AFIO Podcast

AFIO Now Presents Barry Broman

In this episode, retired CIA Clandestine Service officer and former Marine Barry Broman discusses his 2026 novel The Spy from Golden Valley. This latest historical novel continues the story from Broman’s first two novels, The Spy from Place Saint-Sulpice and The Spy from Sukhumvit Road. Protagonist CIA Case Officer and ace recruiter Richard "Rick" Blayne is back and this time as a chief of station in Rangoon, Burma. Blayne's activities mirror the life of Barry Broman who spent time in Asia as an AP photographer, later as a Marine, and then with the CIA.

Interview date Friday, 20 Feb 2026. Interviewer and Host AFIO President Emeritus James Hughes.

AFIO Now Presents: Robert Kim Part 2

Part 2 of the Kim Brothers Interview. In this second episode the author, Robert Kim, and two members of the Kim Brothers family, Art and Richard Kim, talk with AFIO's James Hughes about "Victory in Shanghai: A Korean American Family’s Journey to the CIA and the Army Special Forces" This 2-part interview provides vignettes of US, Korean, Chinese history through eyes of five pre-WWII “undocumented” immigrant brothers who went on to bravely serve in US military and intelligence community. Shining light on decades of struggle, scant recognition, withheld awards, and long road to citizenship.

Interview #2 on Sunday, 02 November 2025. Host and Interviewed by James Hughes. 

AFIO Now Presents: Robert Kim Part 1

 Part one of the AFIO Now interview with author Robert Kim on the Five Kim Brothers. In this episode the author, Robert Kim, and two members of the Kim Brothers family, Art and Richard Kim, talk with AFIO's James Hughes about "Victory in Shanghai: A Korean American Family’s Journey to the CIA and the Army Special Forces" This 2-part interview provides vignettes of US, Korean, Chinese history through eyes of five pre-WWII “undocumented” immigrant brothers who went on to bravely serve in US military and intelligence community. Shining light on decades of struggle, scant recognition, withheld awards, and long road to citizenship. Timely and inspiring.

Interview of Sunday, 2 November 2025. Hosted by James Hughes. 

AFIO Now Presents: Stephen Mercado

In this episode retired CIA Officer and author, Stephen Mercado, shares insights from his book Japanese Spy Gear and Special Weapons: How Noborito's Scientists and Technicians Served in the Second World War and the Cold War. After World War I, Japan created the Noborito Research Institute-a secretive hub of scientists and technicians tasked with advancing both overt and covert warfare.

Interview date Monday, 03 November 2025. Interviewer and Host AFIO President James Hughes.

AFIO Now Presents: Alexander Rose PhD

In this episode Alexander Rose, PhD, renowned author and historian, shares insights from his book Phantom Fleet: The Hunt for Nazi Submarine U-505 and World War II’s Most Daring Heist. The book draws on long-classified encrypted documents and intercepted German transmissions to reveal how an owlish egghead and a glory-seeking buccaneer teamed up to score the richest prize on the high seas during WWII.

Interview date Tuesday, 14 October 2025. Interviewer and Host AFIO President James Hughes. 

AFIO Now Presents: Bruce Henderson

Author and journalist Bruce Henderson discusses his book Midnight Flyboys: The American Bomber Crews and Allied Secret Agents Who Aided the French Resistance in World War II. The untold story of a top-secret operation in the run-up to D-Day in which American flyers and Allied spies carried out some of the most daring cloak-and-dagger operations of World War II. 

Interview of Thursday, 2 October 2025. Host and Interviewer: AFIO President, James Hughes.

AFIO Now Presents: Barry Broman

Author, producer, and photographer Barry Broman on his new novel: The Spy from Sukhumvit Road. The former Marine, CIA Clandestine Service Officer, Station Chief, and Diplomat, discusses this captivating historical novel with AFIO President James Hughes. His latest historical novel continues the story from Broman’s first novel, "The Spy from Place Saint-Sulpice." Protagonist CIA Case Officer Richard “Rick” Blayne returns to Thailand to help support an anti-communist insurgency in Cambodia.

Interview of Tuesday, 5 August 2025. Host and Interviewer: James Hughes, AFIO President. 

AFIO Now Presents: Mark Lowenthal

Mark M. Lowenthal PhD, Former Dep Asst SecState for Intelligence, discusses his new book, "Vigilance Is Not Enough: A History of United States Intelligence" [Yale Univ Press, May 2025] with AFIO President James Hughes. The interview runs 23 minutes and includes several Q&As.

Interview of Tuesday, 15 July 2025. Hosted by AFIO President James Hughes. 

AFIO Now Presents: Sheetal Patel

Sheetal Patel, Former Assistant Director for CIA’s Transnational and Technology Mission Center discusses Counterintelligence and Technology challenges facing the U.S. with AFIO board member, Fran Moore, Former CIA Senior Executive in Intelligence Analysis and Counterintelligence. 

Interview of Monday, 14 July 2025. Interviewer: Fran Moore, Former CIA Senior Executive in Intelligence Analysis and Counterintelligence. Host: James Hughes, AFIO President. 

AFIO Now Presents: David Robarge PhD

David Robarge PhD, CIA Chief Historian, on "The History of U.S. Intelligence 1975-2025" with AFIO President, James Hughes. He joined CIA in 1989 and worked as an analyst in the Directorate of Intelligence. After earning a PhD in American History from Columbia, teaching at Columbia and working for banker David Rockefeller and at the Gannett Center for Media Studies at Columbia, he moved to CIA's History Staff in 1996 and was appointed chief historian in June 2005. 

Interview of Friday, 27 June 2025. Hosted by AFIO President, James Hughes.