REPORT ON A CONCEPT FOR A SENIOR CAREER COURSE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04497A000100020071-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 10, 1999
• Sequence Number: 71
• Publication Date: October 12, 1964
• Content Type: MEMO

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MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Training
SUBJECT : Report on a Concept for a Senior Career Course
On completion of the running of three Midcareer Courses I under-
took to make some recommendations on concepts for a Senior Career
Course, if such a Course should be required. I am following the same
procedure used in the formulation of the Midcareer Course, that is,
to conduct a series of interviews across the board of the Agency
Directorates and to attempt to arrive at a series of ideas commonly
enough held to allow the drafting of a course meaningful to all the
officers who might be selected for it. Specialized topics which should
be studied in depth fall outside its purview.
In this case interviews are at two levels, the level of those now
at Midcareer grade who look forward to senior responsibilities, and,
secondly, the level of those who already have senior responsibility.
The first group consists of a selected number of GS-l3's and GS-14's,
representative of the four Agency Directorates. The purpose was to
obtain their views of what they think their present superiors should
know, and what they themselves should know if they were to be promoted
to the posts now held by the superiors and were to be required to fill
these posts with the maximum efficiency. The members of this group
consulted were officers of the first three Midcareer Courses since it
was felt that their thinking had been conditioned to this kind of approach.
The topic was also discussed less formally with several others. The
second step was to interview selected officers who had already arrived
at the senior level, a smaller group, to determine their views. There
was surprisingly little major divergence in views between the two groups.
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Four major questions were covered: (A) Who should be in the
Course? (B) How long should it be? (C) Where should it be held?
(D) What should be its content?
(A) Who should be in the Course?
(1) There was general agreement that the Course should be
designed primarily for GS-15's or GS-16's, although the rule should
not be absolute. This group represents a fairly distinct and definable
level and type of seniority. This also takes cognizance of the differ-
ing standards of grades and assignments in this category among the
various Directorates.
(2) The GS-17's and GS-18's unquestionably have some duties
in common with the GS-15's and GS-16's but generally seem to have
a different type of function and to represent a different approach to
Agency problems. Other considerations are that by the nature of
their assignments they have become extremely well informed and
therefore may not require the benefits of this kind of course; that
they have become so permanently compartmentalized that their work
would not be assisted; and that, (a very key point) the throwing to-
gether of GS-15's through GS-18's, despite some gains of mutual
association, would very seriously inhibit free discussion. However,
the grouping in (1) should not be so rigidly defined as to exclude
GS-17's or GS-18's if the Deputy Directors in individual cases so
decide. This leaves a course participation for the GS-17's and GS-18's
somewhat up in the air, but the feeling was that this group should be
in general considered primarily for attendance at one of the National
War Colleges, i. e. , the "sabbatical" approach, or for external train-
ing either to deepen skills or broaden knowledge within a rather specific
field, or for being seconded to another Agency for a substantial period
of time. This topic should not be further belabored in this memorandum
since it requires separate and comprehensive consideration.
(3) The number of participants, it was felt, should be small,
perhaps from 12 to 20. The reasoning behind this was twofold: (a) It
is difficult for the Directorates to spare a large number of "key" people
at one time, and if they are not "key" they should not attend. (b) It
was the general assumption that the nature of the course would be one
very much of the seminar, and very much involving the full participation
of the officers selected (this is covered more fully further on under (D).
It is difficult to take this approach, if this is the correct one, with any
number larger than 20 and indeed 12 might be closer to the right number.
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(B) How long should it be?
Three considerations were involved: (1) The problem of not dupli-
cating the work of the Senior Colleges for which, in fact, we would
not have the personnel strength and for which there seems to be no
necessity; these institutions are already open to us to about the degree
for which we can release personnel. They also present definite values
deriving from association with other agencies. (2) The length of time
for which the contemplated number (12-20) of people could be spared
for a period shorter than 9 months but long enough to accomplish its
agreed purpose. (3) The nature of the Course which was felt should
not have the long-term reflective and philosophic approach but rather
be of an intensive, hard-hitting and realistic type. Three or four
weeks was concluded by most to be about the right length of time.
It follows that this Course is not a replacement for the Senior Colleges.
Indeed, both could be attended if this is desirable on a case-by-case
decision made by the Directorates.
(C) Where should it be held?
There was complete and strong agreement that the Course should
not be held at Headquarters but, for the major part, out of town, pref-
erably at a considerable distance. The purpose of this is, of course,
to divorce the officer so completely from his daily responsibilities of
cables, telephone calls, personnel problems and meetings as to permit
complete concentration on the Course. should be considered
as a site, but other out-of-town places should not be excluded as
possibilities. One such is Greenbrier and perhaps one with greater
psychological advantages.
(D) What should be the content of the Course?
Three general areas:
(1) The Agency, internal structure. A not over-exhaustive updating
of Agency developments in internal structure and functions. A current
example would be a discussion of the DDS&T with an effort made to
define collection methods: agent, open, scientific. Other possible
topics are Basic Management Problems, primarily items such as budget
preparation, career service systems, the desirability of continuing
the Directorates' basically autonomous and separate units. This section
should be handled entirely by the members acting in the character of
a working group who might be expected to formulate recommendations
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off
for the DCI's consideration. A meeting in advance of each Course
could be held to determine specific agenda items.
(2) The Agency, internal action and external relations. This
would largely consist of case histories to determine whatthe Agency
did right or wrong in the past in collection, analysis, or action. The
focus would be primarily internal but would include our major relation-
ships with other agencies and how they could have been more effectively
handled. These cases should represent, wherever possible, the activi-
ties of all four Directorates. A suggested range of case histories on
a country/place basis, in order of importance and complexity is:
Second
Once again these would be handled as working group problems
with the choice of countries to be determined in part by the background
knowledge of the participants.
One artificial case could be presented. These are admittedly
difficult to construct if they are to be effective. An example is the
countries in all fields of influence, collection, analysis, action, and
logistics. The case would consider a major problem using the war games
technique but adapting it to the Agency. It should be handled by Course
members.
(3) Global Issues. These should be presented primarily by outside
speakers, but there should be subsequent internal discussions by Course
members. The topics should vary from time to time. Examples can
currently be found in the fields of a study of the many aspects of the
Sino-Soviet conflict or in global military situations, the changing
military role of NATO, etc.
Regular participation by other Agency officers and by persons out-
side the Agency should be kept to the minimum. The emphasis should
be upon making the GS-15's and GS-16's selected for the Course, as
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being themselves senior officers, responsible for its success.
A good conclusion would be for the DCI and the DDCI to spend
a concluding two hours discussing the results of the Course as frankly
as possible, to be followed by a social occasion.
Attachments:
14 Discussions on a Senior Career
Course/Program
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 UNCLASSI FLED
INTERNAL I-1 rna rinruri All crrorT
SUBJECT: (Optional)
Report on a Concept for a Senior Career Course
FROM: 25X1A
EXTENSION
NO.
510 Broyhill
2243
DATE
12 October 1 64
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
Director of Training
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I am sure that more
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