TECHNICAL SERVICES STAFF

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00269R000300080001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 30
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 25, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 22, 1957
• Content Type: MF

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TSS
THE FIRST FIVE YEARS
A Report by
Luis deFlorez
Chairman, CIA Research Board
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SECRET
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22 April 1957
MEMORANDUM FOR: DIRECTOR, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
SUBJECT : Technical Services Staff
1. I submit herewith a review of the activities and develop-
ment of TSS over the past five years. This takes the form of a
brief review of over-all policy and program, a condensed progress
report covering the several Divisions and certain tabulated data
on personnel, money and facilities. On the whole I believe you
will agree that a record of solid accomplishment has been
established during the period.
2. Shortage of technical and scientific manpower has been
the root of most of our difficulties rather than shortage of funds.
Under present conditions in industry, any Government Agency finds
itself in a difficult position in bidding for scientific talent. Inflated
salaries and "fringe" benefits are presently being offered to today's
engineering and science graduates at all levels from BS's to PhD's.
Then too, the complicated and lengthy employment and clearance
procedures to which recruits are exposed act as a great deterrent
to many who might otherwise be interested. There is no simple
solution to this problem. We must everlastingly keep after likely
candidates and be willing to expand the staff to meet the growing
task of keeping up with scientific progress. We should not, there-
fore, be unnecessarily hampered in our efforts by too rigid T/0
restrictions. Too much time and effort appear to be wasted in the
complicated procedures now necessary. To offset this difficulty,
we have resorted to the employment of scientific talent through
contract which has great merit.
3. We must realize, however, that as a result of expanding
requirements and limited manpower, the research worker - no
matter how competent - must spread his effort too thinly. There
is a limit to the number of research projects that can be effectively
monitored by one man. Recent studies in this area indicate that
TSS project engineers are trying to supervise about twice as many
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projects each as is the general average for comparable work in
industry, or, in fact, in other Government Agencies. With the
"leverage" available through our contract operations, however,
a considerable increase in over-all capability over present levels
may be realized.
4. On the financial side, it is the responsibility of Chief/TSS
to convert dollars effectively into useful results. In research
activities it is seldom possible to come up with a tangible result
to match every dollar and cent expended. The long-range results
are the most important. The ultimate payoff may not be discern-
able in this year's balance sheet. Current results are coming from
monies appropriated 2-3 years ago.
5. The Research Board which has been essential as a basic
component of the research organization has had a strong influence
on the operation of TSS and has been valuable in maintaining basic
principles and original operational policies. More use could and
should be made of the Board, both as a group and individually.
6. The existence of this Board is as important an asset to the
Agency as its counterpart, the Naval Research Advisory Council,
is to the Navy. It provides advice and policy guidance to TSS and
reviews its work periodically, particularly in research. In the
future, it should not be necessary for the Chairman to take such
an active part in the actual operations of TSS. He should, how-
ever, serve as the point of contact or liaison between the Agency
and the members of the Board. This will reduce the necessity of
frequent meetings which might limit the availability of desirable
members,
7. Through TSS and its connections, a tremendous scientific
potential is now available to the Agency. It can continue as a
service organization and it can continue to develop and improve
equipment to satisfy field requirements, thus serving a very useful
purpose. Its real potential will not be fully developed, however,
until every component of the Agency is fully aware of the potentials
and the limitations of the highly sophisticated equipment and
techniques with which it deals. The closest possible interchange
must be maintained between TSS and the operating divisions.
8. The mechanism now exists within TSS to initiate and foster
research at the highest level in this country. This capability
cannot be exploited effectively, however, unless it is energized
by firsthand knowledge of long-range policies and aims. This can
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come only from intimate and continued contact with the Agency's
policymakers. The Chief/TSS should be included in top Agency
planning.
9. Great credit should go to the people who made TSS what it
is today. did much with the meager facilities that
were originally available. I and his present staff have,
in the face of many handicaps, brought the organization to a point
of high current and future potential productivity.
10. TSS capabilities should be more widely recognized and
more fully exploited by the Agency as a whole for it now contains
adequate scientific talent of its own and has almost unlimited
scientific potential through its consultants and contractors. The
work of the past five years has created a valuable asset which
should not be warped by misuse or lost by neglect.
