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(U//FOUO) From SIGINT to HUMINT to SIGINT (through HUMINT) -conclusion
FROM: Eric Fair
Intelligence Analysis Intern
Run Date: 03/11/2005

Here's the conclusion of the story of a SIGINT'er who went to Iraq to perform HUMINT. (Click
HERE for part 1.) (S)
(S) Iraq had been an overwhelming experience and it was difficult for me to know what I was to
do once I got home. Fortunately, 
, directors of the IA skill
community, had stayed in touch with me and welcomed me back with open arms. I hadn't yet
taken the time to think how my experience with HUMINT in Iraq would benefit me in the world
of SIGINT, but it became apparent once I was assigned my first tour here at NSA.
(S) I was assigned to S2E22 (the Iraq Branch) and placed on a team responsible for sorting
through HUMINT reports and finding ways to develop SIGINT leads. The reports that I read
through, often summaries of interrogations and interviews from Iraq, were the same reports I
had been writing for the last six months. I was able to read the reports and get a feel for when
an interrogator was on to something important, or when he or she may have been following a
false lead. I could sense when a source quoted in a report may have been holding back, or more
often than not, may have been exaggerating his access and knowledge. It allowed me to sort
through the large volume of reports more efficiently and kept me involved in the world of
HUMINT.
(S) My exposure at S2E22 to the developmental side of SIGINT was a tremendous challenge to
me. Though frustrating at first to be thrown into an assignment and forced to quickly learn a
variety of complicated technologies and tools, I was fortunate enough to fall under the tutelage
of two experienced analysts and benefit tremendously from their advice and direction. There
were days of course when I felt overwhelmed and thought I had no chance of ever
understanding what was actually expected of me. The daily task of sorting through endless
HUMINT reports in order to develop what at times seemed like insignificant results often became
a test of my patience, but the opportunity to take what I had learned in Iraq, and see it
developed into intelligence here at NSA was invaluable.
(S) In many ways, knowing what I know now about how crucial HUMINT can be to the SIGINT
process, I wish I could go back to Iraq and work again as an interrogator. There are still a
number of walls that need to be broken down between the two disciplines for them to work more
effectively together. HUMINT needs to have a better understanding of the specifics that will
enable the SIGINT process, and SIGINT needs to continue to gain a better understanding of just
how difficult HUMINT can be.
(S) As the two disciplines continue to find common ground, and as they continue to understand
what they need to do to make one another more effective, it is exciting to think how much more
dynamic the collection process can become. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be
involved in these two types of collection, and though I will not recommend anyone resign their
NSA position, I can certainly say that finding ways to learn how other intelligence disciplines
affect the work we do here at NSA is an invaluable experience.

"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid comms)."

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