In a CIO.com article published August 6, 2008, by Thomas Wailgum recounts his interview with CIA CIO Al Tarasiuk and a 23-year veteran of the CIA’s IT group (who’s name was withheld for national security reasons). According this senior IT officer, IT professionals who travel overseas must be “versatile and agile” techs, who can handle just about any technical problem–from troubleshooting a PC or LAN to fixing a generator. As Wailgum wrote”
At one time he can be troubleshooting a LAN transmission system and another he’ll be called to an ambassador’s residence to assist on some tech problem. “But you can be pulled away to do HVAC stuff too,” he adds.
If the constantly-changing daily responsibilities weren’t enough to content with, IT staffers who travel overseas must also work in “bad spots” (including war zones) and be away from their families for months at a time. The CIA’s IT service is definitely not for fainthearted techs.
