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(U) Major General Quirk Bids SID Farewell
FROM: MG Richard J. Quirk, USA
SIGINT Director
Run Date: 09/28/2006
(U) It's time to say farewell. This will be my last SID today article, because I am retiring from
the Army on 30 September. It has been a great career of 37 years and I can think of no better
way and no better place to close this chapter of our lives and open the next.
(U) I leave you inspired, filled with appreciation, and absolutely confident in the future security
of our nation. It is you who have inspired me and who have always recharged my optimism and
permitted me to leave with such confidence. I have never been associated with a finer, more
dedicated, more professional group of people.
(U) Despite the difficulties and challenges of your jobs, you should come to work and go home
every day filled with pride because of what you accomplish here. I certainly feel that pride for
you. During these five years, I've seen you at work enough to know that you are truly a national
treasure, and I am truly confident about your continued accomplishment of our vital mission in
the future.
(U) My appreciation is for the many ways that each of you has shared your thoughts and
concerns and yourselves with me in our daily interactions. Most of us old guys say that we hang
around because of the people. What we really mean is that we hang around because of the close
relationships we build with people, and I have found that here at NSA/CSS, it has been easy to
build those relationships. It is because of you that I have been excited about staying on two
years past my mandatory retirement date.
(U//FOUO) I must especially express my appreciation to Gen Hayden and LTG Alexander for
giving me these two extra years. And finally, a special thanks to Charlie Meals and Jim Cusick,
my deputies, and to
who, as Office Manager, put up with more schedule changes
and other changes of mind and quirks than anyone should have to.
(U) My job was a dream come true, because every day the people I worked with were in the
habit of making the impossible a reality... ahead of schedule. It has been a little bit like Alice
behind the looking glass in that every day has been filled with wonder. I thank all of you for the
experience.
(U) Maura and I will finally begin to burn diesel in our motor home. We will head north to Maine
and points unknown. We hope to keep our close friendships with all of you. God bless.
"(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