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(U) 'Brush With Fame' While On the Job
FROM: SIGINT Communications (S02C)
Unknown
Run Date: 09/01/2006
(U) Yesterday we asked readers to tell us their stories of encountering famous people while
working for NSA (or other agencies). Here's what we learned:
(C//REL) During 1999, I was deployed to Pristina, Kosovo for a couple of months. My role was
to provide technical advice to military SIGINT and Electronic Warfare Assets which were
deployed to provide support to UK forces. One evening, after dinner at the outdoor dining
facility, we were corralled for a meet & greet session with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
(C//REL) I didn't think he would make his way to me, but he did and we shook hands, said hello
and he moved on. Obviously my cover (I was in uniform, no rank badge, no beret etc) stood up
to his inspection as he had no idea he had just shaken hands with someone from GCHQ ;)
Furthermore, we were then formed in to a group standing behind Mr Blair while he gave a press
conference, so I also had my face splashed across the BBC 9 o'clock news!
--
(TS//SI//REL) In 1990, a coworker, a number of contractors and I were detailed to the
Embassy in Warsaw, Poland. Donald Sutherland and Anne Archer were staying at the same
hotel, the Marriott I think, while filming "Eminent Domain." Ms. Archer was never seen, but Mr.
Sutherland and family (Keifer wasn't there) hit the breakfast buffet most days.
--
(S) In the Reagan era, NSA needed financial help in building signal processors to exploit
certain signals from Soviet missile tests. We found our way to the newly created Strategic
Defense Initiative Office (SDIO) - later known as STAR WARS - and I got to meet and brief its
Director, USAF Gen. Abrahamson. The General was keenly interested in our data, walked up
to the briefing screen to examine the fine-grain detail, and quickly understood the contributions
such data could make to his mission of accurately tracking those deadly weapons. His Office
generously funded nearly half our Program costs, about $4 million.
(C) Another "famous" encounter involved four Soviet nuclear warheads during the first START
Inspection we conducted against their submarine Navy in 1990. As the Soviets yanked out a
fully fueled ballistic missile from their Delta-IV submarine a clear thought went through my
head: "I'm not paid enough to watch this!" We then walked up in teams of two onto the loading
dock and got to stand three feet away from weapons totaling about 1 megaton of explosive
power. And, yes, back in Moscow our hosts made sure we passed through Lenin's tomb.
-- Adolf Cusmariu (acusmar)
(C) Back in the early 1980's there was a tall sailor in a crisp uniform a la "Officer and a
Gentleman" who, acting as a courier, took a certain route around lunchtime every day with his
materials. (Note: this was back when the Marines guarded the main escalator in Ops1.) Many
years later I found out this Navy Lieutenant was Montel Williams , future talkshow host and
celebrity. At that time he was a Chinese linguist.
-- Anonymous
(TS//SI) In 1995, while serving as the NSA Representative to the DCI's Interagency Balkan
Task Force, I had the opportunity to meet Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Dr.
Kissinger came to CIA for a visit and was brought to the Task Force's front office for a short
briefing on the situation in the Balkans. As a member of the Task Force's leadership team, I was
one of the few who were present for the briefing and who got to shake Dr. Kissinger's hand
afterwards.
(U//FOUO) Also while on the Task Force, I had the opportunity to hear Former President
George Bush in the CIA "bubble." I was three seats in from the aisle and he walked right by us,
close enough to touch if you wanted to run the risk of being shot by the Secret Service!
--
(U) Somewhere between the runway of Heathrow airport and 5,000 feet, I confirmed the
young lady next to me was a famous movie star. With no bodyguards in sight or hired help, it
made me wonder if it was really her. She was very nice to everyone that approached her, even
if they never let her rest. Her boarding pass, autographed to me, and a couple minutes
conversation was the only evidence I needed to tell the story of a lifetime. That lady was Ms.
Angelina Jolie .
-- Anonymous
(U//FOUO) In the early 60's, when I was stationed in Scotland at an Air Force Security Service
(USAFSS) site (RAF Kirknewton), I ran into the Academy Award winner Jack Palance . Running
to catch a bus around the corner from his hotel I collided with him and came out on the short
end. He was kind enough to extend his hand and help me up.
(S) In the mid 70's, whilst TDY to the GUARDRAIL Site at Gruenstadt, Germany for the
REFORGER-1975 CPX/FTX, I got to meet the SACEUR at that time General Alexander (I'm in
charge) Haig.
(U//FOUO) Last but not least, in June 1990 my wife and I were having breakfast at the
EUCOM Officer's Club, Patch Barracks, Germany, when I thought I was seeing a ghost walk in.
The "ghost" was John Eisenhower -- who bore a remarkable resemblance to his father "Ike" -accompanied by his wife. They walked by our table and both smiled and said "good morning."
-- Hank Kaczynski
)
(TS//SI//REL) While on TDY in Jordan for several weeks in the late 1990s, I noticed Americanlooking men wearing suits and ear buds quietly wandering the lobby and halls at our hotel in
Amman. I commented to my colleagues that they looked like Secret Service agents, and began
to wonder if the President or some other high-ranking official was in town. Sure enough, the
next morning, Chelsea Clinton and a group of her friends came down to the restaurant for
breakfast. We could have approached her if we wanted to introduce ourselves as fellow
Americans traveling in the Mideast, but we decided instead it was best to remain anonymous. I
understand Chelsea's mother was also staying at the hotel, but she was not to be seen.
(C) It was another day on the same trip when a well-dressed wedding party appeared in the
hotel lobby, singing and dancing. It was a truly beautiful and moving experience. Noting the
machine gun-wielding guards just outside, I learned the groom was a Saudi Prince. You never
know who you're going to run into while doing business for the NSA.
--
(U) French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy is pictured through
a viewfinder during a news conference (Reuters)
"(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