DOSO ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005700660005-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 5, 2007
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: January 12, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/12/05: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700660005-5
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
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SECRET--U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
COUNTRY Bulgaria
SUSIECT D060 Organization and Activities
DATE OF INFO.
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National Organization
1. D0S0 (Dobrovolna Organizatsiya za S usystvie na Otbranata; Valutntary Organization
for Defense Assistance) was officially established in 1951, following the met-
ing of the DOSO National Congress and the approval of its statute by the
government. The D060, headed by General Todor Toshe4 is controlled directly
by the Ministry of Defense and receives considerable financial support, arms,
general supplies, facilities, and military instructors from the Azwy.
2. The D030 has the following central organs: 25X1
a. The National Congress, which convenes every two years, is charged with
surveying the organization's activities for the past two years and issues
directives for the future; .it is however, only a formal gathering for
propaganda purposes.
b. The Central Committee, the actual executive organ, convenes in plenary 25X1
meetings twice yearly, but these meetings are unimportant because the
departments execute the actual work. It receives its orders from a
special department of the Ministry of Defense which works in cooperation
with a parallel department of the Party Central Committee. The Committee
has departments for organization, propaganda, training and sports, and
finance and equipment.
c. The Central Control Commission.
The regional organization of DCSO is identical in structure to the central
organization.
Small DOSO units (cells) operate in each, factory, institution, collective
farm, tractor station, and school in.tCwns and villages. Large towns and
SECRET--U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
STATE X
ARMY, I NAVY _3r- AI FBI
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cities are divided into sectors, each sector with one or +re cells. The
minimum r e q u i r e m e n t fora can is five mmbers. Cells which have five to 15
members are headed by a chairman, usually an Army reservist, and a secretary,
while larger cells elect a committee. Members of a cell gust keep in close
touch with each other and must know the address of all other ambers of the
same cell. The cell operates under instruction from the town or sub-district
DOSO Central Committee.
Msaberehiu
4. Total membership in the DOSO is approximately 900,000. Every-Bulgarian over
14 years of age may join the DOSO. Although membership is entirely
voluntary, the man' privileges which members enjoy have a great appeal and
influence over the masses. A candidate is admitted as a full member after a
probationary period of one year, during which his social background,
reliability, and performance are checked. Attendance at all DOSO-organized
lectures, training, and "special actions" is compulsory. DOW members receive
priority in admission to universities, special colleges, and elite military
units.
5.
Admission fee to DOW is 1.60 lava, and monthly membership dues are 0.80 lava.
Students pay monthly membership dues of 0.40 lava.
Aims and Activities
6. The principal object of DOSO is to make available military training and the
necessary knowledge of passive air defense to the civilian population. Its
training program is concentrated on firing exercises, passive air defense,
and communications:
a. DOSO has 36 rifle stations scattered through Bulgaria. Trainees are
sent to the stations in groups of eight to 12 and receive their rifles
on their way to the exercises. Service rifles (7.92 an. German rifles)
are used for rifle drill, but smaller caliber rifles are used in the
actual firing exercises. The course lasts six months, five hours per
week, and those who distinguish themselves are sent to a snipers' course,
which lasts two months, five hours per week. The snipers' course is
given to small groups of not over 16 trainees, and each group receives
an additional rifle fitted with a telescopic sight. Graduates of the
snipers' course received a badge and a "diploma."
b. Courses in passive air defense against air attacks and gas attacks, are
held both for members and non-members. Attendance is compulsory for
those non-members who are instructed to take the courses. Time course
usually begins in October and lasts six months, one lecture of two and
one-half hours per week. Principal subjects taught are defense against
gas poisoning, first-aid, and fire-fighting.
c. Elementary communication courses are held in schools. Advanced courses
are held in Army barracks. Principal subjects are semaphore, heliograph,
telephone, and radio. Classes are organized in every school, factory,
and institution and are limited to DOBO members.
7. Other courses organized by DOSO include flying, parachuting, truck and tractor
driving, sailing, marine engineering, and sanitation. Instructors in all
courses except truck and tractor driving are officers and non-coemissioned
officers of'the regular Army. Courses are held in military barracks and
installations.
a. Only a limited umber of DOBO members are accepted for training in
parachuting, and only a small amber seek admission to these courses.
SECRET.--U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2007/12/05: CIA-RDP80-00810A005700660005-5
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-3-
Those who do volunteer are considered "crazy" by their fellow members.
Approximately 50 Sofia youths, including 10 girls, were reported to have
participated in the course in,1953. Training takes place during th' summer
vacations, and trainees participate in other sports during the school year.
It is believed that the parachute training is given at Pleven.
be Courses in track and tractor driving are made available by D060 in every
town. Graduates of the course are tested by DOSO instructors before they
are allowed to take the official driving test for a drivers' license.
c. Sanitation courses last from three to four months, one 3-hour lecture per
week. Graduates receive the GS0 (Gotov za Sanitarna Otbrana; Ready for
Sanitary Defense) badge.
d. Courses in other subjects and sports, excursions, summer camps, and
contests between regional D060 branches are organized yearly,
8. TS Patriot is the official DOSO publication, but supplemental information
bulletins on military subjects and regular propaganda material are circulated
among D060.
9.
LC : A report, dated 15 January 1954
stated that Ge
l
,
nera
Toshev was to be made second in comimand under Dobri Ter
sshev of 8060
p
.
Another report, dated May 1954, reported that Toshev was now Inspector of
a Cavalry Division. A newspaper article, 3 June 1954, reported Tsolo
SECRET--U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Efforts are being made to develop a degree of alertness to internal security
matters in DOSO members. Lectures are held about enemy acts of sabotage and
the way to fight them, and books on such subjects are distributed to DOSO
branches. D060 ambers are often detailed to assist the Army and police in
keeping order during sass festivities, fighting fires and-collecting anti-
regime leaflets dropped from aircraft. D060 cells are providing organized
and disciplined units of the civilian population for both political and
defense purposes. D060 members are constantly reminded that the D060 cell
is a unit prepared to combat the enemy in peacetime by supplying information
and preventing enemy espionage and in war time by reinforcing the fighting
forces, by passive air defense, and by carrying on the fight behind the
enemy lines.
Approved For Release 2007/12/05: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700660005-5