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(U) Plenty of Action on the Action Team
FROM:
SID Action Team
Run Date: 09/29/2003
(U//FOUO) As a member of the SID Action team you have been
asked to do which of the following:
1. Analyze MG Quirk's engagement strategy for stakeholders
and partners - and, if appropriate, tell him what you think
won't work.
2. Assist SID senior leadership in institutionalizing SIGINT
business processes
3. Prepare a speech for the SID Deputy Director to present to
a U.S. Ambassadors' Seminar.
4. Take notes at an offsite.
5. Transport MG Quirk's white board in your truck to the
offsite.
6. Represent SID at a prep session with General Hayden.
7. All of the above
(U//FOUO) Obviously the answer is 7 - all of the above - plus a
whole lot more. The depth and breadth of activities for members of
the SIGINT Action Team are as varied as the backgrounds and skill
levels of the members of the team.
(U//FOUO) The perception of most outsiders, upon finding out that
you work on the Action Team, is one of "oh wow you must be
really busy", or "ugh," or more often than not, "what's that?"
However, those who have been on the team know that the
experience can be invigorating and the environment one of the
best for learning. It's not all rosy - there are periods where it is
thankless, tiring, late days, frustrating - but it's never boring.
(U//FOUO) On a daily basis, the members of the team (generally
consisting of 6-7 people) provide a variety of services to MG Quirk,
Charlie Meals, the Chief of Staff, and the SID Deputy Directors
(i.e., bubbles). Members of the team are intimately involved with
SID leadership activities that lead the way for change for SID applying strategic thinking, vision, creativity and innovation to a
multitude of tasks. The lower end of the experience is the
mundane - such as running to the repro machine to make copies of
a briefing at 6:00 PM on a Friday night before a long holiday
weekend. The higher end is having the respect and gratitude of
SID senior leadership - not just for the tasks completed, but also
for the experience and analytic value we bring to the table.
(U//FOUO) Although the team often operates in a QRC mode, there
is a semblance of order. Each day brings change, but it's generally
manageable. The key to survival is real teamwork, flexibility, and
the ability to handle the mundane to the intricate all at the same
time. (Having a truck could also prove useful. Having a sense of
humor is absolutely essential.)
(U//FOUO) The Team is housed in a nondescript little room at the
foot of the escalators in OPS1 - save for the little sign on the door,
SERIES:
(U) A Day in the Life of...
1. Office Manager:
Jack-of-All-Trades
2. The Life of An Exec
3. Working as a Policy
Analyst: One
Person's Perspective
4. Data Flow Manager:
The Data Fairy?
5. Mathematician: An
Insider's View
6. NSA Linguists
'Panning for Gold'
7. Plenty of Action on
the Action Team
8. On The Collection
(Officer's) Plate
9. Sitting in the SOO's
Chair
10. You Can't Keep the
NSC Waiting!.. A Day
in the Life of a
GRSOC Analyst
most people don't event know there is a room there. But behind
that door, is a team of driven individuals - who sometimes drive
each other nuts - but who all share a goal of making life better for
SID management and SID as a whole.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108