DA CAREER TRAINEES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88G00186R000300340034-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 34
• Publication Date: March 13, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP88G00186R000300340034-9
CONFIDENTIAL
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Communications f~~Il`il~h? ~ -~f
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Director of Finance
-
Director of Information Services
Director of Information Technology
Director of Logistics
Director of Medical Services
Director of Personnel
Director of Security
Director of Training and Education
FROM: Harry E. Fitzwater
Deputy Director for Administration
1. Since December 1983, a DA officers have entered the
Career Trainee Program. During that period, the DA program has
evolved from a base of an eight-week introductory course and
nine months of interim assi nments in the DA to a series of
courses including
2. The most important aspect of the Career Trainee (CT)
training is that it provides broad exposure to the DA and the
Agency that cannot be obtained in any other way. This exposure
builds networking and understanding that will be very beneficial
as the CT progresses in his/her Agency career. It is important
that your CT officers obtain maximum exposure outside of your
office during their year as CTs. When there is a choice between
an interim assignment in the sponsoring DA office and another DA
exposure, I prefer the latter. As more DA CTs enter the
program, and as the CT program as a whole grows, more and more
interim assignments for CTs will be requested of your office for
both DA and non-DA Career Trainees. To help you plan for these
assignments, the Career Trainee Division/OTE has surveyed the DA
CTs for their ideas on what comprises a good interim
assignment. Attached are their comments in random order.
3. When the CTs come to the DA for interims, they will
have had at least one interim in the DO as desk officers in an
area division, frequently responsible for all Headquarters
CONFIDENTIAL
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP88G00186R000300340034-9
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP88G00186R000300340034-9
CONFIDENTIAL
SUBJECT: DA Career Trainees
activities for a country or group of countries. Their jobs
often demand 12-hour working days and weekends. The CTs are
very enthusiastic about this dynamic exposure.
4. Please work to make the DA interims in your office
equally challenging. If the assignments are well received, it
will represent a plus, both for the CT and for your office,
because the CT program will want to fill the assignment
regularly, thereby providing you with additional manpower for
which position ceiling is maintained by OTE. If you have
questions on the DA CT program, please call the DA renre-
25X1 sentative,
Harry E. Fitzwater
Attachment:
As Stated
25X1 OTE/C-CT~
Orig - Addressees
2 - DDA
2 - D/OTE
1 - CTD/OTE
(13Mar85)
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP88G00186R000300340034-9
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP88G00186R000300340034-9
GOOD INTERIM
* Chance to take initiative
* A lot of work variety
*Opportunity to attend regular
managment meetings
*Opportunity to meet managers
throughout the component
*Supervisor interested in working
with CTs and who keeps in
touch with the CTs
*Support from co-workers
*Interest and support from
managers
*Getting introduced to lots of
people in the component
*Heavy workload
*Maximum responsibility
*Maximum opportunity to make
contribution
*Acceptance as a member of the
office
*Being expected to contribute
like everyone else
*Maximum opportunity to make
good impression
BAD INTERIM
*Not enough work
*No work, just overviews
or "grunt' work
*Not enough variety
*Isolated, menial job
*Answering phones, filing,
setting up files, reading
files
*No supervision
*No responsibility
*No one expecting you when
checking in
*Reading files as a major
activity
*Office does not want to
share its operations with
you
*Many gaps when there is
nothing to do
*Messenger duties
*Everyone too busy to
instruct the CT
*Supervisor who won't
react to negative feed-
back with positive
changes or who won't
request feedback
*Being treated as an
outsider
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP88G00186R000300340034-9