POSSIBLE MISINTERPRETATION OF TRAINING ACTIVITY BASED ON RECENT MEDIA DEVELOPMENTS.

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00146199
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: January 17, 2025
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: July 14, 1975

IXSPE GENER4.Z..
I
14 July 1975
ZEMORANDUM FOR: The Insp4Etor General '
� -�
: Possibleimisinterpretation of
training activity based on re-
cent media developments.
����
1. Recent media coverage of Agency testing of chemical
substances on individuals brings to mind one incident which,.
as a result of the press exposure, might prompt a misinterpre-
tation of a one-time Agency training program. It is reported
here so that you will have it in file should the question be
raised.
� 2. Over a period df five years or so, the writer headed
�a team of "indoctrinators" used in the "Enduring Enemy Detention"
training program for "sheep-dipped" personnel assigned to OSA. '
The program was under the supervision of the Psychological Services
Staff/OMS. During the conduct of the program, it was not unusual
for a trainee to experience hallucinations, .and in fact they had
been pre-briefed on the possibility and given guidance on how to
handle the situation--which several did most effectively.
3. One student, name not recalled but available in the writer'
reports of the exercises hopefully still maintained somewhere in the
Office of Security, during an exercise experienced hanueinations
and had difficulty with handling the situation, An fact was near .
hysteria. In an In-situation discussion with him to assist him in
confronting the situation, he broke out of the problem by stating
� that he believed he was being held in the basement of a mental hos-
pital in Virginia and that a hallucinagenic gas was being pumped into the the room through the air conditioner.. He could not be dissua-
ded of the belief, even when it was pointed out that others in the.
� room were not so effected. In fact, he wondered aloud how we were
able to filter out the gas. Of course, there was no gas, no drug,
AWD chemical substance. However, on the presumption the student is .
no longer assigned to the Agency, this incideat should be documented
for reference should he ever come forward with his misunderstanding
of what actually transpired.
�
4. Also for the record only: The writer served as a voluntee2
for an OMS "pill-taking" experiment, as one in'a group of 20 or 30 z
� .I recall. Later I learned that the pills_I had been given were plac
�bos, and that I was in the control group, rather than the group give
the substance. I did not know this in advance, of course, and par-
ticipated out of trust for the OMS official conducting the test. --
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