SpyDrive^®: Washington, DC

This “classroom-on-wheels” shows you a side of Washington, DC you’ve never seen before: where spies have lived, worked and operated in the “Spy Capital of the World.”

"SPYING, which hardly cooled after the Cold War ended, appears to be in no danger of taking a breather in the American capital," wrote an AP reporter on the amount of espionage that constantly takes place in Washington, DC.

"There are more foreign spies in Washington, DC than in any other city in the world," said the former chief of the FBI's Washington Field Office, Ray Mislock.

Right this minute, espionage is taking place in our nation's capital. Right this minute in Washington, DC, someone is trying to recruit someone to be a spy, someone is spotting a potential recruit, someone is photographing or stealing secret documents, someone is putting a roll of film or documents or money in a dead drop, someone is marking a signal site to request a meeting or a pick up of material or money, someone is driving around trying to detect surveillance, someone is conducting static, moving or electronic surveillance of someone, someone is writing an intelligence report, someone is sending reports via coded messages to foreign countries. Someone is leading a double life.

Don't believe us? Think the Cold War is over and no one is spying anymore? People normally spy for personal feelings of anger, fear, greed, love, etc, not for countries or political situations. Since the Cold War ended in 1991, people have continued to be arrested for spying. Since SpyDrive began for the public in January 2001, the following people have been arrested for spying here in the Washington, DC area: Robert Hanssen from the FBI, Brian Regan from the National Reconnaissance Office, and Ana Montes, the senior Cuban analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency. Who's next?

You've seen the monuments, you've seen the museums, now see the secret side of Washington with SpyDrive®, a journey of espionage-related sites given by counterintelligence, intelligence and security experts retired from long and interesting careers with the FBI, CIA, military and KGB and who worked and operated in this city from both sides. They recruited and caught spies; they paid them and prosecuted them.

This two and a half hour "classroom on wheels" journey will show you where spies lived, worked, and operated in Washington, DC. Houses, apartments, offices, restaurants, stores, and parks in the city all seem innocent until you find out what kind of espionage took place there. Dead drops, signal sites and meetings all took place at the most unassuming spots around town. A chalk mark on a church wall, a trash bag near a pole, an exchange of a shopping bag in a restaurant, people talking in a peaceful park--unnoticeable events that took place in Washington with deadly consequences.

Along the way, you will learn about the people involved in the espionage. Spies and spycatchers. Case officers and their agents. A Vassar graduate, a senior State Department official, a Navy analyst, a female Cuban agent, a son groomed to be a spy by his KGB father. 

You will also learn about how these sites and spies changed the course of history.

SpyDrive^® professors from the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies, who have years of real experience in the counterintelligence, intelligence and security world and who have worked espionage cases from both sides, will intrigue you with their stories of spies and spying in Washington. Where else can you meet intelligence officers who spent years in the FBI, CIA, military and even the KGB? Our multimedia presentations will grab your attention the entire time and you won't want the journey to end.

SpyDrive^® is one journey through Washington you will never forget, and we hope that you won't forget the reality of espionage that takes place all around you.

Government personnel and contractors: SpyDrive^® is the perfect security awareness class that your employees are sure to remember AND is a great way to satisfy your yearly security awareness briefing requirement.

Meeting/Event Planners: SpyDrive^® is a unique activity for those in town for conventions, conferences and meetings or for tourist groups visiting the city.

This course is also available in “virtual” format for those not in the Washington, DC area.

[½ day with optional ½ day pre-brief]

Feedback

"Impressive! Best excursion in DC! Answered questions I had been curious about for years. Great credibility with US and Russian SpyDrive^® professors."

"Totally awesome!"

"This is the second time I've taken SpyDrive^®. One of best experiences in my 35 years of visiting DC."

"Outstanding and very educational."

"We've been living here for quite a long time and we saw all the monuments, but this is obviously a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of this city. You can see a lot of movies, but getting firsthand accounts on what really happened in the spy world is fantastic."

"Very unusual and unique."

"Great, getting the US and Soviet/Russian perspectives was the most interesting part."

"It was most informative and eye-opening! The professors were credible and knowledgeable--fascinating!"

"A great deal of information was presented in a professional manner."

"Outstanding! Enjoyed it."

"Rich with information, very interesting and fun."

"Very informative! It's scary how much espionage goes on in this area."

