Mike McConnell (born July 26, 1943) is a former
vice admiral in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
. During his naval career he served as
Director of the National Security Agency
The director of the National Security Agency (DIRNSA) is the highest-ranking official of the National Security Agency, which is a defense agency within the U.S. Department of Defense. The director of the NSA also concurrently serves as the Chief ...
from 1992 to 1996. His civilian career includes serving as the
United States Director of National Intelligence
The director of national intelligence (DNI) is a senior, cabinet-level United States government official, required by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to serve as executive head of the United States Intelligence Commu ...
from 20 February 2007 to 27 January 2009 during the
Bush administration and also seven days of the
Obama administration
Barack Obama's tenure as the 44th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2009, and ended on January 20, 2017. A Democrat from Illinois, Obama took office following a decisive victory over Republican ...
. He is currently Vice Chairman at
Booz Allen Hamilton
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (informally Booz Allen) is the parent of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., an American management and information technology consulting firm, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in Greater Washington, D.C., with 8 ...
.
Early life, education, and family
McConnell was born and grew up in
Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...
.
He graduated from
Wade Hampton High School (Greenville, South Carolina)
Wade Hampton High School is a State school, public High school (North America), high school in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. The school primarily serves the communities of Wade Hampton, South Carolina, Wade Hampton and Taylors, Sout ...
in 1964, and first attended college at
North Greenville Junior College
North Greenville University is a Private university, private Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist university in Tigerville, South Carolina. It is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It is accredi ...
, later earning a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
in Economics from
Furman University
Furman University is a private liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1826 and named for the clergyman Richard Furman, Furman University is the oldest private institution of higher learning in South Carolina. It became ...
. He holds a
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration (M.P.Adm., M.P.A., or MPA) is a specialized higher professional post graduate degree in public administration, similar/ equivalent to the Master of Business Administration but with an emphasis on the issues of ...
from
George Washington University
, mottoeng = "God is Our Trust"
, established =
, type = Private federally chartered research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.8 billion (2022)
, preside ...
, and is a graduate of the
National Defense University
The National Defense University (NDU) is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level education, training, and professional development of national security leaders. As ...
and the
National Defense Intelligence College
The National Intelligence University (NIU), formerly known as the Defense Intelligence School, the Defense Intelligence College, the Joint Military Intelligence College, and the National Defense Intelligence College is a federally chartered resea ...
(Strategic Intelligence). He is married to Terry McConnell, and together they have four children and nine grandchildren.
Military and intelligence career
![Vice Adm](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Vice_Adm._Mike_McConnell%2C_NSA.jpg)
McConnell received his commission in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
in 1967. He worked as the Intelligence Officer (J2) for the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...
and the
United States Secretary of Defense
The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet. DoDD 5100.1: Enclosure 2: a The s ...
during
Operation Desert Shield/Storm and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He developed
approaches for improving information flow among intelligence agencies and combat forces in the Gulf War.
From 1992 to 1996, McConnell served as Director of the
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collecti ...
(NSA). He led NSA as it adapted to the multi-polar threats brought about by the end of the Cold War. Under his leadership, NSA routinely provided global intelligence and information security services to the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
, Cabinet officials, the
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
, and a broad array of military and civilian intelligence customers. He also served as a member of the
Director of Central Intelligence
The director of central intelligence (DCI) was the head of the American Central Intelligence Agency from 1946 to 2005, acting as the principal intelligence advisor to the president of the United States and the United States National Security C ...
senior leadership team to address major intelligence programmatic and substantive issues from 1992 until 1996.
In 1996, McConnell retired from the Navy as a
vice admiral after 29 years of service – 26 as a career Intelligence Officer. In addition to many of the nation's highest military awards for meritorious service, he holds the nation's highest award for service in the
Intelligence Community. He also served as the Chairman of the
Intelligence and National Security Alliance
The Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) is a non-profit, nonpartisan 501(c)(6) professional organization based in Arlington Virginia for public and private sector members of the United States Intelligence Community.
History
...
.
![Mike McConnell sworn in as DNI, February 20, 2007](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Mike_McConnell_sworn_in_as_DNI%2C_February_20%2C_2007.jpg)
McConnell was the second person to hold the position of Director of National Intelligence. He was nominated by President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
on January 5, 2007, and was sworn in at
Bolling Air Force Base
Bolling Air Force Base or Bolling AFB was a United States Air Force base in Washington, D.C. In 2010, it was merged with Naval Support Facility Anacostia to form Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling. From its beginning, the installation has hosted elem ...
in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
on February 20, 2007. McConnell's appointment to the post was initially greeted with broad bipartisan support, although he has since attracted criticism for advocating some of the Bush administration's more controversial policies.
