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(U) Farewell, but Forever in the Fight!
FROM:
Chief, National Tactical Integration Office
Run Date: 07/09/2003
(U) Thirty-nine years ago, I went to the Army recruiter and told him I wanted to be a spy, ala
James Bond. He didn't bat an eye. He just said, "Yuh can't be a spy yet son because you're too
young...Yuh might get carded in a bar and blow your cover." But...he had a great deal for me...
I could enlist in something called the Army Security Agency for four years and then they would
send me to spy school. I think I still have the scar tissue inside my gum where he set the hook.
:-) Well, what a fantastic journey it has been. I have served with some extraordinary military
and civilian people, and even some true heroes, during four assignments at NSA and more than
20 years overseas. I am humbly grateful to all who I have worked for and with for their vision,
talents, and sometimes most important of all, their patience with me.
(U) I started my SIGINT career with an initial assignment in Vietnam in 1965 with the 1st
Infantry Division; the famous "Big Red One." There were approximately 30,000 military
personnel in Vietnam at that time. When I left Vietnam for the last time in June 1968, there
were 530,000 personnel and we were well on the way to the final tally of over 50,000 Americans
killed and many more maimed for life. I survived combat without a scratch, including being
knocked on my butt during the TET offensive by a 122mm rocket and a horrible and
unforgettable battle for some numbered mountain top during the battle for Dak To in November
1967. I looked men in their alive eyes in the morning, and their dead eyes by the end of the
day. One of these men had personally ensured I was extracted by helicopter just hours before
the mortar company location I was using for short-range DF operations was overrun.
(U//FOUO) Why tell this war story now? It has been these memories that fueled my continuing
efforts to ensure SIGINT is In The Fight over the past 30-something years. However, once
again, we have our armed forces in grave danger. Moreover, for the first time in our history as a
country, we have enemies who have defined all Americans--no matter whether they were just
conceived or taking their last breaths due to old age--as legitimate targets to be destroyed!
Although sadly we continue to suffer combat losses in Iraq, a non-trivial difference is the
culmination of the efforts of our civilians, the military, and yes, even our partners in the
Congress, who have provided the phenomenal SIGINT capability we marshalled in support of
this latest fight. It is heartening to see the success of such things as the RSOC concept which I
worked on when we were trying to get the Congress to pay for it more than ten years ago.
Perhaps forgotten, or even unknown by most, is that the RSOC concept would never had seen
the light of day if it weren't for the courageous study done by MG Thomas Flynn in 1991-92
which postulated that if NSA and the services didn''t come up with a plan and resources, then
the SCEs (Service Cryptologic Elements) might not be viable in the future (meaning now!). We
continue to fight similar planning and resourcing battles today as we shake out the roles for SCE
involvement in target development and CNE/CNA (Computer Network Exploitation/Attack). As an
overall organization, we don't have national-tacitical integration just right, but we are light years
ahead of where we were almost 40 years ago.
(U//FOUO) I have enjoyed all of my assignments at NSAW and in the field for NSA. The work
hasn't always been fun, but it has always been accomplished by the finest citizens of the United
States and our allies. My last year as the Chief of the National Tactical Integration Office has
been especially rewarding because I have seen the workforce grow in their understanding of
what being in the fight really means, and their efforts to ensure it happens now and well into the
future. I also want to commend and thank the many partners in CRD and the other SID
organizations who are equally dedicated and use their considerable talents to ensure our armed
forces and deployed civilians are provided the information they need to accomplish their mission
with the least amount of threat possible. NSA is truly a national treasure...not because of its
technology... but because of its people. It has been my great honor to serve with you all!
Farewell, God Bless America, and...stay In The Fight!
(U) p.s. You are cordially invited to attend my retirement ceremony at the Fort Meade
McGlachlin parade ground at 0900 on 15 July.
"(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