-·-

RSA cmcULAR 

NtMBER 41-3 

NATIONAL SECURITY AGEifCY 

Washington 25, D. C. , 9 August 1954 

EFFEC.•mE UNTIL RESCINDED OR SUPERSEDED 

USA STANDARDS FOR camrr TRAINING 

IR THE MILrrARY MA'R~~ri'S 

SUPERSESSION • • • • • • • • • • • • 

PURPOSE • , • • • • • • • • • " 

GEN'mA.L • • • • • • • • • • • • 

• • • • 

• • • • SCOPE AND FORMAT OF STANDARDS . . . .. . IMPLEl4ENTATION • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

CCJ.iPOSIT'ION OF PROGRAMS OF DfSTROOTION • 

LIAISON • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

SEC.'TION I - SUPERSESSION 

Sro.rION 

I 

II 

III 

"IV 

v 

VI 

VII 

This Circular supersedes NBA Circula:r Number 41-3, dated 9 

March 1951•. 

SECTION II - Ptm.POSE 

The purpose of this Circul.ar is to describe the scope and format of Nationa.1 Security Agency Training Standards and to prescribe 

the procedures for the implementation of NSA Training Standards in 

the Military Departments. 

SECTION III - GENERAL 

1. RSA Training Standards wi11 out1ine and prescribe ·the minimum scope of CCMINT trainiDg courses conducted by the Military Departments. 

a. The term "COMINT training" e.s used herein is understooc'J. 

to embrace all training in the fields of cryptanalysis, tratf'ic e.ne.1-

ysis, regular or special.ized intercept techniques, and in anoillar,y 

canmunication inte1ligence ~ieldo includi11g language. 

2. NSA '!'raining Standards will be issued for all f'orma1 training and apprentice training in CCMIN'l conducted by the Military Departments. 

e.. The term "formal training" as used herein is understood 

to mean training ln which most of the instruction is conducted in a 

classroan. 

CONFIDENTIAL 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 11-13-2013 pursuant to E .0. 1352a 
eOftPBl&tI!til 

BSA cmcuu.n NO. 41-3 9 August 195~ 

b. The term "apprentice training" as used herein ia understood to mean training which is normally perf'o:rmed under the direction 

of the Service c0DJU1ander concerned in the station to which the trainee 

is assigned, which bas as its essential. purpose the tami1iarization ot 

the trainee With his job, and vhicll has e. definite plan, schedule, and 

duration. 

SECTION IV - SCOPE AND FORMAT OF STANDARDS 

l. USA 'fra.ining Stande.t-ds will be written in terms ot minimum 

requirements. Where these requirements are s·tated in number of houra 

to bb cieiiu:.."d to a major phase of' study, this number of hours represents the amount considered by the concensus of persons fully experienced in the particular problem as the minimum time likely to be needed 

by the average student to acquire the desired proficiency. These phase 

1engths, therefore, are f'or guidance. However, aey significant reduction in tlle number of hours to be devoted to aey phase by any individual. 

Service must be requested ot the Director, NSA, and mu.st be accompanied 

by a detail.ed justification. 

2. NSA Training Standards will nor.mal.l.y consist of most ot the 

follOWing items: 

e.. Ef'f"eetive date of the Standard. 

b. Course title or subject. 

c:. Pertinent Service job codes or occupational. special.ties. 

d. Objective. 

e. Prerequisites. 

f. SUbject matter or phases to be covered. 

g. Methodc of instruction. 

h. Suggested minimum length. 

i. Objective standard (if' possible to prescr:lbe). 

j. Means of verif'y:tng achievement. 

k. References. 

1. Clansif'ication of course content and materials. 

m. Special instructions (if any). 

- 2 -

CONFIDENTIAL 
BSA cmcUIAR NO. 41-3 9 August 1954 

SECTICW - ...,...__.,.,3....,.._ V ... »JPL'F.MENTATION __________ _ 

1. NSA T1·aining Ste.od.ards Vill be lsaued in prortoional. f'ona . 

tor each couroe of training. Prl"IVisic:mal St.unclarda submit.tea. to 

the Serv~~e Cry~tologic Agen~ies mo.y be acct:mipanied by n memorandum 

discussing the ta.ctorec whJ.ch were oonn.l.de1•cd in their preparation. 