11. May I take this opportunity to express my sincere apprecia-
tion of your constant interest and assistance from the very begin-
ning. Without your steadfast belief in the need for harnessing
science and technology to meet the growing problems of the Agency,
this work would not have been possible.
Z"z
LUIS deFLO
Attachment: (1)
Five-year Review of TSS
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TSS
THE FIRST FIVE YEARS
A Report by
Luis deFlorez
Chairman, CIA Research Board
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TSS was formed in 1952 b combining OAD/OSO and RD/OPC.
Its original complement of was composed mainly of
technicians and field operatives with only a handful of scientifically
trained people. It had virtually no facilities and no funds of its
own. It had no long-range research and development programs.
It operated on an ad hoc basis largely to improve the "blow and
burn" techniques and equipment inherited from OSS days.
In contrast after 5 years of development,' TSS has built a
solid foundation - comprising:
1. A staff of "dedicated professional people (at
home and abroad) whose talents cover almost every
technical and scientific field, backed up by a remarkable
group of technical advisors and consultants having entree
into practically every university and industrial research
laboratory in the country.
2. Facilities for research, development and testing
virtually in any scientific field, either within its own
R&D Divisions or under contractual arrangements with
industry.
3. An efficient organization in its Authentication and
Technical Aids components to support the most sophisticated
Agency operations anywhere in the world. Disguise
techniques, document duplication, surreptitious entry
and audio and photo surveillance are their stock in
trade.
4. Working relations for joint research, experiment
and test with the Armed Services and with other Govern-
ment Agencies.
Today, TSS is geared to shift the emphasis and direction of
its activities to meet the ever changing concepts of intelligence
collection and the unpredictable requirements of the Cold War.
The rapidity and scope of changes which are occurring in the
world today demand a flexible technical organization to follow
the subsequent shift in the programs of the Agency. The recent
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changes in direction of research and development from covert
warfare to new methods of intelligence collection have demonstrated
its flexibility. TSS can empanel scientists and technicians to
work on almost any kind of project. It has an extensive list of
equipment and techniques "on the shelf", ready for use as
required. It can thus provide special equipment and trained
personnel to support Agency operations any time, any place. It
has become a powerful, flexible and effective tool.
It is not, however, a perfect tool. TSS has often been
frustrated by inability to secure and to hold desirable personnel
under existing Government regulations and under Agency restric-
tions. Many of those handicaps have been overcome. Some still
exist. After five years of operation, however, the basic con-
cepts have changed very little. They have been modified in
detail from time to time to meet varying situations, but, on the
whole, they have proved to be sound and workable.
The original concept of providing a technical division for
the Agency envisaged an organization combining a research and
development staff of adequate size to meet world competition
with certain operational functions to carry into the field the results
of scientific and technological advances and obtain experience.
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In view of the urgent need for new tools and technical aid,
much of the initial effort of TSS has been devoted to service and
development. The research effort has grown slowly due to limita-
tions in scientific staff caused chiefly by personnel ceilings which
were imposed before completing the organization, the effects of
which still continue.
Today about 20% of the manpower of TSS is devoted to
research and development which should be increased by addition
to the scientific staff. Nevertheless, this relatively small staff
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is effectively directing and administering an important research
program in conjunction with contractors, Government Agencies
and the Armed Services, actually converting about two-thirds of
the TSS budget into scientific work. Although the individual members
of the staff are at or near the limit of their capability in monitoring
projects, additional research capacity is still available in
certain areas which can be handled by existing contractors where
the work is an extension of existing projects.
Certain basic principles were laid down when the original
TSS charter was written. They are still sound. They have been
adhered to during the past five years.
1. TSS has the prerogative to initiate and to carry out
research in any field of science and technology.
This promotes freedom of thought and tends to create
initiative and stimulate imagination. Administratively
it avoids crippling jurisdictional disputes.
2. TSS does not assume control and is not made
responsible for research in any other part of the
Agency.
This, in combination with 1, places responsibility
for results on the basis of merit rather than franchise.
In research, duplication does not exist as such.
Parallel effort which may occur fosters competition
and action which in turn tend to generate quality.
3. TSS is given a yearly budget of its own to cover
the program of technical activities submitted by
Chief /TSS.
