NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE U.S. PRESENCE OVERSEAS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00434A000100030006-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 10, 2000
• Sequence Number: 6
• Content Type: REPORT

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CONFIDENTIAL
1. NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE U. S. PRESENCE OVERSEAS
1. The review undertaken in the preparation of this
Report indicates that progress has been made in planning
and taking actions aimed at the improvement of foreign
attitudes toward U. S. personnel overseas, constituting an
important contribution toward the achievement of national
security objectives. The review also indicates that much
more can be accomplished if senior agency and field officials
give greater personal attention to the policy aspects of the
OCB Report on U. S. Employees Overseas, 1958.
2. Promotion of better understanding between foreign
nationals and U. S. personnel is fundamental to successful
foreign relationships. The personal conduct of each American
overseas is a major factor in the acceptance by foreign nationals
of the presence of large numbers of Americans in their country.
Under inspired leadership, the natural inclination of the individ-
ual American to-be a good. repTpsentative of his country becomes
the foundation on which to build mutual understanding and gain
acceptance of the U. S. presence overseas.
3. A basic conclusion emerging from this review is
that the head of each department or agency having personnel
overseas should exert greater personal leadership to ensure
that U. S. personnel abroad und.ertnd he-importance of
their role as personal ambassadors. The senior representa-
tives overseas of departments and agencies, particularly each
Chief of Diplomatic Mission and. Commander of Unified Com-
mands, share this responsibility.
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CONFIDER TIA.L
II., SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURT14ER ACTION
4. In this summary, the 21 R.e commendations of the OC B
1958 Report are treated for convenient reference under four
headings:
A. Positive Approach,
B. Personnel Policies and Procedures,
C. Facilities and Privileges, and
D.. Community Relations.
The Annex contains a detailed analysis of the status of imple -
m:entation under each of these 21 Recommendations as reported
in replies to the Questionnaires sent to agencies, diplomatic
missions and military commands overseas.
5. It is apparent from these replies that the terms
"employees" and "administrative practices", as used in
the 1958 Report, led.to some misunderstanding of the
applicability and importance of the Report. To emphasize
that the Report applies to both civilian employees and
military personnel, and that more than purely administra-
tive action is required, these two terms are not used in
this review. To remove any doubt as to the applicability
of the 1958 Report to both military and civilians overseas,
the term "personnel" is used throughout this review rather
than "employees".
A. Positive Approach - Recommendation Zl,~OCB 1958 Report
6. This recommendation and discussion thereunder
set forth the philosophy and spirit in which the specific
actions contained in the other recommendations were to
be implemented. In the preparation of the OCB 1958
Report, it was recognized that all opportunities for
favorably influencing foreign attitudes towards the U.S.
presence cannot be capitalized upon by even the most
energetic implementation of the other recommendations
contained in the 1958 Report. 7. .ecommendation 21,
therefore, caged for positive action by responsible
officials.
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7, In addition to regular Government programs directly
affecting the personal attitudes and relationships of foreign
nationals toward the U. S. presence overseas, there are
numerous outstanding examples of successful activities
organized in the field both before and since the (GCB 1958
Reports to promote better understanding between foreign
nationals and U. S. personnel. In fact, it is as much from the
good program examples as. it is from the poor ones that the
major assumption of this report is drawn: viz., that under
positive leadership, individual Americans can and do create
a favorable image of America which contributes immeasurably
to the attainment of our national objectives..
8. A program that is not essentially based on emphasizing
the positive approach to life in a foreign country is of limited
value in promoting better. understanding between foreign nationals
and U.S. personnel. The foreign national responds to evidence
of a desire on the part of an American to appreciate his way of
life: to learn his language, to understand his culture or in other
ways to establish real rapport. Effort and a considerable degree
of mature patience are two essential ingredients of establishing
cultural empathy. The fundamental task, is therefore, to cap-
italize on the natural inclination of the American to be a good
representative of his country, to establish friendly contact with
nationals of the host country, and to enjoy the opportunities for
interchange with a foreign culture. To this end, a greater degree
of constructive motivation is attained when the American realizes
that his personal conduct and attitude constitute a significant
factor in the acceptance of the U. S. presence abroad and are,
therefore, important to maintaining U.S. capability to carry
out national security policies.
