How many people work for the NSA?

[Tenochtitlan]

I have been trying to find out, but couldn't find anything. Does anyone here have an idea or estimate?

 

[tomsnowman123]

I don't think you will find it, the number of NSA employees can not be publicy disclosed.

Frankly, I would simply say too many.

Neither the number of employees nor the size of the Agency's budget can be publicly disclosed. However, if the NSA/CSS were considered a corporation in terms of dollars spent, floor space occupied, and personnel employed, it would rank in the top 10 percent of the Fortune 500 companies. It is far from true that NSA/CSS has an unlimited "black" budget, unknown by other government entities. While the budget and size of NSA/CSS are classified, these details are known by the Office of Management and Budget, by both the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), and by the Defense Subcommittees of the Appropriations Committees in both houses of Congress. Resources allocated to NSA/CSS are subject to rigorous examination and approval processes.

In 1997, the aggregate figure for all U.S. government intelligence and intelligence-related activities – of which NSA/CSS was one segment – was made public for the first time. The aggregate intelligence budget was $26.6 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1997 and $26.7 billion for FY98. Because the intelligence budget might affect national security or reveal information that is confidential under federal law, a federal judge ruled in 1999 that it was not required to divulge the intelligence budget for 1999 and beyond.

Source: NSA FAQ

 

[skadistic]

Its the largest civilian employer by the gov. and it has many militery people working for it. Thats all you need to know. I would stop looking for things like that if I were you.

 

[Chaos_BF1942]

Not sure how many people work for the NSA (National Scrabble Association). but there it does over see the activties of over 200 offical Scrabble Clubs.

For the National Security Agency (No Such Agency), This Wiki thingy may help

 

[Riesstiu IV]

The government would have us believe the NSA employs millions of people, constantly surveying for security threats when in reality its four guys having to share a Coleco home computer in the basement of a donut shop. We need not worry about the NSA.

[This post has been edited to meet NSA standards]

 

[blackheart]

Your like doesn't work, tomsnowman.

Its the largest civilian employer by the gov. and it has many militery people working for it. Thats all you need to know. I would stop looking for things like that if I were you.

Why?

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

he means to stop diggin around in the gov before you come across something that doesnt exist, cause then you dont, either

 

[blackheart]

he means to stop diggin around in the gov before you come across something that doesnt exist, cause then you dont, either

 

[luiz]

Is there a clear distinction between the attributions of the CIA and those of the NSA?

 

[Birdjaguar]

NSA: Spending your tax dollars to save America from itself!

It employs 280 million Americans, most of whom are off the payroll, receive no benefits or retirement and actually pay for the "privilege" of supporting this important mission.

 

[Brian_B]

Is there a clear distinction between the attributions of the CIA and those of the NSA?

The NSA covers cryptology and more technical aspects. The CIA is general espionage, information gathering, etc.

 

[skadistic]

The NSA is reading this thread.

The NSA is based in Fort George G. Meade.

The NSA has operatives all around the world.

The NSA can monitor each and every electronic data transfer be it a forum or phone.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

hes right you know, and despite the crap te agency gets for 'invasion of privacy' etc etc which said right isnt in hte Constitution but i digress. tis for our own good in the end

 

[Birdjaguar]

tis for our own good in the end

I wish it were so. The NSA is a waste of hundreds of millions of dollars. Pork without oversight.

 

[skadistic]

I wish it were so. The NSA is a waste of hundreds of millions of dollars. Pork without oversight.

Far from a waste. The NSA is the eyes and ears of the spook world the see and hear all. If it weren't for the ridiculous restraints put on the inleigence agencies by mostly dem. admin. they could and would work better together.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Far from a waste. The NSA is the eyes and ears of the spook world the see and hear all. If it weren't for the ridiculous restraints put on the inleigence agencies by mostly dem. admin. they could and would work better together.

Of course you are right. We can never know what their successes are because it would compromise the necessary secrecy needed to produce all the good things they do but can never tell us about. You may trust government agencies with unlimited secret budgets and no accountability, but I don't. Congress can't even be trusted with earmarks.

 

[Chieftess]

Probably in the thousands, if not tens of thousands. It's a pretty big place - I went to an Open House once with a relative of mine (you have to have a family member who works there to go to the open house - it was also a job fair type thing there, too). Once on the local news, (back in 2000), they said NSA laid off 600 programmers - then they hired some more the next year.

BTW, the hallways are so huge, people actually take walks up and down them (they're atleast mile long!) just for the exercise.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Offically that would be a "state" secret but IIRC the bush appointed director made a slip by informing the public the number of personal as around 100,000. Of course this could be calcuated mis-information

 

[tomsnowman123]

There, the link of mine should be working now, it contains a FAQ list of the NSA, with lots of information that tells you nothing about them but keeps you from asking more questions.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

i drove in-between the NSA buildings once (theyre on the DC beltway, one on one side and one on ther other). theres all kinds of snipers and like three super-high barbed wire fences, it was really cool. Now, they buildings, from what i recall, werent THAT big, but of course that might not be the only place where they work; in fact i doubt it