Intelligence Agencies

Department of State

The Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) provides the America's top foreign policy maker with timely, objective analysis of global developments as well as real-time insights from all-source intelligence. It serves as the focal point within this organization for all policy issues and activities involving the Intelligence Community. INR's expert, independent foreign affairs analysts draw on all-source intelligence, diplomatic reporting, INR's public opinion polling, and interaction with U.S. and foreign scholars. Their strong regional and functional backgrounds allow them to respond rapidly to changing policy priorities and to provide early warning and in-depth analysis of events and trends that affect U.S. foreign policy and national security interests.

Army Intelligence

The G-2 in this organization is responsible for policy formulation, planning, programming, budgeting, management, staff supervision, evaluation, and oversight for intelligence activities for the service branch. The G-2 is responsible for the overall coordination of the five major military intelligence (MI) disciplines within the Army: Imagery Intelligence, Signals Intelligence, Human Intelligence, Measurement and Signature Intelligence, and Counterintelligence and Security Countermeasures.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) is responsible for using information and intelligence from multiple sources to identify and assess current and future threats to the U.S. Intelligence focuses on four strategic areas: Promote understanding of threats through intelligence analysis; Collect information and intelligence pertinent to homeland security; Share information necessary for action; and Manage intelligence for the homeland security enterprise. The Under Secretary for I&A also serves as its organization's chief intelligence officer and is responsible to both the secretary of this organization and the director of National Intelligence.

Department of Treasury

The Office of Intelligence and Analysis (OIA) was established by the Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal 2004. OIA is responsible for the receipt, analysis, collation, and dissemination of foreign intelligence and foreign counterintelligence information related to the operation and responsibilities of this organization. OIA is a component of the The Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI) in this organization marshals the Department's intelligence and enforcement functions with the twin aims of safeguarding the financial system against illicit use and combating rogue nations, terrorist facilitators, weapons of mass destruction proliferators, money launderers, drug kingpins, and other national security threats.

Department of Energy (DoE)

The Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence within this organization is responsible for the intelligence and counterintelligence activities throughout the organization's complex, including nearly 30 intelligence and counterintelligence offices nationwide. The mission is to protect, enable, and represent the vast scientific brain trust resident in this organization's laboratories and plants. The office protects vital national security information and technologies, representing intellectual property of incalculable value, and provides unmatched scientific and technical expertise to the U.S. government to respond to foreign intelligence, terrorist and cyber threats, to solve the hardest problems associated with U.S. energy security, and to address a wide range of other national security issues.

Air Force Intelligence

The intelligence component of this service branch provides policy, oversight, and guidance to its service. The service's Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnoissance (ISR) Agency organizes, trains, equips, and presents forces to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for combatant commanders and the nation. Its ISR is also responsible for implementing and overseeing policy and guidance, and expanding the service's ISR capabilities to meet current and future challenges. The ISR Agency commander serves as the Service Cryptologic Element under NSA, and oversees Air Force Signals Intelligence activities.

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

This agency designs, builds and operates the nation's reconnaissance satellites. Its products, provided to an expanding list of customers like the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense, can warn of potential trouble spots around the world, help plan military operations, and monitor the environment. As part of the Intelligence Community, it plays a primary role in achieving information superiority for the U.S. Government and Armed Forces. A DOD agency, this organization is staffed by DOD and CIA personnel.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

This agency is responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior U.S. policymakers. The director of this agency is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The director manages the operations, personnel and budget of the organization and acts as the National Human Source Intelligence manager. This agency is separated into four basic components: the National Clandestine Service, the Directorate of Intelligence, the Directorate of Science & Technology, and the Directorate of Support. They carry out "the intelligence cycle," the process of collecting, analyzing, and disseminating intelligence information to top U.S. government officials.

National Security Agency (NSA)

This agency is the nation's cryptologic organization that coordinates, directs, and performs highly specialized activities to protect U.S. information systems and to produce foreign signals intelligence information. A high-technology organization, it at the forefront of communications and information technology. It is also one of the most important centers of foreign language analysis and research within the U.S. government and is said to be the largest employer of mathematicians in the United States and perhaps the world. Founded in 1952, it is part of the Department of Defense and a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community. This agency supports military customers, national policymakers, and the counterterrorism and counterintelligence communities, as well as key international allies. Its workforce represents an unusual combination of specialties: analysts, engineers, physicists, mathematicians, linguists, computer scientists, researchers, as well as customer relations specialists, security officers, data flow experts, managers, administrative officers and clerical assistants.

