In Memory of a Friend and Mentor

Monday Security Memo

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In Memory of a Friend and Mentor

“The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind in others the conviction and the will to carry on.”

— Walter Lippmann

Dear A,

The world lost a great American patriot last week. Leo “The Godfather of CARVER” Labaj passed away peacefully at his home in Las Vegas, surrounded by those who loved him.

Leo was my boss, my friend, my colleague, and my mentor for more than 25 years. When it came time for my first overseas assignment with the CIA back in 2002, I stuck my head into Leo’s office and asked if he had any advice for my first TDY. Without missing a beat, in that unmistakably Leo tone, he said, “Yeah—don’t f**k it up.”

Classic Leo.

Behind the humor, though, was a man who taught me nearly everything I know about physical security and counterintelligence operations. His lessons weren’t theoretical - they were forged through experience, judgment, and a deep sense of responsibility for the mission and the people entrusted with it.

When I decided to strike out on my own in 2010 and launch Security Management International, Leo quietly went to work. He gathered former colleagues of ours from the CIA, Telemus Solutions, and Raytheon and told them, “Luke’s going out on his own. We have to make sure he succeeds.” He never mentioned it to me. I only learned that story years later from someone else.

That was Leo.

He wasn’t quick with praise. He was an HR director’s worst nightmare. And he never hesitated to speak up when he believed real concerns were being ignored in favor of politics or fear of reprisal. But if you worked for him - if you earned his trust - you could count on one thing without exception: Leo had your back until the very end.

 Leo and I signing books at the inaugural CARVERCON event in 2018

Leo lived an exciting life that would make James Bond blush and remind the rest of us that some people truly pack the experience of ten lifetimes into one. Through his work with the CIA’s Special Activities Division and the Counterterrorism Center, he helped bring the CARVER Methodology out of the shadows and into the global spotlight, transforming it into a critical infrastructure protection tool used around the world.

Later, the two of us wrote what has become the definitive textbook on CARVER - a legacy that will ensure his impact continues for generations to come.

Here’s to you, Leo. Rest in peace, my friend.

Stay safe and vigilant!

Luke Bencie