You're listening to the CyberWire Network, powered by N2K. Hello and welcome to Spycast from the Secret Files of the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.

I'm Peter Ernest, the Executive Director of the Museum. I served for some

36 years in the Central Intelligence Agency, largely as what is called an Operations Officer

or a case officer.

Every month will be bringing you interesting talks

with visitors, with authors, with others who

have something to do with the world of intelligence

and espionage. world of Intelligence and Espionage. My guest today is John Amendez.

John Amendez is a 27-year veteran of the CIA and during that entire time she is in what is known as

the Office of Technical Services and that was the office that embodied Q, the

office that provided disguises and forged different

documentation, created gadgets, dealt with the case officers, and were involved in

the front lines of operations.

Both she and her husband Tony uniquely held the position of Chief of Disguise.

And of course, Chief of Disguise meant more than just disguise. It had to do with a lot of other

things as well.

Uh, Jana, delighted to have you here today. Thank you.

Glad to be here. And I think one of the things I'd like to kick off with this and that is you are one of those

women who began life at CIA as a secretary because that's that's what they would hire you out and I think there were a number of women who did that and like you

Rose to very senior positions. I wonder if you would comment on that as we start

Sure, I'd be glad to.

Most women of my generation, and before, who came into the CIA, came in as secretaries. Your first real test I always thought was to see how long it

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