On a rooftop located next to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) future headquarters in Springfield, Va., Letitia A. Long accepted the next step in her career — the first for any woman in her line of work.
A fairly new organization born only in 1996, the NGA plays a huge role in our nation’s security by providing imagery, imagery intelligence and geospatial analysis in military, civilian and national disaster situations. They essentially create 3D, interactive maps of every last spot on the Earth.
Long accepted her new position with praise for the organization. “I have never seen an agency as young as the NGA do so much in so little time,” she said, according to the Associated Press.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and former boss James R. Clapper, touted Long’s impressive career. Her 32 years in the industry as deputy director of Naval Intelligence, deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence and second in command at the Defense Intelligence Agency, have earned her many accolades and positive sentiment for her new position.
Long is leading the way for a growing female workforce in our intelligence communities, of which 38 percent are women. Rep. Anna Eshoo told AP that Long’s, “experience and position make her an important role model for all the women in the intelligence community.”
The US has now seen three female secretaries of state and one woman have a with viable chance of becoming President. Long may be the first female to lead an intelligence agency, but hopefully will not be the only woman on top for long.
Photo courtesy of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.