This is necessary to plan and program the work
efficiently and to center the responsibility for
results. Planning is one of the primary functions
of a director of research. He should have the
benefit, as he does now, of advice from his scientific
advisors, associates and Agency divisions; but, in the
last analysis, he must assume the responsibility and
be given the necessary authority to select and to
proportion the technical effort as a whole. Competent
research and development stems from the personal
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attainments andleadership of the research director
rather than any administrative procedures or regula-
tion. He must combine good judgment with scientific
talent if he is to receive the co-operation and support
necessary to carry out his mission.
4. TSS should be responsible for its own personnel
overseas insofar as assignments, training and careers
are concerned, as is now provided.
This concept added at a later date permits rotating
personnel from Headquarters to the field to carry
new technical knowledge to operating areas and to
bring back firsthand operational knowledge and
experience to the scientific and technical divisions.
This exchange so essential to the utilization of the
technical effort was delayed for a long time but is
now in full operation and beginning to bear fruit.
TSS has been patterned to a large extent after the Navy's
ONR. It resembles ONR in its basic philosophy and principles,
but it necessarily differs in the nature of its scientific aims and
its responsibilities. Whereas ONR is essentially a research
organization relying in the main on the Bureaus for development
of proven discovery, TSS must carry its ideas to some practical
application since there exists no other comparable facility in the
Agency, with the possible exception of COMMO, with which TSS
maintains close contact.
The need for carrying the selected yield of research to a
useable stage make it necessary for such an organization to
have some hand in operations and training to carry new knowledge
to the field and promote practical thinking. The co-existence of
the three functions of research, development and field operation
is not illogical. In fact, this pattern has advantages, provided
these functions are wisely proportioned and kept so by careful
direction and freedom from administrative pressures.
Research which is of the essence as the basic long-range
factor for successful and objective development must not be
crowded out by requirements in the face of restrictions on
scientific personnel and funds. Such tendency must be resisted
and guarded against. Otherwise the quality of results will gradually
sink to hopeless mediocrity. This relationship and structure
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has been evolved within TSS. The task of the future is to
insure a balanced effort.
The Research Board (Chart I) was created to provide an
advisory body whose members covered a wide range of scientific
knowledge. This Board is intended to serve not only as scientific
advisors to TSS but also to the Director and all the Agency, both
as a group and as individuals. In view of the pre-eminence and
the commitments of the individual members of such a board, it
is impractical to hold meetings more than two or three times
a year. This handicap is overcome, however, by having the
Chairman take the responsibility of keeping in touch with
individual members to keep them up to date on TSS activities
and to obtain advice and guidance at frequent intervals. Con-
versely, the Chairman through his direct contact with the DCI
can keep the individual members of the Board advised of Agency
problems and aims to stimulate their continued interest.
Chart I shows the relationship of the several TSS components
to the Agency and also the internal set-up of TSS as originally
conceived. Early in 1955 the operating divisions of TSS (which
until then had reported directly to Chief/TSS) were regrouped
under three Assistant Chiefs, i. e., Authentication, Technical
Aids and Research and Development. This remanagement,
which is now in effect, is shown on Chart II.
Following the two organization charts is a series of tables
which serve to point up certain significant elements in TSS growth.
Tables I and II have to do with personnel - showing growth in
numbers in various categories, and technical competence in
terms of degrees held. Table III lists the scientific and technical
advisors to TSS and their assignments. Table IV has been
included to illustrate the extent to which research and develop-
ment is being "farmed out" to qualified contractors. It is from
these sources the considerable "leverage" is obtained to
multiply the capabilities of TSS scientific personnel. Finally,
Table V gives an indication of the amount and distribution of the
funds made available to TSS by the Agency.
Following the Charts and Tables are brief summaries of
the three principal TSS components - Authentication, Technical
Aids and Research and Development.
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Original organization of the Technical Services Staff
showing relationship to other Agency components.
Note that all TSS operating divisions reported directly
to Chief/TSS.
