A Tribute to Womanhood

Welcome to "I Am Woman"...a tribute to all those women who had the courage and perseverance to stand up and fight for their rights. Thanks to those who came before us we enjoy a freedom unknown to women not too long ago. But, sadly, in many parts of the world, women continue to be repressed. In fact, even in this country there are women living today under the threat of violence...completely controlled by a violent spouse. Some may make it; others won't. Hopefully, one day ALL women will be free. May that day come soon.

8/10/2010

Let's Go Letitia


Let's have a cheer for Letitia Long who has broken another gender barrior....by becoming the first female Director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (GSA) 0n 8/9/10.  This makes her the first woman to head one of the government's 16 major intelligence agencies.  The NGA works with satellite technologies to create three dimensional maps of every location on Earth.  There work supports the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community.

Letitia's 32 year long federal service career began in 1978 when she worked for the Navy as a Project Engineer.  She has also served as Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence.   Long represents the vanguard of women in the intelligence community. It is estimated that women represent only 38 percent of total intelligence work force, and in six of the most prominent agencies, 27 percent of senior intelligence positions are held by women.

Some of Long's new women staffers at the NGA say her example will surely change how the largely male-dominated work force sees them. However, most women in their thirties and forties at these agencies say the climb they face is small compared to Long's fight, against an older generation that hadn't yet witnessed women in combat or a woman come so close to capturing the nomination for U.S. president...Here's to you, Letitia.  We are so proud.

 




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