We are a group of elite US Army veterans who were members of the United States Army Security Agency who was established by the United States Army on September 14, 1945 until December 31, 1976. During the existence, the Army Security Agency was under the operational control of the Director of the National Security Agency (DIRNSA), located at Fort Meade, Maryland; but had its own tactical commander at Headquarters, Army Security Agency, Arlington Hall Station, Virginia.

What we are trying to accomplish on behalf ofour fellow brothers and sisters who were members of this elite military unit is to declare a special day set aside to honor those who served within the Army Security Agency (ASA)

You may have never heard of this Army organization because it was a very top secret signal intelligence gathering agency under the operational control of the Director of the National Security Agency (DIRNSA), located at Fort Meade, Maryland; but had its own tactical commander at Headquarters, Army Security Agency, Arlington Hall Station, Virginia. The Latin motto was Semper Vigilis (Vigilant Always), which echoes Thomas Jefferson's declaration that "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." Besides intelligence gathering, it had responsibility for the security of Army communications and for electronic countermeasures operations.

The United States Army Security Agency was established on September 15, 1945 and existed through December 31, 1976 when it was re-designated to the Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) and was the successor to Army signal intelligence operations dating back to World War I.

The Army Security Agency was composed primarily of soldiers with the very highest scores on Army intelligence tests, the Army Security Agency was tasked with monitoring and interpreting military communications of the Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, and their allies and client states around the world. The Army Security Agency was directly subordinate to the National Security Agency and all field stations had NSA tech reps on site.

All gathered information had time sensitive value depending on its importance and classification. Information was passed through intelligence channels within hours of intercept for the lowest priority items, but in as little as 10 minutes for the most highly critical information.

Army Security Agency personnel were stationed at locations around the globe, wherever the United States had a military presence -- publicly acknowledged or otherwise. In some cases such as Eritrea, it was the primary military presence. Although not officially serving under the Army Security Agency name, cover designation being Radio Research, Army Security Agency personnel were among the earliest U.S. military advisors in Vietnam.

During the Vietnam War, although not officially serving under the Army Security Agency name, covertly designated as Radio Research, Army Security Agency personnel of the 3rd Radio Research Unit were among the earliest U.S. military personnel in Vietnam; 3rd later grew to become the 509th Radio Research Group. The first Army Security Agency combat fatality in Vietnam took place in 1961. This was Specialist James T. Davis for whom Davis Station in Saigon was named. President Lyndon Johnson later termed Davis "the first American to fall in the defense of our freedom in Vietnam". All Army Security Agency personnel processed in country through Davis Station. Army Security Agency personnel were attached to Army infantry and armored cavalry units throughout the Vietnam War. Some select teams were also attached to MACV/SOG and Special Forces units.

ASA military occupational specialties (MOSs) included linguists, Morse code intercept operators, non-Morse (teletype and voice) intercept operators, communications security specialists, direction-finding equipment operators, cryptographers, communications traffic analysts, and electronic maintenance technicians and a 42 man Special Operations Detachment to conduct clandestine combat operations, among others. Army Security Agency had its own separate training facilities, MP corps, communication centers and chain of command.

These occupations and support military occupational specialties, which required a top secret clearance with special intelligence/crypto access, were essential to U.S. Cold War efforts, were essential to U.S. Cold War efforts. Army Security Agency units operated in shifts, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Army Security Agency troops were not allowed to discuss their operations with outsiders — in fact, they could not talk among themselves about their duties unless they were in a secure location. Even today, decades after they served, some of the missions still cannot be discussed. Owing to the sensitivity of the information with which they worked, Army Security Agency soldiers were subject to travel restrictions during and long after their time in service. The activities of the U.S. Army Security Agency have only recently been partially declassified.

In the history of the Army Security Agency there is no record of the Army Security Agency failing to complete its mission! We were a highly trained, dedicated group of professional soldiers who often were avoided by our regular Army non Army Security Agency counterparts who were bewildered by our presence at their duty stations and, didn't understand our mission because of its secret nature. Today, we are a group of people scattered all over the globe and on social media who maintain friendships who remember the old days. We feel now it is time we are recognized for the efforts and contributions to the Signal Intelligence efforts we made in winning the Cold War.