Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP78-04497A000100030034-8
Body:
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23 April 1969
MEMORANDUM FOR: Coordinator, CS Senior Seminar
SUBJECT Clandestine Service Senior Seminar
REFERENCE Memos, Same Subject, dated 17 March and
17 April 1969
1. The following comment takes off from the premise that the
purpose of the Senior Seminar series is to identify CS problems
and to draw upon the arecumulative experience of senior officers to
analyze problems and seek solutions. From this premise it
follows that the agenda of each seminar will be shaped to some
degree by the experience and knowledge of those attending it. I
recommend that, having identified the participants in the seminar,
the background of each be reviewed to determine what knowledge,
experience and special interests each officer has which could be
profitably drawn upon during the seminar. This review should in-
clude apersonal interview with each officer.
2. On the basis of the information thus gathered the Coordinator
would develop an agenda which would strive to take advantage of the
backgrounds of the senior officers who are about to gather together
for four weeks. The agenda topics could then be assigned to specific
officers to develop and to act on as discussion leaders. Such assign-
ments should be made well in advance of the opening of the seminar
to give ample time for preparation. Each discussion leader in turn
might assign sub-topics to be developed by other members of the
group, drawing where possible on the expertise of the individual
officer. This approach implies that the subject matter of each
seminar would be developed by those participating in it and therefore
would vary from one seminar to another. The controlling
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philosophy, however, would require emphasis on problem areas
in the CS. It is conceivable that a seminar could be conducted
without any outside participation; however, it is evident that
guest experts should be located and brought into the seminar dis-
cussions as needed.
3. The following comments are keyed to the suggested agenda
for the first seminar as contained in reference memorandum:
The U. S. and the World Today - No specific suggestions
here. One day is insufficient for any depth of discussion but
should be adequate to set the stage if appropriate outside
speakers are obtained.
The CS in a Changing World -This topic lends itself to
an approach by regions with synthesis at the end. Each divi-
sion, perhaps, could discuss the question in terms of the
significant changes which affect operations, operational climate,
targets, requirements, etc. New problems should be isolated
and approaches which have been tried as well as those which
are only in the planning stage should be presented. Presuma-
bly, a number of the new problems will be common to all
regions. A few may be peculiar to only one country or region.
Common denominators and rational generalizations may lead
to progress toward solutions.
The National Security Process -With the Nixon adminis-
tration security system just getting its initial shakedown, this
topic is appropriate and timely. It would seem to require
guest speakers including one or mare from outside the Agency.
A description of the system with visual aids seems appropriat e.
Then, follow-up with specific examples of how it works based
on actual foreign policy and national security problems that
have arisen since the first of the year.
CIA. Today; The CS Mission -The memorandum under
reference says this topic is included as a brief adjunct to the
national security process to insure that seminar participants
are aware and up-to-date on elements and programs of the
Agency which have potential relevance to problems to be dis-
cussed in the following weeks. In this writer's view, it would
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be well to determine beforehand whether any significant pro-
portion of the participants. are unaware of the Agency's
present-day role. I would suspect that most of the officers
are operating on the basis of outdated information received
in briefings years ago. For example, I think there is a place
here for a presentation on technical collection in considerable
depth, including visits to NSA and NPIC. All our senior
officers should have an up-to-date appreciation of what is
going on in the technical collection field in order to be able
to consider human resources in proper perspective. Up to
two days could be devoted to this subject.
Career Management -This term seems vague. Does it
mean career planning? Perhaps the section should be called
"Management of Operational Personnel. " Management is a
popular topic these days but it is sometimes hard to define.
I would suggest the seminar ask itself three questions: (1) How
well are we doing in placing the right man in the right job?
(2) How well are we preparing the man for the job? and (3) How
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good are we at recruiting potential CS officers in the first
place? It seems to me that these three questions are basic
to the identification of whatever problems there may be. If
the answers are that we are not doing some of these things
very well, then we have a management problem and the
seminar discussion can proceed from there. I do think that
the paragraph under reference is rather too negative, imply-
ing that we aren't doing much of anything well. A mare posi-
tive approach might be to attempt to determine what we have
learned about personnel management and ask ourselves what
needs to be changed.
Some other questions are likely to arise.' F'or example:
(1) Is it necessary for the CS to adhere to the "average grade"
principle and the strait jacket which it imposes? (2) The CT
Program should be examined in the light of whether or not it
should be taken over completely by the CS, including recruit-
ment and training. (3) It is said that the CS lags behind other
agencies in the promotion of its officers. I would suggest the
following figures which apply to FSO promotions be correlated
with CS promotions. I am sure the comparison would be strik-
ing.
1969
1968
1967
To Class One
38
21
38
To Class Two
54
40
74
To Class Three
91
8I
103
To Class Four
124
104
146
To Class Five
140
141
250
To Class Six
92
58
123
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SECRET
ANALYSIS OF 1969 FSO PROMOTIONS
Av. Age
Numbers Number Number of Those Av. Yrs.
Promoted Officers in Class Promoted in Class
From Class 2 38 449 47.9 3.9
>~~ (49.7) (3. 7)
From Class 3 54 676 43.7 3.9
(46.5) (3. 5)
From Class 4 91 646 41.2 3. 5
(41.2) (2. 6)
From Class 5 124 561 34.5 1.7
(34.4) (l. 3)
From Class 6 140 420 30.4 1.3
(30.1) (l. l)
From Class 7 92 299 27.1 1. 1
(27.1) (l. 3)
>~~ Parenthesis represent average of total in class.
Recruitment of Soviets - We have no special comment here. ~'
There are experts galore in this field. Success still eludes us.
We in WH feel that there is still not enough emphasis on basic
preparation for recruitments; that is, on the building of bridges
to the target. We also advocate a stationwide approach to the
Soviet target instead of leaving it up to the SB section of the
station.
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