REVIEW OF CIA S NATIONAL DEFENSE EXECUTIVE RESERVE PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00490R000100040025-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 24, 2000
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: October 4, 1962
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2003/08/13 : CIA-RDP82-0049OR000100040025-6
VW '-fto
4 O C 1 1962
TO : Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Review of CIA's National Defense Executive Reserve Program
1. PURPOSE.
a. Outline the purpose of the National Defense Executive Reserve.
b. Determine the proprieties of the Agency's continuing participation.
c. Determine what changes, if any, are needed in the handling of the
program and the personnel in it, if it is to be continued.
2. BACKGROUND.
as Executive Order No. 10660, dated 15 February 1956, established
authority for a National Defense Executive Reserve throughout the
Federal Government under the direction of the Office of Defense
Mobilization. CIA was one of fifteen Federal agencies invited to
participate in this program and the Director accepted the invi-
tation to establish an Agency Executive Reserve unit.
b. The program which was finally arrived at by the Agency in 1958
was composed of twenty-three persons, all of whom were either
former employees or current consultants, and all of whom were
sponsored by three offices in DD/I; i.e., ONE, ORR and OSI. Cur-
rent information, including names, occupational title and sponsoring
office is reflected at TAB A.
3. DISCUSSION.
a. The purpose of the Executive Reserve program is to estab~.ish an
effective nucleus reserve of executive talent for the civilian
operations of the Government by identifying, recruiting, and
training an adequate number of executives for use in the event
of emergency*
b. The Agency's decision to engage in the Executive Reserve program
appears to have been influenced primarily by the following factors:
(1) Participation in a Government-wide emergency manpower planning
program of this type would improve our internal government public
relations and enhance our chances of securing a fair share of the
manpower pool under the rigid controls which would undoubtedly be
imposed in any future general emergency.
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 Approved For Release 2003/08/13 : CIA-RDP82-00490R000100040025-6
SUBJECT: Review of CIA's National Defense Executive Reserve Program
(2) Designation of selected former employees and current consultants
as Agency Executive Reservists would prevent their possible loss
to other government agencies in an emergency and insure the availa-
bility of individuals with known qualifications and a degree of
familiarity with Agency operations.
c. The Agency has representation on the Interagency Committee on the
National Defense Executive Reserve which meets at the request of
the Office of Emergency Planning (formerly Office of Defense Mobi-
lization) and our Reservists have been invited to attend the
National Conferences held in Washington, D. C. Only two Reservists
attended the National Conference in 1960 and although the 1962
Conference promises to be better organized and of shorter duration,
we are not optimistic about this year's representation. With
minor exceptions the sponsoring offices visualize valid require-
ments for their Executive Reservists under their anticipated
wartime roles, but they have not found it practical to assign
them to specific mobilization positions. For this reason, and
because they have periodic contact with most of their Reservists
through their consultant status, the sponsoring offices have not
considered it necessary to hold special orientation and training
sessions with their Reservists, as do some of the other agencies
with large Executive Reserve programs.
d. The mobilization personnel requirements developed within CIA to
date reflect very little need for additional personnel at the exe-.
cutive level. Rather, the majority of our estimated additional
personnel requirements result from planned operations in support
of the military in theaters of operation and qualitatively fall
within the technical specialist and military skills categories.
However, it must be assumed that in event of a general emergency
under which nuclear weapons are employed heavy losses would occur
in the Washington area. In such event a strong, well-oriented
Executive Reserve made up of persons living outside the Washington
area could provide the capability of continuing vital intelligence
operations which might otherwise not exist.
e. Decisions as to composition and strength of the Executive Reserve
programs are left to individual agencies so long as the-numbers
are limited to those for which there is a demonstrable need in
essential mobilization functions. At the present time there are
113 consultants on the Agency's roles and approximately 100 em-
ployees in grade GS-15 and above left the Agency during the period
1 January 1959 - 30 June 1962. These sources constitute a reason-
ably broad base for the selection of additional Executive Reservists
if they are required.
downgradiflg and
d8C12sill:aSlOn
 Approved For Release 2003/08/13 : CIA-RDP82-0049OR000100040025-6
SUBJECT: Review of CIA's National Defense Executive Reserve Program
f. The agreement entered into between the Agency and the Reservist
is not binding on either side, but it does give the Agency priority
on the services of the individuals concerned if they are needed.
