J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 9

INTELLIGENCE DIFFERENCE

Vol. 7 No. 1

MAKING AN 

Satellite image courtesy of GeoEye ©2008
On My Mind

GEOINT Leads the Way

Last year was another banner year in the evolution of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). The president 

signed an updated Executive Order 12333, which named the director of NGA as functional manager of 

GEOINT. This is further evidence of the central and critical role that imagery, geospatial information and 

analysis play in national and homeland security. Our reach is expanding. Today, GEOINT is the foundation 

for many all-source products, providing the visual means on which signals intelligence, human intelligence, or open source intelligence can be depicted.

As our government transitions to new presidential leadership, the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) will continue to increase its effectiveness. The NSG has made great strides in institutionalizing standards across the community so that imagery and geospatial information can be not only stored 

but effectively accessed and used by analysts across the Department of Defense and the Intelligence 

Community. Moreover, interactions with our international partners have improved with better communication, more robust standards and far-reaching cooperation. Increased international partnerships are 

improving the safety of Americans and our Allies as GEOINT is proliferating to reach more users in more 

corners of the globe. Members of the GEOINT community have also made great strides in incorporating 

additional sensors into our source strategy, leveraging expanding commercial imagery from new GeoEye 

and WorldView satellites. 

Creating a Decision Advantage

GEOINT serves as the eyes of our nation. It ensures our policy makers and warfighters have the decision 

advantage. It makes a critical difference in our ability to save lives by protecting our troops, supporting 

our leaders, ensuring safety at sea and in the air, and keeping America safe. GEOINT is essential to 

national and homeland security because it enables early warning, situational awareness and context for 

all intelligence activity. 

In 2008, GEOINT once again proved its relevance by identifying early signs of conflict between Russia 

and Georgia. Violence has subsided in Iraq, in part because of the decision advantage enabled by the U.S. 

intelligence agencies. Domestically, GEOINT was crucial in providing the common operational picture of the 

flooding in the Midwest. Our analysis and data aided with damage assessments, assisted first responders 

and supported disaster preparation, relief and recovery. Humanitarian assistance was supported following 

Cyclone Nargis in Burma, Typhoon Fengshen in the Philippines and the earthquake in Sichuan Province, 

China. In places like Darfur, Sudan, imagery and GEOINT are making a critical difference in the planning and 

implementation of humanitarian relief operations. Teaming with our mission partners in support of special 

security events like the Olympics, the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, and the Super 

Bowl helped ensure the safety and security of those who attended these high-profile events. The depth 

and breadth of our mission set highlights the critical role we all play in combat operations, humanitarian 

efforts, homeland security and strategic national decision making. In 2008, GEOINT professionals once 

again raised the standard for excellence in preparing for and responding to world events. 

Maintaining our Strategic and Tactical Edge

Challenges remain as we balance current realities with preparation for future threats. As our agency’s 

expeditionary mission continues, our people are excelling and serving our nation in unprecedented ways. 

The NSG must maintain that balance of providing top-notch analysis in a forward-deployed environment, 

while preserving a robust reachback capability. Our people drive our decision advantage and ensure that 

GEOINT is available to those who need it most. 

Other challenges include moving to a sensor-neutral architecture and effectively leveraging commercial 

imagery. The GEOINT community has made tremendous progress but still has a way to go in developing a 

community information technology infrastructure and integrated ground architecture. Through the expansion of industry engagement and consistent research and development investments, our community will 

be well-positioned to confront whatever challenges face our nation in future years.

Governance mechanisms like the Executive Leadership Group, the NSG Senior Management Council and 

the NGA Support Team Conference have ensured that we are in line with our overseers. Moving forward, 

strategic guidance such as the Vision 2015 from the Director of National Intelligence and the Defense 

Intelligence Strategy from the Office of the Secretary of Defense will guide our priorities and capabilities 

today and beyond. 

NGA and the NSG are increasingly working more closely and effectively with our mission partners, and 

our people are making more of a difference every day. While we have many challenges ahead, thanks to 

the dedication of GEOINT professionals, our collective mission will remain central to the success of U.S. 

defense, intelligence and national security efforts. 

Robert B. Murrett

Vice Admiral, USN

Director
12 18

Contents

Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 ›› Vol. 7 No. 1

On the Cover

With its substantial reach, NGA routinely plays a part in numerous success 

stories. Many of these achievements may not be disclosed in a public 

forum, but among those that can are found dramatic reminders of the 

value of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). Throughout 2008, the agency 

and its partners repeatedly demonstrated the value of GEOINT and of 

the advances that NGA pursues to maintain and expand its premier 

position within the geospatial community. These noteworthy victories 

are just some of the ways in which NGA fulfills its crucial role in the daily 

intelligence mission. The first image taken by the GeoEye-1 satellite, over 

Kutztown University, Pa., illustrates one such accomplishment—NGA’s 

continuing NextView partnerships with private industry. 

More to the Story?

The online Classified Pathfinder, which is accessible 

by members of the Intelligence Community, may include additional information and expanded sections 

of some Pathfinder articles. The Classified Pathfinder 

provides a forum for reading and discussing topics 

at the level of “Unclassified//For Official Use Only” 

and higher. For information please contact the editor, 

Heather Cox, at 301-227-2290.

1 Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

2	 Letter to Our Readers

›› E Y E S W I D E O P E N

4	 NGA Mounts Unprecedented Support for 2008

Olympic Games

5	 GeoEye-1 Satellite Fulfills Agency Requirements

6	 NGA Support Team Bolsters SOCOM’s Special

Operations Forces

8	 Sidebar: SpecialOperations Forces Truths

›› E N A B L I N G D E C I S I O N S

10	 Successful Terrorist Prosecution Employs NGA

Terrain Models

11	 NGA Magnifies the Value of Open Source GEOINT

12	 Advancing GEOINT Standards Across the NSG

›› V I S U A L I Z I N G I N T E L L I G E N C E

14	 Military GEOINT Cells Foster Closer

Relationship

16	 Training Increases Google EarthTM Proficiency

17	 Agency Extends Information Technology

Infrastructure

18	 Multimedia Communicators Tell the NGA Story

in New Ways

›› R E A C H I N G F O R W A R D

20	 Research and Development Highlight

Collaborative Partnerships

21	 Ethical Standards Reinforce Agency Focus

22	 New System Rewards Effective Performance

›› D E P A R T M E N T S

23	 Partnerships: NGA Hosts Afghan Mapping

Agencies for Executive Training

24	 New Campus East: NCE Tours Host 2,000 in

Two Months

›› S P E C I A L G E O I N T S U P P L E M E N T
2 Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Published by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Office of Corporate Communications

4600 Sangamore Road, Mail Stop D-54

Bethesda, MD 20816-5003

Telephone: (301) 227-7388, 

DSN 287-7388

E-mail: pathfinder@nga.mil

Director

Vice Adm. Robert B. Murrett, U.S. Navy

Deputy Director

Lloyd Rowland

Office of Corporate Communications, Director

Paul R. Weise

Internal Communications Branch, Chief

Louis J. Brune

Editor

Jason K. Michas

Managing Editor

Kelly M. Kemp

Graphic Designer 

Carmella E. Bender

Contributing Authors

Vernon Allison

Chip Atterbury

Gail Cherochak

Larry Colby

Edward T. Cope

Maj. Marty Guthrie, U.S. Air Force

Juanita T. Hartbarger

Vonna Heaton

Jack E. Huntley

Thomas G. King

Bruce Kiracofe

Chris Lee

Susan Leonard, Criminal Investigation Task Force

Mike McManus

Gráinne Sibley Ostrowski

Dr. Eileen M. Preisser

Neal J. Smith

Karl Tammaro

Cyndi Wright

GETTING PUBLISHED

All members of the geospatial intelligence community are welcome to submit articles of community-wide interest. Articles are 

edited for style, content and length. For details on submitting 

articles, send an e-mail to pathfinder@nga.mil.

