DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (U//FOUO) An Intern Learns That Customers Do Value SIGINT FROM: Former Acting Account Manager (S112) Run Date: 05/26/2006 (U//FOUO) Intern leaves Analysis & Production jobs and does tour in Customer Relationships -gains new insights into how customers use SIGINT. (U//FOUO) In August 2005, I became the first Intelligence Analyst intern* to work with the Account Managers in Customer Account Management (S112). My view of NSA will never be quite the same. (U//FOUO) Prior to working in S112, I completed two and a half years in S2 developing my reporting and SIGDEV* skills. I found this work to be very rewarding, but sometimes wondered, "Does anyone really care about this stuff outside of this building?" After working in the Customer Relations Directorate for seven months, I can answer that question with a resounding "Yes!" Customers are very interested in SIGINT, so much so that there is a team of people making sure they are getting all the SIGINT they can handle. (C) The Account Managers in S112 provide daily support to over 50 customers, including national policy makers, law enforcement and Intelligence Community organizations throughout the U.S. Government. The extended team of Customer Support includes the Senior Executive Account Managers (SEAMs) and External Representatives at the Customer locations. (C) Shortly after I arrived in S112, an Account Manager took a PCS* assignment, and I quickly filled in as the Acting Account Manger for five customer accounts, namely: the U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Communications Commission, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and NASA. I was part of a team responsible for ensuring that the growing needs of these customers were met and that NSA's relationship with them was strong and continuously improving. (C) In my role as Acting Account Manager, I had the opportunity to team with and support external NSA representatives who provide customers with personalized intelligence support on a daily basis. To the customer, these external reps are the face of NSA. (C) I specifically worked with the NSA representatives at the Washington Liaison Office (WLO). The reps at the WLO are the people you hear about dashing through Washington, D.C. and hopping on the Metro with concealed lock bags filled with SIGINT to show to the customer. The WLO reps have the unique challenge of supporting many different customers in a timely manner, and all of these customers have many different interests and are literally located throughout the city. While supporting the WLO reps, I had the opportunity to participate in meetings and briefings downtown with customers. I also filled in for the reps when needed. (U//FOUO) In addition to taking trips downtown, I learned about customer needs, anticipated future needs, and helped customers understand the benefits of SIGINT. I assisted in coordinating visits for high-level officials and analyst exchanges. I drafted Customer Support Plans and other documentation. I sought out the answers for day-to-day questions from the customers, conducted research and attended meetings to gain a better understanding of the strategic issues and challenges that NSA faces in serving their customers. I also had the opportunity to shadow other IC*/Policy Account Managers and downtown NSA reps at a variety of customer locations. This gave me an appreciation of their unique roles and how truly different

the needs and complexities are for each customer they serve. (U//FOUO) This was a very valuable learning experience for me. For the first time, I was able to see NSA from a "big-picture" perspective. SIGINT plays a very significant and meaningful role in meeting the daily needs of our customers. Now that I am working as an analyst again, I don't have to wonder if the customers value the work I am doing. I know they do. *(U) Notes: "Interns" are participants in the Intelligence Analysis Development Program. SIGDEV = SIGINT Development PCS = Permanent Change of Station IC = Intelligence Community "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid comms)." DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108