Director of Central Intelligence facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Director of Central Intelligence
Flag of the Director of Central Intelligence
Longest serving Allen Dulles February 26, 1953 – November 29, 1961
Central Intelligence Agency
Abbreviation	DCI
Member of	United States National Security Council
Appointer	President of the United States with US Senate advice and consent
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	January 23, 1946
First holder	Sidney Souers
Final holder	Porter Goss
Abolished	December 17, 2004
Deputy	Deputy Director of Central Intelligence

The 16-foot (5 m) diameter granite CIA seal in the lobby of the original headquarters building.

The entrance of the CIA headquarters

The Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) was the main leader of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1946 to 2004. This person was the top advisor to the president of the United States and the United States National Security Council on intelligence matters. The DCI also helped coordinate the work of all the different US intelligence agencies, which are known as the Intelligence Community.

The DCI role existed from January 1946 until December 17, 2004. After a new law called the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, this job was split into two new roles. One new role was the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), who leads the entire Intelligence Community. The other new role was the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, who specifically leads the CIA.

History of the DCI Role

The DCI position was created by President Harry Truman on January 23, 1946. Admiral Sidney Souers was the very first DCI. He was followed by General Hoyt Vandenberg. At first, the DCI ran the Central Intelligence Group (CIG), which was the group that came before the CIA.

The CIA itself was officially created by the National Security Act of 1947. This law clearly explained what the Director of Central Intelligence was supposed to do. The 1947 Act also set up the National Security Council.

For many years, people often called the DCI the "CIA Director." This was because the DCI led both the CIA and the larger Intelligence Community. However, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, there was a big push to change how the Intelligence Community was organized.

This led to the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act in December 2004. This law divided the DCI's responsibilities into two new jobs. The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) became the head of the entire Intelligence Community. This person also advises the National Security Council on intelligence. The other new job, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, became the main leader of just the CIA.

The new organization started on December 17, 2004. The last DCI, Porter J. Goss, became the first Director of the CIA. John Negroponte became the first DNI.

Past Directors of Central Intelligence

This list shows the people who served as the Director of Central Intelligence. This job existed before the CIA was created in 1947. The DCI position was later replaced by the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and Director of National Intelligence roles.

Status

     Denotes an Acting Director of Central Intelligence

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			President(s)		Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Sidney Souers	January 23, 1946	June 10, 1946	4 months, 18 days	Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
2		Hoyt Vandenberg	June 10, 1946	May 1, 1947	10 months, 21 days
3		Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter	May 1, 1947	October 7, 1950	3 years, 5 months, 6 days
4		Walter Bedell Smith	October 7, 1950	February 9, 1953	2 years, 4 months, 2 days	Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
						Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
–		Allen Dulles	February 9, 1953	February 26, 1953	17 days	Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
5			February 26, 1953	November 29, 1961	8 years, 9 months, 3 days
6		John A. McCone	November 29, 1961	April 28, 1965	3 years, 4 months, 29 days	John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
						Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
7		William Raborn	April 28, 1965	June 30, 1966	1 year, 2 months, 2 days	Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
8		Richard Helms	June 30, 1966	February 2, 1973	6 years, 7 months, 3 days	Richard Nixon (1969–1974)
9		James R. Schlesinger	February 2, 1973	July 2, 1973	5 months
–		Vernon A. Walters Acting	July 2, 1973	September 4, 1973	2 months, 3 days
10		William Colby	September 4, 1973	January 30, 1976	2 years, 4 months, 26 days
						Gerald Ford (1974–1977)
11		George H. W. Bush	January 30, 1976	January 20, 1977	11 months, 21 days
–		E. Henry Knoche Acting	January 20, 1977	March 9, 1977	1 month, 17 days	Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)
12		Stansfield Turner	March 9, 1977	January 20, 1981	3 years, 10 months, 11 days
13		William J. Casey	January 20, 1981	January 29, 1987	6 years, 9 days	Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)
–		Robert Gates Acting	December 18, 1986	May 26, 1987	5 months, 8 days
14		William H. Webster	May 26, 1987	August 31, 1991	4 years, 3 months, 5 days
						George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
–		Richard James Kerr Acting	September 1, 1991	November 6, 1991	2 months, 5 days
15		Robert Gates	November 6, 1991	January 20, 1993	1 year, 2 months, 14 days
–		William O. Studeman Acting	January 21, 1993	February 5, 1993	15 days	Bill Clinton (1993–2001)
16		R. James Woolsey Jr.	February 5, 1993	January 10, 1995	1 year, 11 months, 5 days
–		William O. Studeman Acting	January 11, 1995	May 9, 1995	3 months, 28 days
17		John M. Deutch	May 10, 1995	December 15, 1996	1 year, 7 months, 5 days
–		George Tenet	December 16, 1996	July 11, 1997	6 months, 25 days
18			July 11, 1997	July 11, 2004	7 years	George W. Bush (2001–2009)
–		John E. McLaughlin Acting	July 12, 2004	September 24, 2004	2 months, 12 days
19		Porter Goss	September 24, 2004	April 21, 2005	6 months, 27 days

