The Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) will hold its 3rd annual Achievement Awards Ceremony Thursday, December 6th, at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. The ceremony will honor six young professionals in the intelligence and national security sectors for their professional contribution to the community.
The ceremony’s keynote speaker will be Letitia A. Long, Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), and the event will be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., with registration closing November 29th.
WashingtonExec got a chance to chat with the award recipients as they told us about their nomination, what it means to them, their mission and more.
Today’s participant is CPT Christa Martin, U.S Army, recipient of the William O. Studeman Award.
WashingtonExec: Did you know you were nominated for the award, or was it a surprise?
CPT Christa Martin: Yes, I was aware that I was nominated for the award, but the selection was a huge surprise.
WashingtonExec: How would you describe your mission?
CPT Christa Martin: My mission was to provide support for the Theater Intelligence Group collection operations during Operation Enduring Freedom. I served as the Commander of a Human Intelligence Analysis Company and the Officer in Charge of Collection Management and Dissemination Section as well as Document and Media Exploitation Cell. I assisted in providing direction and guidance for joint staff intelligence operations and administrative matters, and direct and indirect support to collection operations.
WashingtonExec: Finish the sentence: The best part of about my job is…
CPT Christa Martin: The best part of about my job is to know that what I do matters. Together with my team, I was able to provide valuable intelligence to tactical commands and the larger Intelligence Community while maintaining everybody’s health and welfare throughout the deployment.
WashingtonExec: Could you name an aspect of your job that you did not expect when you were first brought on?
CPT Christa Martin: I had prior deployment experience, but I did not expect my job to be as intense as it was.
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I worked countless hours every day to accomplish the mission, but every minute was worth of it. I was surprised that I was able to learn as much as I did during the past year.”
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WashingtonExec: Who is someone you admire? or Who has been a mentor to you throughout your career?
CPT Christa Martin: I have received great mentorship and guidance from my leadership but also my subordinates. Soldiers, regardless of their rank, provide valuable technical and tactical expertise, guiding me in the right direction. I have learned a lot from my Soldiers by listening to what they have to say and asking questions.
WashingtonExec: What is something you are most proud of, personally?
CPT Christa Martin: I am most proud of that I was successfully able to lead my company through a deployment and accomplish the mission while exceeding expectations and requirements that were placed on both myself and those under my command. I want to thank my Battalion Commander for trusting me with this great opportunity.
WashingtonExec: What organizations are you involved with outside of work?
CPT Christa Martin: The pace of my career has kept me on the move, deployed, and in my office to the degree that I have not had the time or opportunity to volunteer as much as I might like.
WashingtonExec: What is your favorite intelligence book or movie?
CPT Christa Martin: My favorite intel movie is The Recruit.
