Tracy Walder: Former CIA Staff Operations Officer and FBI Special Agent, Turned Educator, Author of The Unexpected Spy

What’s the difference between a professor of Criminal Justice and an undercover CIA, and FBI counterintelligence agent? In the case of this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Tracy Walder, the answer is Nothing. They‘re the same person.

Listen in as Marcus & Melanie Luttrell discuss Tracy’s first-hand accounts as a CIA officer and FBI field operative – fascinating stories. She successfully hunted down terrorists around the world using aliases and had face-to-face discussions with President Bush and General Colin Powell. Yet, she shares her experiences in a genuine, unexaggerated, and engaging manner.

Tracy is the author of The Unexpected Spy, and has appeared on numerous national programs, and has written several national security pieces.

In this episode you will hear:

I was born with a developmental disability called Hypotonia. (Low muscle tone). It has no cure. I didn’t roll over until I was 1. I didn’t walk until I was 3.

I attended USC for free since my dad was a professor there.

The CIA polygraph process was annoying. All the questions were very frustrating. One session was 8 hours long and another was 3 hours.

My job was to try to get as much information as possible on terrorist training camps.

I served in 13 countries.

I once had a meeting in the trunk of a car.

Having Bin Laden in our sights at one time and not being able to do anything about it was really upsetting.

My boss at the CIA was the best boss I have ever had in my life.

My target was a guy named Zarqawi who founded ISIS.

Zarqawi became enemy number one. That meant going overseas.

My job was to manipulate people to give me information. It worked well for me.

I worked with SEAL Team 6 a lot.

I left the CIA because I didn’t want to live overseas anymore. I was totally burned out.

As part of the CIA, you are not entitled to the same benefits as veterans, like mental health care.I love the counter-terrorism mission.