9. Development of motivation and molding of attitudes are
long-range matters and need clearly stated U.S.. Government
policy as a base on which to build. Such progress as has been
made in compliance with the Recommendations contained in
the OCB 1958 Report has been largely the result of under-
standing the foreign policy significance underlying the program.
In many instances the OCB 1958 Recommendations have been seen
solely in terms of requiring administrative action. This.has
.not been conducive to full achievement of the desired goals
in support of foreign policy. The evidences of progress in
improvement of personnel selection practices, in more
thorough orientation, and in the introduction of incentives for
language study, are all encouraging, but there is need for
general recognition throughout the Government that plans for
dealing with these issues must be laid on the basis of their
profound impact an national security requirements,
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10, Severa'1 reports indicate that some Chiefs of Mission and
Military Commanders have fully implemented the policy objectives
of Recommendation No. Z I through field.p:rograms which "convey
to the citizens of the. host country a sense of mutual benefit from
the_ U.S. presence." In some instances there are inter-agency
programs. goordixiated by the Chief of -Mission which go well
bee o icy the agehdte s joint, communic ltioh providing gtidat ce
in tFLC s e rnatte is i, With f xrthe r i dit tr&dual or joint agency
guidance' Jh broader.perspaotlvej including examples of such
ceesful fiel4'prbgraii sj it is possible that other field establish-
a!ieMs' would bd in.spired to implement the policy objectives of
thiselinmendation. The Defense Department's leadership
in Obmoting activities under the People-to-People Program
end "the achievements of personnel of all agencies in providing
disaster relief are outstanding examples of positive actions that
bring about a sense of "mutual benefit." Formal community
relations committees which include foreign national municipal
officials established in several areas are also effective examples
of positive programs.
i 1. The following are Recommendations for further action;
Recommendation No. One: That, inasmuch as the
problem of the U. S. presence overseas varies greatly
from country to country in its significance as a factor
affecting U. S. foreign policy and as to the actions most
appropriate for developing more favorable attitudes on
the part of foreign nationals, OGB Operations Plans,
as applicable, should contain specific guidance for utiliz-
ation of the contribution which individual Americans over-
seas can make in furtherance of country objectives.
Recommendation No. Two: That, in recognition of the
foreign policy significance of acceptance of the U. S.
presence overseas, the head of each agency designate
an appropriate official responsible for providing policy
direction on implementation of all activities covered by
Recommendations in this and the OCB 1958 Report.
Recommendation No. Three: That Chiefs of Mission and
Cornminders of Unified Commands review the policy
aspects of this Report, the April OCB 1958 Report and
OCB Operations Plans and give their personal direction
to the achievement of the underlying objectives bearing
on national security.
Recommendation No. Four; That field inspection pro-
cedures of each agency concerned, as appropriate, pro-
vide for inquiry into the manner in which these recom-
mendations arc being implemented and report to the re-
spective agencies.
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B. Personnel Policies and Procedures
(Recommendations 1 through 12 and 20 - covering Sele tiara
f
Processes,
Dependents)
Orientation, Language Training! and use o
12. Personnel selection procedures of all agencies have
been strengthened to some extent. Further improvement will
be facilitated by increased interagency exchange of newly
developed selection practices and techniques.
13. The Department of Defense is endeavoring to provide
re-employment rights for overseas service for its civilian
employees through administrative procedures and is seeking
additional statutory authority.
14. Both the agencies and the field report a number of
specific actions taken to ensure more adequate orientation of
American personnel. Agencies and the field could profitably
exchange more information on the content of their orientation
programs. A few highly successful joint agency orientation
programs overseas have been reported. In Washington, the
I use of joint programs should be further increased. Relatively
little progress has been made toward greater inclusion of
dependents and contractors' personnel in orientation programs.
