and too dangerous. But not anymore. The Arctic is now warming faster than any place on earth. The sea ice that was once an obstacle is now melting away, and as a result, this emerging frontier is bustling with activity.…
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DIA Connections - Episode 7 - President's Daily
Since its creation in 1946, the intelligence briefer to the president of the United States had always been a representative from the CIA. That long tradition ended in 2010, when James Danoy of the Defense Intelligence Agency was bestowed that honor. In this episode of DIA Connections, Danoy...
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DIA Connections - Episode 8 - The Arctic
The region at the top of the globe was always considered too cold, too far and too dangerous. But not anymore. The Arctic is now warming faster than any place on earth. The sea ice that was once an obstacle is now melting away, and as a result, this emerging frontier is bustling with activity.…
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DIA Connections - Episode 7 - President's Daily Brief
Since its creation in 1946, the intelligence briefer to the president of the United States had always been a representative from the CIA. That long tradition ended in 2010, when James Danoy of the Defense Intelligence Agency was bestowed that honor. In this episode of DIA Connections, Danoy...
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DIA Connections - Episode 6 - The Director's Cut
Now retired Army Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley Jr. served his country for 36 years, most recently as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. On this episode of DIA Connections, Ashley reflected on his career, shared his thoughts concerning the biggest threats that face our country, and the...
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DIA Connections - Episode 5
Jessica Buchanan was an aid worker in Somalia, helping to raise awareness about how to avoid land mines. She was abducted and taken hostage by Somali land pirates for 93 days. In this episode, listeners learn about her harrowing experience and DIA's efforts with her eventual rescue.
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DIA Connections - Episode 4
DIA plays a vital role in the U.S POW/MIA support mission. This episode examines both past and present efforts in locating and repatriating the remains of those lost but not forgotten from the Vietnam War.
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DIA Connections - Episode 3
Comedian and actor Rob Riggle sits down with DIA director Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, Jr. to discuss Riggle's affinity for the military and his two-decade entertainment career.
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DIA Connections - Episode 2
When Hollywood directors Oliver Stone and Steven Spielberg want war scenes to look and feel authentic, the military advisor they rely on is Dale Dye. In this episode, Dye visits the Defense Intelligence Agency where he discusses how, after surviving more than 30 combat operations in the Vietnam...
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DIA Connections - Episode 1 Fentanyl
Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, are now the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths in the United States. This episode examines the Defense Intelligence Agency’s role in tracking the production and distribution networks trading in this lethal drug.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The official podcast of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Our mission is to provide intelligence on foreign militaries to prevent and decisively win wars.
HOSTED BY
Defense Intelligence Agency
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does DIA Connections have?
DIA Connections currently has 43 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is DIA Connections about?
The official podcast of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Our mission is to provide intelligence on foreign militaries to prevent and decisively win wars.
How often does DIA Connections release new episodes?
DIA Connections has 43 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to DIA Connections?
You can listen to DIA Connections on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts DIA Connections?
DIA Connections is created and hosted by Defense Intelligence Agency.
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