Snowden Archive
——
The SIDtoday
Files
Browse the Archive

NSA Cops In Baghdad

SUMMARY

Four members of the NSA Police Emergency Response Team received a SID Deployment Coin for their 60-day deployment to Baghdad, where they protected NSA staff on the ground and arranged for a long-term contractor team to take over security duties upon their return.

DOCUMENT’S DATE

Oct 08, 2004

PUBLICLY AVAILABLE

Feb 05, 2018

1/1
Download
Page 1 from NSA Cops In Baghdad
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (U) NSA Cops In Baghdad FROM: SIGINT Communications Unknown Run Date: 10/08/2004 (U//FOUO) In recognition of their service, MG Quirk presented four NSA Police officers with the SID Deployment Coin. Expressing the appreciation of all SID personnel who have deployed and those who will, MG Quirk said, "We greatly appreciate how you applied your training and skills and often visited the "Red Zone" to provide security while our people were conducting operations and carrying out mission requirements. Every minute in the "Red Zone" exposed you to danger, yet you went with our people to allow them to be more focused on mission. In every sense of the phrase...you had our backs! Your efforts took mission security to an unequaled high and for that we are very grateful." (U//FOUO) When NSA employees first began deploying to Iraq the arrangements made for their security were nothing close to what they are today, thanks to Lieutenant Futrel Jackson, Sergeant Wayne Weitkamp, Sergeant Anthony Cavell, and Officer members of the NSA Police Emergency Response Team. In February of 2004, these men deployed for sixty days to Baghdad to protect NSA personnel, mission activities and operational elements, engaged in supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U) The Emergency Response Team was selected for this mission based on their individual skills with weapons and tactics, decisive coordinated teamwork, and the requirements dictated by a hostile war-stricken environment. Providing armed force protection and expert security support to Agency personnel and mission elements engaged in sensitive operations, the ERT regularly encountered dangerous, hazardous conditions, and were exposed to mortar fire and general lawlessness. (U) In addition to providing security for the short-term, the NSA Security organization arranged for long-term contractor teams to provide the same support. They handled the logistics, showed the contractors the ropes, and introduced them to the right people making it possible for the protection of SID employees to continue at the same high level. "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)." DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108