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(U) Special Events, Special People -- FBI Washington Field Office
FROM:
SID Representative to WFO, Customer Account Management Division (S112)
Run Date: 04/11/2005
A career SIGINT'er learns what it's like in the law enforcement world (U//FOUO)
(U//FOUO) Last July I left the familiarity of NSAW and accepted a job as a SID external
representative (SID Rep). I am now at the FBI Washington Field Office (WFO), and still feeling
culture shock as a result of my transition from the SIGINT world to the law enforcement world,
not to mention the switch from driving to Ft. Meade to now taking the Washington Metro into
D.C. every morning!
(U//FOUO) As a SID rep, I provide basic services to my FBI customers -- forwarding NSA
product and assisting them with drafting Information Need requests for NSA response. However,
I also get involved in much, much more, including requests for technical support, coordinating
analysts exchanges, encouraging WFO use of Intelink, and in general educating FBI agents and
analysts about what NSA can do for them to fill in the foreign intelligence pieces to their case
puzzles. I wasn't warned that I'd need to learn a new language! "Bureau speak" includes such
terms as CTOC, SAC, ASAC, pocket litter, EC, and pony (not the animal!)*. At the same time, I
am introducing agents and analysts to "NSA-speak" as I help them understand what NSA can do
for them even with our different cultures, missions and authorities.
(U//FOUO) Recently, I was part of the NSA team which supported two National Special
Security Events (NSSEs)*: the Presidential Inauguration and the Presidential State of
the Union Address. NSSEs require extensive preparation on the part of the entire Intelligence
Community -- Concept of Operations (CONOPS), intelligence needs requirements, and threat
assessments all need to be documented to give a clear understanding of the mission and
responsibilities of all parties involved. With that foundation in place, all of us NSSE "players"
could work our positions -- albeit for long hours at a heightened alert status -- assured that we
knew how and with whom to coordinate vital information.
(U//FOUO) For me, the best part of the NSSE experience was observing my new law
enforcement colleagues in action. The FBI WFO's 24-hour Command and Tactical Operations
Center (CTOC) coordinated all investigative, intelligence, counterterrorism and crisis response
activities. The Center had representatives from Secret Service, local law enforcement and fire
departments ready for action, and had access to other WFO resources if necessary, including a
SWAT Team, a Hostage Rescue Team, an Evidence Response Team, a Hazardous Material
Recovery Team, and an aviation unit, to name a few.
(U//FOUO) As would be expected, most intelligence was coming from law enforcement agencies
or the numerous FBI agents working the streets with reports of fires or protesters or suspicious
vehicles. But NSA representatives throughout the Intelligence Community were poised and
ready to provide any threat information that might come from its sources or to follow up on any
leads provided by FBI. I know that FBI WFO was grateful for our support and was quite
forthcoming with sharing their experiences from past Inaugurations and State of the Union
Addresses.
(U//FOUO) I have worked in SID as an intelligence analyst, on the SID oversight staff, and as a
manager in the collection arena, and along the way have had the pleasure of working with many
dedicated and talented SIGINT professionals -- my personal SIGINT heroes. At the FBI, my eyes
have been opened to a whole new world of talented and dedicated law enforcement professionals
armed with guns, handcuffs, blackberries, and the highly valued intelligence from their
Intelligence Community partner agencies. These men and women work long hours on
counterterrorism, counterintelligence, espionage, and criminal cases, plus work the task forces
which respond 24/7 to threat tips to ensure the physical safety of those who live within their
jurisdictions. I have gained another set of heroes -- law enforcement heroes.
(U) FBI's Washington Field Office Building
* (U) Notes:
For the record, the terms mean the following:
CTOC = Command and Tactical Operations Center
SAC = Special Agent in Charge
ASAC = Assistant Special Agent in Charge
EC = Electronic Communication
pony = sample format
(U//FOUO) For more information on NSSEs see:
(U//FOUO) The FBI Customer Team:
Catherine Murray, FBI Senior Executive Account Manager
FBI Account Manager
, Senior SID Rep to FBI
, SID Rep to FBI WFO
Les Stahl, SID Rep to FBI CID
, SID Rep to FBI SIOC
, SID Rep to NY JTTF
, SID Rep to FBI NYO
"(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