National Security and Intelligence Agencies
Security is greatly associated with safety, protection, and freedom. Security plays a major role in the protection of citizens, social groups, individuals, institutions, and properties in society. National Security and Intelligence agency is a department under the United States Department of Defense. The department was established during the Cold War and has played a major role in the United States Military Department (Kumar, 2013). It is responsible for international surveillance, collection, and information processing and data for extraneous and local intelligence determinations. The collection of information concerning international persons, events, places, institutions, or activities that are needed by the Government of the United States of America is done by the intelligence agencies and not the publically recognized departments or diplomats. The analysis is done after the collection of the necessary information, which is done with a high level of aptitude. Another role of the intelligence agencies is covert action, which is used as an inspiration to military, political, or economic states internationally where it is projected that the major role of the American Government will not be accredited publicly. The final role of the intelligence agencies is counterintelligence, where it involves the protection of the country as well as the intelligence agencies. The major intelligence agencies in the United States of America are the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Central Intelligence Agency, which work collectively.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is an agency under the United States Department of Justice and a member of the United States Intelligence Community. The main objective of Federal Bureau Investigation is to guard and defend the Government of the United States of America, provide criminal justice to the federal, state, and international agencies. Other roles carried out by FBI agencies in the United States are; protection from terrorists, overseas intelligence operations, computer-generated attacks, public corruption, national criminal, and improve technology for successful presentations on its missions (Kumar, 2013). The FBI is a local agency and focuses on international footprints as well across the world. They carry out secret activities on a global level too.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is a foreign intelligence service under the federal government that operates based on human intelligence. The Central Intelligence Agency gathers information across the world, process with diligence, and then analyze the data for security purposes of the President and the Cabinet of the United States of America. It also has the power to perform covert action. The CIA has no law enforcement functions but rather a collection of data necessary for security purposes. The major priorities for the CIA are counterterrorism, prevention of weapons of mass destruction, enlightening American leaders of significant international occasions, counterintelligence, and finally, computer-generated intelligence. The Central Intelligence Agency has five directorates, namely, the Directorate of Digital Innovation, the Directorate of Analysis, the Directorate of Operations, the Directorate of Support, and the Directorate of Science and Technology. All these directorates work collectively to achieve the core objective of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The similarities between the Central Intelligence and Federal Bureau of Investigation are that both the departments have the responsibility of collecting data, analyzing it, and putting an action upon it. These data collected play a major role in the maintenance of the national security of the American citizens and the president and cabinet as well. Another similarity is that both FBI and CIA falls under the National Security Department of Intelligence and works diligently in order to maintain security in the United States of America and for the United States of America. These agencies also protect the United States of America against terrorism activities in American sovereignty.
There are multiple differences between the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Firstly, the Central Intelligence Agency is a citizen foreign intelligence service of the United States federal government whose main objective is to collect and analyze information regarding the security of the United States across the world. In contrast, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is a governmental agency that is under the United States Department of Justice that takes part in federal criminal investigations and domestic intelligence. The Central Intelligence Agency has no law enforcement responsibility. However, it is approved to covert action while the Federal Bureau of Investigation works domestically and internationally and is authorized to enforce the law, protect the United States against terrorism, foreign intelligence operations, computer-based attacks, and public corruption. The Central Intelligence Agency has no parent agency, while the Federal Bureau Investigation is under the Department of Justice and Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
On the same breath, the Central Intelligence Agency cannot operate on the United Staes grounds as stipulated the Central Intelligence Agency Charter, whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation carries out their operations on the United States Soil. CIA mainly focuses on foreign intelligence on its members or new diplomats who have been newly recruited while the Federal Bureau Investigation can carry out its intelligence investigations on the Central Intelligence Agency diplomats. The Central Intelligence engages in covert action at the president’s direction regarding the law that is applicable. The CIA being an international agency, gathers information that is connected to other states, non-state actors, foreign individuals, and institutions and conveys all this information to the United States government. In contrast, the FBI mainly focuses on the local information, meaning its operation is restricted to the United States soil. Requirements to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation include physical fitness, which is not necessary for the Central Intelligence Agency. Another requirement in joining the Central Intelligence Agency is the eloquence in a foreign language, which is not applicable in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In the Federal Bureau of Investigation, applicants undergo training in the FBI Academy while in the Central Intelligence Agency, intellectual capacity is the core determinant in the qualification procedure.