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DIRECTOR
CENTRAL INTE LLIGEAICE
I1EPUTI DIRECT(Nt -
DThECTOR OF TassAm
IEPUTT DIR. T ARCR
CHIEF TECRNICAL
OPERATIONS
PLANS AND OPERATIONS STAFF
ALL OPMTING DIVISIOIIB
TEClIAICAL
PLANNING
GROUP
1D1 EIISTRA.TIVE SfI FF
CHART Z
ORIGINAL ORGANI?.ATION
TECI1l1ICAL SERVICES STAFF
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RADM Luis deFlorez, Chairman
RADM Raw son Bennett, USN
Chief of Naval Research
RADM C. M. Bolster, USN (Ret.)
General Tire & Rubber Company
Dr. Leonard Carmichael
Secretary, Smithsonian Institution
Dr. Jerome C. Hunsaker
NACA and MIT
Dr. Edwin H. Land
President, Polaroid Corporation
Dr. C. Guy Suits
Director of Research, General Electric Company
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Present organization of TSS. Note that the technical
divisions have been regrouped under separate heads.
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TABLE I
TSS PERSONNEL GROWTH
The problem of securing competent and experienced
technical men and scientists has been a major problem
since the inception of TSS. Competition from industry
and scientific foundations and the necessary need for
secrecy have been major adverse factors.
We have tried to ocvercome this with some success by
recruiting young technical graduates directly from college
with the idea that a reasonable proportion of these would
become interested in the work and continue with the Agency.
Thus, we might develop talent which we could not attract
from other sources later. About a quarter of such men
have stayed on, and useful relations maintained with a
number who have been released to industry.
In spite of the attrition, I believe this is a valuable source
of good technical men and a possible source of genius. It
should be continued from year to year as a matter of routine.
We have had very little success in securing high grade
mature technical personnel except as an occasional transfer
from other Government services and from the group of men
retired from industry. Retired Service personnel are loath
to take other Government jobs in view of conflict with their
pension which virtually eliminates this category.
Securing experienced individuals is, and will continue to be,
a matter of personal search and persuasion. We should,
however, be prepared to make room for such individuals
when available; otherwise, they will probably be lost along
with the effort and time spent in attracting them.
Needless to say, the greatest factor in improving the
effectiveness of TSS, or, for that matter, the Agency as
a whole, is the ability to secure able individuals. I
cannot stress too highly the need for individual effort and
flexibility in order to facilitate this activity.
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EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND - TSS PERSONNEL
The success of the recruiting program is illustrated by
this study of the degrees held by TSS personnel. Over
40 per cent of the total are BA's or better.
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TABLE III
TSS TECHNICAL ADVISORS
List of individual consultants currently advising
TSS.
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TABLE IV
TSS CONTRACTORS
The volume of TSS business with its 60-odd contractors
gives an indication of the degree of assistance rendered
by "outside" sources.
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TABLE V
TSS BUDGET GROWTH
The budget figures from year to year are a rough indica-
tion of growth of TSS activities. They should not be
construed merely in the light of expenditures, but rather
as the increasing capability of TSS to convert dollars
into technical accomplishment.
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TABLE VI
TSS FACILITIES - FIVE-YEAR GROWTH
This Table shows the increase in space occupied by
typical TSS functions over a five-year period.
Headquarters with a number of activities was
moved to the reconstructed fire-proof
0
The space of was expanded to comprise
the whole basement of the Central Building with
necessary air conditioning
The Technical Services Laboratory was moved
from the building at loaned by Naval
Ordnance to a new laboratory erected at
The Secret Writing Laboratory was moved
from the Central Building basement to a well-
equipped laboratory on the top floor of the
Administration Building
The storage warehousing was expanded in rented
It must be borne in mind that although the expansion
and character of space allocated constitute a major
improvement, TSS facilities are rather widespread
for efficient management. Also there still remains
the problem of moving I to a suitable location.
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CHARTS III and IV
These curves give a graphic representation of
the increase in the R&D projects underway and
completed. together with an indication of the
personnel available and the average workload per
man.
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A list of current R&D projects is available through the
periodic reports prepared by the Assistant Chief for
R&D summarizing the work in various field, such as
Audio Surveillance, Photography, Automatic Intelligence
Collection, etc.
Other Divisions of TSS also report their current work in
the form of monthly and quarterly reports.
All of these data are available on request but are too
voluminous to be included in this report as such.
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