The Pathfinder is the medium with which the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency enhances and promotes public 

awareness and understanding of the discipline of geospatial 

intelligence. The Pathfinder is an authorized Department of 

Defense publication for members of the Department of Defense. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official view 

of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, Department of Defense 

or NGA. Articles in the Pathfinder may be reproduced in whole 

or in part without permission, unless stated otherwise. If they 

are reproduced, please credit the author and the “National 

Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the Pathfinder magazine.” Any 

reproduction of graphics, photographs and imagery is subject to 

the original copyright.

Letter to Our Readers

Making an Intelligence Difference

Success is a relative term. It’s difficult to 

define and impossible to grasp. Manipulate 

it as you wish, but there is no tried-and-true 

formula for gauging one’s accomplishments. 

Is success characterized by receiving an award 

or in saving a soldier’s life? Is it found through 

a promotion or in warning of a terrorist’s threat 

before it comes to fruition? 

Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) has 

evolved into an extremely successful 

tradecraft. It joins the other intelligence 

disciplines (INTs) as a major player in the Intelligence Community (IC). “This [GEOINT] is the 

foundation ... this is how we visualize SIGINT. 

This is how we visualize HUMINT. This is how 

we do all source, how [we] fuse ... go to any of the fusion cells in Baghdad or in 

Iraq or in Afghanistan [and] you are going to see GEOINT as the baseline foundation,” said Maj. Gen. John Custer, U.S. Army.

NGA is the only intelligence agency of its kind. We are the catalyst for the 

success of the tradecraft, and NGA’s products and dedication to the warfighter 

prove the value of GEOINT time and time again. In this edition of the Pathfinder, our authors explore many of the accomplishments NGA has facilitated 

for the GEOINT tradecraft this past year.

Notably, the recent conviction of an Al Qaida terrorist demonstrated 

GEOINT’s value, as presented in “Successful Terrorist Prosecution Employs NGA 

Terrain Models.” Jack E. Huntley reflects on the standardization of data and 

technology as it enhances the interoperability of different systems across the 

IC. Tom King highlights the expansion of NGA’s ethics standards and training to 

the work force.

Gail Cherochak takes a look at the new role of the Office of Corporate Communications (OCC) in this technology-driven world, as OCC transitions from 

traditional communication tools to multimedia-based instruments, whether 

they be podcasts, blogs or DVDs. Mike McManus calls attention to NGA’s implementation of the new pay for performance personnel program, the Defense 

Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS).

The Enterprise Operations Directorate provides an overview of the improvements to the agency’s Information Technology Infrastructure, which has 

advanced NGA’s collaboration with the IC and support to the warfighter. The 

Acquisition Directorate notes the successful launch of the GeoEye-1 satellite 

launch as it contributes to the unprecedented capabilities of space-based 

commercial imaging for the United States. Additionally, Maj. Marty Guthrie, 

U.S. Air Force, explains OMS’s role in disseminating Google Earth training to 

the broader mission of integrating new commercial imagery capabilities.

These and other significant achievements of the past year reflect the growing awareness and reliance on GEOINT, and NGA will continue to provide the 

support for which it is becoming increasingly known. Our international partners 

are chief among those who appreciate the value of GEOINT, as the next issue of 

Pathfinder will explore.

Paul R. Weise

2 Director, Office of Corporate Communications Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 
» NGA Mounts Unprecedented Support 

for 2008 Olympic Games

» GeoEye-1 Satellite Fulfills Agency 

Requirements

» NGA Support Team Bolsters SOCOM’s

Special Operations Forces 

» Sidebar: Special Operations Forces 

Truths

F E AT U R E A RT I C L E S

Photo illustration

2008 Olympic photos by Tim Hipps, U.S. Army

GeoEye-1 launch photo by Carleton Bailie, ©2008 Boeing

WIDE OPEN

EYES
4 Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009

Eyes Wide Open

NGA Mounts Unprecedented Support for 2008 Olympic 

Games 

By Chip Atterbury and Karl Tammaro

As the last acrobat thrilled the crowd at the closing 

ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, NGA began wrapping up an unprecedented 

three-year support effort that touched nearly every 

segment of the agency and leveraged NGA’s unique 

relationship with federal agencies, corporate America 

and several international partners. 

During Aug. 8-24, the games were held without any 

major incidents as nations mounted a monumental security effort. NGA provided geospatial intelligence analysis, 

data, and services for contingency planning, situational 

awareness, event monitoring and, when necessary, crisis 

response. NGA supported the efforts of the Department 

of State’s (DOS’s) Bureau of Diplomatic Security, the U.S. 

Secret Service, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies and DOS officials working at the Olympic Coordination Office at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. 

To satisfy its customers, NGA applied a mix of skills 

and functions, headed by the Office of Asia Pacific’s 

China Division. As their primary mission, several NGA 

analysts worked as an “Olympics team,” while many 

others throughout NGA provided support as a secondary 

mission. At the embassy, other agency analysts worked 

around the clock supporting ongoing security efforts. At 

the National Counterterrorism Center in the Washington, 

D.C. area, a team of NGA analysts worked 24/7 to push 

the latest data and information to the embassy. Analysts 

with the NGA Beijing Olympic Reachback Cell in St. Louis, 

Mo., provided the bulk of reachback support. There, a 

large team monitored events and incident reporting, prioritized requirements, exploited imagery, 

wrote reports for a shared integrated database, 

created geospatial graphics and 3-D fly-throughs 

and evaluated numerous sources for information 

relevant to the security of U.S. and allied athletes 

and citizens. 

This effort was a huge success. One of the 

notable firsts for NGA was the scope of product 

dissemination. Because indigenously produced 

maps and graphics were scarce, NGA generated dozens 

of tailored products and ensured wide dissemination 

through an aggressive mailing campaign. From March 

through July 2008, over 9,000 individual products were 

packaged and mailed. Customers included the White 

House Security Office; the Transportation Security Agency; the Centers for Disease Control; the Departments of 

Energy, Treasury, and Health and Human Services; and 

the Director of National Intelligence. All products were 

available through the classified NGA 2008 Olympics Web 

site, which conveniently served as a customer-friendly 

repository for products, information and services and 

provided a direct method for receiving customers’ questions and product requests.

Another achievement marked a first in collaboration 

with Commonwealth (CW) allies. Contributing their 

unique perspective and intelligence capabilities, 

analysts from Australia, Canada, Great Britain and New 

Zealand jointly supported the Reachback Cell in St. 

Louis. The integrated CW analysts worked alongside 

their NGA colleagues as full-fledged members of the 

team while linked with their agencies back home. An 

expanded network architecture was used for the first 

time to provide the exploitation capabilities for the CW 

analysts within NGA facilities.

NGA’s support to the Beijing games set the bar high 

for future Olympics support. The analysts who gained 

experience with Beijing are already training for the 2010 

Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, and will 

doubtless turn in another gold-medal performance. 

Chip Atterbury (Left) and Karl Tammaro (Right)

Chip Atterbury is a staff officer in the 

Office of Asia Pacific. He served as NGA’s 

executive officer for the 2008 Beijing Summer 

Olympic Games.

Karl Tammaro is an international officer in the 

Commonwealth Division of the Office of International Affairs and Policy.
5 Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Eyes Wide Open

GeoEye-1 Satellite Fulfills Agency Requirements 

By Cyndi Wright

On Sept. 6, 2008, the 4,310-pound GeoEye-1 satellite was launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta 

II rocket. The launch of the GeoEye-1 satellite marks a 

spectacular milestone in one of the most successful 

collaborations with private industry in the history of 

NGA. GeoEye-1 is the second of two commercial satellite imaging systems and associated ground support 

architectures developed under NGA’s NextView program. 

