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(U) Surprises For a 'Shadow'?
FROM:
(S//SI) Missile Proliferation Branch (S2G22)
Run Date: 05/21/2004
FROM:
(S//SI) Missile Proliferation Branch (S2G22)
(U//FOUO) Note from SIGINT Communications: We asked
to consider the
following question when writing about her day of shadowing: "What surprised you about SID and
your shadowing experience?"
(U//FOUO) Before I arrived to shadow MG Quirk for the day, I already had some opinions
formed about what the day would be like. In reading previous SID shadowing experiences, many
people had stressed how busy the SID leader's day was, but I don't think I quite understood just
how busy it could be. I arrived in MG Quirk's office at about 0715, a little before the SID
Leadership morning meeting began. I was introduced to MG Quirk, and then we were off.
(U//FOUO) The day continued with meeting after meeting after meeting. In addition to the
eleven meetings and appointments scheduled for the day, including a meeting with the Iraq
Issue Management Team (IMT), the SID Leadership morning meeting, various briefings and oneon-one meetings, MG Quirk was constantly squeezing in phone calls and addressing issues that
came up throughout the day.
(U//FOUO) At one point, I was told this was a light day, in comparison to his schedule on other
days. When a VTC on the Spring Offensive was postponed because of technical difficulties, MG
Quirk took advantage of the break in his schedule to squeeze in some extra time at his
computer. I was surprised by his ability to shift gears so effortlessly. As we jumped from
meeting to meeting, at times literally running through the hallways to get to them, MG Quirk
was prepared to change topics quickly and discuss the matter at hand.
(U//FOUO) I was surprised to see many of the same faces repeatedly during the day. The
various SID Leaders were involved in many of the same meetings throughout the day. While I
attempted to keep names, faces and positions straight in my mind, it struck me that it wasn't
really important what positions they held. The SID Leadership Team really acted as a team. They
all provided input on the various topics discussed, and while the SIGINT Director often led or
directed the meetings, he always asked for and placed equal importance on all participants'
input.
(U//FOUO) Many of the meetings that I sat in on seemed to have a common theme. The focus
was on where the Agency as a whole was headed in the future. When first entering MG Quirk's
office, I immediately noticed a large white board with a somewhat chaotic diagram with lots of
circles and other shapes connected to each other in various ways with different SID
organizations and issues written throughout. I soon learned that this was a diagram for the new
SID governance structure that the SID leadership has been working on, which made more sense
after MG Quirk explained it to me. Throughout the day, MG Quirk referred to this diagram in
meetings and briefings and was constantly tying things back to the idea of governance.
(U//FOUO) One particularly interesting briefing, again attended by the leadership, was on
Mission Allocation. The briefing suggested possible scenarios for expected increased hiring as
well as moving some aspects of the SIGINT mission to the field through developing new regional
sites. It was stressed in these meetings that the issue of governance and the changes the
Agency was attempting to undergo were supposed to be a transformation -- not a destination
the Agency was hoping to arrive at, but a journey.
(U//FOUO) When I hear about topics that trickle down to us here in the workforce through
agency all e-mails, DIR-grams, the SID today webpage and other sources, many of these issues
seem intangible. Sitting in on these meetings allowed me to gain greater insight into the
processes and decision making strategies that go into these issues and how they affect me. My
day allowed me to appreciate the role of the SIGINT Director and his day-to-day work that
makes SIGINT happen. I thoroughly enjoyed my day shadowing the SIGINT Director and would
like to thank MG Quirk and his gracious staff for making my experience so worthwhile.
"(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