Before his nomination as DNI, McConnell had served as a Senior Vice President with the consulting firm
Booz Allen Hamilton
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (informally Booz Allen) is the parent of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., an American management and information technology consulting firm, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in Greater Washington, D.C., with 8 ...
, focusing on the Intelligence and National Security areas. From 2005 until his confirmation as DNI in 2007, he was also chairman of the board of the
Intelligence and National Security Alliance
The Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) is a non-profit, nonpartisan 501(c)(6) professional organization based in Arlington Virginia for public and private sector members of the United States Intelligence Community.
History
...
, the "premier not-for-profit, nonpartisan, private sector professional organization providing a structure and interactive forum for thought leadership, the sharing of ideas, and networking within the intelligence and national security communities" whose members include leaders in industry, government, and academia.
On Tuesday, August 14, 2007, McConnell visited Texas with House Intelligence Committee chairman
Silvestre Reyes
Silvestre "Silver" Reyes (born November 10, 1944) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for , serving from 1997 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he was Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligen ...
to review border security, and granted a wide-ranging interview to the ''
El Paso Times
The ''El Paso Times'' is the newspaper for the US city of El Paso, Texas. The newspaper has an approximate daily circulation of 65,000 and 125,000 on Sundays.
The paper is the only English-language daily in El Paso (when the '' El Paso Herald-Po ...
'' newspaper, which surprised many in the intelligence community for its candor on sensitive topics such as the recent changes in the
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ("FISA" , ) is a United States federal law that establishes procedures for the physical and electronic surveillance and the collection of "foreign intelligence information" between "foreign po ...
and the
NSA warrantless surveillance controversy
The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collectio ...
. At the end of the interview, McConnell cautioned reporter Chris Roberts that he should consider whether enemies of the U.S. could gain from the information he just shared, leaving it up to the paper to decide what to publish. The ''El Paso Times'' put the entire, unexpurgated interview on their website on August 22, with executive editor Dionicio Flores saying "I don't believe it damaged national security or endangered any of our people."
A resurgent
Taliban
The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...
is back in charge over parts of
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, McConnell told CNN on February 27, 2008, in an assessment that differed from the one made January 2008 by
Defense Secretary
The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet. DoDD 5100.1: Enclosure 2: a The s ...
Robert Gates
Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is an American intelligence analyst and university president who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. He was originally appointed by president George W. Bush an ...
.
On January 24, 2009, it was announced that McConnell would return to Booz Allen as a Senior Vice President.
Initiatives as DNI
100 Day Plan for Integration and Collaboration
![The Office of the Director of National Intelligence](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Seal_of_the_Office_of_the_Director_of_National_Intelligence.svg)
Two months after taking office, McConnell created a series of initiatives designed to build the foundation for increased cooperation and reform of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC). His plan, dubbed
100 Day Plan for Integration and Collaboration focused on efforts to enable the IC to act as a unified enterprise in a
collaborative
Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. Most ...
manner.
[DNI Releases 100 Day Plan Follow Up Report](_blank)
September 13, 2007 It focused on six enterprise integration priorities:
# Create a Culture of Collaboration
# Foster Collection and Analytic Transformation
# Build Acquisition Excellence and Technology Leadership
# Modernize Business Practices
# Accelerate Information Sharing
# Clarify and Align DNI's Authorities
The 100 Day Plan accomplished the launch of a civilian joint duty program, improved security clearance processing times, increased diversity in the intelligence workforce and more information sharing across the community. A 500 Day Plan is being designed to sustain the momentum with an expanded set of initiatives and a greater level of participation. It is set to deepen integration of the Community's people, processes, and technologies.
[ODNI News Release No. 12-07](_blank)
April 11, 2007 The plan will address a new performance management framework that entail six performance elements that all agencies must entail.
500 Day Plan for Integration and Collaboration
The 100 Day Plan was meant to "jump start" a series of initiatives based on a deliberate planning process with specific deadlines and measures to ensure that needed reforms were implemented.
The 500 Day Plan which started in August 2007, was designed to accelerate and sustain this momentum with an expanded set of initiatives and broader IC participation. It contains 10 "core" initiatives which will be tracked by the senior leadership in the Intelligence Community, and 33 "enabling" initiatives. The initiatives are based on the same six focus areas described in the 100 Day Plan.