In fewer than four years from contract award, the ground 

segment was completed and the satellite placed in orbit. 

The geospatial intelligence community benefits tremendously from the launch of the satellite, designed and 

built to specifications supporting NGA customers with 

the most stringent performance parameters for image 

quality, accuracy and timeliness of delivery.

U.S. warfighters have stated their requirement for 

access to readily available, high-quality, unclassified 

imagery and imagery-based products in a format they 

can easily use and disseminate. The NextView program 

and two commercial imagery providers, GeoEye and 

DigitalGlobe, are fielding a capability that will meet and 

exceed those requirements. Each of the NextView class 

satellites is capable of producing imagery at the rate 

of over 500,000 square kilometers a day, 80 percent 

cloud-free, and with revisit rates of less than three days 

for each vehicle. DigitalGlobe’s WorldView-1 satellite, 

launched in 2007, has already reached operational 

capability and is delivering large volumes of imagery to 

the Unclassified National Imagery Library (UNIL) of the 

National System for Geospatial Intelligence.

GeoEye-1 provides a quantum leap in the capabilities 

of space-based commercial imaging capability for the 

United States. It can simultaneously collect 0.41-meter 

ground resolution panchromatic (black-and-white) 

images and 1.65-meter multispectral (color) images. 

Designed to take digital images of the Earth from 425 

miles, and moving at a speed of about 4.5 miles per 

second, the satellite camera can distinguish objects 

on the Earth’s surface as small as 16 inches in size. 

GeoEye-1 data uses the National Imagery Transmission 

Format (NITF) 2.1, the standard for 

imagery and related products within 

the Intelligence Community. The new 

NITF 2.1 features improved compression, providing better access and 

faster exploitation to users with lower 

bandwidth and limited storage.

GeoEye-1 imagery includes a NextView license that makes dissemination to third parties virtually seamless 

and painless for the end user. U.S. 

warfighters can readily share commercial imagery with coalition partners 

for counterproliferation, counterterrorism, mission planning and damage 

assessment, thereby expanding the 

military’s concept of intelligence collaboration beyond national borders. 

Because of its unclassified nature, 

high-resolution commercial imagery 

also supports a wide variety of other 

missions and customers, such as 

agricultural and environmental 

applications and humanitarian and 

disaster relief efforts. (Due to U.S. 

licensing restrictions, commercial 

customers receive imagery at 0.5-

meter ground resolution.)

The NextView program celebrates the successful launch of 

GeoEye-1. NGA is very proud to be 

a part of this unprecedented partnership with the commercial remote sensing 

industry and looks forward to a long relationship of purchasing imagery, imagery services and imagery products. 

Cyndi Wright

is the NextView program manager in the 

Sensor Assimilation Division of the Acquisition Directorate, responsible for the two NextView contracts for next generation commercial 

imagery.

The GeoEye-1 satellite after liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. 

Photo by Carleton Bailie, ©2008 Boeing
Eyes Wide Open

NGA Support Team Bolsters SOCOM’s Special 

Operations Forces 

By Juanita T. Hartbarger

The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM

or SOCOM) NGA Support Team (NST) is located in Tampa, 

Fla., at MacDill Air Force Base, the home of its mission 

partner. The NST’s reach, however, extends much farther 

because of the worldwide mission that it supports. 

SOCOM is a unified functional command with lead 

responsibility for synchronizing the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) and organizing, training and equipping 

Special Operations Forces (SOF) warriors to defend 

the United States and its interests across the globe. 

While much of this activity is in the Central Command 

(CENTCOM) area of responsibility, the GWOT is just 

that—global. This global mission sets the terms for how 

NGA’s SOCOM NST does its job.

To carry out its mission to provide timely, relevant and 

accurate full-spectrum geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), 

the SOCOM NST has analysts working at MacDill—SOCOM 

Headquarters—and embedded with the Special Operations units of U.S. military services within and outside 

the continental United States. These global requirements 

produce a unique staffing pattern. 

According to the NST chief, “Our 

analysts go out on two to three 

deployments of 30 to 120 

days at any given time, 

several times a year.”

The Special Operations Forces Warrior

What makes the SOF warrior different from NGA’s 

mission partners at other combatant commands? These 

soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, whether active 

duty, reserve or National Guard, are members of elite, 

specialized military units that can be inserted behind 

the lines via land, sea or air to conduct a variety of 

nonstandard operations.

Personnel for these units are carefully selected. According to the recent SOCOM Posture Statement, they 

must start with “the necessary aptitude and attitude for 

entry into the Special Operations community.” And that’s 

just the beginning. Once accepted, they undergo a 

demanding twoyear training program 

that includes direct action, strategic 

6Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Special operations forces demonstrate fast-roping 

as they disembark a CV-22 Osprey. 

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Emily Moore
reconnaissance, counterterrorism and 

theater search and rescue, along with 

regional and cultural orientation and, 

increasingly, language studies.

The rigorous selection process and the 

initial training set them apart. The deputy 

chief of the SOCOM NST characterizes the 

SOF this way. “SOF service members are older 

and hold higher rank than their regular service 

counterparts. Their training is more intensive, and 

they have three to five more years of experience than their 

counterparts in the regular military.”

When a SOCOM NST analyst 

deploys, this is his 

or her customer—an 

experienced, highly trained 

warfighter. To be effective in serving an 

SOF warrior, the analyst has to meet SOF 

standards. One NGA imagery analyst 

(IA) illustrates this point when talking 

about her fourth deployment. “My latest 

deployment was in support of a task 

force in theater. Most of the products 

I provided had anywhere from 15- to 

30-minute turnaround deadlines. My job 

was to provide GEOINT support as fast 

as possible. That’s why we’re embedded 

with the unit.

“You have to know your stuff 

and get the analysis right consistently,” she continues. 

“Even when you do, it 

takes a long time 

for them to 

warm up to 

you. You’ve 

got to earn 

their trust over and 

over again—because 

they’re trusting you to 

bring them home safe.”

She has learned to think beyond the 

immediate request and look at how to 

solve the problem. “Give them more than 

they ask for. You have to think like the 

mission partner. What does he need to 

do his job?” Her questions include:

» Where is he going?

» What’s his objective?

» What’s the safest way for him to achieve it?

» What’s around it that could cause a problem 

 or conceal an adversary?

The analyst and the SOCOM warfighter work together, 

side by side. In the IA’s words, “Your SOF mission 

partners become your friends. Look at the intelligence 

problem set like you’re looking out for your friends. [If 

there are] more risks they have to take going in ... then 

I’m not doing my job.”

Collaboration: It Takes Work to Make It Work

Side-by-side collaboration with warrior partners is a 

benefit enthusiastically described by a geospatial analyst (GA) who has just begun his second deployment in 

theater supporting SOF warriors. “As a first-time deployer, my experience was simply incredible. The personal 

satisfaction I’ve experienced from providing mission-critical support to the warfighter is both overwhelming and 

self-rewarding. Knowing that my actions and products 

have had a direct impact on the mission was a unique 

experience, which is unparalleled,” he notes.

“The deployment greatly accelerated my professional 

experience as well. I now have a greater understanding of how products should be tailored, prepared and 

presented and how they are applied towards tactical 

mission planning for the war planner and operators—the boots on the ground.” He says he has gained 

a greater understanding of the operational deployment 

hierarchy, concept of operations, and mission planning, 

tactics, techniques and procedures.

“For every element within the task force, [the GA] 

provided support to virtually every person, ranging from 

LNO [liaison officers], interagency, all strike forces, to 

the commander himself,” says a senior task force 

7 Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 
8Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

official, commenting on the GA’s support to the unit. 