A copy of the Statement of Understanding executed by the Reser-
vists is at TAB B.
g. There are some problems connected with Agency participation in
the Executive Reserve program but none have proven to be insur-
mountable. The Civil Service Commission maintains certain basic
information on all Reservists and periodically publishes National
Directories, but the names of the Agency's Reservists are ex-
cluded from such directories. Also, those Reservists who attend
the National Conferences are registered as Office of Emergency
Planning Reservists rather than CIA Reservists.
4+. CONCLUSIONS.
as Continued participation in the National Defense Executive Reserve
program is in the Agency's best interest from an internal govern-
ment public relations standpoint and serves as a reminder to
Federal mobilization manpower planning authorities that the Agency
will have an expanded role to play in any future emergency.
b. The program provides the means of maintaining at very little cost
a force of highly qualified personnel who have a degree of famili-
arity with Agency operations who might be available if needed in
an emergency to supplement or backstop certain key Agency officials
at the executive level.
c. Although current mobilization plans reflect relatively few
requirements for additional personnel at the executive level, con-
sideration should be given to the advantages of the Executive
Reserve program as a means of filling some of the gaps which would
be left in the personnel structure in case of a sudden nuclear
attack on the Washington areao
d. If the Executive Reserve program in the Agency is to be continued
either on the current or expanded scale, a positive program should
be developed under which the Reservists would be advised regarding
their probable emergency roles and kept up to date on emergency
operational and relocation plans on a "need to know" basis as
determined by their sponsoring offices. In the interest of uni-
formity and continuing maximum utilization of this source of
emergency manpower it is desirable that regulations setting forth
the objectives of the program and the procedures for its adminis-
tration be promulgated.
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 Approved For Relea a 2003/0 ?, 90R0 0(1 0040025-6
5. ACTION RECOMMENDED:
a. That the Agency continue its participation in the National Defense
Executive Reserve program but on the basis that:
(1) Membership in the program be limited to those for whom there is a
demonstrable need in essential mobilization functions, either to
meet the needs of expanded or new operations or to backstop certain
key officials.
(2) The offices which participate in the Executive Reserve program
develop positive plans under which their reservists will be ad-
vised regarding their probable emergency roles and kept abreast
of emergency operational and relocation plans on a "need to know"
basis.
b. That the Director of Personnel be authorized to prepare for
coordination and publication of an Agency regulation setting
.forth the objectives of the Executive Reserve program and the
procedures for its administration.
FOIAb3b
`-- Director of Personnel
25X1A9a
Attachments
TAB A - List of NDER's
TAB B - Statement of Understanding
CONCURRENCES:
Assistant to DD /I (Administration)
L. K. White ---- Date
Deputy Director (Support)
Marshall S. Carter Date
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Approved For Release 2003/08/13 : CIA-RDP82-0049OR000100040025-6
MFIRFOAL
 SEENDER WILL CHECK CLASSIFY TION TOP AND BOTTOM
UNCLASSIFIED I NOW SECRET
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP
O NAME AND ADDRESS
DATE
INITIAL
Headquarters Building
777E32
2
L. K. White
26 Headquarters Building
3
Marshall S. Carter
6011 Head uarters Building
4
5
6
ACTION
DIRECT REPLY
PREPARE REPLY
3
APPROVAL
DISPATCH
RECOMMENDATION
COMMENT
_
_
FILE
RETURN
l&
CONCURRENCE
_
INFORMATION
SIGNATURE
Remarks :
The attached study on the National Defense
Executive Reserve has been prepared in consultation
with the CIA Emergency Planning Officer.
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
FROM: NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NO.
DATE
Emmett D. Echols Director of Personnel
5E56 Headquarters Building x682
UNCLASSIFIEDA 3/0
/1 c81 =
25X1A9a
P82-00490R000100040025-6
-00490 R000100040025-6
FORM NO. 702 7 Use previous editions (40)
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1961 0-587282