BigfurHat@iOTW Notes the “creepy factor” of the NSA for Kids website.  http://www.nsa.gov/kids/

In my humble opinion, it’s not really all that creepy.

Central U.S. Government agencies have been doing this for years under a few semi-secretive programs that measure IQ, aptitude and propensity for problem solving. In the modern era it’s appropriately called DAAD’s.

What’s new is the platform, the internet.   In the “olden days” it was puzzle books and subscriptions.   Or, sometimes trade craft engagement could come from word of mouth (old school word for networking) inside various educational platforms such as “Spelling Bees”, “Debate Teams” or the various state “science fairs”, the latter still being predominantly utilized today.

Science fair winners are always publicized, and just like the aforementioned alternate platforms, shadow screening (tradecraft tagging) has long been a part of Human Resource Development within security agencies.   Various innocuous front groups acting as filters.

A regional, or state level, win at a science fair can initiate contact from a seemingly private group (a tradecraft contracting company) offering scholarship/educational assistance or even early level employment and internship.

However, both the CIA and NSA expressly do not want to wait for their candidates to exit college – the FBI does.   For the intelligence community most of the more sensitive candidates are identified, tagged, tracked and then recruited directly from High School.

If you want your son/daughter to have a career job with the NSA, or the CIA, (and it’s not a bad gig all things considered) the NSA website platform most likely allows shadow screening to measure early level aptitude.

The most valuable current skillset sought for identification is data code building. If identified, and after an exhaustive amount of background research -always happening before contact- your son or daughter may just potentially be the next Jack Ryan or Edward Snowden.

Teach your children well.