Background and Status of Correspondence Handbook

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP74-00005R000200080022-1
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
C
Document Page Count: 
2
Document Creation Date: 
December 12, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 12, 2002
Sequence Number: 
22
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
February 6, 1968
Content Type: 
MF
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP74-00005R000200080022-1.pdf189.74 KB
Body: 
Approved For Release 2002/ , ; , . 0005R000200080022-1 6 February 1968 Background and Status of Correspondence Handbook present 1. At there is on the books the regulatory issuance titled Correspondence Style and Procedures". Some 3,000 copies were printed. Every component with a complete set of Regulations should include a copy of that Handbook despite its May 1955 issuance date. The original distribution was 1,235 copies and the remaining 1,865 were distributed until exhausted in October 2. As you will note in the attached folder, (TAB A) a revised version of the Handbook was started in February 1963 and was submitted to Regulations Control in August 1963. That draft was returned to this Staff in October 1964. 3. These attached diary notes indicate the subsequent coordination and re-editing that continued without producing a Handbook. Also, the requests for Corresponde ook copies became more and more em- 25X1 A phatic. In October 1965 reprinted 100 copies of the old 105 Handbook only updating the Forms in the exhibits. Distribution of these was limited. Fifty were given to OTR for their clerical training ions. Only a few are available today'. (One is attached. at TAB B 1 or your information.) 4. In March 1967 when I moved into this Staff I assigned a Career Trainee to complete the Handbook. He was not pleased with the assign- ment and requested a transfer within a few weeks f worked on 25X1 A 25X1 A it again and in July I had rework the draft. HIS product so imitated the Office of ommun ca ions Correspondence Handbook (including examples) I could not use it as an Agencywide issuance. In August 1967 1 talked with the Clerical Training faculty and with Mr. 25X1A9A their component Chief about my dilemma with the Hand- book. They were so anxious to have the Handbook completed they arranged to get me another Career Trainee. F--------]reworked the drafts, 25X1 A Chart comparing them (TAB C). His draft is the most promising to date (TAB D).. 5. During the summer of 1967 this Staff actively cooperated with National Archives and Records Service in preparing a Correspondence Handbook for the U. S.. Government (TAB.E). NABS announced its expected nalyzed the various other Handbooks ai~va- e*, and completed a Grid Approved For Release 2006,474-000058000200080022-1 Approved For Release 2002/08/26: CIA:RDP74-00005R000200080022-1 issuance for September 1967. We felt that it would fill many of the Agency Handbook needs and thereby permit us to issue a small supplement to the U. S. Government Correspondence Handbook. Unfortunately they have the type coordination problems we have and their book has been delayed too. Mrs. 25X1A9A 6. Your January 1968 inquiries parallel those we received from in Clerical Training. I can only respond as follows: a. There are 3,000 Correspondence handbooks in the Agency filed with the Regulations in each component. These have of the material that will appear in any new issuance, b. Large components with correspondence requirements have 'ved samples of the 25X1 (2) Office of Scientif- ic Intelligence, and Office of Communicat cons. We have ex- amined NPIC's as well. There are several others on which we were not consulted. c. The Office of Training used to issue a copy of the Handbook to every new employee passing through the Clerical Training Sessions. We urged and hope this practice will no longer prevail. d. We believe the old Handbook should not be reprinted again until it is revised and updated. e. I cannot believe the urgency for a new Correspondence Handbook is as pressing as the Clerical faculty is inclined to indicate. f. I do believe the Agency would save considerable printing costs if it issued the Government Correspondence Handbook and only printed a small supplement concerned with the few special exceptions required by some of our activities. This we could and should wait to do. 7. We will continue to prepare thel draft for coordination and probable issuance as the updated Correspondence Handbook for the Agency. We will be flexible enough to change the plan if a useable Federal Handbook is : issued soon. Any assistance and information you can provide us on this matter will be most appreciated. 25X1A 25X1A9A Approved For Release 2002/08/26 : CIA-RDP74-00005R000200080022-1