The Central Intelligence Agency’s role in counterintelligence is to safeguard delicate national security details and avert the loss of precarious technological, industrial, and commercial information to international states. At the same time, the Federal Bureau of investigation works locally on the counterintelligence information within the country. The CIA has four major directorates, while the FBI has five branches. The CIA directorates are; the Directorate of Intelligence which handles matters on all-source intelligence research and analysis, the National Clandestine Service which partakes on clandestine intelligence collection and covert action, the Directorate of Support which offers maintenance administration functions, and finally the Directorate of Science and Technology which establishes and put into practice technological support of the whole intelligence operation. The FBI branches are; the National Security Branch, Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, Science and Technology Branch, and finally, the Information and Technology Branch.
Based on my fluency with Portuguese, Spanish, and English languages, it would be more convenient to work with the Central Intelligence Agency. This is because one of the most important requirements in joining the Central Intelligence Agency is fluency in a foreign language. It is important to be eloquent on a foreign language as a CIA diplomat to improve on the compatibility with the foreign country and its citizens. Another important skill is psychology knowledge (Mark, 2018). A CIA agent must be head high whenever he or she is dealing with people in a new environment, he or she must be able to know the behavioral nature of the people and mental state in terms of notion towards a CIA diplomat.
The managerial position at Miami Concierge Group has boosted the data collection and analytical techniques that fit a CIA agent. Preparation of statistical reports and financial data goes hand in hand with the collection of foreign information for national security. As a CIA agent, one must be on the frontline to collect any information that is a threat to the United States of America. Being a top manager has also brought about the skill of training the staff members, a task that is done by the CIA in training security intelligence officers (Mark, 2018).
On the same note, being a manager at Eagle Miami Corporation instilled numerous skills such as analysis of data, public relations, organization, and client’s satisfaction. As a CIA agent, one must be well proficient with these skills. Analyzation of data is the key role of CIA agents because the analyzed information is very important to the United States President and the Cabinet of the United States of America. Having an organized work leads to minimal errors, therefore for quality work and information, a CIA agent must offer a well-organized job. The President of the United States of America and the Cabinet must be satisfied with the information being brought on the table by the CIA agent; therefore, his or her findings must be clear, accurate, and to the point. The information must also be persuasive to the President and the Cabinet of the United States of America, meaning it should not be faulty or contain false information.
Conflict and dispute resolution is an essential skill that a Central Intelligence Agent should own up. This is because it greatly helps in solving disputes among the United States and other international states, foreign individuals, cooperates, and organizations whenever a dispute arises. Although Central Intelligence Agents do not enforce the law, they should know to solve a conflict that might arise between them and the foreign country or individuals.
Liberal arts is the study that focuses on rational thinking. Central Intelligence Agency greatly depends on human intelligence. Therefore, knowing this field of study would play a major role in the analyzing of foreign information and offering the best national security for the United States of America. This department needs a more creative and lethal minded person due to the critical ideas that are involved during a gathering and analyzing this sensitive information.
Public relations skills is an essential qualification in the Central Intelligence Agency department. This is because a diplomat associate with foreign individuals, and therefore there must be an outstanding way of interaction. Having worked at Sirota and Associates offered numerous opportunities for meeting with immigrants because there was the handling of employment-based immigrants and thus boosting the skill of interaction and association since there was a huge number of clients who were brought over to the company. A proficient CIA agent should be able to interact with a substantial number of people to increase the chances of data collection and the accuracy of the data that is collected. Being in a position to manage the attorney’s calendar brings out the idea of timekeeping and order. A professional Central Intelligence Agency diplomat should be time conscious. This would enable the government of the United States of America to have the required information on time.