"The professors made SpyDrive^® a memorable occasion learning about CI history and famous espionage cases."

"It was simply fantastic. I loved it!"

"SpyDrive^® was an excellent experience I would recommend to others."

"Informative, educational and a real eye-opener."

"The professors are extremely knowledgeable and they made history and CI come to life."

"Very instructive. Great overview of CI world."

"SpyDrive^® was excellent--so informative and I really had no idea things like espionage truly happened in our area. The personal experiences of the professors were fascinating."

"Well worth the time spent. There's a lot going on right here under our noses!"

"Outstanding! A real wake-up call, and I'll not look at DC in the same light again."

"All the information was interesting. Made me feel that I need to be constantly aware of my surroundings and the people around me. This course has made me want to learn more about CI. I will definitely be more aware of my security practices."

"Valuable in detaining why security issues are so important for all employees."

"Great overview of historical intelligence and CI operations in Washington. Real eye-opener on the connection of these almost mythic events to real, everyday people and places. Makes me take the current intelligence threat more seriously."

"Increased my interest in CI and CT tremendously and how successful espionage against the US is."

"This has had a very deep impact because I realize that the information we handle everyday may place someone's life in dangers. I now know that we have an awesome task to protect the information we see everyday."

"I really enjoyed seeing the locations during the presentation. It made the information come alive."

"Makes me want to get more CI training to better protect America."

"Very informative and fun."

"All aspects of the course were top-notch."

"This course made it very apparent how careful we need to be about our conversations in public so that we are not approached by foreign CI."

"I'll never see Washington in the same light again."

"Great to change perspective of how to view 'normal' surroundings."

"I was actually really surprised to find out hw many spies have been caught and how many haven't and the incredible amount of information that is intercepted. I had no idea spies were so effective. It makes me more aware of my surroundings and of the nature of the IC Community in general. Very eye opening."

"Exceptionally interesting."

"The level of presenters was second to none!"

"Shed light on a lot of espionage activities around the DC area. Shows some things to look out for."

"Very eye-opening tour with a great blending of different times in history. It is one thing to know what occurs, but to hear the details--from both sides--brings the problem into the spotlight."

"I'm even more motivated in my job and it served as a great OPSEC reminder."

"A lot of fun and very informative. This made me much more aware of CI issues and also of the history of espionage."

"Had no idea all this stuff was happening here in DC. Will look at environment very differently after this."

"Really brought intelligence threats to life."

"I had no idea there have been so many spies."

"Good to hear from instructors who actually lived it."

"It was interesting to see what goes on in places you have been all the time."

"Excellent course--helps to put all our work into perspective."

"Thank you for your wealth of knowledge and sharing it with us."

"I've always heard outstanding comments about this course and I've now experienced it first-hand. The class was great and I learned a lot of interesting facts that will not only enhance my career, but my personal life and knowledge of DC."

"The class opened my eyes to CI and a brief history of CI issues. I plan to educate myself about CI issues and read into CI history further."

"Very interesting course. It surely makes you think and watch your surroundings."

"Outstanding course/tour--very informative. I'll tell others about it!"

"As a result of this course, I'll be more vigilant on a daily basis."

"Covered a wide breadth of information with great detail to bring across CI principles through historical references."

"Course served as an excellent refresher. Very inspiring and thought provoking."

"I didn't realize we had so many spies. I'll be more aware of questions and my surroundings."

"Lots of information and history of Washington spies. Class has provided valuable information of the past."

"Made me more aware of things and people who may be an intelligence threat. Very educational. Great course."

"I will never look at a US mailbox in the same way!"

"Instructors had tons of energy and enthusiasm and were very knowledgeable. Brings the spy world that we only hear about to life."

"It was amazing and so interesting. Learned so much. Gives you a greater view of how important our job is."

"Course is fully complete and highly useful. I wouldn't change a thing."

"I plan to be much more aware and vigilant."

"Really enjoyed this course from start to finish. I think all new employees should have this course."

"I was fascinated by all I learned. It made me aware of the need to be more observant. I plan to learn more."

"I found I need to read more books!"

"It more than met my expectations."

"New perspective and insight from Russian side. I had no idea the depth of their CI operations."

"This course really opened my eyes and awareness of our work and tradecraft, also our personal and national vulnerabilities."