After Action: True Stories of the Diplomatic Security Service

On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, three retired Diplomatic Security Service special agents reunite for the first time to share their raw, first-hand accounts of that day in New York—from melting windows and falling towers to a citywide citizen brigade that stepped up when it mattered most. Hear how a scrappy team with no communications built one of the only working federal response networks in Manhattan, ran 160+ missions from Ground Zero, and helped a shattered city begin to heal. Twenty-five years later, they finally tell their stories.

In this episode of After Action, host Chad Hammer sits downwith Special Agent Ken Velez, a 13-year Diplomatic Security Service veteran who recently served as an Overseas Criminal Investigator (OCI) in Bogota, Colombia.

Ken takes us inside three extraordinary cases that have defined his career and shares hard-won advice for the next generation of DSS agents.

A high-profile fugitive. An international search. A coordinated capture. In part two in our series on Kaitlin Armstrong, Ed Simpson shares how Embassy San Jose personnel and international partners worked together to locate and return Kaitlin Armstrong to the United States to face justice. Go behind the scenes of a global manhunt and learn how Diplomatic Security supports international fugitive investigations.

A high-profile fugitive. An international search. A coordinated capture. In this episode of After Action, DSS Special Agent Jose Araya shares how Embassy San Jose personnel and international partners worked together to locate and return Kaitlin Armstrong to the United States to face justice. Go behind the scenes of a global manhunt and learn how Diplomatic Security supports international fugitive investigations.

When seconds matter, perspective is everything. From the command center, Special Agent David Root had a full view of the 2019 attack on Embassy Baghdad. In this episode of After Action, hear what it was like as the situation unfolded in real time. From a bird's-eye view, he walks through how the response was coordinated during one of the most high-stakes moments for embassy security.

The Arab Spring hit Cairo. The embassy had seconds to adapt. What actually happens to an embassy when a revolution unfolds outside its walls? On this episode of After Action, DSS engineer Rahim Theriot takes you inside the real-time response at Embassy Cairo during the Arab Spring.

Pirates. Navy ships. A prosecution that closed on the other side of the world.

DSS Special Agents Mike Dahl and Ramzi Yatim joined forces with NCIS after Somali pirates attempted to seize U.S. Navy vessels through coordinating interviews, assets seizure, and host nation liaison in a region where American law enforcement has almost no presence.

This is DSS at work, behind the scenes, across borders, with partners you might not expect.

Listen now to hear how this investigation played out!

In this episode of After Action, we delve into an extraordinary true story of a capital murder suspect who eluded authorities for an astonishing 34 years. Living under a meticulously crafted false identity, this fugitive navigated life in the shadows, seemingly beyond the reach of justice. Join us as a retired Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent recounts the intense and innovative investigative journey that ultimately unmasked him. Discover how DSS's unique capabilities and critical interagency collaboration came together to solve a decades-old cold case and bring a long-sought individual to justice. #DSS

Join us for the Season 3 premiere of After Action. Retired DSS Special Agent Robert Booth shares incredible stories including how we identified insider threat Kendall Myers, discovered a sophisticated Russian listening device planted inside the U.S. State Department, and more. This episode takes you behind the scenes, revealing how the Diplomatic Security Service and our intelligence partners counter intelligence threats. Learn about the intricate, real-world efforts involved in safeguarding America's national security from unseen adversaries.

Just as New York City was gearing up for the annual UN General Assembly in 2016, an individual inspired by ISIS threatened the safety of the city. When the bomber’s first explosive detonated in the Chelsea district of New York, a DSS special agent leapt into action, gathering evidence that would eventually lead to the identity and capture of the Chelsea Bomber.