2. W:ttbln 1~5 de.:yf.! after the iSG'.lRnee of each J:TavisioMl. Stand.-

a.rd, Sel"Vice C1""YPtolog1c .Ag<m<:ieu a.:t"t"ected. Will eend to the D11·cctor i 

s.. Comm.ents aud. recam:uenclatiorls f.01" · rnin:b.m,, if en.y ft 

- --- ----

b. A11 estimate of vbeti the requ"lrements or tht? Stand.art\ 

can be met. Jf.a.Jor obste.el.es to implenenta.t.:ton ·will be :reported to 

the Director, woo 'Will provide ~asistance aa appropriate~ 

3 ~ The I'fSA Train:J.ng Stands.rd vill. tbeu be p1•Qmnl.gtl.tec1 in t'inal. 

fOl'lll, e.nd the Service C:t·yptoJ.ogic Ageno1.eu concerned tfill, upon receipt of en NSA 'l'r.o.i.n1ng f:!l;anda.'l."d: sublllit au socu as pre.C'ticab1e to 

the Dlrector a. course out.line baeed on the ~tariaa:rtl.. Progrmna ot 

Inst.ruction, prepai·ed in t.he fot"ll\ O"J.tlined in the t'oJJ.owing section, 

will be submi ttea subsequently as promptly a.e posfd.ble. 

4. A1.l re1lo:rt.s su"bm.1 ttet.\ 1.n can1"ll1ance wi:t.b t.JJis Oironl.ar 

should c1.te RCS NSA 301.. 

sre-no~ VI .• CCM...POSr.rrON Ol' PROGRAMS OF INSW.UCTIO.N .........,.__....___............ 41 -4 ~IW- fN-.uqwaa U PWIDll9 

1. Prog.t-ams 01"' Ilistruetion to be :f'o1"'Warded to the Direc·tor as 

required in Sea1~1011 V Will include e;li least 'the :foll.owing 1 tems, 

prepa.1-ed along the general l.inoa i11drntif: 

e... Cover Sheet. Tbe covoi'" sheet, will ehw the name of: the 

cotu·se to vh.'\Cli the ~am applies and wil.1, if' possible, indi~ate 

the pe1'"tinent occupational specialty and. Service job code. It Vill 

al.so show tbe dat<:t on vhich ·the progr-mn va.s appl"~·ed by the a.pprorr1ate Se1"Vice authori·ty. 

b. Preface. The pref'f.o.ce will contain a coneise statement 

ot the objectlve ·or-tii..e course, e. l:lel;. of the prereql.1iBitefi ·to ·~he 

course, e..nd a. stn.tement of the leogtb of the couxae expressed both 

:tn number of C"al.endar weeks a.n4 111 number of hours. 

c. [UI'll'k'\f,.l· The SunmaaI"J' Will <.~ons119·t or a tG.bula.tion ot 

the titles of each ma.jar u.ni t. ot academic instruction in the course, 

each such unit be:tng e.ceampanied by o. sta:tement or the hours spent thereon. 

- 3 -

CONFIDENTIAL 
€0NFIDiEN~ 

BSA CIRCULAR NO. 41-3 9 August 1954 

d. Detailed Breakdown. :Each major unit will be further 

subdivided into tli'e specfi"fc "Silbjects ot which it is composed. To 

make this portion of the Program of Instruction as useful. and intorma.ti ve as possible, an attempt should be made to subdivide each 

unit ot instruction into the m.JMlllest subunits which are still 

meaningf'u:J.. With but tew exceptions, no unit canprising more than 

40 hours should be lef"t undivided in this J?,Ort1on of the Pfogram. 

For each speciffc su"6"Ject the foll"OWing"aata, constituting a sub• 

Ject schedule, will be presented in tabular form: 

(1) Subject of each lesson. 

