Gals, females, women— the idea of espionage began with them. Women have been present in intelligence since the American Revolution, both world wars, and currently make up fifty percent of the workforce stationed in-country and in various foreign ones. Their underestimated nature and intuitive tradecraft has made them assets in our nation’s biggest operations. The Central Intelligence Agency began as a man-run organization with women positioned as typists and secretaries. Through their push for equal opportunities they have traded in their typewriters and petticoats for suits and briefcases, and have now occupied the highest-level positions in the intelligence community.