scienceofthekgb:

I’m back in touch with my contact, a former KGB counterintelligence operative.

We will continue with our interviews looking at his experiences, training and the psychology of the KGB.  I’ve joined with an amazing co-author who’s background in international security is sure to compliment this endeavor. Together, this promises to get very interesting. 

In a recent conversation with my contact, we asked and he answered:

There is a saying about people being either trained or untrained: how influential was training at the Counterintelligence School or Intelligence Academy? To your knowledge, could someone obtain comparable skills privately?

I can talk about myself. I started as a field officer and my boss didn’t want to send me to the Counterintelligence school for 3 years. During this time I got so much experience that at School they asked me to lecture other students. Intelligence is different. You can’t go work abroad at the station (legal or illegal rezidentura) without special training. Besides, experienced former spies have to share their knowledge with you - it’s very important. I don’t know how you get this privately - via Hollywood movies ? No way.

That’s right. I’m still doing this.