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(U) Hello from Iraq!
FROM: Cindy Farkus
Assistant Deputy Director, Analysis & Production (S2)
Run Date: 04/05/2005
(S) Cindy Farkus here, on travel with MG Quirk and a group of
NSA/CSS leaders. The team includes
, Charles
Berlin, Dave Hurry,
, Chief Wally Price and
. Our trip began Monday evening, 28 March 2005, with a
couple of long commercial flights - arriving in Qatar on Tuesday
night. After a little bit of confusion with my CAC card at the airport,
I was finally allowed in country. We spent a short night at Camp
AsSaliyah, talking with site personnel and resting for our flight to
Baghdad on Wednesday morning.
(S) Following a hearty breakfast at the Dining Facility, we were
driven to the airport, stopping at the "Grab and Go" on the way to
ensure we didn't get too hungry enroute. We were issued weapons
and were loaded into a C-130 for the 3-hour flight to Baghdad.
(S) During the flight we were able to view some of the countryside
and take photos at the back of the plane with the cargo and U.S.
flag. (We'll try and get some of those photos to you.) We donned
our body armor and helmets and experienced a well-executed,
spiral landing onto the runway at Baghdad International Airport.
We were met by Ron Carback, NCR Iraq, and his deputy,
. After a short, but rather bumpy ride, we arrived at Camp
Victory and were shown to our quarters - in a place formerly used
as a resort. Quite an ornate facility, to say the least! We had a
fabulous lunch at Sport Arena DFAC - which offered everything
from Mongolian BBQ, Mexican and Italian cuisine, salad bar, hot
foods, to a myriad of desserts which included Baskin Robbins ice
cream and milk shakes.
(S) After lunch we visited with the CST (Cryptologic Support Team)
and had a chance to talk with folks about their experiences. We
heard about what they do each and every day (there really aren't
any weekends here - the days are very busy and go by very
quickly). You could sense their excitement and satisfaction in fusing
SIGINT with other "INT'S" to support current and planned
operations. CST members ranged from very experienced military
and civilian personnel to interns and junior enlisted as well as our
second party partners. Personnel formerly assigned to the MOC
were on duty and were eagerly putting the skills learned in the
MOC to use in supporting coalition forces and a key customer set.
The junior military personnel and civilian interns were effusive in
describing their experiences and how much it had developed them
professionally and personally. An Australian Warrant Officer was
serving as the shift Battle Captain and, in his words - providing
him with an unprecedented view of operations and situational
awareness.
(U//FOUO) BG Yellen, Commander JIATF-FRE (Former Regime
Elements) (Fwd) briefed our group on their organization, mission
and successes. Ensuring all cogs in the production wheel are
working in sync not just running at the same time is critical to the
SERIES:
(U) SID Leadership '05
TDY to CENTCOM AOR
1. MGQ's Notes from
the Field - Part 1
2. Field Station Rattler
3. Hello from Iraq!
4. MG Q Iraq Theater
TDY: Day 3, April1,
2005
5. The Art of Sharing:
Insight and
Continuity
6. MGQ's Notes from
the Field - Part 2
7. MGQ's Notes from
the Field - Part 3
8. Summing Up the Trip
9. The Trip in Photos
10. Seeing into the
Global SIGINT
System - A View
from the Field
efforts in the interdiction of key Former Regime Elements in, or
transiting, Iraq. Next, we were briefed on TAREX and the Media
Processing Center. There have been many successes for these
elements, however, additional attention is needed on the role
TAREX can play in the SIGINT Development world and in
determining the extent of forward deployed media processing
capabilities. There are opportunities to leverage the broader
enterprise, to gain a better understanding of information needs,
and to share knowledge and awareness from different
perspectives.
(U//FOUO) One of the IAD representatives here gave us an
overview of his role in providing cross-domain solutions that assist
in information sharing. From the discussions, it was clear that he
serves in both strategic and tactical roles in providing products and
services. His ability to provide local support and technical expertise
- and reach back to the enterprise - has enabled our forces to
operate securely in a, coalition environment, using the best
available technologies and services.
(U) Some of the key points made throughout the day:
a need for tools and technologies to deal with volume,
variety and velocity;
training on and access to appropriate databases;
constant and consistent communications and information
sharing;
the need for a common understanding of situational
awareness and all perspectives;
the real-world examples of offensive and defensive mission
blending; and
the need for policies and processes that support and enable
a global, self-aware, self-synchronizing Cryptologic system.
(U) More to come - as our adventure continues!
(U) This article was originally published as a message to the S2
workforce on Friday 1 April, 2005.
(U) Cindy continued her travel log on subsequent days.
Update #2
Update #3
Update #4
Update #5
"(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