An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Former NSA/CSS Leadership

Directors, National Security Agency
Deputy Directors, National Security Agency
Directors/Deputy Directors of the Armed Forces Security Agency (NSA's predecessor)
Vice Directors, National Security Agency
Deputy Chiefs, Central Security Service


Beginning Date	Name
November 1952	MG Ralph J. Canine, USA
November 1956	Lt Gen John A. Samford, USAF
November 1960	VADM Laurence H. Frost, USN
January 1962	Lt Gen Gordon A. Blake, USAF
June 1965	LTG Marshall S. Carter, USA
August 1969	VADM Noel Gayler, USN
August 1972	Lt Gen Samuel C. Phillips, USAF
August 1973	Lt Gen Lew Allen, Jr., USAF
July 1977	VADM Bobby Ray Inman, USN
April 1981	Lt Gen Lincoln D. Faurer, USAF
May 1985	LTG William E. Odom, USA
August 1988	VADM William O. Studeman, USN
May 1992	VADM J. Michael McConnell, USN
February 1996	Lt Gen Kenneth A. Minihan, USAF
March 1999	Lt Gen Michael V. Hayden, USAF
August 2005	Gen Keith B. Alexander, U.S. Army
April 2014	ADM Michael S. Rogers, U.S. Navy
May 2018	Gen Paul M. Nakasone, U.S. Army

Beginning Date	Name
August 1956	Mr. Joseph H. Ream
October 1957	Dr. H. T. Engstrom
August 1958	Dr. Louis W. Tordella
April 1974	Mr. Benson K. Buffham
May 1978	Mr. Robert E. Drake
April 1980	Ms. Ann Z. Caracristi
July 1982	Mr. Robert E. Rich
July 1986	Mr. Charles R. Lord
March 1988	Mr. Gerald R. Young
July 1990	Mr. Robert L. Prestel
February 1994	Mr. William P. Crowell
October 1997	Ms. Barbara A. McNamara
June 2000	Mr. William B. Black, Jr.
August 2006	Mr. John C. "Chris" Inglis
January 2014	Mr. Richard H. Ledgett Jr.
February 2014	Mr. George C. Barnes

Directors of The Armed Forces Security Agency (NSA's predecessor)

Beginning Date	Name
July 15, 1949	RADM Earl E. Stone, USN
July 15, 1951	MG Ralph J. Canine, USA

Deputy Directors of The Armed Forces Security Agency
(NSA's predecessor)

Beginning Date	Name
November 1950	Colonel S. P. Collins, USA * Captain Joseph Wenger, USN * Colonel Roy H. Lynn, USAF *
April 1951	Colonel Travis Hetherington, USAF
* From November 1950 to April 1951, there was a Deputy Director for each service.

Beginning Date	Name
December 1952	RADM Joseph Wenger, USN
November 1953	BG John Ackerman, USAF
June 1956	MG John A. Samford, USAF

Beginning Date	Name
November 1999	Maj Gen Tiiu Kera
October 2001	Maj Gen Tommy F. Crawford
July 2003	Maj Gen Curtis M. Bedke
September 2004	Maj Gen Stephen J. Miller
July 2006	Maj Gen Randal D. "Randy" Fullhart
July 2008	Maj Gen Noel T. (Tom) Jones
October 2010	Maj Gen Jim H. Keffer
July 2012	Brig Gen D. Scott George
August 2014	Maj Gen John D. Bansemer
February 2016	Maj Gen Mark W. Westergren
August 2018	RADM Daniel J. MacDonnell