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20 AUG 1968 

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MEMORANDUM FOR DR. BROWN IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!IIIIIIIIII 14000758730 

SUBJECT: The Proper Location of the SAFSS/SP 

You ~ecently as~ed me to give some thought to the 

proper location of the Office of Space Systems (SAFSS) 

and the Directorate of Special Projects (SAFSP), for 

administrative purposes. One possibility you suggested 

for examination was to transfer support of these offices 

to the Air Force Systems Command, giving them anorganizational status similar to General Stewart's MOL Office. 

In reviewing the possibilities, I got in touch with 

Brigadier General Russ Berg to be up-dated on the mission, 

charter, functions, and structure of the NRO of which 

SAFSS/SP form only a part. As a result of this briefing, 

as well as our subsequent conversation, I became convinced 

that we would do well to continue SAFSS/SP in their present 

'OSAF location. I noted in particular rather fundamental 

dissimilarities between these offices and the MOL Office, 

the latter being clearly an Air Force operation while 

SAFSS/SP, being a part of the NRO, involve a number of nonAir Force agencies and are, in fact, part of a national 

office covertly located with us. The direct tie-in of 

Dr. Flax with the NRO is also worth noting and argues for 

.retaining the office at the secretarial level. Finally, 

it is clear that. the very sensitive and important mission 

of the NRO calls for it to be supported directly at your 

levei, very much as evidenced by your memorandum of 

October 7, 1965 (attached). 

In terms of specifics, SAFSS/SP impact my office 

(and yours) in three main areas: manpower, floor space, 

and travel funds. The NRO Staff (SAFSS) and Major General 

John Martin's west coast operation (SAFSP) have limited 

themselves to 45 Air Force spaces apiece, (officers, 

civilians, and airmen), all of which are on the manning 

document of the l132d Field Extension Squadron of Head~ 

quarters Command. General Berg advises me that the total 

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manpower demand of the entire National Reconnaissance 

Program -~ conSidering Air Force, Army, Navy, NSA, and 

CIA elements -- can peak, upon occasion, at about 4000 

people. In the light of this, I believe the NRO has 

done well to limit its unique Air Force manpower requirement to 90 spaces and to seek the bulk of its support 

from manpower in existing organizations. 

As regards floor space, the only augmentation 

requested over the recent several years has been for 

the NRO S.atellite Operations Center, in the basement 

of the Pentagon. When I described the very serious 

problem we face in attempting to acquire more floor 

space, the NRO later re-worked its floor plan and 

mqved a substantial portion of its operation (the 

covert communication facilities) to Andrews AFB. 

There has been continuing concern about the size 

'of SAFSP travel funding, which cost $450,000 in FY 1968, 

and has been requested by SP at over $550,000 in FY 1969. 

There have been a number of unsuccessful explorations of 

means to reduce approved costs against the OSAF budget, 

includinf a study on furnishing SP with two aircraft. 

However, Ihas .developed a workable alternaCONTROL SYSTEM 

tive that will reduce the OSAF funding -- this is to 

establish in the SAMSO FY 1970 travel budget $300,000 as 

a fixed amount exclusively for SAFSP, and not subject to 

organizational considerations. Major General Paul Cooper 

has concurred in this arrangement. The balance of funding 

would be financed by OSAF, with the total requirements to 

be reviewed by a team of General Berg, I Jand 

myself. The $300,000 is not in the current DDR&E FY 0 

budget, so a budget iSsue paper for your signature may be 

necessary. 

Finally, I have begun discussions with General Berg 

on the basic problem of providing SAFAA support to SAFSS/ 

SP in such a manner that NRO security will be protected 

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and I Will have solid assurance of the validity of each 

requirement. I am sure we can make appropriate arrangements and will advise you of the outcome of our discussions. 

CONTROL NO T(! 5 t)., 7t/{ -, ¥' 

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Approved for Release: 2019/05/02 C051 07529 . .. < DEPARTMENi OF THE: AIR FORCE: 

WASHINGTON 

OFl"IC;; 01' THII: SECRETARV EXTRACT 

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MEMORANDuM FOR .. " 

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November 9, 1965 

Chief of Staff, USAF 

Under Secretary of the Air Force 

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force ' 

, (Installations & Logis'tics) 

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force 

(Financial Manageme ~t) 

Commander, AFSC 

Comptroller of the Air Force 

Director i Office of Information 

Director, Office of Legislatlve Liaison 

, :," SUBJECT: Delegat'ion of Authority to Director, National 

Reconnaissance Office 

, On 1 October, the Deputy Secretary of Defense appointed . 