Being a coordinator at the Rescue International Ministry depicts leadership qualities. It means a person can be relied upon up whenever something comes up. The Central Intelligence Agency requires a diplomat who can be relied upon as a source of information about the security relationship between a foreign state and the United States of America, an individual or an institution.
On the other hand, there are chances of becoming a Federal Bureau of Investigation agents. Having psychology knowledge plays a major role in carrying out investigations in the country. FBI agents would use psychological techniques to obtain information regarding attacks, terrorism activities, and even corruption among citizens. The FBI is under the Justice Department greatly requires psychological knowledge before administering the justice of offenders.
Conflict and dispute resolutions are major skills that are required when enforcing the law by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to culprits. Whenever there is a dispute among citizens of America, FBI agents would be required to apply the necessary conflict resolution skills in order to settle the dispute on the ground (Lynch, 2019). On the same note, conflict resolution is a technique that is required in the justice system.
Liberal art is a study that focuses on rational thinking in human beings. Requirement before joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation is that one must have a four-year college degree and must have passed a background test. Therefore, this means that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is competent enough because their main focus is on college graduates meaning to become an FBI agent, one must be able to think logically.
Being a manager at Miami Concierge Group, leadership skills were acquired, analyzing data skills were also acquired, and finally, maintenance skills. In the Federal Bureau of Investigation, leadership skills are required in guiding the civilians on how to adhere to the government laws (Lynch, 2019). The analyzing technique is greatly needed since, after data has been collected, it must be analyzed and given out as useful information. The maintenance skill improves on the discipline of an agent in terms of data maintenance and also maintenance of the law.
At Eagle Miami Corporation, data collection and analyzing techniques were acquired, good interrelationship, and satisfaction to clients. FBI is a department that deals with data collection in the United States of America and analyzing them to give meaningful and relevant security information; therefore, to become a competent Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, one must be skillful with data collection and analyzing techniques. Federal agents must relate well with civilians to create a good relationship in their line of duty. Since the Federal Bureau of Investigation is under the National Justice Department, there must be a client’s satisfaction at the end of every process of administering justice.
At the paralegal, Sirota, and Associates, there was acquired knowledge of how the justice system operates. The Federal Bureau of Investigation works collectively with the Justice Department; therefore, knowledge acquired in the court cases concerning the immigrants built on the justice techniques hence increasing the chances of going for a federal agent officer.
In conclusion, the Nation Security and Intelligence agencies play a major role in backing up the security of the United States of America. The major similarity between the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is that both the two departments gather information regarding the security of the United States of America. The major differences are that the Central Intelligence Agency operates in foreign countries while the Federal Bureau of Investigation operates major on American soil, the CIA is a civilian department while the FBI is a federal government department. The CIA does not enforce the law while the FBI enforces law and administering of justice. Finally, the CIA counterintelligence operation is to safeguard delicate state security details and prevent loss of technological details to international states while the FBI counterintelligence is to work on the United States interests.
References
Kumar, M. (2013). The 2008 National Security Council Transition: Providing Continuity in a Bipartisan Environment. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 43(3), 490-522. https://doi.org/10.1111/psq.12043
Kessler, R. (2016). The bureau: The secret history of the FBI. St. Martin’s Paperbacks.
Lynch, J. (2019). The Federal Bureau of Investigation: Has the Evolution of the FBI Made the FBI Irrelevant?.
Berzon, M. S. (2019). Fazaga v. FBI. Collections, 2019, 02-28.
Pedlow, G., & Welzenbach, D. (2016). The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance: The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954? 1974. Simon and Schuster.
Marks, D. F. (2018). American psychologists, the Central Intelligence Agency, and enhanced interrogation. Health psychology open, 5(2), 2055102918796610.