ORGANIZATION OF FORMER EMPLOYEES OF CIA

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP83B00823R000200120003-7
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
7
Document Creation Date: 
November 16, 2016
Document Release Date: 
April 17, 2000
Sequence Number: 
3
Case Number: 
Content Type: 
MEMO
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PDF icon CIA-RDP83B00823R000200120003-7.pdf396.52 KB
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Approved For Release 2000/05/31 : CIA-RDP83B00823R000200120003-7 .....~ A n wry MLNMORAWDUM TO: The Executive Director Comptroller FROM SUBJECT : Organization of Former Employees of CIA QUESTION Is it in the interest of the Central Intelligence Agency for an organization of former employees of CIA to be formed under conditions that can be controlled by senior and reliable former employees? PURPOSE OF STUDY The purpose of this study is to present the advantages and dis- advantages of an organization of former employees of the Central Intelli- gence Agency, how such an organization could be formed, an initial set of bylaws, draft articles of incorporation, and some of the security con- sidcrations involved. It is believed that by starting the organization as proposed that there will always be sufficient responsible strength to prevent undesirable changes. The desirability and feasibility of an Association of Former Employees of CIA, Inc. has been discussed with a number of current employees, pro- bably over a hundred, to obtain their ideas and suggestions, many of which are incorporated in this study. The feasibility of forming such an association is incomplete at this time due to the following factors: a) A determination by the Director of what, if any, kind of former employee association is advisable; b) A determination of whether former employees want an association and what they want it to do; c) Whether there are enough contributions to enable the association to. get started and on what scale; d) Are security considerations such as to make the formation of such an association undesirable?; e) Do security considerations make it necessary t'^at the headquarters of the association be on CIA premises and under the custody of a CIA staff or contruct employee? Is support of this typo, legally or politically desirable? Approved For Release 2000/05/31 : CIA-RDP83B00823R000200120003-7 Approved For Release 200d1"/31 : CIA-RDP83B0082 ~00120W-7 . .w f .The study recommends a, course of action that will answer the question of feasibility. In conducting research in connection with this study it has been made clear that the study is to present a paper concerning the desir- ability and feasibility of an association of former employees. A factor in the growth of the association is that CIA does not know the current address of but a small percentage of its former employees. 1. Over a period of years there have been discussions about some type of former employee organization. Some study has been made con- cerning such an organization but the few documents that still exist are of little current value since they are very incomplete and do not reflect the staff work necessary to fully consider the problem. It would appear that either documents have been destroyed or that not much work has been done of the 'nuts and bolts' type necessary for a determination of the advisability of such an organization and if advisable how to form it. 2. From CIA's standpoint there are both potential dangers and advantages. 3. Some of the potential dangers are: a) A possible hostile reaction by Congress if the organization appears to be a political pressure association organized by CIA; b) Hostile press reaction for the same reason as set out in (a) above. c) Hostile and damaging action by anti-CIA members if they are allowed to become members; d) Danger to the security of CIA. This will be discussed in a separate, attachment. 4. Some of the benefits to CIA are: a) Public relations on a planned basis; b) An organization that can affirmatively act to counter a Smear-CIA campaign or a broader smear all intelligence campaign; Approved For Release 2000/05/31 : CIA-RDP83 x9120003-7 Approved For Release 20001 5/31: CIA-RDP83130082 00120003-7 c) Serve as a type of safety and security valve for individual former employees; d) Eventually serve as a locator of former employees on a broad basis as contrasted to the rather narrow capability of CIA to produce the current address of anything but a small percentage of its former employees; e) Assist in making the transition from employment to retire- ment easier; f) Give former employees, particularly retirees, a sense of still belonging and being of service to CIA. 5. The eventual purposes of the organization will contain some additional direct and indirect benefits as set out in the proposed initial letter to former employees but the purposes must be carefully worded to avoid the dangers set out in paras 3(a) and (b). 6. The above potential dangers and benefits to CIA are not specifi- cally mentioned in any of the papers relating to the organization except security which is attachment "A". 7. The bylaws, membership committee and control by the Board of Directors plus expulsion should go very far to prevent undesirable members. The draft Bylaws are set out in attachment "B". 8. The proposed letter, attachment "C", which surveys the views of former employees should go a long way to guard against criticism by Con- gress and the press that CIA formed the organization as a political instrument. The proposed letter of invitation to join the association is designed to further negate adverse criticism. As desirable as some he:Lp from CIA would be in the forming of the organization and during its first year of 'getting going', it is believed that this would not be defensible to Congress or the press even on valid security grounds. This must clearly be an organization formed by former employees with only the normal and necessary cooperation by CIA. 9. The discussion of assistance by CIA in paragraph 8 may not be valid. The argument to the contrary should therefore be presented. While the directory when published will contain only name, address, and current occupation if any, and will not indicate what it is a. lirectory of, there will inevitably be more information in the member's file. In the event an employment opportunity file is set up in the National headquarters there will have to be considerably more information in the file of the members Approved For Release 2000/05/31: CIA-RD.I?'