Before the man, there was a woman Agnes Meyer Driscoll (the First Lady of Naval Cryptology): The Teacher Who Made It All Possible

 

Before Joseph John Rochefort, there was a woman (seems a common occurrence, doesn’t it), Agnes Meyer Driscoll. I have written about her many times because she deserves far more recognition than she has received, and because her story illuminates something essential about the cryptologic tradition.

Agnes Meyer Driscoll was a civilian cryptanalyst who joined the Navy's cryptologic organization after World War I and spent the rest of her career there, through the Office of Naval Communications, through the Armed Forces Security Agency, into the early years of the National Security Agency. She broke most of the Japanese naval codes that the Navy's OP-20-G unit worked on during the interwar period. She trained Joseph Rochefort. She trained Laurence Stafford. She was, in the assessment of every uniformed colleague who worked alongside her, without peer as a cryptanalyst in the Navy during her career. I think Rear Admiral Grace Brewster Murray Hopper’s legacy comes closest to paralleling Ms. Driscoll’s, though Admiral Hopper is better known.

Agnes Driscoll was also almost completely unknown outside the small community of people who worked with her, and even within that community, her contributions were not always fully acknowledged during her lifetime. This is a pattern I have seen repeatedly in the cryptologic community: the people who do the most important work are often the people who receive the least recognition, because the work is secret, because they are civilians, because they are women, or simply because the institutional machinery of recognition has not been designed to see them.

One of the reasons I write is to correct this. Agnes Meyer Driscoll's story deserves to be told. Rochefort's story deserves to be told. The stories of the NSG Sailors who died on the LIBERTY and the PUEBLO deserve to be told. If those of us who know these stories don't tell them, who will?  

Who will help tell the stories of Cryptologic Technician Interpretive (Russian) Second Class Nancy Johnson-Emanuel, Cryptologic Technician Technical Second Class (Surface Warfare/Air Warfare) Dawn Makowski, Lieutenant Commander Victoria Kaye Reeve, Cryptologic Technician Collection Chief Robin Strayer, Captain Kathryn Helms, Cryptologic Technician Collection Second Class Jessica Lynn Wherry, Vice Admiral Jan E. Tighe, Captain Sandy Brooks, Captain Miriam Perlberg, Cryptologic Technician Interpretive (Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu) First Class Kuljinder “Jeena” K. (ਕੁਲਜਿੰਦਰ) Cheema, Commander Christine Weston-Lyons, Captain Sharon Peyronnel, Commander Vicky Orem, Cryptologic Technician Interpretive (Russian) Second Class Elaine Gridley-Makela, Captain Connie Frizzel, Cryptologic Technician Interpretive (Russian) First Class Iitaniya Page, Vice Admiral Heidi Berg, Master Chief Christin Rees, Lieutenant Angela Anderson, Cryptologic Technician Collection First Class (Surface Warfare/Air Warfare) April Lewis, Captain Cynthia Widick, Commander Kimberly Cobb, Cryptologic Technician Interpretive (Russian) Second Class Charene Magers, Master Chief Penny Tardona, Captain Melanie Winters, Master Chief (Air Warfare) Patricia N. Riley, Cryptologic Technician Administrative Chief Linda Shirley, Cryptologic Technician Administrative Master Chief Kimberly Harmon, and so many other women who contributed so much to the fabric of the cryptologic community?  I only know the smallest pieces of their immense and significant contributions.

Thank you, Master Chief Matt Zullo, for your phenomenal work in telling the cryptologic story through your series “The U.S. Navy's ON-THE-ROOF GANG The UNTOLD and REAL-LIFE STORY of the U.S. Navy's ON-THE-ROOF GANG”.

⚓  LEADERSHIP NUGGET

The people who do the most important work are often the least recognized. Make it your personal practice to see them, name what they have done, and ensure the record reflects the reality. If you don't tell their story, who will?

 

Secret no more: 50 leadership lessons distilled from the blog "I Like The Cut Of His Jib !!"

These draw from recurring admiral quotes, personal command experiences, critiques of naval practices, mentorship stories, and timeless naval principles emphasized throughout the posts. They blend integrity, accountability, human connection, and mission focus.

