LETTER TO HONORABLE JOHN H. BUCHANAN FROM STANSFIELD TURNER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M00165A001800080003-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 11, 2004
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: December 28, 1977
• Content Type: LETTER

The Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Approved For Tease 2004/03/15~,-RDP80M00165A001800080003-5
Honorable John H. Buchanan
House of Representatives
Washington, D. C. 20515
Thank you for your letter of 22 December and your expressions.
of concern about the continuing strength of the clandestine services.
I share your concerns and I want to assure you that any actions I have
taken have been with that objective in mind.
There has been some misunderstanding of the motives and
purpose behind the reduction of the size of the clandestine services.
I have reviewed these reductions with the House Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence and I am enclosing a copy of a statement I have given
to those Committees. I am hopeful that it will clarify any misunder-
standing you might have and satisfy at least some of your concerns.
I want you to know that I am deeply committed to the principle
that our clandestine services must continue to be strong and second to
none.
Approved For Release 2004/03/15 : CIA-RDP80M00165AO01800080003-5
 Approved For. Tease 2004/03/15 : CIA-RDP80M00165A001800080003-5
Statement by Admiral Stansfield Turner,
Director of Central-Intelligence,
Concern n Personnel Reductions in the
Directorate of Operations, CIA
I. Why were the cuts necessary?
Soon after my arrival in the Agency. last March I began
to hear that the Directorate of Operations was overstaffed.
It was almost universally perceived within the Agency that
the DDO had excess people, resulting in over management.-
and under utilization of talent. Some 'organizations could
tolerate this, but not an organization like the CIA where-.'
we are fortunate to have high-quality, dedicated and -
ambitious people. Nor, from a.broader standpoint,. is it
tolerable to have unnecessary people on the taxpayers'
payroll.
At that time the Directorate of Operations was already
engaged in a three-phase restructuring and paring down
program. I encouraged and received a report on their
efforts in mid-July.
II. Determination of the size of the reduction.
The report I received presented a range of opinion as to
the extent of the cut that was necessary. -I elected to
be conservative and take the smallest number of positions
for elimination that was suggested--820. This does not
mean that either. the incumbents of those positions must
be released or that 820 people are going to be declared
excess to this Directorate. Normal attrition should
greatly reduce the number whose services will no longer
be needed in the Directorate-of Operations. We also
must make provision for the continuing hiring of new
and young personnel, to ensure the continuing viability
of the service and we also must ensure that there exists
a reasonable promotion opportunity at all levels for
those on duty. To accomplish these latter points I have
told the Directorate of Operations to hire 215 people
each year for PY 78 and'FY 79. Because of normal attri-
tion many people will be voluntarily leaving the Operations
Directorate and we estimate that over the two-year exercise
approximately 300 individuals will actually be involuntarily
separated from the Agency. It should also be noted that
nearly 70 percent of the 212 people declared excess so
far are eligible for an immediate retirement annuity.
Approved For Release 2004/03/15 : CIA-RDP80MO0165AO01800080003-5
 pain it 'causes us, we cannot afford to neglect
either the promotion opportunity for those already
in the organization or the necessity of bringing in
people in approximately equal annual increments at
the bottom. We simply must continue to build a
sufficiently attractive career, opportunity to attract
and retain the same caliber of people in 1987 as we
had in 1977. Parenthetically, I might say that "at
the bottom" is intended to mean just that. I see
little prospect for more than a handful of specialists
coming in at middle or upper levels..
III. Timing of the reduction.
Of the alternatives presented to me for phasing
the reduction,. I opted for the quickest, which was
accomplishable over a two-year period. Given the-'
changes the last few years have brought to the CIA,
I felt it would be better for morale not to prolong
this action. Extending the reduction over a six-
year period might have made it possible to achieve
the reduction through attrition alone, but that
would have left an air of uncertainty hanging over
the entire organization for that long period and in
the end might not have brought about the reductions
in the right places.. In addition, I do not believe
I could honestly face your Committee in its budgetary
role and suggest that the Agency should retain such
a considerable number of people in excess of its
needs for six years.
On August 8 I announced this intended reduction ---
first privately to the employees and then publicly to
the media. It was in turn well publicized in and out-
side'the Agency. I further. announced that we would
notify those who were going to be asked to leave in
Fiscal Year 1978 not later than the first of November
1977; that none of those persons would be asked to
leave prior to the first of _March 1978. Those being
asked to leave in Fiscal Year 1979 would be notified
by 1 June 1978 and not required to leave prior to
1 October 1978_
Between the tine I notif ied CI_. employees in
August that there would be a reduction, and the first
announcement to ird ividu a l s on the first of November
Approved For-Release 2004/031'TS : CIA=RDP801VIfl0165A00t800e66(93-r - - - - --
?
 Approved For please 2004/03/15: CIA-RDP80M00165A001800080003-5
as to who would be released, I received no complaints
either as to the necessity for cuts or how they would
be effected. Even since the announcement
f
h
o
w
o
would be released, I have found no one in the Agency
who seriously believes that a reduction is not in
,order.
Who is to be released?
