from: john.nieder@f33.n125.z1.fidonet.org

...

I am doubtful of the 40,000 figure even with contract employees. That's a small army. What the hell could keep that many people busy? (shudder)

NSA occupies two very large office buildings, including the longest corridor in the world (a mile, if I recall correctly, but my copy of "The Puzzle Palace" is not handy). I went and took a look, and can confirm the parking lot is _huge_.

As is the case with a good many other gov't. agencies, one can be sure that all the crew are not 9-to-5ers showing up at one office.

The 40,000 figure may or may not be accurate, as the NSA won't say. Some say the employment is closer to 100,000. Certainly it is much higher than that of the CIA.

It has been a good many years since I traveled in the lower strata of these circles, but it was my information that the NSA, at least at that time, had a manpower pool "hugely greater than the CIA's." It is my understanding that the NSA budget is highly classified - unavailable even to most members of Congress.

Bear in mind that they are the nation's primary SIGINT facility...

I believe you'll find that the NSA also is involved in SATINT & ELINT as well. Never Say Anythings are busy little bees.

operating the various listening posts in conjunction with military personnel (via Army Security Agency, Naval Security Group, Air Forc, etc.).

It is my belief from personal experience that the NSA requests & receives operational assistance from those innocuous agencies in positions to gather information of use to the NSA in the course of their routine duties.

As always, read James Bamford's "The Puzzle Palace," which gets referred to a lot on this list.

I've tried to read this famous tome a couple of times, but have been unable to hack its turgid prose. Someday. perhaps...

Public Key: waiting for the dust to settle.

Excuse me, Tim? JN -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.1 mQCNAitWeuoAAAEEAN2DcLjYiri8Th9HlUFfCxSyxt/FZLjIX121kWoGax9hb8wM QRTtjeN+FKHdkdzD8zr7P+GbExF0X5DhZp02O1te6/2fuHDESHYUsymQpyDqoJpH wd7xZ/VraYhEX6eQzbbS4k5jbdQLzzIdgD8URzAMXYmTkvLrXhAm8ppE4nk3AAUR tDFKb2huIE5pZWRlciA8am9obi5uaWVkZXJAZjMzLm4xMjUuejEuZmlkb25ldC5v cmc+ =237u -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- ... Who has the USSR's BIOWAR contageous snakebite virus? --- Blue Wave/Opus v2.12 [NR] -- John Nieder - via FidoNet node 1:125/555 UUCP - ...!uunet!hoptoad!kumr!fidogate!33!John.Nieder INTERNET - John.Nieder@f33.n125.z1.FIDONET.ORG