INSCOM PROJECT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00788R001200230045-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 7, 1998
• Sequence Number: 45
• Publication Date: October 10, 1979
• Content Type: MF

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DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF FOR INTELLIGENCE
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20310
DAMI-ISH 10 October 1979
MEMORANDUM FOR GRILL FLAME SCIENCE EVALUATION GROUP
SUBJECT: INSCOM Project (U)
1. (U) History.
a. (S) Tasking: In the fall 1978, the Intelligence and Security
Command (INSCOM), Fort Meade, MD, was tasked to establish a program to
examine potential use of psychoenergetics for intelligence purposes.
Initially, specific interest has focused on that element now called
Remote Viewing (RV). The INSCOM project (IGFP) has been and will be
evolutionary in nature:
(1) Establish a training familiarization program utilizing
specially selected INSCOM subjects (RVers).
(2) Establish RV intelligence collection techniques.
(3) Establish a system mechanism for responding to intelligence
collection requirements (tasking by intelligence producers like DIA) so
that RV-produced data is quickly and efficiently used.
b. (S) Selection of RVers:
(1) To accomplish the mission it was necessary to locate people
who might possess requisite psychic talent. The approach here was to
match a large body of candidates against a number of subjective traits
observed by SRI over the years (an RVer profile).
(2) 251 INSCOM personnel in the Baltimore/Washington area were
considered. 117 were interviewed in a "survey" which purported to
determine attitudes about possible use of psychic phenomenon in intelli-
gence collection.
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SUBJECT: INSCOM Project (U)
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(3) IGFP managers/interviewers were alert for individuals who
were: well thought of by peers and supervisors, above average intelligence,
self-confident, articulate, adventurous, open-minded, career successful,
mature, and "emotionally stable." Additionally, artistic ability was
desirable. Those who displayed unreasonable enthusiasm for or against
psychoenergetics were eliminated from consideration. Also culled were
those who, for personal or professional reasons, were uncomfortable with
the concept of collecting foreign positive intelligence by psychoenergetics.
c. (S) Lessons Learned During Selection Process:
(1) Of the 117 interviewed, 30-40 met the basic criteria outlined
in paragraph lb(3) above. However, it was impossible to reduce this number
further based only on the RVer Profile. Another round of factoring down
was done by application of a criteriehbased on assignment availability
(relative permanence in the area). The number of candidates dropped to 12.
The lesson here is that should an expansion of the IGFP be required, it
will not be difficult to locate people who will do well in RV.
(2) More than 90% of all those interviewed considered psychic
phenomenew to be real, and of practical value.
2. (U) Training.
a. (S) At the time the IGFP began, SRI was the only major serious
organization exploring psychoenergetics. INSCOM was directed to conclude
with SRI, a contract which called for a certain number of RV specialists
to undergo SRI familiarization training.
b. (S) In February 1979, SRI researchers intimately familiar with the
subject matter selected six of the final twelve candidates to train. This
phase began in April and is expected to end in December 1979. In-house
familiarization and training at Fort Meade started in February 1979 and is
expected to continue indefinitely.
c. (S) INSCOM has generally followed the RV protocol first established
by SRI, with an orientation toward collection of foreign positive intelli-
gence. (Note: The Army Surgeon General's Human Use Review Panel for GRILL
FLAME found this protocol to be "technology transfer" rather than R&D.) As
of 1 Oct 79, more than 150 RV tests have been conducted at Fort Meade.
Project personnel assess the results as moderately successful. Some of the
RV cadre now routinely provide useful intelligence data with the RV technique.
These individuals have progressed far beyond so-called "beacon" and basic
geographic coordinates work, and are now engaged against real world intelli-
gence targets--a kind of OJT.
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d. (S) Lessons Learned During Training:
(1) There are a number of factors which appear to help successful
RVers. First, they must sense a "seriousness of purpose" for the on-hand
task. Frivolous, coffee table tests seem to produce less usable data.
The RVer must know and be motivated by the knowledge that his information
is important, and that the reason for conducting a test goes beyond merely
proving ("one more time") his ability to perform RV.
(2) The physical and social environment has a significant impact.
The individual must feel that it is "OK" for him to perform this unique
task; that he is not somehow considered an aberration or "kook." Physical
surroundings must be comfortable, pleasing to the senses, and offer privacy,
security, and quiet.
(3) If the RVer knowns or believes that the viewing task is the
most important event of his day, he is much more likely to develop good
intelligence information. Outside influences (e.g., family problems,
illness, job related conflicts) have detrimental effects on his ability
to do well. The bottom line is that the RVer must be totally committed
to achieving positive results and allowed to achieve absolute mental con-
centration.
