Former CIA Officer Breaks Down Source Operations in Afghanistan | Delbert Roll
Former CIA Officer Breaks Down Source Operations in Afghanistan | Delbert Roll  
Podcast: The Team House
Published On: Sat Jun 06 2026
Description: Former Army officer and CIA operations officer Delbert Roll joins us to discuss his path from Third Special Forces Group to the Agency, including joining CIA just before 9/11 and working counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan. He breaks down CIA training, running sources, building targeting packages against al-Qaeda, working with JSOC and indigenous forces, and the realities of protecting assets in the field.The episode also covers covert action, counterintelligence, counter-WMD work, teaching at the Farm, CIA bureaucracy, writing after retirement, and the bizarre CIA gold bar scandal.Today's Sponsors:GhostBed ⬇️https://www.ghostbed.com/houseFOR 10% off! Blue Chew ⬇️https://bluechew.com/Get 1 month free when you buy 2 of BlueChew Gold with code "HOUSECALL"For ad free video and audio and access to live streams and Eyes On Geopolitics...JOIN OUR PATREON! https://www.patreon.com/c/TheTeamHouseTo help support the show and for all bonus content including:-live shows and asking guest questions -ad free audio and video-early access to shows-Access to ALL bonus segments with our guestsSubscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouseSupport the show here:⬇️https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse___________________________________________________PRE ORDER JACK'S NEW BOOK "THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN" ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803651/the-most-dangerous-man-by-jack-murphy/paperback/Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featured__________________________________Jack Murphy's new book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️https://www.amazon.com/We-Defy-Chapters-Special-History-ebook/dp/B0DCGC1N1N/——————————————————————Or make a one time donation at: ⬇️https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouseSocial Media: ⬇️The Team House Instagram:https://instagram.com/the.team.house?utm_medium=copy_linkThe Team House Twitter:https://twitter.com/TheTeamHousePodJack’s Instagram:https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm_medium=copy_linkJack’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21Team House Discord: ⬇️https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"00:00 — Start / Delbert Roll joins The Team House01:10 — Growing up in Pennsylvania and joining the Army07:06 — Third Special Forces Group, Africa missions, and comms work in the 1990s15:09 — Leaving the Army and trying to join the FBI before the CIA16:04 — Joining CIA three weeks before 9/1121:09 — The day after 9/11 and CIA’s shift toward counterterrorism23:46 — Moving from analyst to operations officer25:20 — CIA training and “Ranger School for your brain”30:42 — First Afghanistan tour and arriving at a forward operating base33:22 — Running a source operation against a senior al-Qaeda target39:13 — Building a targeting package without GPS coordinates44:40 — Airstrike decision, protecting assets, and the target slipping away48:54 — Working with JSOC and indigenous forces to shut down rat lines52:47 — CIA support to conventional Army units in Afghanistan56:17 — Language training, European posting, and traditional case officer work01:04:25 — Covert action, liaison partners, and gathering intelligence through proxies01:05:05 — Counterintelligence, recruiting foreign officers, and disrupting Russian operations01:09:07 — Counter-WMD work and handling sources without being the technical expert01:12:50 — Teaching at the Farm and training future CIA officers01:22:29 — CIA bureaucracy, NSA comparisons, and publication review problems01:27:58 — Recruiting, technology, and learning how to talk around classified subjects01:28:57 — From CIA officer to fantasy, spy, and horror novelist01:43:42 — CIA gold bars, non-traditional payments, and final thoughtsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.