How Directors Led the CIA

The Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) had a big impact on how the CIA worked. Here's a look at some of the past DCIs and their time in charge.

Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter (1947–1950)

Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter was the third DCI, but the first to lead the newly formed CIA. During his time, the CIA was given permission to carry out secret operations in other countries. These operations were planned so that the US government's involvement would not be obvious.

Walter Bedell Smith (1950–1953)

In the early years of the CIA, other parts of the US government didn't watch over it very closely. The CIA took on many tasks, especially to counter the actions of the Soviet Union.

Allen W. Dulles (1953–1961)

The CIA grew very quickly and became quite independent under DCI Allen Dulles. After a failed operation in Cuba in 1961, known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion, President John F. Kennedy removed Dulles from his position. Dulles had been a veteran from World War II.

John McCone (1961–1965)

President John F. Kennedy started to oversee the CIA more closely. He chose John McCone, who had an engineering background, to be the new DCI. Even though McCone didn't have much intelligence experience, he is often seen as one of the best DCIs and a great manager. The CIA increased its activities in Southeast Asia under President Lyndon Johnson. McCone left his job in April 1965.

William Raborn (1965–1966)

William Raborn was a respected naval officer. However, he had a short and difficult time as DCI. He didn't have much experience with foreign relations or intelligence outside of the Navy. CIA historians have said that Raborn "did not 'take' to the DCI job." He resigned after only fourteen months.

Richard M. Helms (1966–1973)

Richard Helms was a long-time intelligence professional who had worked his way up through the CIA. He became the DCI in 1966. In the early 1970s, after events like the Watergate affair, the United States Congress started to pay much more attention to intelligence agencies. Reports about past CIA activities, such as secret operations and spying on American citizens, led to more oversight from Congress. President Richard Nixon later fired Helms in 1973.

James R. Schlesinger (1973)

James R. Schlesinger became DCI in February 1973. His time at the CIA was short, only about six months, but he made many changes to the organization and its staff. He was known as a tough and direct leader. Schlesinger asked for reports, known as the "Family Jewels," about any activities by the agency that might have been against the rules.

William Colby (1973–1976)

William Colby was another intelligence professional who became DCI. In December 1974, a journalist revealed information from the "Family Jewels" reports. This showed that the CIA had been involved in secret operations and had watched some American citizens.

Congress reacted to these revelations in 1975 by investigating the CIA. President Gerald Ford also created a special commission to look into CIA activities. Colby worked with Congress, believing that being open was the best way to protect the CIA's reputation.

George H. W. Bush (1976–1977)

George H. W. Bush became DCI in 1976. Many people were concerned about his appointment because of past political events. However, Bush promised not to run for president or vice president in 1976, which helped ease concerns.

Bush served as DCI for about a year. He was praised for helping to improve the CIA's morale after a series of difficult revelations. President Gerald Ford issued an order that set new rules for intelligence agencies, making it clear that they could not target American citizens. George H. W. Bush later became the 43rd US vice president and the 41st US president. He is the only CIA director to have served in either of those top offices.

