[Gov't Executive] A critical role in the national security community will soon become open. Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency William Lietzau announced his plans to retire in an email announcement to staff on July 19. Lietzau says the departure will not be abrupt but hopes to give the agency adequate time to find a replacement before he makes his retirement from federal service.
It’s unclear who the next director of DCSA will be, but the DOD will likely carefully consider the right selection for the role given the current climate around security clearance process reforms in the wake of Airman Jack Teixeira’s alleged leaks of classified information, and the recent release of results of a 45-day review of the security clearance process.
The review includes a push for better training for the cleared workforce and a Joint Insider Threat Taskforce. Recommendations called for several other joint initiatives with the undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security and DCSA. Those changes and initiatives come as the National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) comes on board — the importance of NBIS to the personnel vetting program can’t be overstated and will have a significant impact on both DOD and the more than 100 federal agencies who use DCSA to conduct their background investigations.
Taking the helm of the nation’s largest security organization at a time of persistent threats coming from both internal and external actors may be a job no one wants — but it’s an important one. The right skills for the job include equal parts cat herder and train conductor, blending the personnel security, physical security, and technological advancement needed for a modern security agency. Overhauling technology and maintaining the workforce have been key muscle movements of Lietzau’s tenure — and will remain so in the months to come. |