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Why did military branch intelligence services resist the early mission of the Defense Intelligence Agency?

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military intelligence U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters, Washington, D.C.

Following World War II, the United States military intelligence landscape was characterized by decentralized management, with the Army, Navy, and Air Force each operating their own intelligence sections. This structure led to significant inefficiencies, including duplication of efforts and unnecessary costs.1

When the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was established in 1961 to centralize these functions and integrate military intelligence efforts, it faced resistance from the intelligence services of the individual military branches. This friction occurred because the creation of the DIA sharply reduced the role and autonomy of the separate armed forces' intelligence services. Despite the DIA's mandate to act as the central manager for the Department of Defense, the military branches remained protective of their established intelligence capabilities, complicating the agency's mission during its early years.12