Stansfield Turner (1977–1981)

Stansfield Turner was a friend of President Jimmy Carter. He focused on using technical ways to gather intelligence, like electronic signals and satellite images. He was not as popular within the CIA because he reduced the number of human intelligence specialists. Turner also spoke to Congress about the MKULTRA program, a secret CIA project from the 1950s and 60s.

William J. Casey (1981–1987)

During his time as DCI, William J. Casey played a big part in shaping President Ronald Reagan's foreign policy. He oversaw the growth of the Intelligence Community, especially the CIA. During this period of the Cold War, the CIA increased its activities against the Soviet Union around the world. This included helping resistance fighters in Afghanistan. Casey was also involved in a secret deal that became known as the Iran–Contra affair.

William H. Webster (1987–1991)

William H. Webster had a background as a federal judge and as the director of the FBI. Because of his legal experience, he was expected to fix any legal problems at the CIA. After the Iran–Contra scandal, a new law was created in 1991. This law set rules for secret operations and required that Congress be informed about them.

Robert M. Gates (1991–1993)

Robert Gates was nominated to be DCI twice. The first time, his nomination was withdrawn. He was nominated again in 1991 by President George H. W. Bush and confirmed. He is the only person in the CIA's history (as of 2009) to start as an entry-level employee and become the director. A report later stated that while Gates was close to people involved in the Iran–Contra affair, there wasn't enough evidence to charge him.

R. James Woolsey (1993–1995)

As DCI, R. James Woolsey Jr. had a very limited relationship with President Bill Clinton. He once joked that he tried to get an appointment to see the President by crashing a plane onto the White House lawn.

John M. Deutch (1995–1996)

In 1995, President Bill Clinton appointed John M. Deutch as DCI. Deutch continued the policy of making some Cold War-era secret operation records public. After Deutch left the CIA, it was found that he had kept secret information on his personal, unclassified computers. The Department of Justice decided not to prosecute him, but President Clinton issued a pardon on his last day in office.

George J. Tenet (1996–2004)

George Tenet became the acting DCI in December 1996 and was officially appointed in July 1997. He served through the end of the Clinton administration and into the first term of George W. Bush. Tenet worked to rebuild the CIA after the Cold War. He focused on new dangers like "rogue states" and terrorism.

In 1999, Tenet proposed a "Plan" to deal with the al-Qaeda organization. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, many people criticized the American Intelligence Community for not preventing the attacks. A secret report later said that Tenet knew about the dangers of Al Qaeda before September 2001, but the CIA leadership didn't do enough. Tenet disagreed with this report.

Before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Tenet supported intelligence reports about weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq. He told President Bush that the evidence was a "slam dunk case." However, after the invasion, no large stockpiles of nuclear WMDs were found. Tenet resigned around this time.

Porter J. Goss (2004–2005)

Porter Goss was recruited by the CIA while in college. He worked for the CIA's secret operations division for about 11 years in places like Latin America and Europe. He later served in Congress for 16 years, where he strongly supported the CIA.

Goss was nominated to be the new DCI in August 2004. Some politicians were concerned that he was too political or too close to the CIA to bring about needed changes. He brought new staff with him, which led to some disagreements within the CIA. Goss left his position in 2005. His departure was likely due to a belief that the White House had lost confidence in his ability to reorganize the CIA, and also due to disagreements with the new Director of National Intelligence.

See also

• Office of Naval Research
• DARPA
• Air Force Office of Scientific Research
• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
• Exceptional Collector Award

Images for kids

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  Sidney Souers, the first DCI

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  Hoyt Vandenberg, the second DCI

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  Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter

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  Walter Bedell Smith

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  John McCone

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  William Raborn

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  Richard Helms

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  James R. Schlesinger

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  Vernon A. Walters

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  William Colby

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  George H. W. Bush

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  Stansfield Turner

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  William J. Casey

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  Robert Gates

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  William H. Webster

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  Richard James Kerr

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  William O. Studeman

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  R. James Woolsey Jr.

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  John M. Deutch

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  George Tenet

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  John E. McLaughlin

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  Porter Goss