Dr. William M. (Bill) Nolte Research Professor Director, Center for Intelligence Research and Education School of Public Policy University of Maryland 301-405-3331 wnolte@umd.edu

Chairman’s Letter

It’s an honor to serve as Chairman of the AFCEA Intelligence Committee, as a result of election by a group of men and women I greatly admire, and as part of an organization that truly understands the meaning of service in the national interest.

I came to the committee some years ago as the National Security Agency’s representative, nominated by my predecessor, William Crowell, who took some pleasure in my concern that with degrees in history I was perhaps not the perfect candidate to represent NSA in an organization focused on “communication electronics.”  Bill was kind enough not to note that I probably lacked the perfect NSA background as well.  Both organizations, to my benefit, have tolerated those insufficiencies.

For my part, membership on the Committee has been a complete pleasure.   Since retiring from NSA, I have been teaching in the graduate school of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, preparing a new generation of public service professionals.  When I need to think of role models for those young men and women, I need only think of the members and government liaison representatives of the Intelligence Committee, some of whom continue to serve in government along with others who have left civil or military careers – highly distinguished and successful careers at that – to continue public service in the private sector.  We need from time to remind ourselves, as I do my students, that the United States has always dealt with its great national security challenges by enlisting the talents of all sectors of our society and our economy, public, private, and academic.  It would be foolish to think that the future will not require similar partnerships.

AFCEA has long embodied its commitment to serve as a place where government and industry can come together, on an ethical basis, in the public interest.  As we move into an era in which the role of information (or intelligence if you prefer) becomes ever more central to a national security mission ever more broadly defined, I am proud to be part of the AFCEA intelligence program.  My commitment to the members of AFCEA is that if I can be of assistance, get in touch.  We’re here to serve, as you are.