Originally published DCSA Director David M. Cattler to Retire After 35 Years in National Security Leadership on by https://www.hstoday.us/industry/people-on-the-move/dcsa-director-david-m-cattler-to-retire-after-35-years-in-national-security-leadership/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dcsa-director-david-m-cattler-to-retire-after-35-years-in-national-security-leadership at Homeland Security
David M. Cattler, Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), will retire at the end of September, capping more than 35 years of service in U.S. national security and defense. The agency formally announced his departure this week, confirming that he will step down from federal leadership on September 30, 2025.
Cattler has served as Director of DCSA since March 2024, overseeing a workforce of over 15,000 federal and contractor personnel and leading one of the largest security and vetting operations in the federal government. His tenure at DCSA included transformative changes to modernize the agency’s operating model, launch a new five-year strategic plan, and overhaul the $2 billion National Background Investigation Services (NBIS) program. His leadership has been credited with shifting the agency’s culture to a more collaborative, mission-aligned approach, especially in how it engages with the Defense Industrial Base and cleared academic institutions.
In a personal post on LinkedIn, Cattler reflected on the milestone: “After more than 35 years in public service—including the last posting as Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency—I will be stepping down from federal leadership this fall.”
He added, “Leading DCSA and serving alongside its extraordinary workforce has been the greatest honor of my career. I’m proud of the mission, the partnerships we’ve strengthened, and the trust placed in us to secure the nation’s most sensitive information, people, and technologies.”
Before joining DCSA, Cattler held senior leadership positions across the U.S. national security and intelligence communities. He served as NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security from 2019 to 2023, where he directed NATO’s civilian intelligence organization, advised the Secretary General, and led intelligence cooperation across the alliance and its global partners.
Earlier roles included Assistant Director of National Intelligence and Chairman of the National Intelligence Management Council, National Intelligence Manager for the Near East, and Deputy Assistant to the President for Regional Affairs on the National Security Council. At the Defense Intelligence Agency, he led the Defense Combating Terrorism Center, overseeing more than 1,200 globally deployed personnel during high-tempo operations.
Cattler’s experience spans intelligence integration, strategy, operations, and public-private engagement. He has advised senior leaders across the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, White House, and Congress—often during periods of geopolitical tension and crisis. He’s also played a central role in modernizing intelligence practices within NATO and aligning U.S. intelligence strategies for global regions and mission areas.
While a successor has not yet been named, Cattler signaled that he intends to stay connected to the national security landscape. “As I transition later this year, I’m looking forward to new ways to contribute—particularly through strategic advisory work, board service, and supporting organizations at the intersection of security, technology, and global affairs,” he wrote.
Cattler is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Naval War College and began his national security career in the U.S. Navy.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)
Originally published DCSA Director David M. Cattler to Retire After 35 Years in National Security Leadership on by https://www.hstoday.us/industry/people-on-the-move/dcsa-director-david-m-cattler-to-retire-after-35-years-in-national-security-leadership/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dcsa-director-david-m-cattler-to-retire-after-35-years-in-national-security-leadership at Homeland Security
Originally published Homeland Security
