GRA UTILIZATION OF ST/I

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00680R000100050001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 9, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 25, 1959
• Content Type: MEMO

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ce Memorandum ? UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
Ch/G/RR
SA to Ch/G/RR
GRA Utilization of St/I
DATE: 25 September 1959
I. The purpose of this study is to examine the nature and scope of the
utilization of the St/i mechanism for securing intelligence by the GRA,
and to determine what problems may actually exist which affect the use
and value of this channel.
of intelligence interest which are placed on St/I as requirements.
2. Those requirements arising as the result of an unusual
intelligence source becoming known or available and which is judged to have
general categories:
1. Those requirements arising from a reading or formal evaluation
of a report or document. This activity sometimes suggests additional questions
IT. Discussion
A. GRA places requirements for intelligence on St/I in those instances
where the sources of needed information are not readily available to the
GRA intelligence officer. St/I, part of whose function is to be knowledgeable
concerning the various non-standard sources of information, thus becomes
a means to secure such necessary information.
B. GRA intelligence officers have two major functions: One is to
prepare geographic analyses, reports and maps on either assigned or self-
initiated topics; the other is to develop a high degree of substantive
competence in an assigned geographic area of responsibility. In carrying
out these duties he may place requirements on St/I which fall within these
a potential for filling intelligence needs. 5X1 130(
25X1 130c
3. Those requirements which are embodied in Reading Panel
Instructions and standing collection guides.
4. Ad hoc requirements generated by work on a specific assigned
project in hand for which additional intelligence information is needed.
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25X1 130c
SUBJECT. GRA Utilization of St/I
C. The number of requirements placed on St/I by GRA in addition to
the Reading Panel Instructions and the Collection Guides is not great
throughout the GRA. Statistics regarding actual numbers of requirements
are not available.* D`GG uses St/I facilities much more than either D/GC
or D/GL; within D/GG there is a wide variation between branches in the
use of St/I; the variation is based largely on differing experience as
a result of using this channel for requirements. D/GL utilizes St/I
primarily for domestic procurement and in responding to NIP's. While
D/GC has some need for services rendered by St/I/RR its requirements
are often handled cooperatively through D/GG as a result of the close
horizontal working relationships between the branches in the two divisions.
Factors contributing to the low volume of requirements placed on St/I
by GRA are:
1. The amount of time necessary to prepare requirements is judged
to be high in relation to the qualitative and quantitative character of the
returns.
2. The generally low priority given to requirements of a geographic
nature leads to a reluctance to spend limited man-hours in their preparation.
Responses are often a long time in coming and are not always available for
projects for which they were originally intended.
3. Most information of a geographic nature is available to GRA
in readily accessible sources, hence those items of information for which it
is necessary to seek assistance in collection are relatively few in number.
4. Better and quicker results are often obtained by using other
more direct channels. Many GRA intelligence officers have developed working
contacts in DD/P, 00, OCR, AMS, Dept. of State, Army and other offices. These
channels are utilized directly to advantage in both time and quality.
5. D/GC uses St/I very little except for the standing Reading
Panel requirements. Other potential requirements are channeled through D/GG
as a matter of expedienc
25X1 130c
*A total of 708 man hours was charged to 60.858 (preparation of requirements)
during FY 1959. An additional 68 hours was charged to 25X1 B0c
This figure is suspect as it isn't sure that such time is repor a as
accurately as it might be but it is indicative of the small amounts of time
currently spent on requirements.
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SUBJECT: GRA Utilization of St/I
6. D/GL makes little use of St/i except for domestic procurement
and response to NIP's.
D. quality of Response to Requirements
The quality of the responses to requirements placed on St/I
varies a great deal. Some branches feel that they get some good material
from this channel, others feel that little if any of it is of significance.
In some instances the time between requirement and response has been too
great to permit use of material which has come in this way. In those cases
where high priority has been established for a GRA requirement the response
has been generally prompt and useful.
The take from this channel forms a very small amount of usable
material in D/GG as a whole.
The quality of the material received through St/I varies with
the bulk of the requirement. Whenever a requirement is specific and
limited in scope it usually results in a prompt, adequate response; if
the source can be identified the response is even better. As requirements
become more broad in scope, more general and have less indication of
sources for collection the less prompt and adequate are the responses.
