9 May 2013

Gina Cheri Haspel, ex-Acting CIA Covert Head

Thanks to John Dinges, Jeff Stein, Gawker,  HENRIE @CHIMUCHYO, Cryptocomb and others.

Gina Cheri Haspel served as acting head of CIA Clandestine Service until the recent appointment of Francis "Frank" Archibald. Both are "undercover" officers -- until now.

In addition to information provided by others above, Haspel served in New York in 2012 (MyLife) and in Ethiopia in 1988 (Key officers of foreign service posts (May 1988)).

From Intelius (addresses 1 and 2 are London; address 8 is Ankara):

Thanks to Henrie for pointing.

From The Art of Intelligence: Lessons from a Life in Clandestine Service, Henry Crumpton, 2012:

My NR [CIA National Resources] deputy, who had served me well, departed after my first year for another assignment. I was able to convince Gina to be my new deputy. She had multiple overseas tours, serving as a chief of station in one especially challenging place. She also had honchoed an important office in CTC. But soon after her arrival, the new DDO, Jose Rodriguez, asked that she be bumped upstairs to serve as his chief of staff.

I needed to find another deputy fast. I was sulking in Gina’s office, asking her if she had any ideas about her replacement.

“Sure. Right here in NR. She’s pulled together a crack team of young officers who love her. She’s a leader. Donna.”

“Well, of course. She would be great. Why didn’t I think of her?” I knew the reason. She was not an operations officer. She was a reports officer. I served a bias, like other operations officers, and it was a fault. Donna had had multiple tours abroad. She knew the division as well as anybody, and she understood the substantive issues better than anybody. Her collection initiatives had helped the division more than double intelligence production in a year. With her help, the division had also boosted its recruitment of foreign agents. She could lead, and not just those under her direct command. She could build and lead effective networks across the Agency, across the intelligence community. Best of all, she would not tolerate any bullshit, including mine. I had seen her rip the bark off a few arrogant, macho case officers who had challenged her.

I stuck my head out the door and asked my secretary to get Donna.   She arrived in a few seconds, pad and pen in hand, and plopped down on the couch. Gina was behind her desk.

“Well, what do you want?” Donna asked, wondering about our silence and grins.

“Hank has decided on his new deputy,” Gina said.

“Oh, good. Who?”

“You,” I answered. Donna gasped, then blinked rapidly.

“You have to be kidding,” Donna finally responded.

“Nope,” I said.

“You are the best. You, in fact, are the only candidate,” Gina added.

“Gina, you can start her in-brief,” I instructed, as I walked out the door, leaving them to sort out the transition. That was one of the best management decisions that I ever made.