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SUBJECT NUMBER 

USCIB: 9 .3/40 

Subject: 

Item 3 of the Agenda for the 27th Meeting of USCIBEC, 

held on 25 March 1955. 

USCIB Master Requirements List (USCIB 9.3/30,/32,/33). 

The CHAIRMAN (Captain Taylor) introduced discussion of this item 

with a brief review of actions taken since the previous meeting. He said 

that he had called together five members of the Committee (Army, Navy, 

Air Force, State, and CIA) informally to discuss procedural and other 

aspects of the problem, and he thought the discussion had done much to 

clear the atmosphere and head the Committee in the right direction. The 

group was of the opinion, he said, that USCIBEC would agree to attack the 

several aspects of the problem separately, saving the question of the 

COMINT Requirements List (CRL), for example, for consideration at a 

special meeting of the Committee next week. He invited comments on this 

latter proposal. 

CAPTAIN HOLTWICK said he believed it unrealistic to jump straight to 

the CRL, in that the ad hoc coilll?littee had, in its report, set forth five 

steps (TAB A) which it thought should be accomplished before attacking 

the CRL. He suggested this as a more orderly and logical procedure for 

study of the problem. 

The CHAIRMAN stated that the ad hoc committee plan to develop a 

requirements list based on National objectives was not being rejected, 

but rather, that the intervening actions mentioned by Captain Holtwick 

need not be considered necessary as formal steps. He explained that the 

group, which did not include NSA representation, felt that the intelligence consumers were best equipped to determine what the intelligence 

requirements, COMINT and otherwise, are and that the NSA should then be 

asked whether the list thus produced is acceptable for translation into 

the implementation plan in terms of COMINT facilities. With this in 

mind, he said, the group believed it advisable to get ahead with the 

problem by attempting to prepare a CRL. 

CAPTAIN HOLTWICK said that NSA is perfectly willing to sit in now 

and give its best advice to the rest of the community in its effort to 

prepare something which NSA can use as basic guidance. 

The CHAIRMAN, stating that this is what he has in mind, asked if 

the members were willing to have a special meeting next week to discuss 

basic guidance to NSA, and determine whether TAB C or something else is 

the proper vehicle. 

LT. COLONEL HARROLD recalled informing the group that the Air Force 

had begun preparation of an Air Force CRL based on requirements from all 

sources. He said that the exercise is continuing, .QQt, +shat. ft.e Qad sgnw 

dettbb as to whetl'.1e1 it woti!bS. 8.e-t~k. \A. .)C!, l?J ~ .!. ... ~ /tf(:;, 

USCIB: 9 .3/40 - 9 -

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USCIB: 9.3/40 

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The CHAIRMAN asked if Lt. Colonel Harrold was prepared to discuss 

it now or later, and was informed that the Air Force would be in a 

better position to discuss it next week with no guarantee that the list 

will be complete at that time. 

LT. COLONEL HARROLD expressed his opinion that it would be desira~le 

for each agency to prepare its own list, and, while the lists would 

undoubtedly be overlapping, he thought that they could be combined into 

a single list which would provide adequate guidance for NSA. 

The CHAIRMAN stated that the whole problem is a very complex one. 

He said that while he felt reasonably sure that the Board did not expect 

the Committee to reach a solution at this meeting, he hoped the Committee 

would be able to report some progress in that direction. 

MR. GODEL commented that progress has definitely been made if the 

Committee agrees to follow the course suggested by Lt. Colonel Harrold. 

He asked if the members, excepting Air Force and Defense, were reasonably 

well along with the preparation of individual lists. 

It was brought out that in addition to the list prepared by CIA 

progress is being made on a State Department List. The remaining members 

were of the opinion that the CIA list, with some amendments, could serve 

as an adequate basis for guidance. 

MR. POLYZOIDES expressed agreement with Lt. Colonel Harrold 1 s 

suggestion that individual lists be prepared and consolidated. 

The CHAIRMAN, after determining that there was general agreement on 

this point, asked when such lists would be available for consideration. 

LT. COLONEL HARROLD said that he could not be ready next week and 

suggested a special meeting just prior to the next USCIB meeting. 

The members then discussed format, agreeing in general that it would 

be advisable to keep in mind fbe National ~ntelligence Objectives (NIO) 

as prepared by the IAC. When uggested that the members 

endeavor to follow the pattern of the CIA list in the interest of facility 

of consolidation the Chairman commented that there is considerable anarchy 

of opinion on format and proposed that this be\left to the judgment of the 

individual members. 

Returning to the question of an appropriate time to consider the 

lists, it was generally agreed that a definite date would not be set since 

many factors are involved. It was agreed, further, that the Board would 

be informed of the type of action being taken on this point. 

USCIB: 9 .3/40 - 10 -

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USCIB: 9.3/40 

The members then discussed the proposal by the Acting Chairman, USCIB 

(General Cabell) and agreed to inform the Board that the proposal was 

noted and that the Committee believes it is proceeding in accordance with 

the spirit and intent of it. 

Discussion then turned to the matter of supplemental guidance. The 

Chairman paused to request reflection by the members on the overall 

problem itself, without referring to any papers. He outlined his idea of 

what the supplemental guidance mechanism should be. He described a simple bu~iness relationship and indicated how he thought it would work in 

practice. He suggested a system of checks and balances which ought to 

obtain, and indicated channels of appeal through the USCIB structure in 

the event any member believed that his interests were not being served 

properly. He concluded by saying that he could foresee this as a workable 

solution which would not offer an unfair advantage to any participant if, 

in fact, the individual agencies would designate representatives clothed 

with authority to speak for their principals on matters of supplemental 

guidance. 

In the ensuing discussion Lt. Colonel Harrold indicated that it would 

be impractical for the Air Force to have a single representative because 

of the variety of problems involved. He was informed that the main point 

was to have one person who could act authoritatively on a given problem, 

thereby getting away from Committee decisions, and that there need be no 

restriction upon having different individuals for different problems. 

The CHAIRMAN added, on this point, that there need be no restriction 

on the number or composition of panels or advisory groups in the background 

so long as one person is empowered to express a single, authoritative . ' agency view. OGA 

At the request of I I the Chaim~ summed up the proposal 

briefly and asked if tHe members were willing to proceed with the basic 

idea he had presented. 

It was generally felt that the area of agreement described by the 

Chairman, and his recommended course of action, presented a likely means of 

solution. It was believed, further, that if the Chairman's views were 

reduced to writing and circulated for comment by the members, the paper 

might well serve as USCIBEC 1 s recormnendations to USCIB in the matter. 

The CHAIRMAN volunteered to undertake the preparation of a paper on 

supplemental guidance along the lines he had described, and said that he 

would provide all members with copies of it upon completion. 

It was agreed that the need for a special meeting would be determined 

after the proposal has been distributed. 

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USCIB: 9 .3/40 

DECISION: (25 March 1955) USCIBEC agreed: 

(1) With regard to the preparation of a COMINT Requirements List 

(CRL), that each member so desiring would submit its own CRL to the 

Executive Secretary with a view to consolidating the individual lists at 

a special meeting to be arranged when ~he lists become available. 

(2) With regard to Supplemental Guidance, that the Executive 

Secretary would reduce to writing the views expressed by him in the foregoing discussion, and distribute his proposal for comment by the members, 

with a view to having it serve as the Committee 1 s recommendation to the 

Board on Supplemental Guidance. 

(Note: The initial proposal was distributed as an enclosure with USCIB 

9.3/38. The USCIBEC-approved version was subnJi.tted to the Board as USCIB 

9.3/39 for consideration at the 114th meeting.) 

The meeting adjourned at 1632. 

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