Deputy Director of the National Security Agency

Chief operating officer of the National Security Agency

Deputy Director of the National Security Agency

Incumbent
Sheila Thomas
Acting

since 3 April 2025

Reports to| President of the United States
Seat| Washington, D.C.
Appointer| President of the United States
First holder| Joseph Wenger
Succession| Current

The deputy director of the National Security Agency (DDIRNSA) is the highest-ranking civilian within the National Security Agency. As the senior civilian at NSA, the deputy director acts as the agency's chief operating officer, guiding and directing strategies and policy, and serves as the principal advisor to the director of the NSA. The deputy director reports to the NSA director and is required to be a technically experienced civilian.[1]

## NSA deputy directors

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### Deputy directors of AFSA

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The Armed Forces Security Agency (AFSA) was the predecessor to the NSA.

#  | Deputy Director | Term

|
|

1* | Samuel P. Collins, USA
Joseph Wenger, USN
Roy H. Lynn, USAF | November 1950 – April 1951
2 | Travis Hetherington, USAF | 1951–1952

*From November 1950 to April 1951, there was a Deputy Director for each service.

### Deputy directors of NSA

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#  | Vice Director | Term

|
|

1 | Joseph Wenger | 1952–1953
2 | John Ackerman | 1953–1956
3 | John A. Samford | June 1956
#  | Deputy Director | Term
4 | Joseph H. Ream | 1956–1957
5 | Howard Engstrom | 1957–1958
6 | Louis W. Tordella | 1958–1974
7 | Benson K. Buffham | 1974–1978
8 | Robert E. Drake | 1978–1980
9 | Ann Z. Caracristi | 1980–1982
10 | Robert E. Rich | 1982–1986
11 | Charles R. Lord | 1986–1988
12 | Gerald R. Young | 1988–1990
13 | Robert L. Prestel | 1990–1994
14 | William P. Crowell | 1994–1997
15 | Barbara McNamara | 1997–2000
16 | William B. Black, Jr. | 2000–2006
17 | John C. Inglis | 2006–2014
18 | Richard Ledgett | 2014–2017
19 | George C. Barnes | 2017–2023
20 | Wendy Noble | 2023–2025[2]
– | Sheila Thomas | 2025–present[2]

## References

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1. ^ "About NSA". National Security Agency. Archived from the original on 2008-08-02. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
2. ^ a b Nakashima, Ellen; Strobel, Warren P.; Schaffer, Aaron (April 4, 2025). "National Security Agency chief ousted after far-right activist urged his removal ousted". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.

* v
* t
* e

Deputy directors of the National Security Agency

* Collins*
* Wenger*
* Lynn*
* Hetherington*
* Wenger**
* Ackerman**
* Samford**
* Ream
* Engstrom
* Tordella
* Buffham
* Drake
* Caracristi
* Rich
* Lord
* Young
* Prestel
* Crowell
* McNamara
* Black
* Inglis
* Ledgett
* Barnes

*denotes Deputy Director of AFSA **denotes Vice Director of NSA
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