Inside the President's Daily Briefing: A Deep Dive with Senior Intel Officer Michelle DiGruttolo
Today we have a great Combat Story that ranges from the military intelligence tactical front lines of counterterrorism and the Korean peninsula to the most strategic of all, serving as the PDB briefer to the President of the United States (POTUS) with senior intelligence officer Michelle DiGruttolo.
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I strongly encourage you to listen to the end of this podcast to get a full appreciation of Michelle’s experience as the President’s briefer, to include her role as the briefer during the Benghazi Consulate attack (you can, of course, listen to our previous interview with Kris “Tanto” Paranto who was on the ground during that attack to hear both the front lines and halls of leadership perspectives on that pivotal day).
Michelle began her career as an Army intelligence officer and then transitioned to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) where she would eventually lead a division of 40 fellow analysts. While at DIA, she was handpicked to compile and deliver the President's Daily Brief (also known as the PDB) to then President Obama and his Chief of Staff Jack Lew.
The PDB role to POTUS is not a political appointment and is only entrusted to the elite of the intel community’s analytic core, which Michelle is. As always, we do not get political in this podcast, however, to ensure we hear both sides, we also have former President Trump’s PDB briefer booked for later this summer to understand what her experience was like in the Oval Office under another administration.
Michelle also briefed and/or worked closely with retired senior leaders Petraeus, McChrystal, Clapper, and several household names across her career, exposing her to leadership at the very highest levels.
After service, Michelle went on to found Sage Raven Advisors, where she leverages an extensive network of local advisors, partners, and affiliates and couple them with cutting-edge technologies and data analytics, to provide actionable and timely insights to clients in complex and dynamic geopolitical landscapes.
I hope you enjoy this very interesting deep dive into the life of a career military intel officer and the life of a PDB Briefer to the President as much as I did.
- Find Michelle on LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelledigruttolo/
- Email michelle@sage-raven.com
- Sage Raven Advisors www.sage-raven.com
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Key Highlights:
Military Intelligence to Presidential Briefings: Michelle's journey from an Army intelligence officer to leading a division at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
The President's Daily Brief (PDB): Discover the intricacies of compiling and delivering the PDB to President Obama and Chief of Staff Jack Lew, including her crucial role during the Benghazi Consulate attack.
Leadership Insights: Michelle's interactions with renowned leaders like Petraeus, McChrystal, and Clapper, and her exposure to leadership at the highest levels.
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Show Notes:
- 00:00 Intro
- 00:36 Guest Introduction: Michelle DiCartullo
- 01:22 Michelle's Role as PDB Briefer
- 03:00 Insights into Intelligence Analysis
- 08:08 The Path to Becoming a PDB Briefer
- 18:26 Early Career and Military Experience
- 38:26 Tactical Missions in Korea
- 39:13 Life as an Officer in Korea
- 39:42 Differences Between Intel and Service Personnel
- 40:42 9/11: A Personal Account
- 41:51 Counterterrorism Operations During the Surge
- 43:00 Challenges of Analytic Work in Counterterrorism
- 44:52 Daily Life of a Deployed Branch Chief
- 46:31 Building Morale and Team Spirit
- 49:28 Rewards and Challenges of Targeting Work
- 50:40 Standing Up the CJIATF in Afghanistan
- 54:05 The Bin Laden Raid and Its Impact
- 57:21 Reflections on a Diverse Military Career
- 01:05:27 The Role of a PDB Briefer
- 01:12:40 A Tough Night for the PDB Briefer
- 01:13:51 Initial Signs of Trouble in Benghazi
- 01:14:59 Realization and Response
- 01:16:51 Disagreement with the Analyst
- 01:19:22 Briefing the President
- 01:20:29 Aftermath and Fallout
- 01:23:50 Leaks and Challenges
- 01:30:50 Reflections on Mentorship and Leadership
- 01:34:41 Current Work and Insights
- 01:39:02 Personal Touches and Sentimental Items
- 01:40:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts