Table of Contents te Pre RE re “¢ Se yee wees, The Acme of Skill “To find security without fighting is the acme of skill.” Sun Tzu, Military Strategist China, 400 BC Introduction An Intelligence Glossary The Intelligence Cycle 2 tan “ United States Foreign Intelligence 8 “... the Agency, while responsible for coordi- nating all U.S. foreign intelligence, is but one element in a vast, multidimensional intelli- gence system.” The President’s Intelligence Organization The intelligence Community 12 The Central intelligence Agency “The needs for intelligence increase as our world becomes more complex... .”" Legislative Liaison Central Intelligence Agency Introduction The Genesis of the Agency Then and Now Special Activities Oversight Conclusion The Finished Product The People anc Their Jobs A Miscellany The Seal The Headquarters Building The Medals A Chronology People Often Ask 14 16 16 19 29 21 21 21 24 28
- Off ice Director.” ; _ Central Pi intelli gence ‘A gency
Be The art of intelligence is not new. It was practiced during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England (1558-1603). (lon intelligence is nothing new, it is referred to in the Old Testa- ment when God commands Moses to send agents to ‘spy out the Land of Canaan.” it is referred to, 400 years before the birth of Christ, by the Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu in his book, “The Art of War,” in which he emphasized the importance of good intelligence by noting that to ‘win 100 battles is not the acme of skill. To find security without fighting is the acme of skill.” It was used in the 13th century by the Mongol leader Subotai in direct- ing his forces to spectacular military successes in their invasion of Europe. Allen Welsh Dulles, for nine years Director of Central Intelligence, wrote in “The Craft of Intelligence” that European rulers in the Middle Ages “were not very well informed about the Byzantine Empire and the Eastern Slavs; they knew even less of the Moslem world; and they were almost completely ignorant of anything that went on in Central and East Asia.” In the 16th century, Sir Francis Walsingham, principal State Secre- tary to Queen Elizabeth I of England, developed and sustained a network of dozens of intelligence agents dispersed to foreign lands. He recruited his people from Cambridge and Oxford, nurtured the art of espionage, and had tools and techniques for making and breaking codes. In a very real sense, what Walsingham established in the intelligence aspects of this service foreshadowed the modern intelligence organization. Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth's principal State Secretary, created an extensive intelli- gence organization which sent agents to foreign lands.
Phe poms that throughout re- corded history, nulions esurvived , py on niore Than armed mught. Phey have survived by their ability to gather, evaluate, and understand information about their world. information is intelligence Simply put, intelligence is know]- edge and foreknowledge of the world that surrounds us. The art of delivering this knowledge and fore- knowledge in a fashion that allows decision makers, whether they be mili- tary commanders or political leaders, to arrive at proper decisions is an elusive and frustrating one. It has less to do with cloaks and daggers than with the painstaking, generally te- dious collection of facts, analysis of facts, exercise of judgment and quick, clear evaluation. Intelligence must be rigorous, continuous, timely and, above all else, must be useful. The combination of informing and alerting is what intelligence is all about. And in the contemporary world-—volatile, complex, shifting from week to week, day to day—that combination is an absolute necessity as well as a growing chatlenge. Without it, nations would have to live on faith alone—or in total darkness. The need for reliable, timely intelligence in- creases as the world grows more complex. New developments and new areas of concern require constant attention. Aa larelligence Glossary Agent Anindiidual, usually foreign, who acts under the direction of an intelligence agency or security service to obtain, or assistin obtaining, information for intelligence or counterintelligence purposes, and to perform other intelligence functions Case Officer -~- A professional employee uf an intelligence organization who ts responsible for providing direction to an agent, Clandestine .-Secret or hidden, conducted with secrecy by design. Counterintelligence-—Intelligence activity intended to detect, counteract, and/or prevent espionage and other foreign clandestine intelligence activities, sabotage, international terrorist activities or assassinations conducted for or on behalf of foreign powers. Counter- intelligence also refers to the information derived from such activity. Cover—The protective guise used by a person, organization, or installation to prevent identifi- cation with clandestine operations. Covert Action-- A special activity conducted abroad in support of United States foreign policy objectives and executed so that the role of the United States Government is nat apparent or acknowledged publicly. Covert action is distinct from the intelligence- gathering function. Espionage—Intelligence activity directed to- ward the acquisition of information through clandestine means. Intelligence Cycle—The process by which information is acquired, converted into intelli- gence, and made available to policymakers, It usually consists of five steps: planning and direction. collection, processing. production and analysis, and dissemination. National Foreign Intelligence—Intelligence about a foreign power which responds to the needs of the President, the National Security Council, and others involved in the formula- tion and execution of national security, foreign, or economic policy of the United States. Overt—Open or done without attempt to conceal, as an “overt employee" of an intelligence service. Surveillance—The systematic observation or monitoring of places, persons, or things by visual, aural, electronic, photographic, or other means. for the purpose of gathering intelligence information.
