[104-10225-10003.pdf — page 174]
# SECRETThe operational traffic Mr. Piccolo screens for the "front office" is usually accompanied by pertinent insights on the significance of the development or event reported. He has been praised more frequently for his commentaries than any of our other coordinators, which is another reflection on his intimate familiarity with the LA operational scene. Numerous examples of his productive and versatile service to the Division and Staff can be cited but we will note for the sake of brevity only three to underscore out point. (1) For the past two years he has been the guiding and principal referent on a joint Agency/FBI proposal which would enable the FBI to engage in foreign CI operations against the Soviet intelligence services on the Mexican side of the border. His perseverance, in shepherding the instrument through its various approval-stages in the Agency and the Department of Justice, is finally paying off with the recent notification that the SCC/CI had informally approved the agreement. (2) This past summer Mr. Piccolo was temporarily assigned to assist NE Division as a consultant, because of his Brasilian expertise, in a case involving a Brazilian walk-in who claimed PLO connections. Ultimately Mr. Piccolo participated directly in the interrogation assessment process, and was a key factor in finally persuading the Brazilian to return to Brasil to work in place against the PLO. Finally (3), he has quite justifiably earned the reputation (per student critiques and faculty commentary) as one of the most effective instructors on the CI Staff. He lectures, regularly in the CI and BOC courses, and participates in the Walk-Ins and Doubled Agent seminars for our military and FBI colleagues.Again, Mr. Piccolo's performance during this past year, as in previous years, reflected a sustained superior effort, which, I am convinced, will continue to be the pattern in the future..## SECTION E REVIEWING COMMENTS (continued)Rating officer properly highlights Mr. Piccolo's determination and perseverence in pushing a major joint CIA-FBI program through Washington's often unbelievable bureaucracy. A lessor man would have thrown in the towel long ago. Mr. Piccolo, understanding the importance of this proposal, was determined to "hang in there;" success resulted.A veteran CI survey officer, Mr. Piccolo headed a team inspecting Brasilia Station during this year. Perceptive identification of a number of potential counterintelligence and operational security problems, have induced this Station to take certain corrective action and its future operational programs will surely benefit from these.Major contamination via Philip Agee has severely limited this officer's ability to serve in his area of specialty, Latin America. Nonethelons, we need to identify in the not too distant future a challenging overacas assignment that will take advantage of his fepressive operational skills and experience. He is patently an officer with highly developed on-the-street instincte amt, if he is to achteve his considerable potential, needs additional overseas postinga。In the meantime we are fortunato Indeed to have his on our staff; he is one of our best. I unhealuatingly concur in the Rating Officer's letter grades and narrative comente.SECRET