REMARKS BY ADMIRAL STANSFIELD TURNER ON MULTI-SERVICE MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01554R003100190001-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2005
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 23, 1980
• Content Type: SPEECH

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Remarks by Admiral Stansfield Turner
Director of Central Intelligence
Multi-Service Memorial Day Ceremony
Arlington Hall
23 May 1980
Good morning. We are joining here today to honor the men and the
women of the intelligence profession who have served their nation
courageously in both peace and in war. Because of the nature of their
work, their deeds, their glory are generally unknown to all but a few.
Whether they are operatives in the field behind enemy lines, whether
they are working in a listening post in a friendly country, whether
they are analysts here at a headquarters, so much of what they do must
be kept secret because there are others who are following behind to do
the same thing again. But rather than diminishing the luster of these
men and women, when judged against their countrymen whose deeds are well
known, it greatly heightens it. For the intelligence profession, both in
peace and war, has its "quiet heroes."
In wartime, the intelligence professional is usually the first behind
the enemy lines--depending sometimes on his wit, sometimes on luck just to
survive. In peacetime, the risks are often: just as great as in war. Alone
in a hostile country with a job to do and ro one to turn to, the intelli-
gence professional must depend upon his expertise, his training, his self-
confidence, his nerve, his incredible bravery.
Neither the President nor any battlefield commander can today make
sound decisions without the input, without the support of the Intelligence
Community. In my opinion, as we enter an era of closer parity in military
forces, that input from we in the Intelligence Community to the policymakers
and the battlefield commanders of our coun'.ry, is growing increasingly
important. And yet, as profound as that contribution is and will be, it
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is usually an anonymous contribution. Anonymous because pieces of info nna-
tion must be blended with other pieces of information to bring out a whole.
Anonymous because of the exploits of the people who went out and got the
factual data or the techniques of analysis that enabled others to merge
that data into meaningful conclusions, must be kept private for the future.
Often the only reward the intelligence professional has is his own
personal knowledge of what he has accomplished, his own personal pride
in the part he has played and the fact that he has performed his duty
and performed it patriotically and well. Thus, while life in the
intelligence profession often lacks moments of public glory, it never
lacks true heroism. As our President said just a short distance from
here in a memorial service a few days ago for the eight Airmen and
Marines who lost their lives in attempting to rescue their countrymen
in Iran, "The strength of our nation has always lain in the ability
of individual Americans to do what we must, each of us, each day,
whatever our particular duty is." Let us each this morning rededicate
ourselves to that goal that the President has enunciated, and do so
in the memory of our comrades who have gone before us and whom we honor
here today. Their courage, their valor when duty called is a standard
by which we will all be judged. Thank you.
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