Bernie Reeves, founder of the Raleigh Spy Conference, was presented the Association For Intelligence Officers (AFIO) Intelligence Community Award for “impressive dedication and performance”. According to Gene Poteat, president of AFIO, who presented the award to Reeves at the 7th Raleigh Spy Conference August 24-26 at the NC Museum of History, “only two of the awards have been presented previously: to Mike McConnell, Director of National Intelligence; and Pete Earnest for his long service to CIA, AFIO and The International Spy Museum in Washington. DC.”

Reeves, editor and publisher of Raleigh Metro Magazine (www.metronc.com), created the conference in 2003 to monitor the high volume of declassified documents available in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.

“One key reason the Raleigh Spy Conference has been honored is its unique mission to provide a forum for the general public to hear from top operatives and scholars in the field of intelligence”, says Reeves. “People are truly interested to learn that recent events are not verified until declassified documents are released and interpreted. As we move on in to the 21st century, the same principle is at work, for example separating truth from fiction in the age of terrorism.”

“It’s turned into a big thing for Raleigh. We are known worldwide for the quality of our speakers, who stay for the entire conference so guests can get to know them personally. Attendees come from across the US, Canada and the United Kingdom, including registrants from the intelligence, diplomatic and military communities – as well as professionals and interested citizens. About 60% of this year’s audience was from North Carolina, mostly the Triangle area”.

Subjects covered in past conference include the relationship of the war on terrorism and intelligence agencies; the scholarship of the Cold War and the impact of Soviet propaganda on the United States; Castro and Cuba; the most notorious double agents of the era and their impact on national security; the role of sex in recruiting agents; and in 2011, how “espionage illegals” are trained and their role in the history of spy craft and their role today.

Reeves said a record crowd of 300 turned out for the conference to hear Michael Hayden, the keynote speaker for the 2011 conference. Hayden is the only person to serve as director of the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency. “General Hayden laid the groundwork for the capture of Usama Bin Laden. He initiated surveillance of communications among terrorist groups at NSA, and was instrumental in planning a “bank shot” protocol at CIA relying on enhanced interrogation to gather information from Bin Laden’s couriers. Hayden is a hero of the war on terrorism”.

Hayden was joined in the 7th Raleigh Spy Conference by Michael Sulick, recently Director of the National Clandestine Service at CIA; Brian Kelley, former counterintelligence officer for CIA; Dan Mulvenna retired from the security service of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and Nigel West, former Member of Parliament and expert author on British and American intelligence services.

An Author’s Roundtable included David Wise, author of the new book Tiger Trap: America’s Secret Spy War With China; Douglas Waller, author of the acclaimed new book Wild Bill Donovan that draws on newly declassified documents to present a complete portrait of the founder of the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor of the CIA; and Kent Clizbe, author of Willing Accomplices that investigates the effects of KGB propaganda on western institutions and organizations.

The Historic Collections Division of the CIA attended the conference to distribute booklets and DVDs containing recently declassified documents on the Korean War; the Warsaw Pact; Air America; the papers of former CIA director Richard Helms and other subjects. According to Reeves, “our special guests from CIA said they had never seen an audience so interested and knowledgeable”.

Videos of the 7th Raleigh Spy Conference will be available soon. Visit www.raleighspyconference to learn more.