Driving Force Podcast

Driving Force Podcast


Episode 80: Ric Prado - Black Ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior

February 28, 2022

Today’s guest is Ric Prado. Ric is a paramilitary, counter-terrorism, and clandestine operations specialist, with a focus on international training operations and programs. He is a twenty-four year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) where he served as an Operations Officer in six overseas posts. He was Deputy Chief of Station and "Plank Owner" of the original Bin Ladin Task Force/Issues Station as well as Chief of Station in a hostile Muslim country. Ric also served as Chief of Operations in the CIA's Counterterrorist Center (CTC) during the September 11th attacks, where he helped coordinate the CTC’s special operations (SPECOPS) activities with the National Security Council and FBI, as well as with elite U.S. military representatives from Delta Force and SEAL-Team Six, then detailed to CTC. He retired as Senior Intel Service-2 (SIS-2, Major General equivalent at CIA). Ric’s new book Black Ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior hits bookstores on March 1st and details his life and career conducting some of the most important covert wars that America has fought since Vietnam. In this interview, we’ll dive deep into the contents of the book.


Timestamps


00:02:33 His reasons for writing the book


00:10:11 Difference between CIA officers and agents


00:11:02 The subtlety of CIA work


00:11:44 Enhanced interrogation techniques


00:15:47 Growing up in Cuba


00:20:54 The sacrifice his parents made to give him a better life


00:24:32 Getting in trouble in Miami


00:27:16 The impact that martial arts has had throughout his life


00:29:36 His time in Air Force Pararescue


00:35:16 Transition into the CIA


00:39:00 His relationship with his wife Carmen while working in the CIA


00:41:02 Helping train the Contras in Honduras


00:50:28 Lessons learned about gaining trust


00:53:38 His perspective on high performing teams


00:57:56 America's engrained sense of fair play


01:02:01 Recruiting agents in the field


01:06:39 Cooper's Colors


01:10:06 What he could share and not share with loved ones while working in the CIA


01:12:05 CIA vs. Washington DC politics


01:15:16 His perspective on the current Russia-Ukraine situation


01:19:15 What he wants to accomplish 10 years from now


01:22:06 His daily routine


01:23:40 His driving force


01:27:56 Parting words for the listeners