SPY TRADECRAFT

         

Tradecraft can be most simply defined as the methods that an intelligence agent uses in the performance of their duties.  Tradecraft is really just a combination of good common sense, hundreds of years of experience and general security procedures that are common to agencies and organizations throughout the world.  While common sense can’t be taught, the basics of good tradecraft are fairly easy to learn and will keep new agents safe until their street smarts are up to speed. 

 

If an agent is going to meet a person who has information (what is called a ‘source’ or informant), he doesn't just walk out the door of his home or hotel and go meet her.  There are procedures he must follow with very good reasons why.  These procedures include the variety of methods he would use to travel to the meeting, how to use counter surveillance usually in the form of a cleaning run, how he secures his communications, protect information and how to go about day to day activities. 

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The training that soldiers or short order cooks receive could be called Tradecraft. The term Tradecraft is just a spy term for this knowledge and experience.  It is merely the way we are trained to do things and like any trade, while the procedures may seem complicated at first, with proper training and constant practice, they really just become second nature and are done completely subconsciously after a while.  Under pressure, the soldier or cook rely on their training and experience to get them through the tough times. 

 

The better you are at your trade, the more ‘professional’ you are.

Tradecraft gives us an established, safe way of doing our job but unlike cooks and most other professions, we have to keep people from knowing what we are up to.  Whether we are in our home country or a foreign one, we must go about our intelligence work without drawing attention to ourselves or establishing any noticeable patterns that could be seen as suspicious.  (also see Role-playing).

 

Of course, like anything, too much tradecraft can be a dead giveaway too.  It is a very fine balance and it is imperative that we maintain our cover and remain discreet no matter what.  Constantly looking over our shoulders and eating our notes every time a police car goes by is a little too much.  It is rare that a foreign intelligence service discovers our presence in their country on their own.  Usually it is the nosy little old lady who lives next door to the operative who notices something suspicious and calls the police.