NIC WARNING PROCEDURES

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP83B00100R000300070018-8
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
4
Document Creation Date: 
December 16, 2016
Document Release Date: 
January 20, 2005
Sequence Number: 
18
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
April 9, 1980
Content Type: 
MF
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP83B00100R000300070018-8.pdf114.26 KB
Body: 
Approved For iWease 2005/03/24: CIA P83j0010003000700 8-8 THE DIRECTOR OF CEN L INTELLIGENCE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505 Deputy Director for National Foreign Assessment 9 APR 1980 MEMORANDUM FOR: National Intelligence Officers SUBJECT : NIC Warning Procedures 1. DCID 1/5, which established a National Intelligence Warning System, assigned specific responsibilities to the NIO for Warning and the regional NIOs. The NIO/W, among other things, is charged with being "alert to alternate interpretations within the Community" and with de- veloping a "warning consciousness and discipline throughout the Com- munity." The NIOs, who have substantive responsibility for warning in their respective fields, are directed to conduct Community-wide monthly reviews of situations potentially requiring the issuance of warning. 2. The establishment of the NIC offers an opportunity to take advantage of the collective expertise of the NIOs to enhance the monthly warning reviews and assist the NIO/W. With a view to strengthening the ability of the NIC collectively and the NIOs individually to conduct disciplined and systematic examinations of trends and developments which may have potential warning significance and eventually require the is- suance of an Alert Memorandum, the following procedures are established: a. The NIC as a warning committee: 1. The Chairman of the NIC will convene the Council as a warning committee at least once a month -- more often when required by events. 2. NIC warning meetings will discuss in depth an agenda of not more than three or four principal items, and review briefly less urgent items of potential warning significance. 25X1 Ot4L ..x :.. ... 1 Aar 86 Approved For Release 2005/03/245:EETRDP83B00100R000~000 - Approved For lease 2005/03/24 : CIA_RDP83B0010M00300070018-8 1. The NIO should make it clear to the participants that their purpose is not to arrive at consensus judgments, but rather to test prevailing assump- tions and explore reasonable alternative inter- pretations of data and events. 2. He should routinely circulate an agenda well enough in advance of the meeting to allow atten- dees to prepare themselves. 3. Should it seem appropriate, he might consider assigning topics to individual attendees. 4. The monthly report to the DCI is a unique op- portunity for the NIO to express his views, but he may on occasion be inhibited by the broad dissemination these memoranda receive. While a report of the proceedings at the meeting is, of itself, valuable to the DCI, in such cases the NIO should consider a limited dis- tribution cover memorandum expressing his own views. 3. NIO monthly meetings will be held, as before, during the third full week of each month. Reports are due to Chairman, NIC by COB Tuesday of the following week. The NIC monthly meeting will be held at 0900 on the Tuesday of the second week, combined with the DD/NFA's regularly scheduled NIO meeting. 4. These procedures are designed to facilitate a more orderly and disciplined examination of potential warning problems, articulate and evaluate assumptions underlying current assessments-with greater pre- cision, and identify analytic and collection deficiencies. This sys- tematic approach should have a valuable cumulative effect in enhancing the NIC's awareness of and sensitivity to potential warning problems and its ability to set in motion at the earliest possible time analytic and collection actions that will strengthen the Community's ability to issue timely and accurate warning. Bruce Clarke, Jr. All portions of this memo are classified SECRET -3- 25X1 Approved For Release 2005/03/2 F RAIRDP83B00100R000300070018-8 Approved For ease 2005/03/24: CIA-RDP83B00100003000700i$-8 SECRET C/NIC 1m (2 Apr 80) Distribution: 1 - Each NIO 1 - DD/NFA 1 - DD/NFAC 1 - C/NIC 1 - AC/NIC 1 - EXO/NIC 1 - NFAC Registry Approved For Release 2005/03/24E(WRDP83B00100R000300070018-8 25X1 Approved For Release 2005/03/24: CIA-RDP83B00100R000300070018-8 Approved For Release 2005/03/24: CIA-RDP83B00100R000300070018-8