',' Dr. Alexander H. Flax as Director, National Reconnaissance Office' 

, ': (DNRO)., in addi~on to his duties as Assistant Secretary of the Air 

, 'F~rce (R&D).' 

.' _.,rf ... .&J_. ," , •. 

Since the Office of Space Systems (SAFSS) and the Office of 

Special Projects (SAFSP) are concel-ned only with National Rec,onnais-

" sance Program matters, I hereby delegate full directive authority over 

,,;','all of t~eir activities to Dr. Flax. 

Dr. 'Flax also is delegated the authority to act for me on all 

.' Air Force matters _ .. including personnel, materlel, and fiscal 

,resources -- associated with the National Reconnaissance Office, 

'and/ or within the' purview of the National Reconnaissance Program,' 

***** , '. .. -." -

~&fI.S--~. cc:' Dep'Sec/Def Harold Brown 

" , ' 

TCS 37614;-68' 

COPY. 1 ' 

EXTRACT 

, , i UP SECRET 

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J,"'J~r,i'"iii .1-f~%?it-L+'C~P-f1~ E'-", T+j ---TAUENT .. l([YH{)L.f: eONTR0~ SYSTEM ONLY 

DEPARTMENT OF THE: AIR FORCE 

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 

MEMORANDUM 

9 Aug 68 

NOTE FOR MR. LANG, SA FAA 

Brigadier 

Director 

NRO Staff 

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WI" ~ttil(L I . TALENT:DKE'YHOlf 

MEMORANDUM FOR DR. BROWN 

SUBJECT: The Proper Location of the SAFSS/SP 

You recently asked me to give some thought to the 

proper location of the Office of Space Systems (SAFSS) 

and the Directorate of Special Projects (SAFSP), for 

administrative purposes. One possibility you suggested 

for examination was to transfer suppor~ of these offices 

to the Air, Force Systems Command, giving them an 

organizational status similar to General Stewart's MOL 

Office. 

In reviewing the possibilities, I got in touch with 

Brigadier General Russ Berg to be up-dated on the mission, 

charter, functions; and structure of the NRO of which 

SAFSS/SP fo~m only a part. As a result of this briefing, 

as well as our subsequent conversation, I became 

convinced that we would do well to continue SAFSS/SP in 

,their present OSAF location. I noted in particular 

rather fundamental dissimilarities between these offjces 

and the MOL Office, the latter being clearly an Air Force 

operation while SAFSS/SP, being a part of the NRO, involve 

a number of non-Air Force agencies and are, in fact, part 

of a national office covertly located. with us. The direct o 

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lOP SECRET . TALENT-KEYHOLE CONTROL SYSTENI 

tie-in of Dr. Flax with the NRO is also worth noting and 

argues for retaining the office at the secretarial level. 

Finally, it is clear that the very sensitive and important 

mission of the NRO calls for it to be supported directly 

at your level, very much as evidenced by your memorandum 

of Octob~r 7, 1965 (attached). 

In terms of specifics, SAFSS/SP impact my office 

(~nd yours) in three main areas: manpower, floor space, 

and travel funds. The NRO Staff (SAFSS) and Major General 

'John Martin's west coast operation (SAFSP) have limited 

themselves tp 45 Air Force spaces apiece, (officers, 

civilians, ~nd airmen), all of which are oq the manning 

document of the l132d Field Extension Squadron of ~eadquarters Command. General Berg advises me that the total 

manpower demand of the entire National Reconnaissance 

Program -- considering Air Force, Army, Navy, NSA, and 

CIA elements -- can peak, upon occasion, at about 4000 

people. In the light of this, I believe the NRO has done 

well to limit its unique Air Force manpower requirement 

to 90 spaces and to seek the bulk of its support from manpower in eXisting organizations. 