(2) Time allotted and type of instruction. The fo1-

1owing symbols will be used: L f'or lecture, C 

for con:f'erence, D tor demonstration, TF for training film, PE for-all types of practici! exercises, 

and ! for all types of" examinations. 

(3) A concise but informative statement of the scape 

of instruction and the no.ture of any demonstration, 

practical exercise, or examination prescribed. 

(4) References. A list of the texts and training a.ids 

actually provided as student study references; and 

a list of the specific practical exercises and examinations provided for use by students. 

2. Because tne detailed breakdown of the units is the most use-

:f'ul. portion of the Program of Instruction, an example of such a breakdown is attached as Appendix. 

SFD'fiON VII - LIAISOi"l 

Representatives of the Director will make frequent visits to the 

Service Cryptologic Agencies concerned with COMIN'l' training to observe 

the functioning o~ ~raining programs and to offer assistance in setting 

up training or in resoldrig problems pertaining to CCMINT training. 

BY car..wm OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL CANINE: 

y• ,BELL 

Colonel, AGC 

Adjutant General 

L. lI. FROST 

Rear Admiral, u. s. Navy 

Chief' of Staff' 

Incl: DISTRIBUrION V plus - ~ -

Appendix '.mG {10) 

€0NFIDENTIAL 
APPENDIX 

Example of a detailed break.down ot a unit of instruction, aB out-

,Jned in paragraph ld, Seat ion VI: 

UNIT NO. 1 

MONOALPHADETIC SUBSTITUTION SYSTEMS 

(200 hours) 

Silliject Hours and· type Scope of· instruction 

Fundamental 

Primdples 

16 1 L, D, PE Basia cryptologic terminology and• procedures; 

the monographic phi· test. 

Unlllteral 

SUbstitution 

Simple: Multillteralt Sllbstito.tfan 

Variant 

Substitution 

Polygraphic 

Substitution 

Monomedinome 

Snbst:l.tntian 

20 •L, D,·PE 

24 L, D, PE 

28 •L, 17, ·pE 

24 -L, :Q, PE 

Syllabary-Squares 40 L, D, PE 

& <::ode €1iarts 

Fore.fgn• Language 32 • L, PE 

Ciphen 

Cryptography and- cryptanalysis of· uniliteral 

substitution with standard and· mixed cipher 

alphabets; the probable word method; com 

pletion of. the plain component seque 

tog y and cryptanalysis of representap graphic systems: 4-square, 2-square, 

Playfair cipher systems; the digraphic 

hi•test. 

Cryptography and cryptanalysis of. monomedinome substitution; use of isologs. 

Cryptography and cryptanalysis of syllabary 

squares and col.le charts; coo:tdinate recovery; 

square. recovery;· use ofbulk messages. 

Solution of a· few monoalphabetic substirution 

ciphers in which· the underlying plain• textx 

are· in· a· foreign• language; introduction· to 

fore.ign· language cryptollnguistf.cs. 

Refe1ences 

Chapters I through IV, NSA 

text "Military Cryptanalytics, 

Part l". Lesson 1, NSA Problem 

Book, same title. 

tanalytics, Part I". 

roblem nook, 

ter VII, NSA text "Military Cryptanalytics, Part I". 

Lesson 3, NSA Problem Book, 

same title. 

Chapter VllI, NSA text "Mili· 

tary Cryptanalytics, Part I". 

Lesson 4, NSA Problem Book, 

same title. 

Chapter TX, NSA teX\. "Military Cryptanalytics, Part I". 

Problem 1 from each of Lessons 5, 6, and '1, NSA P1'0blem 

Book, same title. 

Chapter X, NSA text "Mlli.taiy 

Cryptanalytlcs, Part r• • Problems 1 t;hrough 5, Lesson 8, 

NSA Problem Book, same title. 

Par. 80, NSA text "Military 

C1;rplanalylics, Part I". Lesson 9~ 

NSA Problem Book, same title. 

NSA text "Military Cryptanalytlcs, 

Part I"• Course BETA, Section 

86-30, "CryptlllaI]'st's Manual". 

Appendix to NSA C irculm41-3, 9 Augus·l; 1954 

CONFIDENTIAL