FBI Analysts Association Statement on 9/11 Review Commission’s Reports

The FBI Intelligence Analysts Association endorses the findings and recommendations contained in the recently released review of the FBI's response to the 9/11 Commission's recommendations entitled "The FBI: Protecting the Homeland in the 21st Century". The Association was founded in 2009 by FBI intelligence analysts for FBI intelligence analysts with the primary goal of advancing intelligence analysis as a distinct profession within the FBI and one that is central to its transformation to an intelligence-driven, threat-based national security organization. Since our founding we have worked successfully with FBI leadership to address issues that have adversely affected the professionalization of the intelligence analyst cadre, most recently a now reversed decision to remove the college degree requirement for new-hire FBI intelligence analysts. We are pleased that the Review Commission, while acknowledging progress that we also acknowledge, has affirmed the importance of the Association's work with the following finding:

Analysis as a Profession: The Bureau, despite its stated intentions to address concerns from its analysts over time, still does not sufficiently recognize its analysts as a professionalized workforce with distinct requirements for investment in training and education, rotational opportunities across the [US Intelligence Community] USIC, and a career service that will meet both the professional expectations of analysts and the growing needs of a global service.

As FBI employees and intelligence analysts, Association members are committed to the successful execution of the FBI's mission. We are very encouraged by the FBI leadership's response to the report and look forward to working with and holding them accountable for progress on specific initiatives to advance intelligence analysis as a profession in the FBI.