CommittedTo ExcellenceIn DefenseOf The Nation
ill sought by the world

Agency. The two red

olize the scientific and

intelligence today and of

ars and the wreath are

partment of Defense seal

tify the Agency as a

se organization.
Departments separately collected,

igence for their individual use.

ostly, and ineffective as each

o the Secretary of Defense, the

mmands, or other governmental

of 1958 sought to correct these

nsibility for U&S Command

he JCS. However, DoDned unclear, coordination poor,

y and national focus. President

 appointed the Joint Study Group

of effectively organizing the

vities.

f the Joint Study Group, Secretary

in February 1961 advised the JCS

1
nt of DIA's formation was made on 2 August 1961. 3

A BRIEF HISTORY
nse Intelligence Agency and tasked

lan that would extensively integrate

f all DoD elements. The JCS

y, and published DoD Directive

Agency" on 1 August, effective

w agency, DIA reported to the

 JCS. It was a union—not a

ence and counterintelligence

ntelligence Agency which may

 Security Agency, [and] the

ligence functions now handled

"

Robert S. McNamara, 1961
ng DIA were to obtain unity of effort

eveloping military intelligence, and

city for collecting, producing, and

mation.

5
unction the Services initially
s existence, Agency attempts to

military intelligence organization

osition. At the same time, the

fledgling Agency's ability to

ence. In particular, the war

involvement in efforts to account

missing or captured in Southeast

1960's on China's detonation of an

f its cultural revolution; increasing

nd, fighting in Malaysia, Cyprus,

crises that tested Defense

7
uded the Tet offensive in Vietnam;

 and Israel; continuing troubles in

th Korea's seizure of the PUEBLO;

hoslovakia.

Soviet missiles in Cuba.
continued fighting in Southeast Asia.

d a position for an Assistant Secretary

 "to supervise Defense intelligence

rincipal point for management and

ctor of Central Intelligence, the CIA,

side the DoD." Also in November,

ational Intelligence Community and

ram manager for the General Defense

nce, the Agency established a

mber 1970.

siderably by the mid-1970's as its

ved throughout the government as

nwhile, the specially-convened

 looked closely at the effects of DIA

ecommendations of conference

ed emphasis on technology in the

9
oi airfield.
ng 1975 and 1976 created turbulence

unity. The Murphy and Rockefeller

ges of intelligence abuse ultimately

ified many of the functions the

A, the leadership adopted the

offset heavy production requirements,

Management Study Group led to a

on activities.

tnam ending by 1975, Defense

e decrements. During this period,

n ways of improving its intelligence

trengthened its support to consumers

& Specified Commands, and also

ntelligence Center. Faced with similar

ght to centralize its activities. The

11
979 of Executive Order 12036,

ce Community and better outlined

l responsibilities, the Agency was

rectorates: production, operations,

2 support. Despite these and other

rove intelligence support, the loss

mited the Community's ability to

igence and ultimately contributed

an, Afghanistan, and other strategic

s were expanding while resources

70's, Agency analysts were

anon, China, South Africa,

POW issues. Special DIA task

ses such as the Soviet invasion of
 Iranian monarchy, and the taking of

bassy in Teheran in 1979. Other

his period were the Vietnamese

a-Vietnam border war; the overthrow

uth Yemen dispute; troubles in

Libya and Egypt; the Sandinista

oviet movement of combat troops to

ategic Arms Limitations Treaty II.

1 3
fense Intelligence Analysis Center

e in Washington, D.C. World crises

he downing of two Libyan SU-22's

f of Sidra, an Israeli F-16 raid to

r, two Iranian hijackings, Iranian air

of American hostages in Iran.

ncentrated on enhancing its support

rs, improving its capabilities to meet

rements, and strengthening DoD's

DIA established a position for a

ce processing in 1982. Two years

ntelligence Team (CAJIT) was

alytical organization focused on

IA also created a standard

hitecture to improve DoD's ability

lligence to tactical commanders
f the Defense Intelligence Analysis

Washington, D.C.

1 5

VER FORGET

NTELLIGENCE

CAN LIVES AND

UR FREEDOM"

ld Reagan, 1981
major functional elements were

of when the Agency dedicated the

 1984. Other DIA analytical

tered on the attack on the Marine

q War, the conflict in Afghanistan,

Air Lines Flight 007, the civil war

ines.

mber of hijackings, bombings,

cts of terrorism led to 1985 being

Terrorist." Secretary of Defense

A with the Agency's first Joint

or outstanding intelligence support

eries of crises—the hijacking of

ip ACHILLE LAURO, unrest in

ist operations against Libya.
Military Intelligence Center was

ted with the National Military

permitted the fusion of operations

he national level. Designated a

he Goldwater-Nichols Defense

 moved quickly to increase

mands and to begin developing a

e.

 in the Middle East intensified as

Gulf. DIA provided significant

EARNEST WILL while closely

Iraqi missile attack on the USS

n oil platforms, and Iranian attacks

ota War" between Libya and Chad

DIA's heavy production workload,

in America, Somalia, Ethiopia,

nes.

1 7
cessful Defense intelligence effort

anama which demonstrated the

between DIA and operational force

ed threat data on "hot spots"

ca, and Asia, while assessing the

Eastern Europe, and, to a lesser

pported decisionmakers with

t withdrawal from Afghanistan;

n of several Libyan jets; the civil

of the downing of Pan Am Flight

d, the Tienanmen Square incident

ues, counternarcotics, and

ned high priority issues.

rom DIA during Operation JUST
t to the coalition forces assembled to

ime Operation DESERT STORM

nel were involved in the intelligence

e associated with the national-level

hich DIA established in the Pentagon

ced throughout the Community.

es into the Kuwaiti Theater of

e support, and deployed 11 National

ms (NMISTS) overseas.

d that no combat commander had

mplete a view of an adversary as

id prior to and during DESERT

mains one of the greatest examples of

l forces in modern times. For its

d conflict, DIA earned a second DoD

he Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of

1 9
ce Success Story

 ever had as full and complete

 our field commander.

tions DESERT SHIELD and

cess story."

General Colin Powell, 1991
ached the streamer to the DIA flag

e DIAC on 26 June 1991.

and support to the decision maker

e gained during the Gulf War. The

ary Joint Intelligence Center

 retaining many of the positive

evel JIC. DIA also significantly

aff. The Gulf War experience

n its NMIST concept by adding

 element and redesignating them

s (NISTs). The Military Intelligence

r, continued its important role after

ligence support.

gence Center (AFMIC), and thenter (MSIC), associated with the

.

2 1
ectively, became elements of DIA

he continuing effort to consolidate

 more efficient.

on of U.S. national security policy

e end of the Cold War—compelled

as the Intelligence Community

 new era of regional conflict and

fense spending.

lating sharply, DIA undertook one

ns in its history in 1993. This

Agency from the bottom

flexibility, improved cooperation

izations, severely reduced

snia.
zation reflected the driving need to

ed resources to maximize the

A was also designated as the

e agent for Measurement and

s proud traditions and stands as the

gence organization. Most

fessionals around the globe remain,

mitted to Excellence in Defense of

2 3
icated to the men and women who

o their Country and the Defense

 life to lose for my country."

Captain Nathan Hale, 1776
May 1976 - Aug 1977

Aug 1977 - Aug 1981

Sep 1981 - Sep 1985

Oct 1985 - Dec 1988

Dec 1988 - Sep 1991Sep 1991 - Nov 1991

Nov 1991 - Aug 1995

Aug 1995 - Feb 1996

Feb 1996 - Present
y Office

 DC, 1996