The Director, National Security Agency (NSA), Lt Gen Michael V. Hayden, has nominated Miss Barbara McNamara, currently the Deputy Director, for the position of Special United States Liaison Officer, London, England. She will be responsible to the Director, NSA for representing NSA in its relationships with United Kingdom authorities including the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the cryptologic organization of the UK. Miss McNamara will assume the assignment in the summer of 2000, thus becoming the fourth Deputy Director to move on to the liaison position.

Miss McNamara has been a recognized leader in the Intelligence Community for her interest in, and ability to forge, cooperative alliances among intelligence agencies and foreign partners to better serve the needs of warfighting and policy customers. She has instituted numerous programs, processes and applications in the areas of policy, human resources development, and analysis and production.

During her career at NSA, Miss McNamara has had several key jobs, to include Deputy Director of Operations from January 1995 to September 1997. She was appointed to the position of NSA Deputy Director on October 28, 1997.

Lt Gen Hayden has convened a four-member team to review candidates to replace Miss McNamara as Deputy Director. The appointee will be nominated by the Director to the Secretary of Defense and is subject to approval by the President. DoD regulations require that the Deputy Director be a career civilian with signals intelligence experience in order to maintain continuity of operations.