[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S5689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO LETITIA A. LONG

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I wish to recognize and pay tribute to 
Letitia--Tish--A. Long, who will retire on October 3, 2014, as Director 
of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, or NGA.
  It gives me great pleasure to speak publicly about Director Long, who 
has not only had an exemplary and distinguished career spanning 36 
years in the Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense, but 
who is someone I have gotten to know on a personal level.
  As the Director of the NGA, Ms. Long was the first woman to head a 
major U.S. intelligence agency, and she will therefore always have a 
place in history as one of the Nation's most important figures in 
military and national intelligence. She is also a leading figure among 
women engineers.
  I am grateful that in retirement, Tish will continue to advocate and 
find ways to encourage young women to go into the fields of science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics.
  After studying electrical engineering as an undergraduate at Virginia 
Tech, and then earning a master's degree in mechanical engineering at 
Catholic University, Tish began her government service as a civilian 
electrical engineer at the Office of Naval Intelligence, where she was 
often the only woman in a room full of male engineers.
  In 1994, she was promoted to the ranks of the Senior Executive 
Service, where she eventually served in a dual role at the Naval 
Intelligence Staff as director for Requirements, Plans, Policy and 
Programs; and director of Resource Management.
  Looking back at her career, it should come as no surprise that Ms. 
Long reached great heights within the Intelligence Community. In 1995, 
she participated in the planning for the creation of the National 
Imagery and Mapping Agency, the predecessor agency of NGA, which she 
would later lead as Director. From 1998 to 2000, Tish served on the 
staff of the Director of Central Intelligence as the executive director 
for Intelligence Community Affairs on the community management staff, 
the predecessor organization to the Office of the Director of National 
Intelligence.
  Director Long's previous positions included service as Director of 
the Military Intelligence Staff at DIA and Deputy Director of Naval 
Intelligence. Tish was instrumental in the creation of the Office of 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, where she served as 
the first Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence for 
Policy, Requirements and Resources. In 2006, she returned to the DIA as 
its Deputy Director.
  Then, in August of 2010, Ms. Long became the fifth Director of the 
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. As its director, Tish expertly 
managed the multibillion-dollar NGA budget and a workforce of nearly 
10,000 government employees during a challenging period that included 
two wars, budget sequestration, and a government shutdown.
  Under Director Long's skillful leadership, NGA provided extensive 
support to our Nation's highest priority security concerns, from 
counterterrorism missions across the globe--including critical support 
to the raid that killed Usama bin Laden--to monitoring and providing 
advanced warning on crises in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
  I have appreciated Director Long's candor with the Senate 
Intelligence Committee and her willingness to address the committee's 
concerns. Ms. Long's leadership on intelligence integration, advanced 
analytic tradecraft, and technology initiatives significantly improved 
intelligence production for the Defense Department, the Intelligence 
Community, and our allied partners. These efforts also provided greater 
insight into national security issues for policymakers in both the 
executive branch and Congress.
  Let me close by saying that those of us who are fortunate enough to 
know Tish personally can attest to her dedication to the mission, 
personal integrity, and unwavering loyalty to our Nation.
  As she leaves government service, Tish will have more time to spend 
with her husband John Skibinski, stepdaughters Jordan, Lindsay, and 
Katherine, and granddaughter Hanna.
  It is with great pride and honor that I personally recognize Director 
Tish Long as an innovator, leader, and friend.
  We wish Tish all the best in the future. I yield the floor.

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