NSA goes back to the future for procurement

The National Security Agency named again today Harry Gatanas its top acquisition official.

Gatanas, who has 28 years of military experience, starts in early December at NSA, a Nov. 14 agency statement said. He will again oversee NSA's multibillon-dollar Project Groundbreaker and Trailblazer programs that aim to improve the agency's information processing and signals intelligence capabilities.

The retired Army general in 2000 became NSA's first senior acquisition executive. Gatanas left the agency in 2002 and NSA hired in his place Paul Schneider, who previously served as the Navy's principal deputy assistant secretary for research, development and acquisition.

An NSA spokesperson said Schneider retired or resigned from the post.

"Gatanas' expertise in Department of Defense acquisition processes, coupled with his prior experiences with the National Security Agency and the Central Security Service, means that he can begin on Day One the critical work of accelerating the plans, execution and deployment of mission capabilities," said Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Hayden, NSA director, in the statement.

NSA placed an ad in the Washington Post's Aug. 24 issue, announcing its intention to fill the senior acquisition executive position again.