I swear, if I read one more story about sinking morale in the CIA due to the “supremacy” of the DNI, I’m going to . . . blog some more!

People I know on the inside are cautiously optimistic. They’ve never wavered in their motivation towards the job, but they are all candidates for medication when they think of what happens at echelons-above. Seeing executives heading towards the unemployment office is a refreshing change for people who are far too used to seeing them rewarded with percussive sublimation or the lateral arabesque.

I’ve worked in multiple agencies. Neither I nor anyone else I worked with felt inferior to any other agency. Truth be told you run into just as many half-wits at the supposed top-notch places as you do in what are supposed to be second-tier activities. Outstanding work, not the geo coordinates of where you’re a$$ resides, is what gets you noticed and invited to participate in the big efforts.

ODNI is sucking up certain people not necessarily the best people. If the latter were truly the case, morale would indeed be a problem.

About the Author

Michael Tanji

Michael Tanji spent nearly 20 years in the US intelligence community. Trained in both SIGINT and HUMINT disciplines he has worked at the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the National Reconnaissance Office. At various points in his career he served as an expert in information warfare, computer network operations, computer forensics, and indications and warning. A veteran of the US Army, Michael has served in both strategic and tactical assignments in the Pacific Theater, the Balkans, and the Middle East.