The Latelligence Cycle The process of creating reliable, uc- curate foreign intelligence is dynamic and never-ending. [fa cycle can be said to actually begin, the Intelligence Cycle begins with questions—ques- tions whose answers inevitably lead to Planning and Direction: more questions. So, for all intents and purposes, there is no start and no finish, just the process. For the sake of description, it is possible to break the process into five steps. Taken together, these steps The management of the entire intel- ligence effort from the identification of the need for data to the final delivery of an intelligence product to a customer. The process is initiated by requests or requirements for foreign intel- ligence on certain subjects. These are based on the ultimate needs of the policymakers—the President, the Congress, the National Security Council, and leading officials of major departments and agencies of Govern- ment who depend on current informa- tion as they participate in the formula- tion of national policy. form the Intelligence Cycle. To be aware of them is to have a foundation for understanding how foreign intel- ligence ultimateiy reaches the desks of the President and other senior U.S. decision makers. Collection: Dissemination: The distribution and handling of the finished foreign intelligence. Often this means getting the product to the same policymakers whose needs and requests triggered the Cycle in the first place, but also involves distribu- tion to other consumers both inside and outside the Intelligence Community.
_ The gathering of the raw data from which finished foreign intelligence will be produced. This is done in three ways: 1. From open sources such as radio and television broadcasts, news- papers, professional journals and books or anything that is on the airwaves or in public print. 2. By technical means—photog- raphy and electronics which have come to play an indispensable role in modern intelligence by extending a nation’s sensory system, its eyes and ears, to limits undreamed of not long ago. 3. From human sources—from agents and defectors who provide in- formation obtained in no other way. Production and Analysis: geen’ Perhaps the fulcrum of the process, for here the conversion of basic informa- tion into finished intelligence takes place. This includes the integration, evaluation, and analysis of all avail- able data and the preparation of a variety of intelligence products or estimates which may be presented as briefings, brief reports, or lengthy studies. Of course, the conversion is not a simple process. The raw information that is gathered is often fragmentary and, at times, contradictory. Analysts, who specialize in various subjects or The conversion of the vast amount of information eutering the system into a form more suitable for the production of finished intelligence. This may in- clude language translations, technical analysis, and sorting by subject mat- ter. Information that does not go directly to be analyzed is sorted and made available through rapid com- puter retrieval. This step also refers to data reduc- tion, the interpretation of information stored on film and tape through the use of highly refined photographic and electronic processes. particular areas of the world, are responsible for producing finished intelligence. This is done by integra- ting various pieces of data and interpreting their meaning and significance. Subjects that analysts work with are many and varied. They may con- cern different countries, regions, prob- lems, or personalities in a variety of contexts—political, geographic, eco- nomic, military, scientific, sociologi- cal, or biographic. Current events, capabilities, or probable developments in the future may also be examined. 7
firmed the presence of Soviet offensive _ nating all U.S. foreign intelligence,’ is but one element ina vast, ~ multidiniensional intelligence system: . In October 1962, United States recon- naissanee aircraft photographs con- -. missiles in Cuba: Front that moment, iuntil-the resolution of what has become known.as the.“Cuban Missile - Crisis,” the U.S, Intelligence Commie ‘ nity worked without respite to provide, it the President and other senior offix ap cials with as much timely, accurate ~ he “information as pusSole. 9 + | "4 ms In 1947, in 1962, dndweven today, ° intelligence means ove thing 1o-most Americans: the Central Intelligeiice . Agency, But the fact is thatthe. | - a Agency, while responsible for coordi- ; “ we a 2 a J ¥ g i
ee a ee Ee . Interagency Groups _ OB aa ee "The President —_ of the United States ~ J Presidents Forei n _ . - a 8 Intelligence Oversight Intelligence a 7 | ) Advisory Board (PFIAB) . 7 oo Boar d (1OB) National Seditity Council & - Senior Interagency | The Intelligence | Group (SIG) _ , _-. Community The President’s Intelligence 1IGs ; ° ( ) Organization A Presidential Executive Order as- signs to the Director of Central Intelli- gence the responsibility to act as the primary adviser to the President and the National Security Council on na- tional foreign intelligence. To dis- charge this and other assigned duties, the Director is the appointed—with the advice and consent of the Senate— head of both the Central Intelligence Agency and the Intelligence Commu- nity. These relationships and the mechanisms established to sustain them are discussed on the next page.
