LETTER TO MY FELLOW EMPLOYEES FROM GEORGE BUSH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M00165A002600030005-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 30, 2004
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: January 19, 1977
• Content Type: LETTER

Approve r Release 2004/03/11: CIA-RDP80M 5A00q00300:650+J9 5_
The Director
Central Intelligence Agency
January 19, 1977
To My Fellow Employees:
It's time to go now, and yet it seems as if I have just
begun.
First, I want to say Thank You to all. I have never been
associated with any institution that gives its leadership more
cooperation and more support. I wish I could thank each of you
personally.
As I leave the Agency and the Intelligence Community there
are a few personal observations I would like to make.
First, I believe it is essential that the American people
give this Agency its full and unqualified support. The world
we live in demands no less. The support for the Agency was
shaken during the height of the public hearings in 1975. It
was shaken, not only because of a handful of abuses that did take
place and which indeed had been remedied before the hearings took
place; but also it was shaken even more by the endless stream of
allegations which were untrue but which were given great attention.
This is changing now, and it is changing for the better. We
are still slugged at times with unfair criticism, but the sensa-
tionalism is giving way now to legitimate inquiry; the adversary
relationship with Congress has given way to thorough and
constructive oversight; the frantic search for reorganization
and dismantlement has given way to a legitimate search for ways
to improve things.
It is essential that CIA continue to work with the Congress,
with the rest of the Executive Branch, and to some degree with
the public, to demonstrate that CIA the Reality is very different
from CIA the Myth. We are cooperating fully with all concerned;
and this is bound to result in the Truth. We honor the Truth;
we do not fear it.
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 Approved iRelease 2004/03/11: CIA-RDP80M00NA002600030005-9
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Secondly, we should continue to strive for fair and
better legislation to protect sources and methods of obtaining
intelligence. We should do all we possibly can to guard against
unauthorized leaks, and I strongly urge that we have a reawakening
of the need for present and past employees to honor their security
commitments. No foreign intelligence organization can be run
without careful adherence to security, and we should be ever
mindful of the fact that security is everyone's job.
Thirdly, I am pleased with the way the President's Executive
Order has been faithfully implemented. All components have
cooperated fully. As a result we are operating within the
guidelines--guidelines designed to safeguard the rights of
private citizens. To deserve the confidence of the American
people, we must continue to operate, as we are now, within
the law, responsive to Congressional and Executive oversight.
I congratulate all for working to make the Executive Order
effective.
Lastly, a word about the Dedication here. I have been
privileged to serve in many fascinating assignments in public
and private life, but nowhere else have I ever encountered the
same degree of unselfish dedication-to country as I have
encountered here at CIA. I thank each and every one of you
for the cooperation you have given me over the past year. I
know you will give our new Director the same support you have
given me.
I am leaving CIA now, but I take with me many happy
memories. Even the tough, unsolved problems don't seem so
awesome; for they are overshadowed by our successes and by
the fact that we do provide the best foreign intelligence in
the world. I am leaving, but I am not forgetting. I hope I
can find some ways in the years ahead to make the American
people understand more fully the greatness that is CIA.
Sincerely,
ush
Approved For Release 2004/03/11 : CIA-RDP80M00165AO02600030005-9
 "EN[ R WILL CHECK C IFICATION T_OP AND BOTT_OM
l;~ :LASSIFIF:D (:ONFIIWNTIAI,
_
SFa ItF:T
ROUTING SLIP
Executive Rsgistr
TO
NAME AND ADDRESS
DATE
INITIALS
I
DCI
z.
The attached note, which you have
reviewed in draft, is forwarded for your
-signature. .
I shall forward it to the Community
with a covering note suggesting that wide
rather than narrow dissemination would be
most appreciated.
alter Elder, Exec Sec, NFIB
...d C...- D..I,...~.,. ')AAA/A!/l l t'IA DPIDQA11AAn
 pproved~ Release:2004%0~11~f'CLi4-RDP80M~5A00260
THE DIRfCTbR ?F CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20503
~ ~ ~s~~ 6~~'~
TO MY ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
As my all too brief tenure as Director of Central intelligence
draws to a close, I want to thank each of you far the cooperation and
support you have given me. .~:
During the course of the past year I have come to realize that
indeed the United States is blessed with the finest intelligence in
the world. The dedication inherent in an assignment in the
Intelligence Community is without equal. I have served in many
fascinating assignments in public as well as private life, but no~~-~
where have I encountered the degree of commitment which the
Intelligence Community enjoys.
I wish I-could have accomplished more in obtaining legislation,
to protect intelligence sources and methods. I worry about leaks =?
from employees of the Community, past and present, and this nation
needs a reawakening to honor the spirit as well as the code of our
secrecy agreements. No foreign intelligence institution can be run
without the strictest adherence to security. - -- -
I am pleased with the response the Community has given in
implementing faithfully the President`s Executive Order. All com-
ponents have cooperated fully and I was particularly gratified to
see for the first time a single consolidated budget prepared and
submitted to the President on our National Foreign Intelligence Program.
Moreover, the faithful observance of the guidelines of the Executive
Order has gone a long way in restoring the confidence of the Americar-
people in our Intelligence Community. I congratulate all for making
As I now leave the position of the DCI, I wish to express my
gratitude for the support you have given me in carrying on our foreign
intelligence mission. I have great faith in you; American intelligence
is in good hands.
George Bush
 Approve Release .~,1-F~DP8
Dan:
Some time ago you mentioned to me a letter
Here is one I have drafted to CIA employees
It is not, I am sure responsive to what you
had in mind for vthe community....
Please look this over and then let's chat t~
see what if anything is rewired for Communit,~.
The average DIA employee does not loastk
to me as head of his organization- CIA
people do- hence the dilemma..
e ~ have jU~t
I have never heel?
lea~da-i~ship mare
thal~{c each o~F you
e American peopT e
port The world
the Agerrcy was
gs in 1975. It
abuses that did take
re the hearings took
stream of allegai:ior~s
af:tenti on.
for the better. We
ism, but the sensa~
uiry~ the adversa>!