IMAGE OF CIA EMPLOYEES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88G01116R001202230006-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: June 25, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/01/14: CIA-RDP88G01116R001202230006-6
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
2 5 JUN 1986
86? ZgS6~1
Ground Weapons Branc Pensive Systems Division
Office of Scientific and Weapons Research
SUBJECT: Image of CIA Employees (U)
1. Purpose: To alert you to some unfavorable criticism I recently
received on the quality of CIA employees. (U)
2. Background: On 20 June 1986, I attended a conference on
battlefield fire support technology and requirements. Attendees included
various DoD representatives, Martin Marietta Corporation executive staff
members, a Congressman (Representative Denny Smith, Republican of Oregon),
several Congressional staff members, and some defense consultants.
Lecturers/briefers included historians, writers, persons with fire support
program experience, and persons with user experience. I gave a
presentation on Fire Support for the Infantryman. At dinner and at
conference breaks after my presentation--wherein I had been introduced as
an Agency employee--several attendees expressed to me a general
disappointment with the quality of CIA employees with whom they had
recently come in contact. Inasmuch these attendees expressed their
criticisms in a positive, concerned fashion, and were by all indications
friendly to the Agency, I wanted to make you aware of their perceptions.
(C)
3. Information: Their criticisms characterized CIA employees as
tending to be very young, uninformed, inexperienced, impressed with
themselves, and generally unhelpful; in essence, the employee was the wrong
person for the job. The words "not mature" and "amateur" were recurring.
Three examples:
- A staff assistant (who himself appeared to be
all of about 25 years old) to Congressman Smith
said that he was surprised at the youth of so
many Agency employees. He went on to say that
many were "big-deal acting," immature, and
often appeared not to understand the nuances of
issues, citing weapons capabilities in
Afghanistan as an example. He concluded by
saying that he felt this was a widely-held
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/01/14: CIA-RDP88G01116R001202230006-6
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/01/14: CIA-RDP88GO1116R001202230006-6
SUBJECT: Image of CIA Empoyees (U)
view among his Congressional staff circles
and that it was "turning off a lot of people
on the hill."
- A gentleman employed by a Congressional
foundation who said he had recently been
(he implied that the trip
was related to the provision of US
assistance) described the behavior
of Agency employees he observed there
as amateurish and "creating an unfortunate
impression." He attributed the problem
to apparent inexperience.
- The chairman of the board of Martin Marietta
Corporation, having overheard one of the
above comments to me, said, "I have
really been disappointed that the Agency
doesn't seem to be getting this turned
around. These kids you are hiring
may be very smart. Unfortunately,
they just don't know anything." (S)
4. I cannot speak to the backgrounds or motives of the individuals
I've mentioned except to say that no malice was evident. Their perception
was disturbing to me and seemed worthy of being brought to your attention.
(U)
-2-
SECRET
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/01/14: CIA-RDP88GO1116R001202230006-6
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/01/14: CIA-RDP88G01116R001202230006-6
Subject: Image of CIA Employees (U)
Distribution:
Original - Addressee
1 - DDCI
1 - Ex. Dir
1 - Ex. Registry
1 - DDI
1 - OSWR Chrono
I - OSD Chrono
1 - OSWR/OSD/GWB Chrono OSWR/OSD/GWB
-3-
(24June86)
SECRET
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/01/14: CIA-RDP88G01116R001202230006-6