National Security Agency - The Black Vault

1980s
In April 1981, Admiral Inman left NSA to
become Deputy Director at CIA and was
replaced by Lieutenant General Lincoln
D. Faurer, USAF, NSA’s tenth Director.
An accomplished Air Force pilot, Faurer
promoted revolutionary technological changes
and developed a reputation as an innovator
in the areas of secure communications and
computer security. Faurer went on to serve in
several important positions within the defense
and intelligence communities, including Chief
of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Space
Systems Division, Director for Intelligence at
U.S. Southern Command, and the USAF Deputy
Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence.
In 1980 NSA appointed its first female Deputy
Director, Ms. Ann Caracristi. Ms. Caracristi came
to work as a cryptanalyst with the Army Signal
Intelligence Service in 1942. Initially, she sorted
Japanese Army messages, but quickly advanced
to cryptanalysis and then management.
A Period of
Growth
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Her expertise and professionalism in responding
to a wide range of tough and demanding
cryptologic problems and challenges allowed
her to advance quickly. In 1959 she was
promoted to a supergrade, and in 1975 she
became the first woman in the history of NSA
to be promoted to GS-18. Caracristi’s legacy
and contributions not only inspired her female
colleagues, but future generations of NSA
employees of both genders.
A Shift in Focus
By 1980 it had become clear to U.S.
policymakers that the USSR had no intention of
giving up the battle to prevail over the United
President and Mrs. Reagan with LTG and Mrs. Odom at
the dedication of new NSA buildings (OPS 2A/2B) - on
September 26, 1986. (Video on DVD)
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