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(U) Interview with a DISE (repost)
FROM: Jim Cusick
Assistant Deputy Director for Data Acquisition (S3)
Run Date: 12/28/2004
What's the role of a senior executive? What are the pros and cons of being one? Here's one
executive's view, first posted in February 2004... (U)
(U) What do you consider the role of a DISE to be? How does it differ from that of a GS
employee or a DISL?
(U) I am going to guess that, if you asked every Defense Intelligence Senior Executive (DISE)
that question, there would be no shortage of ideas of what that role is. You can get the pat
answer from the "competencies" which a DISES candidate and DISE must exhibit to either enter
or remain in the DISES, but my name isn't Pat. From my perspective, the principle role of an
NSA "senior" is to think, plan, and act at the strategic level in order to ensure that we are
prepared to accomplish the mission, do indeed accomplish it, and finally learn corporately from
what we did.
(U//FOUO) NSA has a long and illustrious history of being able to handle any crisis that comes to
visit our nation or its allies. We think and act tactically. Give us a crisis, a disaster, or a war, and
we focus like a laser on getting the job done. We don't much care what sacrifices are involved.
Accomplishing the mission is what we live and breathe. It drives us. It nourishes us. It sustains
us. I know of no group of people on the planet that is more dedicated to their mission or who
can do it better. By the way, the mission is preserving the safety and well being of our country
and its interests.
(U//FOUO) It is rarely something that even those with the most Pollyanna-ish outlook on life
would associate with fun. However, someone has to devote their attention to ensuring that the
national treasure we all know as NSA can continue to avoid or shorten conflict, give our policy
makers and our military commanders the decisive edge, and save lives. Someone needs to labor
to ensure that:
-- resources are available to work our miracles,
-- people with the right skills are here to do the job and are properly nurtured,
-- the individuals and the organizations duly elected by our fellow citizens know we are focused
on the security of the nation and are spending their very hard-earned tax dollars as wisely and
as effectively as possible, and
-- we appropriately collaborate with our partners to our mutual advantage.
This unglamorous -- but critically necessary -- task falls in large part to what we, affectionately
or otherwise, refer to as seniors.
What is the best part of being a DISE? ...the hardest part?
(U//FOUO) The best part of being a DISE is being privy to the strategic picture and being
positioned to influence operational and personnel decisions at that level. For this former SOO,
nothing is more stimulating and fulfilling than current operations, but prosecuting current
operations doesn't happen by accident. In order to enable those wonderful things done daily by
the vast majority of us, you need to know where the nation is going, establish the goals and
objectives to move you in that direction, and ensure that the corporation has the resources to
realize the goals and objectives.
(U//FOUO) Like never before in NSA's history, the DISE population is knowledgeable of exactly
where the Director is leading us and has ample opportunity to influence the actual
implementation of our corporate goals. Getting to know the future superstars in the GG13 to
GG15 range and working with them to help them to realize the potential they already exhibit
makes my day and assures me that NSA will have superb leadership in the future. I have
mentoring relationships of varying degrees of formality and informality with almost 20 great
people. The time spent with them is often hard to find, but it is one of the highlights of my
career.
(U//FOUO) The hardest part is no longer being involved doing the work that makes NSA a
national treasure. I was hired as a linguist and spent my first 25 years on the production side of
the house doing language, analysis and reporting related tasks. I then moved over to the access
and collection side of the equation and enjoyed that tremendously as well. It was great fun and
about as intellectually rewarding as anyone has a right to expect. I miss the rush of pulling
together a report that is going to arm the President with information to win the day for the
nation. Now I am focused on getting the resources so others can do that work and trying to
ensure an environment conducive to their success, professionally and personally.
What are the "must have" talents a person needs to succeed as a DISE?
(U) Any DISE worth his/her salt needs a sense of perspective, a good sense of humor, a long
memory for excellent interaction with others and total amnesia regarding real or perceived
wrongs, a bias toward working as a member of a team, character above reproach, complete
candor and unimpeachable loyalty, a strong desire to get involved with and nurture the people
around him/her, a preference for managing rather than avoiding risks, patience, and a paucity of
the "vertical pronoun" (I) in his/her vocabulary.
What advice would you give to someone who would like to become a DISE? What
training/experience should that person seek out?
(U) Have a long discussion with your spouse, family, significant other, yourself. Make absolutely
certain you both/all agree that you can live with potentially long hours, a good deal of real and
self-imposed pressure, occasional missed family events and meals, and remember that a
healthy, functional family is probably the most important factor in your professional success and
your mental and physical health.
(U) If you are of one accord on that front, find a mentor who shares your values and believes in
you. Let providence take you where it will. If you never get elevated, you still know your family
loves you, you live in the greatest nation on the globe, you are making a difference for your
fellow Americans and those you love, you undoubtedly have a job twice as interesting as anyone
outside the IC, you are well paid, you are eating regularly, you have never slept on a grate....
You get the picture. Your value as a tremendous asset to your country, your family and your
Agency will never hinge upon elevation. God bless America!
"(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