What
does DCI stand for?
DCI is short
for Director of Central Intelligence, the title of the person in charge
of the Intelligence Community and the CIA. [Return
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How does
the DCI get his job? How long is his term?
The DCI is nominated
by the President and confirmed by the Senate, the DCI serves at
the pleasure of the President. There is no term of office. Upon Senate
confirmation, the
DCI takes an oath of office before assuming his duties. Allen Welsh
Dulles served for
eight years, the longest serving of any DCI. [Return
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Is the
DCI position a civilian position only or can military officers be appointed,
too?
This position
can be held by either a civilian or a military person, but commissioned
officers of the armed forces, whether active or retired, may not occupy
both DCI and
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence positions at the same time.
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When was
the DCI position created? The Deputy Director of Central
Intelligence?
When the interim
Central Intelligence Group (CIG), CIA's predecessor, was
established in January 1946, the position of DCI also was created
to head the group. The
CIG was disestablished 20 months later. The National Security Act
of 1947, which
established the CIA, also directed that the DCI serve as head of the
Agency. Although
there were two DCIs before him, Rear Admiral Roscoe Henry Hillenkoetter
was the
first DCI who also was head of the CIA.
With the April
1953 amendment to the National Security Act of 1947, Congress
recognized the importance of the position of Deputy Director of Central
Intelligence
(DDCI). Prior to this amendment, the DDCI was appointed by the DCI
on his own
authority. Under the 1953 amendment, the DDCI, like the DCI, is nominated
by the
President and confirmed by the US Senate. The first DDCI named under
the 1953
amendment was Lt. Gen. Charles Pearre Cabell. [Return
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What are
the DCI's duties? What does the DDCI do?
The DCI serves
as the principal advisor to the President and the National Security
Council on all foreign intelligence matters. The Director also is
responsible for protecting
intelligence sources and methods. He is head of the Central Intelligence
Agency, the staff
elements of the Office of the DCI, and the Intelligence Community
(IC) and coordinates
the tasking of all IC collection elements. The DCI also is charged
with developing and
justifying the National Foreign Intelligence Program (NFIP), the IC's
budget.
The DDCI assists
the Director by performing such functions as the DCI assigns or
delegates. He acts for and exercises the powers of the DCI in his
absence or disability or
in the event of a vacancy in the position of the DCI. [Return
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Is the
DCI a member of the President's cabinet?
No. [Return
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The DCI
heads the CIA and the IC, but how does he manage both?
The DCI has help
managing the CIA and IC by way of the Executive Director of
the CIA and the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence for Community
Management.
The Executive
Director of the CIA (EXDIR) is appointed by the DCI. The EXDIR is
the CIA's Chief Operating Officer and manages the CIA on a daily basis.
He formulates
and implements policies and programs that affect the corporate interests
of the Agency
and its personnel on behalf of the DCI. He receives input from three
Deputy Directors
and the heads of five Mission Support Offices.
The Deputy Director
of Central Intelligence for Community Management position
was created in 1997. The DDCI/CM is nominated by the President and
confirmed by the
Senate. The DDCI/CM exercises the DCI's responsibilities in planning
and developing
the intelligence budget, managing requirements and collection, and
overseeing analysis,
production, and acquisition. The Assistant DCI (ADCI) for Administration,
the ADCI
for Collection, the ADCI for Analysis and Production, and a Senior
Acquisition
Executive assist the DDCI/CM. The Executive Director for Intelligence
Community
Affairs reports to the DDCI/CM and directs the Community Management
Staff.
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