15. There has been a significant increase in language
training at home and abroad for personnel, although pro-
vision for dependents is still on a space-available basis.
The host country language is taught in many U: S, Government-
operated , r_aerican schools abroad.
16. Where the host country permits attendance, a few
U. S. Government-operated schools have admitted children
of the host country, and in some of these cases the American
community has provided scholarships for such children.
17. Dependents of personnel overseas are employed to
a large extent by the Department of Defense and ICA, but as
a rule State and USIA policies result in more limited employ,-
meat of dependents.
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18. The following are Recommendations for further action:
Recommendation No. Five: That agencies continue to
strengthen selection programs for overseas personnel
and place increased emphasis on orientation, including
the orientation of dependents and contractors' personnel;
suggested procedures include further inter-agency con-
sultation and furnishing additional guidance to bring
about increased joint orientation in the field.
Recommendation No. Six: That agencies explore with the
field possibilities for more local or other language
training where little or none is now scheduled, even
if the difficulty of the language permits only a basic
course of study.
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C. 'acilities and Privileges
(Recommendations 14 through 18 covering Ply and Com-
missaries, Housin , Motor Vehicles an Personal Pro ?
erty and Currency)
19. The reports on PX and Commissary facilities range
from reasons Recommendation No. 14 cannot be implemented
to encouraging attempts to make these facilities. less con-
spicuous and to reduce the number of locally produced or
available commodities stocked. There is evidence of honest
misunderstanding of the import of the Recommendation itself
as it applies to stocking locally available items.
20. It is the practice of all the agencies to disperse housing
throughout local communities in so far as safety, sanitation and
economic factors permit.
21, The implementation of the OC "Guides" relative to
sale of personal property, motor vehicles and currency con-
version has been satisfactory in a few instances, except for
the matter of currency conversion implementation by Defense,
but implementation has generally been regarded as being solely
of routine administrative concern without due regard for the
significance of the "Guides" as measures bearing directly
on foreign attitudes.
22. Defense reports that it has not yet implemented para-
graph 27 of the "Guides" which concerns the payment of station
allowances in local currencies, stating its view that implemen-
tation is contingent on authorization of a reasonable amount of
currency conversion as is in effect for other departments and
agencies.
23. The following are Recommendations for further action:
Recommendation No. Seven: That agencies clarify
their guidance and instructions to the field on opera-
tion of PX and Commissaries, especially to make
clear that the intent of Recommendation No. 14 was
not to restrict the stocking and sale of locally pro-
duced or available commodities, nor to preclude the
sale of American or other foreign products, except
when equivalents are available on the local market at
comparable prices and in sufficient quantity.
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Recommendation No. Eight: That posts and unified
commands be instructed to submit their current
regulations pursuant to the OCB "Guides" for
review by the respective agencies and that the
agencies provide such additional guidance as may
be required to ensure closer responsiveness to
the program objectives of the OCB 1958 Recom-
mendations 17 and 18.
Recommendation No. Nine: That Defense and Treasury,
with other agencies affected, review the question of
currency convertibility for Department of Defense
military and civilian personnel overseas with a view
toward equalization of conversion privileges for all
overseas personnel consistent with the protection of
the fiscal resources of the United States and appro-
priate controls over improper transactions.
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D. Community Relations
(Recommendations 13 and. 19 - covering Employment of
Local, Personnel and Community Committees)
24. Legislation is being sought to authorize agencies to
administer foreign national employment overseas in accord
with host country customs and practices.
25. Military commands make extensive use of community
relations committees having host country national membership.
In four countries formal embassy committees with representa-
tion of both civilian and military agencies have been established
this past year. The feeling at some posts is that they have
complied with the spirit of the recommendation through informal
civic and social organizations sponsored by the posts.
26. The following is a Recommendation for further action:
Recommendation No, T c n : That posts and commands
where formal, bi-national, community relations com-
mittees have been established. report the committee
organization and significant successes to State and
Defense, respectively, for dissemination to other
posts and, commands for information and guidance,
to the end that this organizational concept be further
encouraged and promoted..
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