“His primary support was for operational and tactical 

planning, target development, situational awareness 

and training. Typically he worked from [2:30 p.m. to 

6:00 a.m.] seven days a week,” he added.

Not only must SOCOM NST analysts be highly skilled, 

proficient in their craft and agile and resourceful in 

the creation and delivery of GEOINT products, but they 

must also work long hours.

Three-quarters of the SOCOM NST’s analysts are on 

nonstandard duty: 24/7 recall with a one- to two-hour 

report. What that means is that 24 hours a day, seven 

days a week, the analyst must be ready, when called, to 

pack a bag and report for duty within one to two hours, 

get on a plane and head for the battlespace. In the 

words of the deputy NST chief, “You measure your life 

in two-hour segments.”

The work is high-stress, the environment fast-paced. 

The SOCOM NST is not the place for a junior-level IA or 

GA. Military support experience is a key qualification 

for service. Once that qualification is met, only experienced and high-performing analysts need apply.

Special Operations Forces Truths

The SOCOM NST mission partner is the Special Operations Forces (SOF) warrior, whether that warrior 

is from the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps.

The SOF operator undergoes exhaustive training, 

deploys to remote areas and undertakes the highrisk tasks of working with indigenous personnel, 

coalition forces and enemy supporters to, when 

directed, execute global operations against terrorist networks, including kinetic and intelligencegathering operations.

The Four Basic Truths for the SOF warrior provide a 

picture of the troops the NGA NST supports:

» Humans are more important than hardware.

» Special Operations Forces cannot be massproduced.

» Quality is better than quantity.

» Competent Special Operations Forces cannot 

be created after emergencies occur.

A snapshot of the IA’s life during her recent deployment shows why the staffing criteria are so rigid. “There 

was one imagery analyst and one geospatial analyst in 

the unit to support 18 other analysts from [U.S.] government agencies and all-source analysts representing 

different countries or regions. We gave twice-daily 

reports on any project we were working for the team as 

well as support to the analysts that were assigned to 

outstations in other countries.”

She was the only member of the team whose computer had the capability to exploit imagery. “Because of 

this, I was usually supporting multiple ISR [intelligence, 

surveillance and reconnaissance] assets at the same 

time. I had access to all the people on the team and 

could provide any of them with products to support the 

mission they were monitoring.”

The chief of SOCOM’s Geospatial Intelligence Branch 

testified to the effectiveness of the SOCOM–NGA collaboration. “The Command, to support our Special 

Operations Forces effectively, needs to look at historic 

data to get a baseline, and it is in this area that NGA is 

invaluable. Its analysts and its geospatial imagery data 

provide operations support, support that allows for the 

movement of forces. NGA’s data provides context—for 

example, answering the important question of where 

the adversary might be.”

The reason for the SOCOM NST’s invaluable contribution is its people. According to the NST chief, the 

support effort can be daunting at the deployer level. It’s 

not unusual to have an analyst running to a helicopter 

carrying GEOINT to a service member about to go out 

on a mission. “We have amazing analysts supporting 

amazing people. Special Operations units go out in 

small teams quietly in the night and take care of the 

nation’s business while we’re sleeping.” 

When they do, they’re armed with timely, relevant 

and accurate full-spectrum GEOINT provided by the 

SOCOM NST. 

Juanita T. Hartbarger

is a public affairs

officer with NGA’s Office

of Corporate Communications.
» Successful Terrorist Prosecution 

Employs NGA Terrain Models

» NGA Magnifies the Value of Open 

Source GEOINT

» Advancing GEOINT Standards Across 

the NSG

F E AT U R E A RT I C L E S

Photo illustration

Terrain Model photo by NGA

Photo at left by Getty Images

DECISIONS

ENABLING
Enabling Decisions

Successful Terrorist Prosecution Employs NGA Terrain 

Models 

By Susan Leonard

Prosecutors used models prepared by NGA during 

a historic trial at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in August 2008 

in which a former member of Osama bin Laden’s inner 

circle was convicted of providing material support for 

terrorism and transporting weapons. A jury of six military 

officers deliberated for two days before convicting Salim 

Ahmed Hamdan on Aug. 6.

Hamdan, believed to be about 38–40 years old, 

was a bodyguard and driver for bin Laden and the first 

detainee at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay to 

undergo a full trial. During the trial, prosecutors used 

3-D terrain models developed and produced by NGA in 

cooperation with the Department of Defense (DOD) Office of Military Commissions (OMC), which oversees the 

trials of suspected terrorists held at Guantanamo, and 

the DOD Criminal Investigation Task Force (CITF), which 

conducts criminal investigations of suspected terrorists.

 “The models have proven very useful in making 

testimony effective, graphic and immediate,” said 

Tom Adams, a scientific and technical adviser for CITF 

who helped prosecutors throughout the Hamdan trial. 

A prosecution witness instrumental in the capture of 

Hamdan used an NGA terrain model to explain the location, events and circumstances surrounding his capture. 

Another prosecution witness referred to the models to 

show the relative locations and movements of friendly 

and enemy forces.

“The 3-D nature of the models was especially helpful in providing a clear and compelling picture of the 

general terrain and the specific areas related to the 

prosecution’s case,” Adams said. “The graphic character 

of the models lent them an obvious credibility.” 

NGA and CITF have cooperated closely and shared 

information to produce a number of models to support 

prosecutors with OMC, which expects to prosecute additional terrorism suspects in coming months.

Hamdan, a native of Yemen who was taken to Guantanamo in May 2002, was captured at a roadblock in 

southern Afghanistan in November 2001. Prosecutors 

said that when he was captured, Hamdan had two 

surface-to-air missiles in his car that he was transporting 

for al Qaeda to Kandahar on the eve of a battle known as 

“The Battle of Kandahar” between al Qaeda, the Taliban 

and al Qaeda allies against Coalition Forces. 

Hamdan reportedly held his head 

in his hands and wiped his eyes 

with his white headdress after a 

Navy captain presiding over the 

jury read the verdict. Hamdan 

was sentenced Aug. 7 to 5 1/2 

years in U.S. custody and 

given 61 months credit for 

time served by the judge, 

another Navy captain. 

Susan Leonard

is a public affairs officer with the Department

of Defense Criminal Investigation Task Force.

10Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

NGA terrain models helped convict one of Osama bin Laden’s inner circle.

Photo by NGA
11Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Enabling Decisions

NGA Magnifies the Value of Open Source GEOINT 

By Chris Lee

In the Intelligence Community (IC), open source 

refers to information that is unclassified, but of high 

interest within the national security arena. Where does it 

come from? From the Internet, books, journals, trade publications, economic and technical reports, subscription 

databases, newspapers, television and other sources. 

Given the prevailing IC view that the intelligence sources 

that matter most are classified sources, how valuable is 

open source? What does it contribute to the work of the IC 

in general and the geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) work 

of the NGA in particular?

In August 2008, NGA’s Source Operations and Management Directorate stood up a Crisis Action Team (CAT) in 

anticipation of Hurricane Gustav. Analysts from the directorate’s GEOINT Research Centers provided direct inputs 

to the CAT, including updated information about road, 

bridge and levee conditions derived solely from open 

sources. They also utilized open source data to assess 

post-hurricane damage on the intercoastal waterways 

and to provide detailed information on the precise locations of power outages. This support enabled decision 

makers and first responders to assess the overall damage 

from the hurricane, to gauge the magnitude of power 

outages and to reallocate resources based on need.

Open source GEOINT is vital to solving critical intelligence problems and supporting humanitarian and 

disaster assistance programs within the United States 

and abroad. NGA’s knowledgeable research analysts use 

sophisticated search strategies, deep Web access techniques and numerous subscription databases to locate 

precise building locations in support of counterintelligence information requests, to track arms shipments in 

concert with counterproliferation experts, to aid in crisis 

support operations during natural disasters or military 

operations and to provide timely information for NGA’s 

Time Dominant Operations Center.