National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA)

This agency provides timely, relevant, and accurate geospatial intelligence in support of national security objectives. Information collected and processed by this agency is tailored for customer-specific solutions. By giving customers ready access to geospatial intelligence, this agency provides support to civilian and military leaders and contributes to the state of readiness of U.S. military forces. It also contributes to humanitarian efforts such as tracking floods and fires, and in peacekeeping. NGA is a Department of Defense Combat Support Agency. Headquartered in Springfield, Va., NGA operates major facilities in the St. Louis, Mo. and Washington, D.C. areas. The agency also fields support teams worldwide.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

This agency, as an intelligence and law enforcement agency, is responsible for understanding threats to our national security and penetrating national and transnational networks that have a desire and capability to harm the U.S. The National Security Branch was established in response to a presidential directive and Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission recommendation to establish a National Security Service that combines the missions, capabilities, and resources of the agency's counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and intelligence elements under the leadership of a senior FBI official. The NSB also includes the Terrorist Screening Center, which provides crucial, actionable intelligence to state and local law enforcement, and the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group, an interagency body that collects intelligence from key terror suspects to prevent attacks against the U.S. and its allies.

Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)

This is the US's combat support agency. With more than 16,500 military and civilian employees worldwide, it is a major producer and manager of foreign military intelligence and provides military intelligence to warfighters, defense policymakers and force planners, in the DOD and the Intelligence Community, in support of U.S. military planning and operations and weapon systems acquisition. The director of this agency serves as principal adviser to the secretary of defense and to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on matters of military intelligence. The director also chairs the Military Intelligence Board, which coordinates activities of the defense intelligence community.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

This organization is responsible for enforcing the controlled substance laws and regulations of the United States. Its Office of National Security Intelligence (ONSI) became a member of the IC in 2006. ONSI facilitates full and appropriate intelligence coordination and information sharing with other members of the U.S. Intelligence Community and homeland security elements. Its goal is to enhance the U.S.'s efforts to reduce the supply of drugs, protect national security, and combat global terrorism. This organization has 21 field divisions in the U.S. and more than 80 offices in more than 60 countries worldwide.

Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

This organization was established in 2004 to manage the extensive efforts of the IC. The Director of this organization serves as the principal advisor to the President, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council. The director also coordinates intelligence matters related to the Department of Defense with the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. The objective and purpose of this organization is to promote a more integrated and collaborative IC.

Coast Guard Intelligence

This service branch became a member of the IC in 2001. Its broad responsibilities include protecting citizens from the sea (maritime safety), protecting America from threats delivered by the sea (maritime security), and protecting the sea itself (maritime stewardship). The intelligence component of this service branch persistent presence in the maritime domain, due to its diverse mission sets and broad legal authorities, allows it to fill a unique niche within the Intelligence Community. Because of its unique access, emphasis, and expertise in the maritime domain it can collect and report intelligence that not only supports its own missions, but also supports national objectives. The intelligence provided by this branch of military strives to create decision advantage to advance U.S. interests by providing timely, actionable, and relevant intelligence to shape its operations, planning, and decision-making, and to support national and homeland security intelligence requirements.

US Navy, Naval Intelligence

This service branch is the leading provider of maritime intelligence to its service branch and joint warfighting forces, as well national decision makers and other consumers in the Intelligence Community. Established in 1882, it specializes in the analysis, production and dissemination of vital, timely and accurate scientific, technical, geopolitical and military intelligence information to key consumers worldwide. The intelligence arm of this service branch employs more than 3,000 military, civilian, mobilized reservists and contractor personnel worldwide, including analysts, scientists, engineers, specialists and technicians.

US Marine Corps, Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA)

This service produces tactical and operational intelligence for battlefield support. Its IC component is comprised of all intelligence professionals in the in its service who are responsible for policy, plans, programming, budgets, and staff supervision of intelligence and supporting activities. The department supports the commandant of this military branch in his role as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, represents the service in Joint and Intelligence Community matters. The department has service staff responsibility for geospatial intelligence, advanced geospatial intelligence, signals intelligence, human intelligence, counterintelligence, and ensures there is a single synchronized strategy for the development of the Services's Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Enterprise.