President’s Foreiga Intelligence Advisory Board (PFIAB) The PFIAB is maintained within the Executive Office of the President. Its several members serve at the pleasure of the President and are appointed from among trustworthy and distinguished citizens outside of Government who are qualified on the basis of achievement, experience, and independence. They serve without compensation. The Board continually reviews the performance of all Govern- ment agencies engaged in the collec- tion, evaluation, or production of intel- ligence or in the execution of intelligence policy. It also assesses the adequacy of management, personnel, and organization in intelligence agen- cies; and advises the President con- cerning the objectives, conduct, and coordination of the activities of these agencies. The PFIAB is specifically charged to make appropriate recom- mendations for actions to improve and enhance the performance of the inielli- gence efforts of the United States; this advice may be passed directly to the Director of Central Intelligence, the Central Intelligence Agency, or other agencies engaged in intelligence activities. Intelligence Oversight Board (IOB) The President’s Intelligence Oversight Board functions within the White House. The IOB consists of three members from outside the government who are appointed by the President. One of these, who serves as chairman, is also a member of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. The FOB is responsible for discovering and reporting to the President any intelligence activities that raise ques- tions of propriety or legality in terms of the Constitution, the laws of the U.S., or Presidential Executive Order. The Board is also charged with reviewing the internal guidelines and direction of the Intelligence Community. The IOB is a permanent. non-partisan body. National Security Council (NSC) The NSC was established by the National Security Act of 1947 to ad- vise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to the national security. The NSC is the highest Executive Branch entity pro- viding review of, guidance for, and direction to the conduct of all national foreign intelligence and counter- intelligence activities. The statutory members of the NSC are the President, Vice President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense. The Director of Central Intelligence and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff participate as advisers. The same 1947 Act also established the CIA as an independent agency subordinate to the NSC. Senior Interagency Group (SIG) This committee of the NSC 1s com- posed variously of the Director of Central Intelligence, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Deputy Secretary of State, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Deputy Attorney General, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of the National Security Agency. The SIG chairman varies according to the meeting agenda, e.g.. the Director of Central Intelligence is chairman when the body addresses intelligence matiers. The SIG (Intelli- gence) is charged to advise and assist the NSC in discharging its authority and responsibility for intelligence policy and intelligence matters. It ensures that important intelligence policy issues requiring interagency attention receive full, prompt, and systematic coordination. [t also moni- tors the execution of previously approved policies and decisions. Interagency Groups (IGs) To assist the SIG (Intelligence), Interagency Groups have been estab- lished to consider individual policy issues. Each IG consists of representa- tives of the SIG members and, upon invitation of the IG chairman, others with specific responsibilities for matters being considered. A represen- tative of the Director of Central Intel- ligence chairs meetings dealing with national foreign intelligence. A repre- sentative of the Federal Bureau of Investigation chairs meetings dealing with counterintelligence, except for international terrorism, which is divided between a State Department representative for terrorism abroad and an Attorney General representa- tive for terrorism in the U.S. An indeterminate number of IGs may be designated by the SIG to address such policy issues. The JGs, in turn, may establish working groups as needed to provide support to the approved mechanisms of the NSC for such matters. The Intelligence Community The concept of an Intelligence Community is unique in the Government in that it is composed for the most part of elements which have their primary institutional homes in various departments and agencies of the Executive Branch. Many of these elements differ from each other in significant ways. Together they conduct the variety of activities that add up to the entire U.S. national foreign intelligence effort. What binds these diverse components is their commun goal: to provide national leaders with the most reliable and accurate intelligence to serve as a sound basis for making timely, informed decisions. It is the job of the Director of Central Intelligerice to make certain that this goal is constantly and successfully pursued. Members of the Intelligence Community advise the Director of Central Intelligence through their representation on a
* > ¥ 2 wa Central Intelligence Agency Sec. 102(a)" There is establighed under the National Securit gRS Council, a Central Intelliggiice _. Agency with a Director of Central ‘+ Intelligence who shall be the head thereof. ..«.” KA an From the National Security Act of 1947 8 - The profound and tragic lesson of December 7, 1941 was clear: uncoordinated departmental intel- Itgence would no longer suffice. To prevent future “Pearl Harbors"— - where fragmented information was avatlable but no one was responsible Jor pulling it all together—there — - had to be an organization designed, tu oversee the total American intel- ligence effort. In June 1942, one was . created. Called the Office of Strate-. gic Services (OSS), it was the predecessor of the Central Intelli- gence Agency.
