Mike McConnell (U.S. Naval officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike McConnell
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| 2nd Director of National Intelligence | |
| In office February 20, 2007 – January 27, 2009 |
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| President | George W. Bush Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | John Negroponte |
| Succeeded by | Dennis C. Blair |
| Director of the National Security Agency | |
| In office May 1992 – February 1996 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Bill Studeman |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth Minihan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 26, 1943 Greenville, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Education | North Greenville University Furman University (BA) George Washington University (MPA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1967–1996 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War Gulf War |
| Awards | Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit |
J. Michael "Mike" McConnell (born July 26, 1943) is a former high-ranking officer in the United States Navy. He was a Vice Admiral. He led the National Security Agency (NSA) from 1992 to 1996. Later, he became the United States Director of National Intelligence (DNI). He held this important role from February 2007 to January 2009. This was during the end of the Bush administration and the start of the Obama administration. As of 2024, he works as a Vice Chairman at Booz Allen Hamilton, a consulting company.
Contents
Early Life and Education
McConnell was born and grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. He finished high school in 1964. He first went to North Greenville Junior College. Then, he earned a degree in Economics from Furman University. He also has a master's degree in Public Administration. He got this from George Washington University. He also studied at special defense colleges. He is married to Terry McConnell. They have four children and nine grandchildren.
Military and Intelligence Career
Mike McConnell joined the United States Navy in 1967. He served for 29 years. He became an intelligence officer. This means he helped gather and understand important information. He worked for top military leaders. This was during the Gulf War and when the Soviet Union broke apart. He helped improve how intelligence agencies shared information. This was important for military operations.
From 1992 to 1996, McConnell was the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA). The NSA is a government agency. It collects signals intelligence and protects U.S. information systems. He guided the NSA as the world changed after the Cold War. Under his leadership, the NSA provided intelligence to the White House and Congress.
In 1996, McConnell retired from the Navy. He was a Vice Admiral. He received many high awards for his service. These included top military and intelligence awards.
McConnell became the second Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The DNI leads the entire U.S. Intelligence Community. This community includes many different spy and intelligence agencies. President George W. Bush chose him for the role. He was sworn in on February 20, 2007.
Before becoming DNI, McConnell worked at Booz Allen Hamilton. This is a consulting firm. He focused on intelligence and national security. He also led a group called the Intelligence and National Security Alliance. This group helps leaders from government, industry, and schools share ideas about intelligence.
In 2007, McConnell visited Texas. He talked about border security. He also gave an interview to a newspaper. He spoke openly about sensitive topics. These included changes to a law called the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). He also discussed the NSA warrantless surveillance controversy.
In 2008, McConnell stated that the Taliban was gaining power in parts of Afghanistan. This was different from what some other officials had said. On January 24, 2009, McConnell left his DNI role. He returned to Booz Allen Hamilton.
Key Actions as DNI
As DNI, Mike McConnell started several important projects. These projects aimed to make U.S. intelligence agencies work better together.
Working Together Plan
McConnell created a plan called the "100 Day Plan for Integration and Collaboration." This plan helped intelligence agencies cooperate more. It focused on six main goals:
- Creating a culture where agencies work together.
- Improving how information is collected and analyzed.
- Making technology and buying processes better.
- Modernizing how the agencies operate.
- Sharing information more quickly.
- Making the DNI's powers clearer.
After the 100-day plan, a "500 Day Plan" was launched. This plan continued the efforts to improve cooperation. It had more initiatives and involved more agencies. It focused on similar goals. McConnell left office before the 500-day plan was finished.
Updating Surveillance Laws
McConnell worked to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This law sets rules for how the government can spy on people. He argued that the law needed changes. This was because technology had changed since 1978. He wanted to make it easier to collect foreign intelligence. He also wanted to protect phone companies from lawsuits. These lawsuits were about past wiretapping.
Congress passed the Protect America Act of 2007. This law updated FISA. McConnell said that Russian and Chinese spy services were very active. He also stated that the NSA had not spied on Americans without a warrant since he became DNI. He emphasized that changes to FISA should still protect Americans' privacy.
Sharing Information
McConnell worked to improve how intelligence agencies share information. He signed a new policy. This policy aimed to increase access to databases held by different agencies. It also set rules for resolving disputes. This helped agencies share information more easily. He also started a program to create a shared computer system. This system would help agencies access and share information.
Better Budgeting
McConnell also worked to improve how the Intelligence Community manages its money. Before, each agency made its own budget. Then, these budgets were combined. McConnell created a new system. This system linked the budget more closely to overall goals. It helped make sure money was spent effectively.
After His DNI Role
In 2010, Admiral McConnell suggested expanding the DNI's powers. He thought the DNI should have more control. He proposed creating a "Department of Intelligence." This would help solve disagreements among agencies.
In 2020, Admiral McConnell became the executive director of Cyber Florida. This organization works with universities and businesses. Its goal is to strengthen Florida's cybersecurity industry.
Career Overview
- Served on a ship in the Mekong Delta, 1967–1968
- Worked for Naval Investigative Service in Japan, 1968–1970
- Led Middle East Force Operations, 1971–1974
- Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence, 1986–1987
- Chief of Naval Forces Division at National Security Agency, 1987–1988
- Intelligence Director for Pacific Fleet, 1989–1990
- Intelligence Director for Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1990–1992
- Director of NSA, 1992–1996
- Senior Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton, 1996–2006
- Director of National Intelligence, 2007–2009
- Executive Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton, 2009–2012
- Advisory Board Member of the Council on CyberSecurity, 2013
- Executive Director, Cyber Florida, 2020–present
Images for kids
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DNI Seal