(4) It cannot, at this point, be said that familiarization train-
ing improves one's ability in RV. The collective data show lis no training
improvements, possibly because the whole organization is in a learning
curve. Individually, however, there is noticeable improvement in specific
RV abilities following such training.
(5) All persons involved in doing RV say they feel that they
have learned much about the "process"; and are beginning to be able to
distinguish between relevant (presumably psychoenergetic) target impres-
sions and noise (fantasy, "analytical overlay" or whatever).
(6) Experience shows that a major problem is lack of suitable
physical space. The project's present location is such that high levels
of noise influence or abort RV sessions. Also, due to lack of appropriate
office space, operational flexibility has been somewhat constrained.
(7) A serious problem surfaced during this phase: the availability
of "Sunday hire" RVers to engage in sessions. The IGFP essentially operates
on an ad hoc basis, with little or no promise of even minimal permanence.
Existence or demise of the IGFP in fact rests on which way the winds that
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control scarce resources (time, funds, and people) blow. All RVers have
other, normal duties in their parent organizations. As might be expected,
this leads to considerable scheduling conflicts. Because IGFP enjoys what
amounts to second priority, sessions are often cancelled or are impossible
to schedule. It is fair to saythat this issue has hindered progress and
has been dysfunctional to the RV process itself. The latter point is that
the RVer finds it difficult to muster requisite positive attitude and
"seriousness of purpose," knowing that RV tasks rank below those of his
primary duties.
3. (S) Operations. Introduction of the RV process into actual operations
has been accomplished several times. This is not to say that the IGFP is
ready for full operational employment. A great deal of further work is
necessary to establish intelligence collection techniques. Also, no
mechanical system for responding to tasking exists. Optimistically, some
operational utility can be expected in ;gal. First utilization of this niti?
special technique will most likely be along the lines of tip-off (or
cueing) to other collection systems. These could then be brought to bear
on the target of interest.
4. (U) Comments.
a. (S) By common sense and disciplined procedures, the IGFP has come
as close to producing scientifically credible results (without trying to)
as any previous work by so-called scientists/researchers. We should not
lose sight of the fact that INSCOM is not engaged in a venture into science,
but rather one of a utility nature. Personnel involved are professional
intelligence officers representing the three major disciplines: human,
photo, and signal intelligence.
b. (S) Notably, the IGFP gauges how good individual sessions are
based on strict operational judgments (how much usable intelligence is
produced). This is in stark contrast to projects in other places which
rely on exotic, often flawed, statistical methodologies to evaluate the
results.
c. (S) The body of wisdom being accumulated is not grounded on
stagnant repetitions of the basic SRI RV drill first developed in the
early 1970s. It is impressive that the project is moving into type tests
in which several iterations (they call it "building an intelligence
pyramid") on the same target seem to provide a more accurate, detailed
picture of the site.
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d. (S) Data on each session is impeccably maintained. In addition,
the managers have developed several visual tools that lay out clearly the
numbers of failures, successes and in-betweens. One is not forced to
guess, or have to pry out, what has gone on at INSCOM.
5. (U) Recommendations:
a. (S) The current level of personnel assets should be immediately
stabilized for at least two years. Intelligence analysts should be a
direct part of the effort. Because of disruptions caused by TDY trips,
other job commitments, etc., personnel involved in GRILL FLAME should be
fixed into some organization configuration controlled by the project
officer. (Note: It is only fair to recognize that one cannot spend his
whole day doing RV. Common sense should prevail and whenever possible
project personnel should be released to work wherever needed.)
b. (U) An adequate work and administrative area is needed. It should
meet the general criteria established in paragraphs 2d(2)(6) above.
c. (S) Because of the uniqueness and sensitivity of the project,
extraordinary measures should be established, followed, and inspected, to
ensure that those individuals involved in the project do not lose career
standing in relation to peers. For example, a general officer review of
all OERs and EERs appears to be warranted. There is no small danger that
an individual's career, particularly under the present ad hoc personnel
situation, might be irreparably damaged by rating officials who feel
robbed of control of people under their supervision.
d. (S) Regardless of the apparent near-term potential offered by
RV, the INSCOM's project status should remain one of familiarization and
training. The work should not be prematurely thrust into the operational
arena. For the next two years INSCOM should be permitted the "luxury"
of tightening up procedures and attempting product improvement. The
project should have, should it be needed, support of any resources within
DOD. An example might be USAF support in development and analyzing
intelligence targets.
e. (U) INSCOM is to be commended for its logical, level headed and
professional approach to a most curious problem.
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WILLIAM L. STONER
Major, GS
GRILL FLAME Coordinator
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