The top initiatives are:
# Treat Diversity as a Strategic Mission Imperative
# Implement Civilian IC Joint Duty Program
# Enhance Information Sharing Policies, Processes, and Procedures
# Create Collaborataive Environment for All Analysts
# Establish National Intelligence Coordination Center
# Implement Acquisition Improvement Plan
# Modernize the Security Clearance Process
# Align Strategy, Budget, and Capabilities through a Strategic Enterprise Management System
# Update Policy Documents Clarifying and Aligning IC Authorities
Director McConnell ended office near the 400th day of his 500-day plan.
Updating FISA
McConnell approached Congress in early August 2007 on the need to "modernize
FISA
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ("FISA" , ) is a United States federal law that establishes procedures for the physical and electronic surveillance and the collection of "foreign intelligence information" between "foreign pow ...
," claiming two changes were needed (initial efforts began in April – see th
factsheetfor more). First, the Intelligence Community should not be required, because of technology changes since 1978, to obtain court orders to effectively collect foreign intelligence from "foreign targets" located overseas. He also argued that telecoms being sued for violating the nation's wiretapping laws must be protected from liability—regardless of the veracity of the charges.
[Statement by DNI](_blank)
August 2, 2007 Shortly thereafter, McConnell took an active role
[Spy Chief Has Learning Curve on Politics](_blank)
Katherine Shrader, Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
, September 16, 2007 on Capitol Hill for legislation being drafted by Congress. On August 3, McConnell announced that he "strongly oppose
the House's proposal because it wasn't strong enough.
[Statement by the Director of National Intelligence](_blank)
August 3, 2007 After heated debate, Congress updated
FISA
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ("FISA" , ) is a United States federal law that establishes procedures for the physical and electronic surveillance and the collection of "foreign intelligence information" between "foreign pow ...
by passing the
Protect America Act of 2007
The Protect America Act of 2007 (PAA), (, enacted by ), is a controversial amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on August 5, 2007. It removed the warrant requi ...
.
On September 10, 2007, testimony before the
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is the chief oversight committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland s ...
, McConnell asserted that the recently passed Protect America Act of 2007, which eased restrictions in
FISA
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ("FISA" , ) is a United States federal law that establishes procedures for the physical and electronic surveillance and the collection of "foreign intelligence information" between "foreign pow ...
, had helped foil a major terror plot in Germany. U.S. intelligence-community officials questioned the accuracy of McConnell's testimony and urged his office to correct it, which he did in a statement issued September 12, 2007. Critics cited the incident as an example of the Bush administration's exaggerated claims and contradictory statements about surveillance activities. Counterterrorism officials familiar with the background of McConnell's testimony said they did not believe he made inaccurate statements intentionally as part of any strategy by the administration to persuade Congress to make the new eavesdropping law permanent. Those officials said they believed McConnell gave the wrong answer because he was overwhelmed with information and merely mixed up his facts.
In that same testimony, McConnell blamed the death of a kidnapped American soldier in Iraq on the requirements of FISA and the slowness of the courts. However, a timeline later released showed that the delays were mostly inside the NSA, casting doubt again on McConnell's truthfulness.
McConnell, speaking to a Congressional panel in defense of the Protect America Act, said that the Russian and Chinese foreign intelligence services are nearly as active as during the Cold War. In other September 18, 2007 testimony before the
House Judiciary Committee
The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, a ...
, McConnell addressed the
NSA warrantless surveillance controversy
The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collectio ...
, saying that that agency had conducted no telephone surveillance of Americans without obtaining a warrant in advance since he became
Director of National Intelligence
The director of national intelligence (DNI) is a senior, cabinet-level United States government official, required by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to serve as executive head of the United States Intelligence Commu ...
in February, 2007. McConnell called FISA a "foundational law" with "important legacy of protecting the rights of Americans," which was passed in the era of Watergate and in the aftermath of the Church and Pike investigations. He stressed that changes should honor that legacy for privacy and against foreign threats.
[House Judiciary Committee, Statement for the Record, by J. Michael McConnell](_blank)
p. 3, September 18, 2007
Analytic Outreach
July 2008, Director McConnell issued a directive
ICD 205 for analysts to build relationships with outside experts on topics of concern to the intelligence community—a recommendation highlighted in the
WMD Commission Report.
Updating Executive Order 12333
Director McConnell worked with the White House to overhaul
Executive Order 12333
Executive Order 12333, signed on December 4, 1981 by U.S. President Ronald Reagan, was an Executive Order intended to extend powers and responsibilities of U.S. intelligence agencies and direct the leaders of U.S. federal agencies to co-operat ...