“information was available but was so compartmented and so fragmented that there was no individual or group of people respon- sible for drawing what turned out to be a logical conclusion. .. ."" Office Director Central Intelligence Agency Major General William J. Donovan was the Director of the Office of Strategic Services, a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency. Introduction If the combination of informing and alerting is a good working definition of what intelligence is all about, that combination was not working well for the United States on the morning of December 7, 1941. Certainly, the nation had been involved in foreign intelligence since its birth—-George Washington wrote in July 1777, that “the necessity of procuring good intel- ligence is apparent and need not be further urged” —but it was only after the shocking surprise attack at Pearl Harbor, which caught the United States unprepared, that the need for a centrally coordinated national intel- ligence service came into sharp public focus. In the leisurely, seemingly inno- cent years between World Wars— indeed, traditionally——the U.S. oper- ated with only departmental intelli- gence. Under this system, individual departments like War, Navy, and State as well as the Office of the President, produced their own intelli- gence. But there was little coordina- tion among them. Almost jealously, each guarded its own area. Thus, the bits and pieces that might have been brought together to warn of an im- pending attack in the Pacific were never fitted together. They remained essentially uncoordinated. Six months later, in June 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9182 establishing the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). William J. Donovan, a New York lawyer who had won the Medal of Honor as a Colonel in Worid War I, was named its Director. Under his guidance, OSS collected information abroad, con- ducted secret operations against ene- my powers, and produced intelligence reports on enemy strengths, capabili- ties, and intentions. It was a forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency. The Genesis of the Central Intelligence Agency The War ended in 1945 and so did the OSS. On the first of October that year, by Executive Order 9621, Presi- dent Harry S Truman disbanded OSS and allowed its functions to be absorbed by the Department of War and State. Even during the height of the global conflict, Donovan’s orga- nization never received complete juris- diction over all foreign intelligence activities. The FBI had been responsi- ble for intelligence work in Latin America since the 1930’s and the military services administered their own areas of responsibility all through World War I. Now, however, with the memory of Pear! Harbor still fresh, the need for a post-war centralized intelligence sys- tem was fully recognized. In fact, Donovan had already submitted a proposal which called for separating the military’s intelligence services from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It also called for the creation of a new orga- nization, having direct Presidential supervision, which would coordinate ine intelligence services of several departments. This new agency would conduct “operations abroad” bi:t would have “no police or law enforce- ment functions, either at home or abroad.” The plan drew great debate. In response, President Truman set up the Central Intelligence Group (CIG) in January 1946. It was directed to coordinate existing departmental intelligence, supplementing but not supplanting their services. This was to be carried out under the direction of the National Intelligence Authority (NIA). Twenty months later, NIA and its operating component, CIG were de- activated and under the provisions of the National Security Act of 1947— the same statute that provided for a Secretary of Defense and created a separate U.S. Air Force and defined the role of today’s Joint Chiefs of Staff—the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency were established. ee eee ee eat A
On July 26,1947 President Harry S Truman signed ithe National Security Act of 1947 which established the Centra! Intelligence Agency.
