The Deputy Director of the National Security Agency (DDIRNSA) is the highest-ranking civilian within the National Security Agency. As the senior civilian at NSA, the deputy director acts as the agency's chief operating officer, guiding and directing strategies and policy, and serves as the principal advisor to the Director of the NSA. The deputy director reports to the NSA director and is required to be a technically experienced civilian.[1]
Deputy Director of the National Security Agency | |
---|---|
Incumbent Wendy Noble since 2023 | |
Reports to | President of the United States |
Seat | Washington, D.C. |
Appointer | President of the United States |
First holder | Joseph Wenger |
Succession | Current |
The current deputy director is Wendy Noble.
The Armed Forces Security Agency (AFSA) was the predecessor to the NSA.
# | Deputy Director | Term |
---|---|---|
1* | Samuel P. Collins, USA Joseph Wenger, USN Roy H. Lynn, USAF |
November 1950 – April 1951 |
2 | Travis Hetherington, USAF | 1951–1952 |
*From November 1950 to April 1951, there was a Deputy Director for each service.
# | Vice Director | Term |
---|---|---|
1 | Joseph Wenger | 1952–1953 |
2 | John Ackerman | 1953–1956 |
3 | John A. Samford | June 1956 |
# | Deputy Director | Term |
4 | Joseph H. Ream | 1956–1957 |
5 | Howard Engstrom | 1957–1958 |
6 | Louis W. Tordella | 1958–1974 |
7 | Benson K. Buffham | 1974–1978 |
8 | Robert E. Drake | 1978–1980 |
9 | Ann Z. Caracristi | 1980–1982 |
10 | Robert E. Rich | 1982–1986 |
11 | Charles R. Lord | 1986–1988 |
12 | Gerald R. Young | 1988–1990 |
13 | Robert L. Prestel | 1990–1994 |
14 | William P. Crowell | 1994–1997 |
15 | Barbara McNamara | 1997–2000 |
16 | William B. Black, Jr. | 2000–2006 |
17 | John C. Inglis | 2006–2014 |
18 | Richard Ledgett | 2014–2017 |
19 | George C. Barnes | 2017–2023 |
20 | Wendy Noble | 2023-Present |