In response to an Open Source Working Group survey 

finding that 90 percent of NGA’s GEOINT production 

required open source data, NGA’s Director, Vice Adm. 

Robert B. Murrett, established the Geospatial Open 

Source Management Authority (GOSMA). GOSMA is NGA’s 

centralized functional management authority for open 

source geospatial activities.

Over the past year, the leadership of the Source 

directorate’s Assessment and Global Foundations Group 

has worked with the GEOINT Research Centers and a fivemember team from the NGA Open Source Center to craft 

Geospatial Open Source (GOS) policies and concepts of 

operations. The products facilitated the development of 

training programs and the mission, goals and objectives 

for NGA’s geospatial open source activity. The team also 

laid the foundation for establishing and staffing a GOS 

center of excellence to serve as the steward for GOS 

within NGA and within the National System for Geospatial 

Intelligence, the GEOINT community comprising intelligence agencies, the U.S military, international partners 

and U.S. civilian agencies.

Although the IC exploits classified intelligence sources, 

the increasingly significant contributions and successes 

of open source GEOINT demonstrate how vital this intelligence collection method is in developing timely and 

accurate intelligence products. For that reason, NGA has 

become a leader in integrating open source GEOINT into 

its operations, thus making GEOINT an essential element 

in today’s multi-intelligence environment. 

Chris Lee

is the acting deputy

director of the Source

Operations and Management Directorate GEOINT

Research Office.

Open source information from the Internet, newspapers and many other 

sources contributes significantly to solving critical intelligence problems.

Photo by Getty Images
Enabling Decisions

Advancing GEOINT Standards Across the NSG 

By Jack E. Huntley

As the functional manager for geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) standards and architecture, NGA’s Chief 

Information Officer (CIO) is committed to developing a 

standards-based enterprise architecture for the National 

System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG). Without adherence to standards, data cannot be readily shared across 

different systems. Standards enable rapid deployment of 

new technology into existing systems and allow support 

for future complex requirements. In 2008, the Office 

of the CIO continued to work with standards experts 

and program managers to reduce the time required for 

systems to become operational, as well as improve the 

effectiveness of new technology while reducing costs.

Under the Office of the CIO, the National Center of 

Geospatial Intelligence Standards (NCGIS) is responsible 

for standards management for the NSG and champions 

the importance of data interoperability and standards. 

The NCGIS provides oversight to many working forums, 

such as the Geospatial Intelligence Standards Working 

Group (GWG), where NSG representatives exchange 

ideas and resolve issues surrounding standards. A close 

partner of the GWG, the NGA Interoperability Action Team 

(NIAT) promotes the GEOINT data interoperability necessary for any analyst across the NSG to fully exploit data 

regardless of the source. The NIAT team works with standards experts and systems program managers to provide 

support in integrating capabilities between different 

systems by identifying the appropriate standards.

The story of Constant Hawk, a state-of-the-art image 

analysis system, underscores the importance of data 

interoperability and standards. Constant Hawk first 

arrived in 2006 and was acclaimed as one of the top 10 

new systems of that year. Intelligence analysts in Iraq 

used this system to successfully spot suspicious activities resulting in the early warning of potential roadside 

bombs and terrorist ambushes. Users immediately 

recognized the lifesaving applications of Constant Hawk, 

which generated more demand for its data. However, 

Constant Hawk was originally designed as a demonstration pilot, making its data formats unique to the system 

used in Iraq. This resulted in delays in providing intelligence products to users outside of Iraq and reduced the 

effectiveness of forensic analysis.

Last year, the NIAT personnel worked with the 

Constant Hawk program to define elements, data formats 

and metadata (information about the data) to enable 

Constant Hawk data to be shared across a broad range 

of systems. The NIAT will continue to demonstrate the 

benefits of interoperability and standards through its 

work with the Motion Imagery Standards Board, a GWG 

focus group, to integrate Constant Hawk data into the 

full-motion video architecture.

Constant Hawk is just one example of how the Office of 

the CIO brings standards experts and program managers 

together to foster data interoperability and realize the 

vision of GEOINT on-demand. With technology advancing 

at an ever-increasing rate, standards are more important than ever. By building systems with appropriate 

standards, NGA and its partners increase the value of 

existing systems and better position the NSG to meet the 

current and future needs of the warfighter. 

12Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Jack E. Huntley

is a branch chief in the National

Center for Geospatial Intelligence

Standards, Office of the Chief Information Officer, where he is a co-lead on

the NGA Interoperability Action Team.

A Constant Hawk aircraft conducts a test flight from Inyokern County 

Airport, Calif. Interoperability and standards enable Constant Hawk 

data to be broadly shared.

Photo by Ross Paulson
» Military GEOINT Cells Foster Closer 

Relationship

» Training Increases Google EarthTM 

Proficiency

» Agency Extends Information 

Technology Infrastructure

» Multimedia Communicators Tell 

the NGA Story in New Ways

F E AT U R E A RT I C L E S

Photo illustration

NGA photo by Rob Cox

VISUALIZING

INTELLIGENCE
Visualizing Intelligence

Military GEOINT Cells Foster Closer Relationship 

By Gráinne Sibley Ostrowski

In an effort to more effectively plan, program and 

execute geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of 

the military services, NGA Director Vice Adm. Robert B. 

Murrett, in his role as the functional manager for GEOINT, 

has endorsed the establishment of the Service Geospatial Intelligence Element (SGE). When fully implemented, 

these dedicated cells of GEOINT representatives, located 

at NGA headquarters in Bethesda, Md., will represent 

each of the military services: Army, Navy, Air Force and 

Marine Corps.

This significant achievement marks an evolution in the 

overarching relationship between NGA and the uniformed 

services to jointly plan, program and execute GEOINT 

activities in support of national and tactical missions. 

NGA’s Office of Geospatial Intelligence Management 

(OGM) took the lead in developing the concept of the 

SGE. In August 2008, the U.S. Army and the Army 

Geospatial Intelligence Office was the agency’s 

first military partner to establish an SGE. The 

U.S. Air Force, Marines and Navy are expected 

to stand up their SGEs through 2009.

The advent of the SGEs should increase 

NGA’s effectiveness at facilitating GEOINT 

activities with the military. Previously, NGA and 

the military services coordinated through various 

entities based on the sub-disciplines of imagery; 

mapping, charting and geodesy; and advanced 

geospatial intelligence. With established 

SGEs, the interests of the military services 

will be better represented. SGEs facilitate 

the services’ integration into the National 

System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) by 

14Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Photo by Rob Cox
15Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

orchestrating the military’s GEOINT tasking, collection, processing, exploitation and dissemination 

functions as well as unifying their production 

and capability development. Overall, the SGEs 

will enable NGA to better understand and be 

more responsive to the services’ requirements 

and needs.

This evolving relationship between NGA and 

the military services represents maturation in the role 

of the NGA Director as the functional manager for 

GEOINT. As the SGEs become fully integrated, 

the functional manager will be in a better 

position to coordinate with the services and 

advocate on behalf of their GEOINT needs. 

Furthermore, the SGEs will help the NSG functional managers in a variety of ways:

» fine-tune and develop common training

» establish common tradecraft, data storage and 

other standards between the services

» create a framework for improved GEOINT career 

development, progression and management

» unify and coordinate planning efforts

» provide improved identification and responses to 

the services’ GEOINT needs.

Once all four services establish their cells, the completely integrated SGEs will assist in planning future 

GEOINT needs, facilitate coordination and collaboration 

and deliver GEOINT in a more effective, efficient and 

timely manner to military forces across the NSG. 