1. Hold yourself accountable without exception — Leaders who place themselves beyond accountability lose trust forever (Admiral Kinnaird R. McKee).
2. Integrity is the most important leadership trait — Reward it above all else, even if it means delivering uncomfortable truths that risk your career.
3. Never compromise your integrity — Once you stray, rationalization sets in, and you can no longer stand on principle (Admiral Arleigh A. Burke).
4. Lead by example always — It must be "Do as I do," never "Do as I say."
5. Delegate responsibility but retain accountability — Indecisive or morally weak leaders destroy morale.
6. Make decisions decisively — Gather input, weigh it, then commit fully and stand by your choices with integrity.
7. Embrace genuine diversity for peak performance — Not quotas or statistics, but varied talents, experiences, backgrounds, and ideas that sharpen warfighting edge.
8. Cultivate a culture of fairness and respect — Unite the team through shared commitment to the Nation and each other.
9. Discipline with dignity — Hold people accountable while preserving their self-respect (Force Master Chief David C. Lynch).
10. Practice intrusive leadership — Show deep concern for Sailors' success through empathy, openness, honesty, and positivity; "Sailors don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care."
11. Mentor proactively — Use formal and informal means to share experience and help juniors and peers grow.
12. Conduct timely Career Development Boards (CDBs) — Involve CMC, Chiefs, and counselors; start within 30 days of reporting, then at 6 and 12 months.
13. Implement strong sponsorship — Assign sponsors and resolve issues in the first 72 hours for smooth integration.
14. Recognize creatively and often — Go beyond end-of-tour awards with mid-tour Flag letters, POD highlights, handshakes, and public praise.
15. Apply military justice consistently — Hold everyone equally accountable, but expect more from seniors.
16. Maximize senior exposure to juniors — During visits, ensure juniors benefit most from interaction and learning.
17. Share meals with juniors and Chiefs — Lunch together to listen, learn, and build stronger bonds.
18. Distribute information freely to department heads — Trust them with secrets; shared knowledge empowers the command.
19. Avoid favoritism in the wardroom — Playing favorites divides and undermines trust.
20. Prioritize your calendar for the mission — Minimize ceremonial distractions to focus on warfighting readiness.
21. Write and widely distribute a clear command philosophy — Align the team, spark discussion, and guide followership.
22. Provide honest 360-degree feedback — Ensure actions match words to avoid perceptions of insincerity.
23. Use personal correspondence for profound motivation — Handwritten notes from leaders inspire more than medals and last a lifetime.
24. Motivate through recognition of specific achievements — Flag-level thanks for upgrades like language proficiency drive performance, awards, and retention.
25. Practice servant leadership — Give away authority to gain it, aligning the team for top performance (influenced by VADM James Bond Stockdale).
26. Adhere to core Naval values — Honor, Courage, Commitment, discipline, obedience, integrity, technical excellence, and dedication to national defense.
27. Be a lifetime learner — Stay current in technology, threats, and tactics to inspire subordinates.
28. Know yourself and seek self-improvement — The foundational principle of naval leadership.
29. Seek responsibility and own your actions — Take full accountability for outcomes.
30. Infuse leadership with kindness — "Kindness Always, in all ways" — through personal connections and selfless acts.
31. Proactively support families — Train ombudsmen to share info, resolve issues, and prevent escalation.
32. Ensure effective indoctrination — Follow sponsorship with programs that set expectations and value talent.
33. Match actions to words — Sailors detect insincerity instantly; credibility depends on consistency.
34. Respect others' time — Be punctual to avoid wasting it and build trust.
35. Reward integrity over promotion fears — Change systems like FITREPs to value those who risk careers for truth.
36. Steer positively to avoid shoal waters — Address perceptions that integrity hazards careers before confidence erodes.
37. Support up and down the chain — True followers and leaders bolster everyone.
38. Become competent followers first — Study the organization, mission, and leader's style to anticipate needs.
39. Anticipate problems proactively — Go beyond expectations to provide leaders with informed decisions.
40. Create opportunities when none exist — Don't wait; make them happen (VADM Jack Dorsett).
41. Maintain moral forces — Order, courage, confidence, and cohesion through consistent standards.
42. Hold poor performers accountable — Don't accept "accomplish the mission in spite of" them; develop or correct.
43. Value personal letters as the highest honor — They motivate through careers far more than medals.
44. Foster initiative through honest feedback — Underwrite honest errors once to develop leadership.
45. Solve problems instead of admiring them — Focus energy on fixes (VADM Jack Dorsett).
46. Maintain credibility under pressure — Poor judgment undermines faith in leadership, especially in tough circumstances.
47. Set high standards as representatives — Your uniform obligates exemplary conduct at home and abroad.
48. Channel energy positively — Direct young Sailors' P&V (pep and vinegar) through discipline and training.
49. Build lasting mentorship relationships — Decisions like detailing mentors can influence careers for decades.
50. Remember leadership is about people — The 20-year-old bluejacket is the backbone; invest in their success, morale, and growth for mission success.