NGA, NSA Directors Highlight Interagency Collaboration at GEOINT 2004 Symposium

October 13, 2004

NEW ORLEANS, La. — As keynote speakers at the 2004 GEOINT Symposium, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Director retired Air Force Lt. Gen. James R. Clapper Jr., and the National Security Agency (NSA) Director, Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael V. Hayden today spoke on the theme “NGA & NSA: Integration and Partnership.”
Both leaders echoed the importance of continued teamwork to fight the war on terrorism, speaking before an audience comprised of senior representatives of the intelligence community, military, police, budget and program, congressional and the business communities. They addressed issues on the complementary strengths of their respective agencies, the need for collaboration and cooperation, and the challenges that face the intelligence community with regard to creating and sharing information.

In their comments, they also addressed some of the specific needs that must be met in order for both agencies to achieve their missions in the future. The momentum of cooperation, however, was highlighted throughout their comments.

“I am always pleased to share a platform with Mike Hayden and describe how our two agencies are working together to bring America’s ‘eyes and ears’ closer together,” Clapper said. “This NGA-NSA partnership is a model of how all members of the intelligence community must work together to meet our national security challenges in the 21st century.”

Hayden added that while there is still much integration needed, there has been ongoing collaboration among the two agencies. “The intelligence community is being challenged to stretch, but we are being stretched from a point way out in front of the pack,” Hayden said. “Our partnership with NGA has been, to date, an unmitigated success.”

Clapper and Hayden joined a large number of intelligence community leaders in addressing the symposium’s theme: “Driving Transformation through Integration and Partnership.” The symposium took place in New Orleans October 12-14, 2004.

The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation is a Virginia-based nonstock, not-for-profit corporation. The Foundation is dedicated to promoting the geospatial intelligence tradecraft and developing a stronger community of interest between government, industry, academic and professional organizations and individuals who share a mission focus around the development and application of geospatial intelligence data and geo-processing resources to address national security objectives. For more information on the Foundation, visit www.usgif.org.

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