I’ve been a longtime reader of the Tom Clancy novels. Those novels comprised of most of what I read while in the Marine Corps. I think my hands down favorite out of all his novels was Without Remorse. Although Jack Ryan is not specifically mentioned, one of the characters, John Clark, is a recurring name in the Jack Ryan universe. Regardless, I’ve always been intrigued by the Jack Ryan characters and how they work in the shadows even though he is considered to be an Analyst sitting behind a desk. That is where the new Amazon Prime Jack Ryan series begins. The show gives a glimpse into the world these people operate in, albeit not everything is accurate, they still do a damn good job. I’m not watching the new Jack Ryan to rip apart all the minute inconsistencies, I’m watching it for the entertainment value in the evenings while I relax with a cold beer. I came across the two following videos that highlight two former CIA employees; one worked on a small team in high threat areas and the second is a former Analyst. They talk about the similarities between the Jack Ryan series and the real job. A pretty cool glimpse into the life these guys once lived. Enjoy!
“The fictional Jack Ryan has a keen eye for decoding fraud and a gut intuition to diffuse threats in the field. Former CIA special agent, Nic McKinley, shares those same qualities. He spent his career running a high profile unit at the agency that operates in some of the hairiest locations in the world. Nic tells us about cheating death as he tried to maintain his cover infiltrating terrorists organizations and why he is now running an anti-human trafficking organization. Created with The Prime Original Series, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan begins streaming on Prime Video August 31st.” – Vice Youtube channel
“The work of a CIA analyst is the first line of defense to protect the US against a potential threat. Like the fictional Jack Ryan, Aki Peritz was a hotshot researcher who had to learn quickly how to make sense of really complex intelligence before going overseas. In this documentary, Aki tells us what it’s like to be an analyst serving in Baghdad, and meeting insurgent groups to convince them to join together and fight a common enemy, Al Qaeda. Created with The Prime Original Series, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan begins streaming on Prime Video August 31st.” – Vice Youtube channel
Watch the new Jack Ryan series on Amazon Prime
*Photo courtesy of the Jack Ryan official Facebook page
