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Senior CIA Officer on Russia | Legendary Case Officer and Chief of Station | Glenn Corn

Glenn CornMarch 30, 2024
Senior CIA Officer on Russia | Legendary Case Officer and Chief of Station | Glenn Corn
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About This Episode

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Today I’m so excited to share this Combat Story with a legend from the CIA spanning the First Cold War battling the Soviet Union, to the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the Counterterrorism refocus, and then the second Cold War with Putin’s Russia: Glenn Corn.

Glenn recently retired after 34 years of US government service that included time with the Army and State Department but, primarily, was with the CIA as Case Officer, Russia expert, and multiple time Chief of Station in some of the most important countries in the world for America’s security.

In this interview, we delve into Glenn’s experience at the Agency, to include close calls, lessons learned, his command of foreign languages (Glenn’s a fluent Russian speaker) and where the Agency is going today, but we spend the entire second half digging into everything Russia, to include Putin’s motivations, Navalny’s death, the experience of the Russian people from the late 1980s until today, and what it would take for Putin’s reign to finally stop and give the Russian people a just leader.

I’m good friends with Glenn’s brother, Gavin, who was sitting just off-screen during this interview, who also spent many years in government service with the Department of Justice. They come from a family that has given so much to this country and I’m so excited for you all to hear Glenn’s story for the first time.

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- Varyag Consulting Group https://www.varyag.us/ - Institute of World Poltitics https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/

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Show Notes:

Featured Guest

Glenn Corn

Chapters

  • 00:00Introduction
  • 00:56Guest Profile:
  • 02:13Start of Interview
  • 2:43Getting Out of CIA
  • 04:46Thoughts To Return To Russia
  • 06:09Interest In Government Service
  • 10:00Learning Languages
  • 15:29Time in Soviet Union
  • 19:55Challenging Moments
  • 22:19Bolotor Ad
  • 23:32Experience During 9/11
  • 27:26Children Going Into the Military
  • 29:00Mentorships
  • 33:10Losing Teammates
  • 40:37Planning and Executing
  • 45:25Misunderstandings of the Agency
  • 47:18First Time Outside the Wire
  • 50:44Give Legacy Ad
  • 52:05Aftermath of the First Mission
  • 59:27Pre and Post 9/11 CIA
  • 01:05:31Toughest Moments
  • 01:08:34Thoughts on Russia/Soviet Union
  • 01:23:47American/Russian Proxy Wars
  • 01:29:50Second Cold War
  • 01:34:11Russian Propaganda
  • 01:41:50Putin's Motivations
  • 01:45:29Theoretical Changes in Russia
  • 01:56:04Glenn's Book
  • 02:01:54Sentimental Items
  • 02:030:06 - Would You Do It All Again?
  • 02:04:57Listener Feedback