-

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• 

As regaTds floor space, the only augmentation 

requested over the recent several years has been for the 

NRO Satellite Operations Center, in the basement of the 

Pentagon. When I described the very serious problem we 

face in attempting to acquire more floor space, the 

CONTROl. SvSHM 

NRO later re-worked its floor plan and moved a substantial 

portion of its operation (the covert communication 

facilities) to Andrews AFB. 

There h~s been continuing concern about the size 

of SAFSP travel funding, which cost $450,000 in FY 1968, , 'and has been~requested by SP at over $550,000 in FY 1969. 

There have B~en a number of unsuccessful explorations of 

means to reduce approved costs against the OSAF budget, 

including a study on furnishing SP with two aircraft. 

However, I Ihas developed a workable alternative that will reduce the OSAF funding -- this is to 

establish in the SAMSO FY 1970 travel budget $300,000 as 

a fixed amount exclusively for SAFSP, and not subject to 

organizational considerations. Major General Paul Cooper 

has concurred in this arrangement. The balanc,e of funding 

would be financed by OSAF, with the total requirements to 

be reviewed by a team of General Berg,1 I and ~------------~ 

myself. The $300,000 is not in the current DDR&E FY70 

CONTROL No7C/032t.lt -d 

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Finally, I have begundisGussions with General Berg 

on the basic problem of providing SAFAA support to SAFSS/ 

SP in such a manner that NRO security will be protected 

and I will have solid assurance of the validity of each 

requirement. I am sure we can make appropriate arrangements and will advise you of the outcome of our discussion. 

John A. Lang, Jr. 

Administrative Assistant 

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ACTION MEMO ROUTING SLIP I :N:tI!eT V.e for Approvalr, Duapprovalr, ConcuYretJC.U, or Simi14 .. Actw.u 

1 TO INITIALS CIRCULATE 

)/l-f-,-~ DATE COORDINATION 

2 FILE 

~ INFORMATION 

X 

J ,. NOTE AND 

RETURN 

PER CON· 

VERSATION 

4 SEE ME 

SIGNATURE 

REMARKS 

Jf)r Lad ~ClS 5'ee~ 

, 

FROM f ~fij JACK L. "-

LOWTHER, 

~ Captain, U§~ 

Spoed f1ctivitiGS Offic~ / 

ACS/lnteI igenc~ , ,/ 

Replaces DD Form 94, 1 Feb 50, and DD Form 

9li, 1 Fe b 50, whicb wlll be rued until exhau~ted. 

~EO AUG 1968 

PHONE 

GPO , 1966---0-233-859 

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. QFFICE OF THE SECRETA RY 0 F TH E AIR FORCE 

ROUTING SLIP IDA~ ~ 61 TO OFFICE COPIES TO OFFICE ! COPIES 

TO TO 

SECRETARY AI R FORCE Y Ar:MINISTRATIVE 

ASSISTANT 

. CHIEF OF STAFF GEN ERAl COUNSEL 

UNDER SECRE.TARY OFFICE OF 

LfGISLATI VE LI"ISON 

ASSIST"NT SECRETARY OFrtCE OF 

F INANCI AL MANAGEMENT IN FORMATION 

ASS I STANT SECR ET ARY 

INSTALLATIONS & LOGISTICS 

ASSISTANT SECRETARY 

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 

SPECI AL ASS I STANT 

FOR M P & R 

TYPE OF ACT I ON 

APPROPR I ATE ACT! ON ACTION ASS IGNED TO 

REMARKS AND RECOMMENOA T I ON S 511;::-/111 DIRECT REPLY ATTENT ION 

INFO ON WH I CH TO BASE REPLY 

X I NFORMAT I ON ~ ~tVN; COORDINATION COORDINATE WITH 

NOTE AND RETURN f NOTE AND FORWARD 

FILE 

PREPARE REPLY FOR SIGNATURE OF SUSPENSE DATE 

REMARKS~ 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

/ p.P.T 7Sl! c:.U1\JDERSON' BY DIRECTION OF: Colonel, USPS 

AFHQ 

THE SEC RE TARY Exccutive Assistant to the THE UNDER SECRETARY Secretary of the Air force THE ASS ISTANT SECRETARY 

FORM 

APR 64 0-96 P RE V. IOU SED I T ION 5 0 F 

TH IS FO RM A RE 0 8 SOLE IT 

'tf GPO 1964 : 0-726-523 

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