FBI Brain Drain

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

By Kelli Arena, CNN's American Morning

May 16, 2006

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The government is losing more than a few good men and women charged with fighting the war on terror. The CIA and the FBI dealing with a so-called brain drain losing some of its most talented people to the private sector. But why?

Here's CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An FBI agent for 31 years, Ronald Nesbitt has decided to call it quits.

RONALD NESBITT, FORMER FBI OFFICIAL: I knew that I had to make a decision while I was still relatively young, while I was attractive to the private sector and not much later in my career.

ARENA: Nesbitt, who is 52, ran the counterintelligence unit for the FBI's Washington field office. He says he was happy at work and wasn't job hunting, but got offers anyway. In the end, he says he did what was best for his family and accepted a security job with a large corporation.

NESBITT: I have two daughters that are adults and one is graduating, one is still a sophomore in college. I have a young daughter still, so I was really looking at expenses.

ARENA: Nesbitt is just one of several top officials giving in to the lure of the private sector. Gary Ball, the top counterterrorism chief, is leaving next month to work in security for a cruise line. In fact, since the attacks on September 11, at least six top counterterrorism officials have left. Alarming some members of Congress.

ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: He does...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These are critical jobs at a critical time.

MUELLER: I understand what you're saying and it is an issue. We're wresting with.

ARENA: The FBI points out the officials who left spent decades working at the FBI and says it's well prepared to replace them.

MIKE MASON, FBI EXECUTIVE ASST. DIRECTOR: We know what the dynamic is in terms of the average retirement age of senior bureau employees. And as a result, are working hard to develop the bench we need to develop.

ARENA: But according to a study requested by Congress, the high turnover at the top makes it harder for the FBI to make necessary changes. Tim Roemer was a member of the 9/11 Commission.

TIM ROEMER, FMR. 9/11 COMMISSIONER: When you have six managers in the counterterrorism area in five years and you don't have that experience and that leadership at the top, even when you're bringing in creative new people, you are going to have significant morale and transfer and turnover problems at the bottom.

ARENA: Nesbitt says in his case there wasn't much the FBI could do. It came down to needing the money.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Now the salary for Nesbitt's position tops out at $165,000, civil service and all. But in the private sector, his expertise is, of course, worth a lot more.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security -- Soledad.