SOVIET AFFAIRS TRAINING PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88G00186R000300340042-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 42
• Publication Date: September 16, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

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OTE 85-6717
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence ft~` ~'a
VIA: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Executive Director
Deputy Director for Administration
25X1 Fm m:
Director of Training and Education
SUBJECT': Soviet Affairs Training Program
REFERENCE: Memo for DDA, DDI, MO, DDS&T, D/OTE fm DCI,
dtd 7 August 85, same subject
95-09 ( SO /I
1. I have explored your request for recommendations regarding a
Soviet Affairs Training with a working group consisting of and
25X1 representatives of the DO DI (Doug MacEachin), and DS&T
25X1 and the NIO/USS .
2. The working group strongly agrees that the Agency generally--and
especially the junior and mid-level officers working directly on the
USSR--would benefit greatly from a first-rate Soviet Affairs Training
Program. The program would consist of:
--four to five one- to two-week courses;
--10 - 15 specialized modules;
--luncheon/evening seminars;
--video/self-study.
3. Objectives
The working group agreed that the principal objectives of the
program are to:
-bring up to speed quickly officers who work on the USSR but
whose academic or professional background on the Soviet Union is
limited;
All Portions Classified
SECRET
SECRET
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SUBJECT: Soviet Affairs Training Program
-strengthen the understanding of Soviet specialists in areas
not of their specialty, with emphasis on Soviet active measures,
deception, and intelligence operations;
--strengthen the understanding of the totality of the Soviet
Union as a political problem for the U.S. and as the first priority
intelligence issue for CIA;
--challenge and enrich the perspectives of Soviet specialists;
-build a stranger sense of community among Soviet analysts and
collectors;
-strengthen the understanding of the USSR on the part of
non-Soviet analysts and collectors.
4. operating Bias
The working group agreed that the content and methods of
delivery must meet schedules of busy officers, many of whom are
overseas. This means:
-courses should be as short as possible;
-stand-alone modules;
-tape and video-disc presentations, especially for overseas use;
-direct overseas offering;
-self-study.
In addition:
--emphasis on "real world" Soviet behavior and on current and
near term (1 - 3 years) Soviet intelligence issues;
-maximize exposure to different perpectives on USSR;
--maximize challenge to conventional thinking on USSR.
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SECRET
SUBJECT: Soviet Affairs ?raining Program
5. Target Audience
The program would be directed to the needs of junior and
mid-level officers working primarily on the USSR. The Agency has some
including:
Additional numbers would
cane~rom the ranks of non-Soviet specialists who have a need for some
general or specialized understanding of Soviet policies or operations.
6. Courses
An overview course of about 40 hours would be designed to
warrant that participants are exposed to an introductory understanding of
the full range of issues. The course would go beyond substance and
address the issues of the limits to our knowledge, that is,
7. Nodules
A major part of the Soviet training program would consist of
about 10 - 15 specialized modules. Among the topics under consideration
are:
- The Soviet Union as an Intelligence Target
- Soviet Active Measures
- Soviet Measures for Deception
- Soviets and Arms Control
- Soviet Economics
- Kremlin Politics
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SECRET
SUBJECT: Soviet Affairs Training Program
- Soviet Military Strategy and Doctrine
- Soviets in the Third World
- Scientific and Technical Trends
- Security and Intelligence Operations
8. Seminars
A coordinated series of luncheon and evening seminars would be
designed to complement the program by exposing Agency officers to the
full range of competing interpretations on key aspects of the modular
courses. In addition to academics and members of research institutions,
the guest speakers would include policy officials, Congress members,
businessmen, defectors, and emigres.
9. Program Director and Staff
The working group is unanimous in its recommendation that a DO
officer, either current or retired, direct all aspects of the proposed
Soviet Affairs Study Program. We have a list of retired SE officers and
have already been in touch with a couple of excellent candidates (see
Attachment A). (Incidentally, there is very strong support for this
effort on the part of every Soviet specialist we have talked to.)
10. We have developed a list of Soviet hands in CIA who would be
willing to help with incidental parts of the program (see Attachment B).
A similar list of outside experts is being developed (see Attachment C).
11. Issues
The working group believes strongly that some elements of the
program should be required of all Soviet specialists. For example, you
could mandate that all Soviet specialists must take at least two modules
per year or that all new Soviet specialists take the overview course
within two years of their assignment. The details can be worked out, but
we need your views on the question of what, if anything, is "required."
-Yes, sane elements should be required
--No, we do not need to make any aspect required
--Let the individual Directorates decide
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SECRET'
SUBJECT: Soviet Affairs Training Program
12. We request your approval to proceed with the development of the
program. If you concur on the general approach, we will be back to you
in 45 days with an action plan for implementing the first phase.
cc: NIO/USSR
D/SOVA
C/SE
C/CDS/DS&T
u wirector tor nis a i
`-De~tsbi ector of Central Intelligence
to
Date
2 2 SEP 1985
25SEr1985
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SECRET
Soviet Affairs Training Program-List of Potential Agency Instructors
Overview of SE rations
The Soviet Target Abroad
Active Measures; Deception; Disinformation
Soviet Intelligence Services
The Soviet Mentality; Political; Economic
Soviet Military; S&T
Soviet Military
Political and Economic
Political, Economic, and Military
Theater Forces
Politico-economic policy and internal politics
Politico-economic policy and internal politics
Soviet economics
Soviet economics
Soviet economics
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SECRET
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