, which outlines fundamental guidance to intelligence agencies. McConnell believes the update is necessary to incorporate the intelligence community's new organizations and new technologies and methods. The redo is expected to help the intelligence agencies work together, and to reflect the
post 9/11 threat environment.
In July 2008, President Bush issued
Executive Order 13470
Executive Order 13470 was issued by U.S. President President Bush on July 30, 2008. It amended Executive Order 12333 to strengthen the role of the Director of National Intelligence.
See also
*Executive order
*List of United States federal e ...
, which amended 12333.
Information Integration and Sharing
As one of McConnell's last acts as DNI, he signed ICD501 "Discovery and Dissemination or Retrieval of Information Within the Intelligence Community" to dramatically increase access to several databases held by various agencies in the community. The policy establishes rules to govern disputes when access is not granted, with the DNI as the final adjudicator to resolve disputes between organizations. He also established the Intelligence Information Integration Program (I2P) under the leadership of then-CIO Patrick Gorman and then NSA-CIO Dr. Prescott Winter. The goal of I2P was to create a shared infrastructure and family of shared services as a means to increase information access, sharing and collaboration throughout the US Intelligence Community.
Integrated Planning, Programming and Budgeting System
McConnell led the effort to create an integrated planning, programming, and budgeting system to more fully integrate and optimize the capabilities of the Intelligence Community. Previously, each agency's budget was developed independently and aggregated for Congress. After the issuance of ICD106 Strategic Enterprise Management (IC SEM), the Intelligence Community budget was more closely aligned to strategic goals and objectives, requirements, and performance criteria. ICD 106 was replaced by ICD 116 in 2011
.
Years after DNI
In early April 2010, Admiral McConnell called for expanding the powers of the DNI by giving him tenure and creating a Department of Intelligence for the DNI to oversee and fully control to settle the continued fighting amongst agencies within various departments.
ON February 12, 2020, Admiral McConnell, was named as the executive director of Cyber Florida. Cyber Florida is a state-funded organization hosted at USF that works with all 12 public universities in Florida, as well as private industry, government and the military to build partnerships and develop programs that grow and strengthen Florida's cybersecurity industry.
Career overview
* , Mekong Delta, 1967–1968
* Naval Investigative Service, Japan, 1968–1970
* Commander of Middle East Force Operations, 1971–1974
* Executive assistant to Director of Naval Intelligence, 1986–1987
* Chief of Naval Forces Division at
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collecti ...
, 1987–1988
* Director of Intelligence (N2) Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet, 1989–1990
* Intelligence director for
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...
, 1990–1992
* Director of NSA, 1992–1996
* Senior Vice President
Booz Allen Hamilton
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (informally Booz Allen) is the parent of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., an American management and information technology consulting firm, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in Greater Washington, D.C., with 8 ...
, 1996–2006
*
Director of National Intelligence
The director of national intelligence (DNI) is a senior, cabinet-level United States government official, required by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to serve as executive head of the United States Intelligence Commu ...
, 2007–2009
* Executive Vice President
Booz Allen Hamilton
Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (informally Booz Allen) is the parent of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., an American management and information technology consulting firm, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in Greater Washington, D.C., with 8 ...
, 2009–2012
* Advisory Board Member of the Council on CyberSecurity, 2013
* Executive Director, Cyber Florida. 2020–present.
References
External links
*
The Office of the Director of National IntelligenceOfficial Website
The Spymaster: Can Mike McConnell fix America’s intelligence community?Lawrence Wright, ''The New Yorker'', January 21, 2008
El Paso Times interview transcript''El Paso Times'', released August 22, 2007
Mike McConnell, Russ Feingold, David Brooks, Bob Woodward, Stephen Hayes''Meet the Press'', July 22, 2007, transcript of McConnell's first TV interview as Director of National Intelligence
''Foreign Affairs'', July 1, 2007
Mike McConnell, ''Washington Post'', May 21, 2007
John Negroponte and John McConnell''Antiwar Radio: Larisa Alexandrovna '', January 10, 2007
Security and Strategy in the Age of Discontinuity: A Management Framework for the Post-9/11 World Ralph W. Shrader and Mike McConnell, ''Strategy+Business'', First Quarter 2002
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:McConnell, John Michael
1943 births
United States Navy personnel of the Gulf War
Booz Allen Hamilton people
Directors of the National Security Agency
Furman University alumni
Trachtenberg School of Public Policy & Public Administration alumni
Living people
National Defense University alumni
National Intelligence University alumni
People from Greenville, South Carolina
People of the Defense Intelligence Agency
United States Directors of National Intelligence
United States Navy vice admirals
Recipients of the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal
Center for a New American Security