UPCOMING MEETINGS

2025

January 18, 2025:   Bill Hall

February 15, 2025:  Cancelled!

March 15. 2025:  Colonel (Ret.) Joseph R. Connell and David W. Morrison

April 19, 2025: Robert (Bobby) Charles

May 17, 2025:  Ambassador Ronald

Neumann 

June 21, 2025:  David P. Hunt

September 13, 2025: Cancelled

October 2025:  Cancelled

November 15, 2025:  Bill Hall

January 17, 2026: Dr. Christopher Heurlin

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FORMER INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS

The Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) was incorporated in 1975 as a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-political, educational association for current and former intelligence professionals and supporters of the US intelligence community. The Association is based in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

AFIO’s mission is to build a public constituency for a sound, healthy and capable U.S. intelligence system. The focus is on education fostering an understanding of the important role of intelligence in National Security and nurtures interest by students in careers in the many fields used by U.S. Intelligence Agencies. This includes the role of supporting intelligence activities in U.S. policy, diplomacy, strategy, security, and defense.

In addition, AFIO focuses on understanding the critical need for effective counterintelligence and security against foreign, political, technological, or economic espionage, as well as covert, clandestine and overt counter-terrorist or criminal operations threatening US security, the national infrastructure or corporate and individual safety.
AFIO’s mission has special significance in today’s international diplomatic and business environments.

Membership and subscription:
To join or subscribe go to: www.afio.com

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to build a public constituency for a sound, healthy and capable U.S. intelligence system. Our focus on education fosters an understanding of the important role of intelligence in National Security and nurtures interest by students in careers in the many fields used by U.S. Intelligence Agencies. This includes the role of supporting intelligence activities in U.S. policy, diplomacy, strategy, security and defense.

In addition, AFIO focuses on understanding the critical need for effective counterintelligence and security against foreign, political, technological or economic espionage, as well as covert, clandestine and overt counter-terrorist or criminal operations threatening US security, the national infrastructure or corporate and individual safety.

AFIO’s mission has special significance in today’s international diplomatic and business environments.

All Maine Chapter of Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) meetings are OPEN and the GENERAL PUBLIC is encouraged to attend. All are welcome to hear our speakers, who are primary source experts, express their views and opinions.

Maine Chapter’s effort is to help us all become better informed on the speakers’ subject matter; to become more knowledgeable on the facts behind current media headlines. We have also had foreign nationals give presentations on their perspective and opinions on their country or specific incidents.

The Chapter’s mission is to promote to the general public why it is important, necessary, to have a strong and effective intelligence capability as USA’s first line of defense. Please come and help us accomplish our mission.

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AFIO MEETING:

January 17, 2026
2:00 p.m.

"Bathed in Red: Revolution, Corruption, and the Rise of Xi Jinping"

The Maine Chapter of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) will meet on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Kennebunk High School Economos Lecture Hall, 89 Fletcher St., Kennebunk, ME. The meeting is open to the public.

Our speaker will be Dr. Christopher Heurlin, Associate Professor of Government and Legal Studies and Associate Professor of Asian Studies at Bowdoin College. Dr. Heurlin is the author of Responsive Authoritarianism in China (Cambridge University Press, 2016) and the forthcoming The Enduring Power of Communism (Oxford University Press, 2026).

Dr. Heurlin’s presentation, titled “Bathed in Red: Revolution, Corruption, and the Rise of Xi Jinping,” will examine how Xi Jinping emerged as China’s paramount leader and consolidated power within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Drawing on existing scholarship, Dr. Heurlin will discuss how senior leaders are selected and promoted within the CCP, the role of factional politics—including Populists, Elitists, and Princelings—and how revolutionary family legacies continue to shape elite politics. He will also explore the use of anti-corruption campaigns as a key tool in Xi’s consolidation of authority.

This talk will provide important context for understanding contemporary Chinese politics and leadership dynamics at a time when China plays an increasingly central role in global affairs.

AFIO members, guests, and prospective members are welcome to attend. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

We look forward to seeing you on January 17.

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