Gráinne Sibley Ostrowski

is a senior staff officer in the Office

of Geospatial Intelligence Management. She is currently leading the

GEOINT Functional Management Communication and Education campaign.
16Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Visualizing Intelligence

Training Increases Google EarthTM Proficiency 

By Maj. Marty Guthrie, U.S. Air Force

NGA’s Office of Military Support (OMS) has helped 

to increase the agency’s knowledge and use of Google 

EarthTM as both a situational awareness tool and a collaboration mechanism.

OMS took on the Google EarthTM training role as an 

offshoot of its broader mission of integrating new capabilities within the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG). OMS promotes collaboration between the 

military services, the U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) 

and NGA and provides geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) 

support to ensure successful operations within the NSG.

Google EarthTM allows NGA to easily share information 

across the Intelligence Community (IC) in a time-relevant 

manner while also providing a mechanism to bring 

information into NGA from across the IC and military 

forces. The integration of Google EarthTM harmonizes 

with NGA’s first focus area, “Look outward and be the 

most collaborative and integrated partner with the IC 

and warfighter.”

“One of our main objectives is to manage the seams 

between systems implementation and widespread acceptance of emerging capabilities,” stated the chief of the 

OMS Integration and Interoperability Branch. “We found 

that most folks were capable of using Google EarthTM to 

view their operations area but did not understand the 

power of using Google EarthTM to provide situational 

awareness and collaborate across multiple offices.”

Following implementation and to encourage acceptance, the branch stood up a team to create and begin 

teaching an Introduction to Google EarthTM class through 

the NGA College. The team developed the half-day 

class, a Google EarthTM training guide and informational 

materials in collaboration with the college, the eGEOINT 

office, which facilitates GEOINT services through various 

programs and systems, and the GEOINT Visualization 

Services program office, which provides the NSG with 

streamlined GEOINT using Google EarthTM.

The team has a long-term vision for what Google 

EarthTM can provide the NSG. More than just a tool to 

show where a place is located, Google EarthTM can allow 

users to visualize and share data quickly and efficiently 

at all levels of operations. It can fuse any data into a 

geospatial context, providing real insight into what is 

happening on the battlefield.

Recognizing the importance of providing the same 

training to NGA’s external partners as they provide within 

NGA, the team has taught classes at JFCOM headquarters in Norfolk, Va., and at Vandenberg Air Force Base 

near Lompoc, Calif. At NGA, the class is offered to any 

interested parties within the NSG. The course material is 

being shared throughout the IC and the Department of 

Defense. The course has been successfully transferred 

from OMS to the NGA College and is being expanded 

to include lessons for all GEOINT visualization services 

provided by NGA. 

Maj. Marty Guthrie

is deputy chief of the Office of

Military Support Integration and

Interoperability Branch.

Photo by Getty Images
17Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Visualizing Intelligence

Agency Extends Information Technology Infrastructure 

By Neal J. Smith

NGA’s Enterprise Operations Directorate (E) 

extended the information technology (IT) infrastructure 

for the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) 

around the globe during 2008, ensuring timely dissemination and pervasive access to geospatial intelligence 

(GEOINT) products for NGA and its mission partners. During disasters, operations or routine tasks, the agency’s 

IT infrastructure and support have proven essential.

E’s government and contractor team currently provides 

direct support to over 40 sites worldwide, delivering 

improved network performance, reliability, availability 

and stability on NGA networks through initiatives such 

as the Network Stabilization Initiative Phase 3, which 

consolidates networks and modernizes equipment; the 

GeoScout Network Transport Layer in St. Louis, Mo., 

which improves access and throughput for analysis; 

and Enterprise Networking and Corporate Expansion 

(ENCORE) 2008, which ensures personnel at non-NGA 

sites have access to corporate resources.

E’s enhanced infrastructure capability has enabled 

the warfighter and first responders to access and exploit 

GEOINT in a timely manner via the Battlefield Information 

Collection and Exploitation System (BICES) to our NATO 

partners, Web-Based Access Retrieval Portal (WARP) to 

our U.S. forces worldwide, NGA Earth for first responders, and the NGA Gateway and Remote Replication Services (RRS) to improve access to analytical products and 

information. E has also expanded the communications 

support and capabilities for the U.S. Central Command 

area of responsibility and the Domestic Mobile Integrated Geospatial-Intelligence System (DMIGS) vehicles. 

The combined usage of these systems and services by 

first responders and deployed U.S. and allied forces has 

increased exponentially in 2008.

Collaboration across the agency has been dramatically 

enabled through improved video teleconferencing and 

access to personal IT devices. NGA’s video teleconference (VTC) capability grew significantly, and has supported thousands of VTC sessions across NGA in 2008. 

Numerous Blackberries, pagers, and phones are enhancing connectivity and collaborations as well.

While delivering infrastructure services for today’s 

stakeholders, E is looking toward to the future and New 

Campus East (NCE). During 2008, E awarded both the 

Interim Transition Capability (ITC) and NCE Active IT (AIT) 

contracts. The ITC contract will ensure NGA’s business 

continuity during the move to NCE, and AIT will deliver 

IT-managed services at the new campus. 

Whether supporting first responders during a natural 

disaster in the United States, contributing to the Global 

War on Terrorism or meeting the daily IT needs of NGA, 

E continues to find and exploit innovative technologies to ensure that the NSG’s IT infrastructure reaches 

those who require GEOINT to improve the Intelligence 

Community’s collective capability. 

Neal J. Smith

is a contractor at NGA

serving as a consultant

for the Enterprise Operations Directorate.

Photo by Getty Images
Visualizing Intelligence

Multimedia Communicators Tell the NGA Story in New 

Ways 

By Gail Cherochak

As the voice of NGA, the Office of Corporate 

Communications (OCC) shares NGA’s news with the 

world and within the agency. Nowadays that means 

using multimedia tools to deliver the geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) news to technology-savvy audiences 

both outside and inside NGA. 

In today’s 24/7 environment, gathering and writing 

the news is only the first challenge. The second step—

delivery—is constantly changing as technology enables 

people to receive their news in many ways. At NGA, once 

the news is packaged in any digital format, the next step 

is almost always to post it on a Web network for wide 

access. For example, as part of the agency’s deployment 

of GEOINT Online, OCC led an agency effort to redesign 

NGA’s Internet site (www.nga.mil) in a more publicfriendly format and linked a news video to the home page.

Inside NGA, multimedia news has become part of the 

communications culture, and the work force receives 

the news in many formats. While employees have been 

reading the headlines on intranet news pages for several 

years, now they are interactively chatting on the NGA 

blog, which solicits input about proposed changes in the 

agency. Employees who enjoy audiovisual news can rely 

on Web-based podcasts, NGATube videos, and colorful 

advertisements for quick updates on everything from 

personnel benefits to New Campus East construction. 

If they want a more traditional news delivery, they can 

watch television-delivered NGA Newsbreaks—but the 

human OCC news anchor is shown standing in a virtual 

news studio created by the motion media team. 

Hardcopy media are sharing the limelight with softcopy media, even in the cafeteria and hallways, where it’s 

becoming more likely to see digital plasma posters than 

printed posters mounted on easels. Likewise, hardcopy 

news publications are usually available in digital 

formats. Even this Pathfinder magazine has evolved 

electronically. For the past year, employees have been 

able to electronically comment on Pathfinder articles 

through an internal Web site, as well as download the 

Pathfinder in Portable Document Format, which is also 

posted on the Internet along with a Web version. And in 

2008, OCC launched the online Classified Pathfinder to 

allow for deeper coverage of GEOINT news and to open 

Web-based collaboration among the readers who comment on the articles.

The new year is already presenting OCC with more 

than enough GEOINT news to report. Whatever the 

message or media, OCC will be there to tell the GEOINT 

story—and deliver it digitally. 