$3' STS 1R000200120003-7 Approved For Release 2000'M5/31 : CIA-RDP83BOO823R00020012O -7 seeking employment. Even if the member sticks exactly to his approved profile, where one is necessary, the accumulated background of so many members, most of whom will have been overt in CIA, might make these col- lective files a counterintelligence target. The files will also contain actions for refusing membership to a former employee and reasons for expulsion if such should become necessary. There will be minutes of Board meetings and correspondence with chapters of the organization that might be embarrassing to CIA if the files were compromised. The above would argue for the National office to be on CIA premises in the custody of a CIA secretary, even if contract. .10.. There follows the steps necessary in forming the organization: a) Conduct a survey of 300 retired CIA employees by letter to ascertain their views; b) Compile the results of the survey. If these results are not favorable and it appears that a high enough percentage of the former employees surveyed are not interested in joining; then the organization should be dropped at this time; c) Start compiling a list of all known last addresses of former employees. Without doing the totally unrealistic pulling of files of former employees -- there are about 40,000 -- existing card indices and lists such as CIA retirement system, CIA reserve, locator cards which go back at least one year, address given at time of separation which goes back three years and other smaller lists that have been located will be used; d) Prepare non-profit incorporation papers - attachment "D"; e) Prepare a guess estimate budget based on expected contri- butions, membership fees, and dues. There is no basis on which this can be done at this time. 11. Ways to go about forming the organization: a) Form a Florida Chapter and go on from there, this would be easy but growing into a national organiza-t on would take a long time; b) Form a Washington Metropolitan Area Chapter and start very modestly as a type of luncheon or dinner club; Approved For Release 2000/05/31 : CIA-RDP83BQ0,823R000200120003-7 Approved For Release 2000/31 : CIA-RDP83B00823R000200120QQV-7 c) Start with CIA and CS retirees only with bylaws permitting the membership committee recommending to the Board of Directors that :former employees who are not retirees be progressively admitted as rapidly as the association can absorb them. This would be a progressive way of proceeding and expansion into a full national program. It could expand as funds are available; d) All-out effort to initially organize all "desirable" former employees on a national basis. 2. Plan (a) offers the advantage of getting started on an obviously former employee-initiated organization. It could invite former employees in other areas to form chapters, and furnish them assistance in the form of bylaws, how to organize, etc. The disadvantage of this'plan is that it would be a long time before a national organization got going. At the same time it would run no risk of a failure. 3. Plan (b) is more likely to immediately draw Congressional and press attention. It offers possibilities of a larger initial membership with more rapid growth into a national organization. It has the disadvan- tage of having a larger percentage of its membership who are working and cannot contribute time to assist the new organization. 4. Plan (c) offers the advantage of a national organization but still is modest enough to operate initially on a small budget. It also could accomplish some of the objectives envisioned for the ultimate organization. It offers the advantage of starting with a membership that has had longer service, greater understanding and more loyalty to CIA. The reliability and experience of the membership would insure adoption of adequate bylaws. There would also be a greater percentage of the member- ship who would have time to do work for the organization. 5. Plan (d) has the disadvantage of possible failure through lack of funds to get off the ground or from lack of initial interest or both. It has the advantage of offering the opportunity for rapid growth into a fairly large national organization. Contributions may be sufficient to insure its survival through its growing pains. The problem of growth is that the last addresses of former employees prior to 1968 and possibly 1967 are not known unless they are retirees under the rlA retirement plan. There is a possibility that the CS retirees addresses can be retrieved. In addition, the former employee list can be built up through memory of present and former employees. It is believed that this plan would hit the press at an early date. Some members of Congress and the press may be suspicious that it was organized by CIA as a political pressure group. Approved For Release 2000/05/31 : CIA-RDP83B0Q823R000200120003-7 Approved For Release 20 05/31 : CIA-RD . }823R00020012QQ03-7 -6- 6. All thinking up to the writing of this paper has been along the lines of Plan (d). The Bylaws and other papers were originally pointed to Plan (d). It is now our considered opinion that Plan (c) is best. The organization, once formed, can move towards Plan (d) as rapidly as is deemed advisable. If Plan (d) is favored the papers can easily be revised. IT IS RECCMi 1V'DED THAT : a) Plan (c) be approved as the basic former employee association plan and that progressive steps towards Plan (d), which is the ultimate goal, be developed by the Board of Directors; b)' The Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, former employee letter, be discussed at a meeting of 10 senior retired former employees for their views and sponsorship of a survey of 300 retirees; c) The letter to former employees (initially retirees only) be pre- pared in finished form incorporating the views of the para B meet- ing and be submitted to the Executive Director Comptroller for approval and be mailed to 300 retirees and that these letters solicit voluntary contributions to assist the association if.it is formed; d) If the results of the survey is favorable at least 20 senior retired employees be selected by the sponsoring committee and invited to attend an organizing meeting where Plan (c) together with all accompanying papers, draft articles of incorporation, bylaws, and all other papers, except this study, necessary to start the association will be presented and left for their deci- sion as to action. The results of the surveys shall be among the papers presented; e) If the organizing committee decides to proceed with the associa- tion, incorporates and elects temporary officers and Board of Directors, then the names and addresses of all CIA system retirees and as many as can be found of CS system retirees be furnished to the association; g) f) A decision be made Lis to whether CIA should be of any initial assistance to the association other than close cooperation; If these recommendations are tentatively approved, or if any alternate plan for forming the association is tentatively approved, that the entire plan and attachments be submitted to the Office of Security, Counter Intelligence Staff and Central Cover Staff Approved For Release 2000/05/31 : CIA-RC# 3R.Q00200120003-7 Approved For Release 20 p/05131 : CIA-RDP83B00823R0002001 pO3-7 for comments concerning the security aspects of the association. The most sensitive part of this plan is the publishing of a directory of members who can be listed. This must be faced at this time since if the association is formed the question will certainly come up and there is hardly a question that the members will vote for it. If publishing a membership directory on a national basis presents an unacceptable danger to the security of CIA then the bylaws should be changed to prohibit a national directory from ever being published. References to a national directory in other papers will be deleted except to state that it cannot be published for security reasons. Approved For Release 2000/05/31 : CIA-RDP83800323,R000200120003-7