In deciding how to,allocate the reduction across
grades and skills, my-end objective has
l
a
ways been
to maintain at least as much clandestine intelligence"
surplus of human intelligence scollection ycapability.-
hence
ill b
, w
e no meanifldi
ngu reucton in
overseas strength or activities, nor appreciable
reduction in the size of the officer operational
corps _
method of selecting the individuals.
For those below the supergrade level, the
Individual's accumulated fitness re
o
t
p
r
s were the
basic detdrminants of who was to leave. The Agency's
periodic evaluation boards numerically rank individ-
uals within each grade level. These rankings
combined with fitness reports were'the basis for a
point system. An explicit explanation of this point
system was published for all personnel in the
Operations Directorate in early October. Beyond
this mechanical evaluation, a panel reviewed the
.calculations and used good judgment in making
exceptions where unique skills needed to be retained.
These were rare exceptions; however, and the rule of
the numerical ranking was closely followed.
In June this year we initiated an annual process
by which a senior panel composed of officers at the
Executive position level rank all supergrades. The
Director for Operations used these rankings as the
basis for his recommendations on release of super-
grades to me. Again, there were exceptions to the
ranking order, but they were rare.
Approved For Release 2004/03/15:?: CIA-RDP80MOO165AO01800080003-5
 Approved For iease 2004/03/15 : CIA-RDP80M00165A001800080003-5
1978
were, for example, only 17 women, 4
blacks, and 3 Hispanics in the total
of 212 forced reductions for Fiscal.
There are two additional points that. I would
like to make on these selections:
? As far as I can determine, there was no
bias by type of service, agreement with
current management, race or sex in the
selection of these individuals. There
? There is no question that we were forced.
to terminate some very capable people.
The Directorate of Operations has been
shrinking continually since our with-
drawal from Vietnam. The majority of the
marginal performers have already been
? eliminated. There is no way today to
reduce further without asking very
competent people to leave. This is
unpleasant, unfortunate, but I believe
necessary!
VI. Stile of notification.
The method by which notifications were issued
to individuals has been criticized. I regret that
individuals may have been offended or felt that
their prior service was not fully appreciated. Such
is not the case. Everyone of these individuals has
made sacrifices and many have endured privations and
risks for their country. Being fully cognizant of
their past contributions, we are determining whether
any of these 212 people can be relocated in other
directorates within the Agency to fill existing
vacancies. Consequently, while individuals have
received a notification that their release has been
recommended, we are still exploring alternative
employment possibilities. Until those alternatives
have been exhausted, no final- determination on their
employment will be made.
I anticipate that 25r of these 212 people twill'
be offered alternative posit-ions. Additionally, I
am personally a,,proechir::: the chic! of all the
.. A}zprQved. For.Release 200.41Q3/1~ : CIA-RDP$9.M00165A 041$a.QQ$QOQ3-5
 Approved For Tease 2004/03/15 : CIA-RDP80M00165AO01800080003-5
other intelligence services of our country to ask
that they give the residual of these 212 special
consideration in their hiring requirements.
.Finally, in a few cases, notices went to those
who would be able to retire if permitted to serve a
small amount of additional time. In these cases,
we have arranged that no one will be forced to
retire before the end of Fiscal Year 1979, when the
'program must be complete., if he would qualify for
retirement by that time.
VII. Is there a security risk?
It has been suggested that the departure of
sizable numbers of employees risks their being
suborned by enemy intelligence agents. Frankly,
I have too much confidence in their loyalty and
dedication to take such a suggestion seriously.
There was no such experience, to the best of my
knowledge, under former Director James Schlesinger
.in. 1973, when 632 employees were separated. Our
unfortunate experiences with former employees
.violating their secrecy agreement have come
entirely from individuals who have left the Agency
of their own volition.
VIII. Next phase of the reduction.
The Fiscal 1979 cut will require approximately
-the same number of reductions, perhaps more if
attrition does not meet expectations. We intend
not to wait until the first of June and then send
.out all of the notifications at once but to commence
notification as early as possible. 'None will be
required to depart before the first of October 1978.
XI. Conclusions.
Many are concerned that this reduction may have
hurt the morale of the Directorate of Operations.
There is no question that in the short-term it has.
The long-term objective, ho-,:ever, is auite the
reverse; it is to rebuild morale by ensuring opera-
tional efficiency and full utilization of talent.
More than that, morale in the Directorate of Opera-
tions will he further str-27: Chened through the
Approved For Release 2004/03/15 'CIA-RDP80M00165A001800080003-5
 Approved For'Rlease 2004/03/15: CIA-RDP80M00165AO01800080003-5
sustained expression of support for its vital
activities such as has come from this Cor iittee
and which also must come from a broader range of
citizens. We must lift the pall of suspicion
which-hangs over the Intelligence Co-_ unity in
general and the Central Intelligence Agency in
particular, which obscures the exceptional con-
tribution these-organizations have made in the
past and are making today..
I would not have encouraged and approved this
sizable reduction had I not thought that in the
long run it would strengthen the Directorate of
Operations and the Central Intelligence Agency.
