RESPONSE TO CDA ON STARGATE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040020-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 31, 2004
• Sequence Number: 20
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791 R000100040020-2
Memo for : Executive Director
Via: DD/S&T
D/OCA
Comptroller
SG1I From:
Subject: Response to CDA on Stargate
1. The conference report contained language that transferred
ten civilian billets and $500k from DIA to CIA and directed
the DCI to submit a status report to the appropriate
committees by March 1, 1995. This status report is to include
a management strategy, transfer status, and identification of
a program manager. I have been asked to pull this activity
together and to prepare a response to the CDA. Because of
the many issues associated with,-this program and the
potential for some disagreemght between us and our oversight
committees I seek a corporate (i. e. all directorates) buy-
in to the proposed approach, which is: (a) Seek to
.decompartment all aspects of the program, (b) Convene a Blue
Ribbon Panel of outside experts to review the program and
make recommendations to CIA regarding our next step (c)
Develop a program plan including needed funding and personnel
resources. We should be able to respond to the proposed
Congressional date for action of 1 July 1995..
2. Language in the SAC report,originally directed at DIA but
incorporated by reference in the conference report, requests
that funds be applied equally to foreign assessment,
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research, and operational viewing. The SAC report expresses
concern that Congressional direction in the past regarding
the "solicitation of users across the NFIP and DOD and
development of joint programs with the Russians and Chinese
has only been sporadically pursued." They further note
"obvious reluctance on the part of DIA leadership for this
program" and direct pursuit of liason activities and a relook
at the tight security classification for the program. It also
directs a retrospective review and technical analysis of the
data that has been produced by the program "since its
inception 20 years ago."
3. On 14 December, during a briefing arranged by CMS and
given by the current DIA program manager, the program was
described as an operational activity that is accepting
requirements, conducting remote viewing operations, and
disseminating intelligence based on these "operations." Over
90 such operations had been conducted during the past year.
Staffing consists of three remote viewers, a program manager,
a technical advisor and a secretary. Asked his opinion for
the reasons the Congress had transferred the program to CIA,
the program manager stated his belief that he had failed to
respond to previous direction to conduct objective reviews
and pursue foreign liason activities. He also told us that
all of the program funds had been expended and that their
contractor (SRI) had stopped work on the R&D activities.
4. Our proposed approach in responding to the CDA is to
conduct a multiphase program, beginning with the formation of
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a blue ribbon panel to assess the current program and make
recommendations to us regarding how to proceed. With U. S.
Army support, we plan to contact the chairman of a panel
that did a review (circa 1988-1990) for the Army of
unconventional techniques (including remote viewing), for
enhancing human performance. We intend to ask him to convene
a similar group for our blue ribbon panel review, and to
include in the panel members who represent a cross section of
opinion on the scientific validity of remote viewing.
5. D/OCA described our approach to Mr. Richard D Amato,
the congressional staffer responsible for the language
effecting the transfer, and Mr DAmato expressed concern about
the DIA people, in particular the three remote viewers,
during the period that the panel is conducting our review.
Our approach to this is to tell DIA that we do not need a
program manager and will provide our own technical and
administrative support for the activity. The three
operational remote viewers should be kept as DIA employees
until the Blue Ribbon Panel reports and our program plan is
developed. This would enable them to continue to conduct
operations without any gaps, since they need to use the
tasking and dissemination methods already in place in DIA.
6. There are several potential issues that could arise and
need to be anticipated, and that cause me to raise this
subject with you at this time.(a) Parapsychology is a very
controversial subject. It has been studied for at least the
past hundred years by many renowned scientists without
Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791 R000100040020-2