Three DIA alumni will receive the agency’s prestigious Torch Bearers Award during a ceremony at DIA Headquarters Nov. 13.
The Torch Bearers Award honors individuals whose contributions have directly impacted the agency’s success and accomplishments in a historical context. The award is the highest honor the agency can bestow on a former employee and recognizes their exceptional contributions to DIA’s mission. This year’s Torch Bearer honorees are Harry Klein, Alan Manners and Margaret Munson. Klein and Manners are being recognized posthumously.
Klein served in DIA from 1980 to 1993 as an Army officer and then as a senior civilian following his military retirement. He served for over a decade as DIA’s senior intelligence officer for terrorism analysis and is widely regarded as the architect of DIA’s counterterrorism analysis, missions, methods, work ethic and ethos. Further, he integrated DIA’s analytic support into the operational cycles of both special and conventional military units conducting counterterrorism operations.
Manners served in variety of roles in DIA from 1967 to 2005, beginning his career in combat support operations in Vietnam and culminating as a community-recognized Soviet ground forces expert. During his long and illustrious career, he established and maintained a standard of excellence while adapting to shifting priorities, technology and resources and continuously developing the skills, abilities and work ethics of junior analysts. Manners directly increased DIA’s relevance by becoming recognized not only in the U.S. intelligence community, but internationally within NATO. He paved the way for DIA’s critical role and relevance to our allies through information sharing and partnering.
Munson began her career in 1969 as a bilingual research analyst in the Defense Attaché Office in Lima, Peru, and retired from DIA in 1998. During her years at the agency, she was known as a highly astute manager who served in a number of senior positions. She was selected for two assignments in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Her first was in the Central Documentation Office working directly for the assistant secretary of defense for command, control, communications and intelligence. She was subsequently handpicked to serve as the staff director for the Senior Level Oversight Panel on Persian Gulf Illnesses. Munson helped make DIA relevant to the Department of Defense’s senior most decision-makers by raising their awareness of DIA’s output and integrating it into their decision making cycles.
The Torch Bearers induction is part of DIA Day, an annual event that brings former directors and deputy directors and members of the Defense Intel Alumni Association back to the agency for updates and exchanges with current leadership and employees. Founded in 1998 by and for former DIA employees, DIAA keeps its members informed about current events at the agency and the special accomplishments and whereabouts of DIA alumni, and participates in the agency’s mentoring program. DIA leaders often note the contributions of alumni. DIA Day’s theme of “Stronger Together” highlights the contributions of those who have served in the past as well as the diverse civilian and uniformed personnel currently serving in the agency.
The Torch Bearers Award was created in 2011 to coincide with the agency’s 50th anniversary. The 2014 inductees join 16 other Torch Bearers: Helen Allgeyer, Louis Andre III, Robert DeGross, John Hughes, Dr. Wynfred Joshua, Richard LaDue, Army Maj. Gen. Jack Leide, Gordon Negus, Charles Nomina, Bruce Rossing, Dr. Peter Scop, Army Maj. Gen. Homer Smith, Barbara Streb, Dr. Jack Vorona, Clyde Walker and Army Lt. Gen. Vernon Walters.
Any current or former DOD or IC employee may nominate an individual as a potential candidate for the DIA Torch Bearers Award. Each year, the DIA director appoints a selection board to review all nominations and make recommendations to the director for a final decision.