We need the capabilities of this Directorate as
much today as ever. Although new technical means
of collection permit us to extend our collection
efforts, they only compliment, they do not super-
sede human collectors. Only human collectors can
gain access to motives, to intentions, to thoughts,
and plans. They will always be vital to our coun-
try's security.
It would have been much easier for me to have
avoided this issue and attempted to continue over
strength until you or the appropriations committees
-or the Office of Management and Budget uncovered
these excesses and made the reductions in my behalf.
contrary to media reports, I was not directed to
make these cuts either by the Vice President or
David Aaron of the National Security Council staff
as reported in some media. . I have talked to neither
on the subject except to keep the Vice President
informed of my decisions. In sum, it is my opinion
that l would have been avoiding my duty and would
have been placing short-term considerations ahead
of long-term necessities in putting the cuts off .
We simply must build a foundation today for a
Central Intelligence Agency that e.,,ill be capable
of continuing into the indefinite future the out-
standing performance it has given our country
during the past thirty years..
Approved For_Re..lease- 2004/03/15: CIA-RDP80M00165AO01800080003.5 _ _ ~_~
 The Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Approved For lease 2004/03/15-: - IA-RDP80M00165A0018000
Honorable John H. Buchanan
House of Representatives
Washington, D. C. 20515
28 DEC 1977
OLC 77-5697/a
Z-//0.a ~
Thank you for your letter of 22 December and your expressions
of concern about the continuing strength of the clandestine services.
I share your concerns and I want to assure you that any actions I have
taken have been with that objective in mind.
There has been some misunderstanding of the motives and
purpose behind the reduction of the size of the clandestine services.
I have reviewed these reductions with the House Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence and I am enclosing a copy of a statement I have given
to those Committees. I am hopeful that it will clarify any misunder-
standing you might have and satisfy at least some of your concerns.
I want you to know that I am deeply committed to the principle
that our clandestine services must continue to be strong and second to
none.
Yours sincerely,
s/ Stansf ield Turrie
STANSFIELD TURNER
Distribution:
Orig - Add'e 1 - OLC Subject
1 - DCI 1 - OLC Chrono
1 - A/DDCI
- ER
1 - DDO OLC:MMP/TIHW:sf/ndl (28 Dec 1977)
Approved For Release 2004/03/15 : CIA-RDP80M00165A001800080003-5
 .L2,L_ v;ati.a.ria,trisu
Li USE ONLY ~ .j.-~-n
Li SECRET
A1. rp oved For Re 4/U3/`T3 : iq= 0 9 F 5A001800080003-5
FORM
3-62
61
OFFICER'S
. INITIALS
LJ , LUNFif .hT1AL
COMMENTS 'Number etch cor mnc f to thaw horn Whom
to whom- Draw a line across column of4ec each conmenf.)
Attached is -.._1e .te Iwo
-Rep-r~s~~~tat?ve vuchana.u ="
re expressions of concern
.about the continuing strengt
of the clandestine services
/The vttached_ letter
vecommmended, for Your
signa1'I- 113-
us,PREVIOUS
EDITION p roypgfM ReI e I R 0M+W1G19A00180 00
~gfi ~A~ USE ONLY 8 ELASSIFIE?
STAT
 6Ts Dlsm .cr. ALAaAMA AOMIli1t17CAT11tE A7sISTAM4'
' JAMEST. APP4.,E
FY_ ' a~aruancta. ? - - -- - _? - - _ _ _ _ ............ ..r .+.w .+.-..+....ww..... .. ... ......aUMMAYHURN NOU-1Z
SUHCOMMITTEE5z
INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS
AFRICA
COMMITTEE ON
EDUCATION AND LAH04@
SUBCOMMITTEESt
ELEMENTARY. SECONDARY AND
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
POST-S9CONOARY EDUCATION
COMPENSATION HEALTH, AND
SAFETY
COMMISSION ON SECURITY
NO COOPERATION IN EUROPE
_FIInsaTON. D.C. 20515
202-225.4s2*
Puulle of Aepv tntatib LECI7LATINII ASlCStA/8T
WIUJAM C. CLOI?IAN
1EY. 40bin$tmaQ. 2051,5 Eoix #7~__ q 7 DISTRICT ONPiCEa
AROLYN R. GOLDFS4
22 December 1977
Admiral Stansfield Turner
Director Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C.- 20505
Dear Admiral Turner:
EXECUTIVEA9I4$TANT
ROOM 10$. PEDERALE4UILDIN 42
1800 PIPTFi AVENUE NOR?I4
BIRMINGMAM.ALAVAMA 33203
203-2:144823
I have recently received a number of communications from my district
regarding-your dismissal of several hundred veteran operations officers.
I want you to know that many people in this country feel your decision
was not only unwise, but dangerous to the national security: :While I under-
stand that you feel you were acting in this nation's best interest, I must
also express the sentiment that decimation of our clandestine services
at this time is a reckless form of false economy.
.With kind regards, I am,
JHB:mwc
QCongr ll of the nteb State
P_ c
Lr~
M
j
Approved For Release 2004/03/15 : CIA-RDP80M00165AO01800080003-5