E. Problems
1. The basic problem that GRA has with St/I is that St/I seems
to be a block or unnecessary step between the GRA intelligence officer
and the source of information. There is general agreement that St/i
no longer rewrites requirements before passing them to a collector
but the time spent in handling the requirement is too long in many
cases to permit the use of the information in the situation for which
it was needed. It is generally asserted that a more direct approach
by GRA intelligence officers to the collector is more effective both
time-wise and qualitatively. Some GRA people do go directly to DD/F,
and other contacts which they have cultivated and secure good results.
In some cases the same requirement is formalized and sent through St/i
in observance of the established channel, although the desired information
comes in sooner via the direct channel.
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SUBJECT: GRA Utilization of St/I
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2. other Specific Problems
Some of the problems listed here are apparently the result of
non-functioning of the machinery rather than a lack of desire or interest
on the part of St/I. In some cases the stated St/I system, if operating
properly, would normally take care of the problem but it doesn't always
seem to function as it is designed to. These problems apply in varying
degrees from branch to branch*
a. The GRA intelligence officer often doesn't know the disposition
of his requirement once it is placed on St/I. A greater degree of follow-up
and indication of the progress of the requirement would be appreciated by
the requester. The situation is improving, however, especially in the
matter of notifying the requester as to the acceptance or rejection of
the requirement; it is beyond this point that more follow up is desired.
(This would place an increased burden on SO and might not be practical.)
b. The time elapsing between placement and receipt of a requirement
is often too long to permit the collected information to be used in the
project for which it was intended. This is not necessarily or entirely a
problem with St/I but is partially a result of conditions in the collecting
process itself. It may be that too much time is spent coordinating
requirements which are peculiar to GRA and which might be better met
if sent on with little or no further coordination. GRA often coordinates
its own requirements prior to their formulation.
c. Responses to requirements are not always clearly identified
as such. This arises in part from the embodiment of GRA requirements
in a list of requirements from several offices. The report coming
back may cover the subject of a requirement but the analyst may not be
aware that it is actually in answer to his specific requirement.
d. Potential requirements sometimes are not made, and some
do not arrive in time, because the length of time a certain source is
to be available is not communicated to the requesting office.
e. Sources once interrogated are not always kept in sight so
that they can be returned for future questioning when needs arise.
f. There is a feeling that there is a low level of response
and quality in general in the material received through this channel.
Here again this varies between branches and probably reflects the
nature of the collection problem in the geographic area involved, the
nature of the requirements, and the availability and capability of the
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SUBJECT: GRA Utilization of St/I
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collector rather than any particular defect in St/I. It is agreed, however,
that if the GRA analyst can go direct to the DD/P or other contact involved
he usually gets a better and more prompt response than if he goes through
St/I.
g. D/GL states that much material that should come to it
doesn't, but goes to AMS instead. Intelligence reports that concern topo
mapping are often made known to D/GL by a counterpart at ANS instead of its
being received through distribution channels in D/GL.
h. GG/X also states that the OCR reading panel doesn't always
get things to it that it should but routes them elsewhere.
III. Recommendations
It is recommended that steps be taken in order to accomplish
the following:
A. To permit a closer contact between the requesting officer
and the collector. This could be arranged through St/I perhaps. It has
been found that the nearer to the collector the requester gets the more
satisfactory is the response.
B. To effect a closer follow-up on requirements to determine
their continuing validity, and to put them to various sources until filled,
and to inform the requester of the status of his requirement.
C. To inform the requester when his specific requirement has been
responded to.
D. To inform possible requesting officers of the length of time
a source will be available for exploitation at the time such source is
announced.
E. To keep a field check on sources who having been interrogated
may at some future time be wanted for return and further questioning.
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SUBJECT, GRA Utilization of St/I
F. To tighten up the screening and routing of documents
by the OCR reading panel in so far as affects DILL and GG/X particularly.
G. To review the overall collection process of the Agency.
St/i is only a part of this process and has to operate within it.
Some comments arising from GG/X indicate a need for a review of the
whole mechanism to see if it could be brought up to a higher level of
sophistication, One aspect that needs strengthening perhaps is our
ability to identify and motivate domestic sources who can be applied
to foreign sources here and abroad in collecting needed information.
Requesting officers should also be brought as close as possible to these
domestic sources.
25X1A9a
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