Ann Caracristi, Who Cracked Codes, and the Glass Ceiling At NSA, Dies At 94 (washingtonpost.com)

An anonymous reader writes with this story at The Washington Post about the life and death of Ann Caracristi. From the article: "Ann Caracristi, who became one of the highest ranking and most honored women at the code breaking National Security Agency after a career extending from World War II through much of the Cold War, died Jan. 10 at her home in Washington. She was 94. ... Ms. Caracristi formally retired from her intelligence career in 1982, after becoming the sixth deputy director of the NSA . . . She was the first woman to serve as deputy director. One of her strengths was reconstructing enemy code books, said Liza Mundy, a former Washington Post staff writer who is working on a book about U.S. female code breakers during the war. Admired for her early accomplishments as a young woman in wartime Washington, Ms. Caracristi was credited in her later career with providing leadership for new generations of code breakers and for her efforts to bring computers and technology to bear on the work. ... One of her jobs at the NSA was as chief from 1959 to 1980 of branches devoted to research and operations. Her honors there included the Defense Department's Distinguished Civilian Service Award and the National Security Medal, among other top federal honors. After retiring, she began serving on a variety of prominent scientific, defense and intelligence advisory boards and committees."

Comments

Re:Glass ceiling is a term that only originates

[peragrin]

Except the glass ceiling exists. My sister is dealing with it now. She was told for the last five years a promotion is hers upon retirement of a guy. She gets above average pay raises and bonuses, excellent reviews.

This year she was told she might get the promotion in two years when he retires. That since she uses 80% or more of her vacation time that she won't be able to handle the job. Exact wording. The best party is the guy she is replacing uses all his vacation time, and works 4 12 hour days a week so he can always have a three day weekend.

His opinion of her went down when she had kids. That is the glass ceiling.