Gail Cherochak

is a contract communications specialist

working in the Office of

Corporate Communications.

18Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009

NGA Newsbreaks feature a virtual news studio.

Newsbreak graphic by Christine Gonsalves
» Research and Development Highlight 

Collaborative Partnerships

» Ethical Standards Reinforce Agency 

Focus

» New System Rewards Effective 

Performance

F E AT U R E A RT I C L E S

Photo illustration

Photos by Getty Images

REACHING

 FORWARD
20Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Reaching Forward

Research and Development Highlight Collaborative 

Partnerships 

By Vonna Heaton and Edward T. Cope

NGA’s InnoVision Directorate has 

always relied on its partners in the Intelligence Community (IC), the Department 

of Defense (DOD), industry, academia 

and the Commonwealth for collaborative 

solutions to intelligence problems as it 

grapples with an explosion of research 

and development (R&D) possibilities. 

InnoVision continued that tradition as 

it markedly expanded its R&D activities 

in 2008.

As the functional manager for 

Research, Development, Testing and 

Evaluation for the National System for 

Geospatial Intelligence (NSG), InnoVision performs basic and applied R&D 

and helps improve collaboration across the entire NSG. 

In that role, the directorate convened the first NSG R&D 

forum (NRF) in July 2008. The NRF brought together 

more than 200 R&D professionals from the 17 agencies 

and organizations that make up the NSG. The two-day 

agenda highlighted a number of promising R&D initiatives, tools and prototypes in support of current operational missions. One such initiative, NGA’s Geospatial 

Tagging and Extraction Service (GeoTASER), delivers a 

new prototype Web service for forward users to automate 

the association of geo-coordinates to locations found in 

unstructured text. GeoTASER, developed in InnoVision, 

will allow analysts to process any type of unstructured 

text that contains a place name such as a text document, message traffic or an Intelink Web site. Emerging 

Web services such as GeoTASER will be key to enabling 

delivery of innovation at the speed of operations 

across the NSG.

 InnoVision also undertook a number of important steps towards developing increased community awareness and involvement. First, a formal 

R&D Strategic Plan was developed to articulate the 

broad goals, objectives and environmental drivers that will guide the long-term future directions 

for advancing the geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) R&D 

contribution to national security. Second, an NSG R&D 

Roadmap was initiated as a guide for prioritization and 

alignment of NGA’s core R&D investments for 2009 and 

beyond. The roadmap identifies research portfolios with 

near-to-long term objectives, provides metrics to assess 

R&D value, and will serve as the catalyst for collaboration 

with NSG members and partners to meet future GEOINT 

R&D capability needs. 

The past year showed that InnoVision is not alone in 

pursuing the seemingly limitless potential of GEOINT 

R&D. Other NSG partners are also aggressively leveraging the explosion in geospatially enabled capabilities. 

InnoVision looks forward to continuing its collaboration 

with agency partners to continue moving GEOINT R&D 

forward in 2009 and beyond. 

Vonna Heaton (Left) and Edward T. Cope (Right)

Vonna Heaton is the director of the 

InnoVision Directorate and the functional 

manager for Research, Development, Testing 

and Evaluation (RDT&E) for the National 

System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG).

Edward T. Cope is the functional manager 

executive for RDT&E for the NSG. 

Photo illustration by Rhonda Lee
Reaching Forward

Ethical Standards Reinforce Agency Focus 

By Thomas G. King

To reinforce NGA’s 11th focus area, “maintain the 

highest standards of conduct,” NGA’s Office of General 

Counsel (OGC) has placed increased emphasis over 

the past year on its proactive role in promoting ethics 

and standards. This consistent attention to standards 

strengthens the agency by fostering the ethical environment necessary for stability and success.

OGC has expanded its ethics program in several significant ways, including newly designed ethics training and a 

revised NGA ethics instruction. One feature of the revised 

instruction will be mandatory in-person ethics training for 

most agency employees.

OGC also designed a “Working with Contractors” training course to educate agency personnel on the issues 

generated by NGA’s government–contractor 

blended work force. Additionally, OGC has 

provided recurring ethics “minutes” 

(brief special-topic information 

papers) to agency employees.

Finally, OGC has hired an additional ethics attorney to further 

expand its ethics program in 

2009. The expanded program 

will provide focused, one-topic 

training sessions covering specific issues, such as widely 

attended gatherings and speaking at or attending conferences. Other ethics presentations are planned as well. 

The agency strives to maintain and elevate the integrity 

of its work and work force. OGC’s initiatives of the past 

and future manifest NGA’s dedication to sustaining the 

highest standards of ethical conduct. 

Thomas G. King

is the associate

general counsel in the

Administrative Law and

Litigation Division of the

Office of General Counsel.

21Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009

Photo by Getty Images
Reaching Forward

New System Rewards Effective Performance 

By Mike McManus

NGA’s Human Development Directorate (HD) has 

been a key player in the development and implementation of the new Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel 

System (DCIPS) process, which is being implemented 

across the Intelligence Community (IC) components of 

the Department of Defense (DOD). The new performance 

management system went into effect in October 2008 

for the fiscal year 2009 rating cycle, promising to better 

recognize and reward the personnel who contribute to 

the fulfillment of the DOD’s intelligence mission.

Given the agency’s 10 years of experience with pay 

bands and performance pay, NGA’s transition to DCIPS 

has been relatively simple. Many of the principles and 

features of NGA’s previous pay system are evident in the 

DCIPS system. The DCIPS pay band structure is similar, 

and the principles of performance pay are the same. 

The most significant change is the new performance 

management system, which focuses on results and uses 

specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely 

(SMART) objectives designed to help establish meaningful and measurable performance criteria.

NGA has made great strides toward implementing 

DCIPS. The agency actively solicited employee and 

manager input and conducted information and training 

sessions on the new system. HD maintains an internal 

DCIPS Web site to provide basic information and updates 

Mike McManus

is a program officer in

the Compensation Analysis Office of the Human

Development Directorate.

22Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

and to address questions. Additional agency initiatives 

will help establish DCIPS firmly within NGA and the IC 

components of DOD.

Effective performance management remains essential 

to the mission of NGA and the IC. The full implementation 

of DCIPS within the IC components of DOD strongly reflects 

the shared commitment to maintain and reward the most 

effective and diligent work force to protect the nation. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

NATIONAL GEOSPATIALINTELLIGENCE AGENCY

D E F E N S E C I V I L I A N I N T E L L I G E N C E

P E R S O N N E L S Y S T E M - N G A

Photo illustration

Original photos by Jupiterimages Corporation 
23Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

Partnerships

NGA Hosts Afghan Mapping Agencies for Executive 

Training 

By Vernon Allison, Larry Colby and Bruce Kiracofe 

In June 2008, NGA hosted 11 senior managers from 

the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office 

(AGCHO), one senior manager from the Afghanistan 

National Army’s (ANA’s) Geospatial Topographic Directorate, and one interpreter for two weeks of executive 

management training. Through the course of the visit, 

NGA learned a great deal about the issues on the minds 

of its Afghan partners.

The training introduced Afghan partners to NGA’s 

leadership values and acquainted them with American 

cultural values in the spirit of mutual partnership. Recognizing the management and leadership challenges that 

Afghan partners face, NGA is committed to guiding them 

in both the technical aspects of geospatial production 

and the development of managers and leaders.

The visit began on May 31, 2008, when an excited 

group of 13 Afghan visitors and two NGA escorts arrived. 

The Afghans met with senior NGA leaders, officials at the 

U.S. Geological Survey, the Department of State, Montgomery County, Md., the Maryland Mapping Department, 

the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote 

Sensing, and Meridian House International, a nonprofit 

institution dedicated to public diplomacy. NGA’s School 

of Leadership and Professional Development provided 

training that included a staff ride to the U.S. Civil War 

battlefield in Antietam, Md.

