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Today Marks the Day When the First Woman Heads a Major US Intelligence Agency
Letitia A. Long will become the first woman to lead one of the 16 major intelligence agencies in the United States when she is formally given the position of the director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in a ceremony held at the campus today.
The NGA “synthesizes satellite imagery, using everything from the number of electric lines a city has to the density of the soil, to create three-dimensional, interactive maps of every spot on the planet.” These maps are used, most notably, by troops who must gauge whether a country’s roads or deserts can handle tank tracks and oil spill cleanup crews who must decide where to deploy resources.
According to Wendy Morigi, a spokeswoman for the Director of National Intelligence, women represent just 38% of the total U.S. intelligence work force.
Long has had a 32-year career containing a number of senior management positions after earning a degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech and a masters in mechanical engineering from the Catholic University of America. She has been employed as the deputy director of Naval Intelligence, deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence and second in command at the Defense Intelligence Agency.
This is wonderful news for the advancement of women in the intelligence agency workforce, but the fight for gender equality and equal representation is far from over. Unlike what most people will say about equality in the workforce, women are still very much underrepresented. Intelligence executive and former Air Force officer Carrie Bachner worked as the legislative adviser to Charles Allen when he held the position of the top intelligence official for the Department of Homeland Security. According to her, when she walked into a room of intelligence officials or congressional staff with Charles Allen, people would automatically ignore her, assuming that she was present as a mere note taker or executive assistant, when in reality she advised the intelligence official daily on how to deal with the 86 congressional committees responsible for the DHS oversight.
Women like Long are most definitely showing young women today that it is possible to break into the boy’s club that is politics and to hold an executive position in an arena where women make up just a small fraction of the populace.
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About the Author: Holly Ord
In addition to being the Founder and Editor of Woman Tribune, Holly Ord is a freelance writer, web designer and developer, feminist activist and blogger, and hopeless video game addict. She lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania and has been blogging on liberal politics and gender equality on her personal website, Menstrual Poetry since 2007.
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One Comment on Today Marks the Day When the First Woman Heads a Major US Intelligence Agency / Add Your Comment
Fabulous! Every time I read a new accomplishment for women, I do a little happy dance inside.