through their university studies.
At first, Jason wanted to be a pilot, then refocused on Computer Science, but eventually succumbed to his deeper desires. He completed his studies in Behavioral Sciences & Foreign Area Studies, with a minor in Foreign Languages. To satisfy his dad, he still learned how to be a pilot and a good one at that, just not as a career. He was excellent in both Farsi and Arabic, flawless in several dialects and completely accent free. It was a very rare skill, no doubt helped greatly by living in Iran, and visiting with Iranians since his time there. Not to mention, marrying into and dealing with the culture on a daily basis. He had the Middle Eastern cultures down to an art. From greetings, to hand gestures, to the humor. He was indistinguishable from a true Iranian compatriot, and had fooled almost everyone who met him for the first time. He loved to play around with people, telling them stories about where he was born and how he found his way to America. At times, it was hilarious to watch. He was so good at it.
It was that, along with his psychological profiles that marked him as a strong CIA recruit. The agency pursued him vigorously during his junior year. They wanted him to leave early, to be part of a special team dedicated to the Middle East, focusing on Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. They would insist that he join, that he could be a great help to his country. The pressures were too much at times. Jason’s kinfolks were patriots through and through. Nevertheless, Jason wanted to finish his curriculum, just in case he needed to get a real job at some point. His father insisted that he finish his schooling, after which he could select a career. He should always maximize his options. Jason would be the first person to finish college in his family. His dad really wanted that for him, as well as for himself, a matter of family pride.
Jason was, by choice or by accident, preparing himself for deep fieldwork, according to his CIA recruiter. Upon graduation, he did join, going directly to Camp Peary. At camp, he surpassed all areas of testing, from physical to psychological, with his language skills superior to those of his trainers. It took less than two weeks at the farm, before his supervisors realized he was a better language teacher then those assigned to his group. Three weeks into his training, he became a teacher’s aide in both the Farsi and Arabic classes.
His time at the farm became one of teaching and learning. His inputs into the language curriculum completely changed the syllabus for both classes, and eventually the program. Although many of the language teachers were themselves foreign born, they did not have the dual culture mix. That cultural mix helped explain the differences in a way that would make it stick. They had so many of the subtle nuances wrong. Wrong enough to be dangerous in the field. Another critical difference was that the foreign language teachers avoided the hand gestures. It was a lower-class way of speaking. In reality, the gestures were part of speaking to the average person. These gestures and mannerisms were critical on-the-ground skills for any clandestine effort. You had to present, act and smell like a local to blend in best. Jason was a perfect deep cover asset, but with a family and a small child, he decided to focus on special projects and not deep cover.
* * *
Jason kept his family in Colorado, to be near his parents, to be far away from both coasts, especially D.C. and Virginia. He wanted to keep his family unsullied, away from his work. That meant a lot of flights, travelling, staying in hotels or rented apartments, or even on a couch at a friend’s house. He felt it his duty, his part in giving back to his country, a family tradition. Knowing the Persian culture so well, he hated what had happened to that country. He hated the spread of the religious extremism, which was born out of the Iranian revolution. He hated how it was spreading like
At first, Jason wanted to be a pilot, then refocused on Computer Science, but eventually succumbed to his deeper desires. He completed his studies in Behavioral Sciences & Foreign Area Studies, with a minor in Foreign Languages. To satisfy his dad, he still learned how to be a pilot and a good one at that, just not as a career. He was excellent in both Farsi and Arabic, flawless in several dialects and completely accent free. It was a very rare skill, no doubt helped greatly by living in Iran, and visiting with Iranians since his time there. Not to mention, marrying into and dealing with the culture on a daily basis. He had the Middle Eastern cultures down to an art. From greetings, to hand gestures, to the humor. He was indistinguishable from a true Iranian compatriot, and had fooled almost everyone who met him for the first time. He loved to play around with people, telling them stories about where he was born and how he found his way to America. At times, it was hilarious to watch. He was so good at it.
It was that, along with his psychological profiles that marked him as a strong CIA recruit. The agency pursued him vigorously during his junior year. They wanted him to leave early, to be part of a special team dedicated to the Middle East, focusing on Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. They would insist that he join, that he could be a great help to his country. The pressures were too much at times. Jason’s kinfolks were patriots through and through. Nevertheless, Jason wanted to finish his curriculum, just in case he needed to get a real job at some point. His father insisted that he finish his schooling, after which he could select a career. He should always maximize his options. Jason would be the first person to finish college in his family. His dad really wanted that for him, as well as for himself, a matter of family pride.
Jason was, by choice or by accident, preparing himself for deep fieldwork, according to his CIA recruiter. Upon graduation, he did join, going directly to Camp Peary. At camp, he surpassed all areas of testing, from physical to psychological, with his language skills superior to those of his trainers. It took less than two weeks at the farm, before his supervisors realized he was a better language teacher then those assigned to his group. Three weeks into his training, he became a teacher’s aide in both the Farsi and Arabic classes.
His time at the farm became one of teaching and learning. His inputs into the language curriculum completely changed the syllabus for both classes, and eventually the program. Although many of the language teachers were themselves foreign born, they did not have the dual culture mix. That cultural mix helped explain the differences in a way that would make it stick. They had so many of the subtle nuances wrong. Wrong enough to be dangerous in the field. Another critical difference was that the foreign language teachers avoided the hand gestures. It was a lower-class way of speaking. In reality, the gestures were part of speaking to the average person. These gestures and mannerisms were critical on-the-ground skills for any clandestine effort. You had to present, act and smell like a local to blend in best. Jason was a perfect deep cover asset, but with a family and a small child, he decided to focus on special projects and not deep cover.
* * *
Jason kept his family in Colorado, to be near his parents, to be far away from both coasts, especially D.C. and Virginia. He wanted to keep his family unsullied, away from his work. That meant a lot of flights, travelling, staying in hotels or rented apartments, or even on a couch at a friend’s house. He felt it his duty, his part in giving back to his country, a family tradition. Knowing the Persian culture so well, he hated what had happened to that country. He hated the spread of the religious extremism, which was born out of the Iranian revolution. He hated how it was spreading like
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