In a discussion with NGA Director Vice Adm. Robert B. 

Murrett, the President of AGCHO stated that he hoped 

that the Basic Exchange Cooperation Agreement (BECA) 

could improve the capabilities within AGCHO. AGCHO 

was most interested in seeing how NGA could 

work with it in the future and intended to 

use the experiences of NGA’s global reach to 

support development of AGCHO’s capabilities. In the same meeting, the Director of the 

ANA’s Geospatial and Topographic Directorate 

shared that the ANA has been dismantled over 

the last 30 years and is seeking new technology to enable it to take measures against 

strong enemies of the future.

Murrett stated that “part of U.S. policy is to take 

Afghan capabilities to the highest level possible.” He 

also stated, “NGA’s long-term goal is to provide as much 

assistance as possible, then gradually provide no assistance with time, enabling AGCHO to have the capability 

to completely function independently. We have a longterm commitment.” 

In the daylong seminar at Meridian House International 

in Washington, D.C., the group examined operative American values and their influence on behaviors, both private 

and professional, and compared and contrasted them 

with operative cultural values in Afghanistan. Additionally, participants explored how values drive and motivate 

behavior in the workplace, discussing typical aspects of 

professional projects and partnerships with Americans 

and comparing American and Afghan expectations. Topics 

included planning, supervision, teamwork, meetings, conflict resolution, ethics, productivity and communication. 

By the end of the visit, the Afghan and American participants had learned a great deal about leadership, NGA 

and each other. The Dean of NGA’s School of Leadership 

and Professional Development left the participants with 

the following challenge: “A leader must understand 

himself as a person. What is the person like that I would 

like to follow? Ask yourself an important question: Why 

should I be led by a person like me?”

Today the geospatial partnership between NGA and 

AGCHO continues to flourish as joint projects, training in 

Afghanistan, and collaboration continue. NGA is optimistic in working to make AGCHO a first-class organization. 

Vernon Allison (Left), Larry Colby (Center) and Bruce Kiracofe (Right)

Vernon Allison is the chief of 

the Africa, Central Asia, Middle 

East and Latin America Division in 

NGA’s Office of International Affairs 

and Policy.

Larry Colby is an NGA geospatial 

intelligence officer and program 

manager in the School of Leadership 

and Professional Development, NGA College.

Bruce Kiracofe is an NGA international desk officer supporting the Central Asia–Middle East desk within the 

Office of International Affairs and Policy.
New Campus East

NCE Tours Host 2,000 in Two Months 

By Dr. Eileen M. Preisser

Dr. Eileen M. Preisser

an NGA geospatial

intelligence officer, is assigned to the New Campus

East Program Management

Office to direct the NCE

Advocacy effort.

24Pathfinder ›› January/February 2009 

On Sept. 15, 2008, Vice Adm. Robert B. Murrett 

directed the New Campus East (NCE) Program Management Office to conduct guided tours of the NCE construction site for 2,000 personnel during fall 2008. The 

successful implementation of this directive illustrates 

NGA’s commitment to its work force and to building the 

finest geospatial facility in the world.

Once the NCE advocacy team had formulated plans to 

comply with the directive, Murrett encouraged all NGA 

employees and contractors to take the tour and view the 

construction progress first hand. NCE worked with the 

design and construction and security teams to plan and 

arrange all logistics for two daily bus tours on Tuesdays 

and Thursdays from Oct. 6 through Dec. 11. 

NCE scheduled tours from all primary NGA locations in 

the East and worked with each of the agency’s key organizations to manage individual tours. Tour bus passengers 

enjoyed NCE videos produced by the Office of Corporate 

Communications during travel to and from the site.

Upon arrival at NCE, passengers were provided with 

protective gear and a brochure and map of the site as 

they followed an NCE tour guide to the specially created, 

open-air observation point where they observed the 

ongoing construction. The guides shared information on 

the construction, pointed out the various buildings being 

erected and answered questions. 

Two themes seemed to impress many of the 2,000 

people who took the tour. First, many noted that the 

size of the NCE construction site was larger than anticipated. Second, those who attended the NCE Groundbreaking Ceremony in September 2007 were stunned 

by the progress to date and the speed with which the 

project is proceeding. 

The experience firmly emphasized NGA’s investment 

in its work force. That the project is both on time and 

within budget demonstrates NGA’s commitment to the 

agency’s future. 

Photo by Larry Franklin
VISUALIZING INTELLIGENCE

GEOINT: The Nation’s Eyes 

Intelligence is an all-sensory experience with 

GEOINT as the nation’s eyes.

• It’s visual—turning data and information into 

intelligence.

• It provides the decision advantage—moving 

operations from decision to action.

• It’s perspective—answering the what, where

and when.

When you fuse geospatial information, imagery, 

and imagery intelligence together, you get 

GEOINT. You get the terrain information, a visual of 

the area, and the context of the situation. GEOINT 

tells you “where” something or someone is, “what” 

it is, and “why” it is important—all in one product!

“This is the foundation...this is how we visualize 

SIGINT. This is how we visualize HUMINT. This 

is how we do all source, how [we] fuse...go to 

any of the fusion cells in Baghdad or in Iraq or 

in Afghanistan [and] you are going to see 

GEOINT as the baseline foundation.”

–Major General John Custer, U.S. Army, 

Commander USAIC and Fort Huachuca

GE INT: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

NATIONAL GEOSPATIALINTELLIGENCE AGENCY

Robert B. Murrett

Vice Admiral, USN

Director, NGA
critical difference in sa

GEOINT makes a

From the White House to areas in crisis

• Protecting the Troops

• Supporting the Nation’s Leaders

• Ensuring Safety at Sea and in the Air

• Keeping America Safe and Secure
Photo illustration

GEOINT: 

Visualizing Intelligence

aving lives.

to the front line

Photo illustration

1804–May­—Lewis and Clark Expedition from St. Louis through Louisian

Territory to gather intelligence and 

map expanses of the area

1861–June—Introduction of balloons 

for aerial observation during Civil War 

campaigns in Virginia

1956–June—First successful U2 operations over Poland and East Germany

1960–August—Corona launch marking 

the first successful reconnaissance satellite

1962–October—Imagery reveals 

unmistakable evidence of Soviet missiles 

in Cuba

1987—Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS), a space-based, radio-positioning technology became operational

1996–October—The National 

Imagery and Mapping Agency stands 

up to integrate geospatial, imagery, and 

imagery intelligence operations

2003–November—Name changes 

to the National Geospatial-Intelligence 

Agency (NGA) to reflect unified mission 

and evolving role of the agency

2007–September—NGA breaks 

ground at the New Campus East in 

Springfield, VA

2008–July—EO12333 formally 

recognizes GEOINT as an intelligence discipline and designates the 

director of NGA as Functional 

Manager
GEOINT: Essential to National and 

Homeland Security

GEOINT is often the “behind-the-scenes” partner 

providing vital support to all operations with a 

geographic location. This quiet nature means it 

runs the risk of being taken for granted.

GEOINT

• Creates context for all other INTs

• Increases in power exponentially when fused with 

other INTs

• Is an independent INT as well as a primary source of 

confirmation and corroboration

• Provides early warning and situational awareness of 

events over high-interest areas around the world, day 

or night

• Is at the center of all intelligence activity for all 

operations with a geographic location

As the leader of GEOINT, NGA leads the defense and 

intelligence communities in conducting GEOINT as a 

team effort.

GEOINT

Everywhere

All the Time

For Everyone
Image courtesy of Landsat

Image courtesy of Landsat

Image ©DigitalGlobe

Image ©DigitalGlobe

Image ©DigitalGlobe

Images ©DigitalGlobe

Photo illustration

Background image courtesy of NOAA
www.nga.mil