THE STORY... It was not that long ago that secret NSA listening post facilities were set up across the globe to intercept audio and visual communication transported through satellite networks. These minimally staffed but high-functioning bases were the cornerstone to intelligence gathering in the war against communism and later Islamic terrorism. Posts were established in some of the most extreme regions of the world: within a small village of KaramĂźrsel on the Sea of Marmara, Eritrea in East Africa, reputed to be the hottest place in the world, Alert, Nunavut, located on Ellesmere Island with a permanent population of zero.
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Our story takes place on what was once vital strategic ground that over time became an aforementioned forsaken outposts - Shemya Island, located in the Aleutians about 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. At one !point, more than 1,500 United States personnel were stationed here. The base was known for its two radar systems, Cobra Dane and White Alice that lord over the island like sentries on permanent watch. It was here that intercepted audio communication was processed and reported. Shemya was also known for its inhospitable cold temperature and desolate landscape, making it one of the more dreaded deployments a soldier could be given.