Then and Now The Central Intelligence Agency is charged with a dual responsibility. It must coordinate the numerous intelli- gence efforts of the U.S. Government as well as collect, evaluate, analyze, produce, and disseminate foreign intelligence. That responsibility has remained unchanged since 1947. But the world in which it must be discharged has not. When the Central Intelligence Agency came into being, the world was, in many ways, a simpler place. The U.S. was preeminent among na- tions, the only atomic power on earth. The primary product of intelligence, then, had to do with the military activities and political intentions of the Soviet Union—and a little bit about those of its satellites. Today, however, things are not so simple. The US. is no longer the world’s only nuclear power. In addition, there are now more than 150 independent nations on earth. This country has important contacts with almost all of them. These contacts are far more political and economic than military. Consequently, the focus of collection and analysis has shifted from a singu- lar concentration on the military prowess of one country to a broader interest in all areas of international relations. And although understand- ing Soviet military strength is still the Agency’s number one priority, its tra- ditional areas of concern have ex- panded to confront the problems of such things as terrorism, drug traf- ficking, world energy, and world grain production. These ever growing areas of inter- est represent a significant change in the Central Intelligence Agency. They also focus attention on the need to gather more and more data. And this, in turn, points to another significant change in intelligence. Where once the human agent was the basic collector of data, a technological revolution in the past two decades has generated tech- Intis earty years, the Central Intelligence clgency's primary concern was with Soviet military activities and political intentivuns “.. t's a different world. A multinational, multipower, multiauthority world. ... There has been an enormous shift in the focal power centers. It is no longer a case of monolithic communism. There are many communisms . . . there is no single free world, but there is a world split into many parts... there is not one Third World, but there are many Third Worlds ..." National Intelligence Officer The world has changed. No longer is the United States the only atomic power on earth as it was when this test was run in 1946. Today, many nations have atomic capabilities. “In 1947 there was really only one credible force in opposition to the military might of the United States and that was the Soviet Union .. . intelligence at that point was to know the nature of that threat and to maxi- mize, obviously, the military capability of the United States.” Levislative Liaison Central [ntelligence Agency
Although agents are still an important part of the collection process, the Agency, now more than ever before, depends on technological means to gather information. Much of this technology is developed by the Agency. “I believe that the analyst is at the center of the intelligence process, and | would like to believe the most important part of the intelligence process, because this is the one place, that is the desk of the working analyst, where every piece of paper must come in order for the agency to make a judgment about the intentions of another country or to make a considered judgment about events that have some interest for the U.S. policymaker.” Senior Analyst, Central Intelligence Agency 20 nical systems capable of producing prodigious quantities of information. These systems include devices to inter- cept communications signals and other electronic signals for analysis. Cameras are of great importance miniature cameras carried by agents, large cameras aboard high flying air- craft and reconnaissance satellites. And yet the human agent remains vital. If the photographs and signals that technical means gather speak of what people have built or what they are saying, only the human agent can deliver what they are thinking. To be effective, these two elements must work as a team, meshing and comple- menting each other, one filling in where the other misses. The point is that today’s Central Intelligence Agency receives volumi- nous amounts of information each . day—more than ever before on more subjects than ever before. It is the challenge of the analyst to sort it all out, to keep what is germane and discard what is not, to piece together from what is left a useful picture which can help policymakers and deci- sion makers do their job. That volume of information, reflecting the enor- mous increase in areas of interest is, perhaps, the greatest change in the Central Intelligence Agency from then to now. Special Activities “Special activities” are clandestine activities conducted abroad to influ- ence opinions and events in support of USS. foreign policy objectives. These activities are conducted in such a manner that the role of the US. Government is not apparent. ‘“Specia! activities” are distinct from diplomatic and intelligence collection functions and include “covert action.” In selected situations, they can provide the United States with a useful foreign policy option between diplomacy and military action. An Executive Order authorizes only the Central Intelligence Agency in peacetime to conduct ‘special activities’ approved by the President and to carry out such activities consistent with applicable law. Today. the cantrols on such activities are more stringent than ever before. In addition to Presidential approval. all pat reciente A pene mast nis Retin ett ARE tt
Central Intelligence Agency “special activities” require review by the Na- tional Security Council and notifica- tion to designated committees of Congress. Oversight In the past the tendency was to think of the Central Intelligence Agency as operating entirely on its own without supervision of its activities. Perhaps this tendency grew from the fact that much of the Agency’s work must be kept secret, thus making total public oversight an impossibility. Though total public oversight is indeed an impossibility, several safe- guards exist which control Central Intelligence Agency actions. They provide each citizen, or members of the Intelligence Community, an avenue through which concerns, com- plaints or questions can be brought to light and examined. The first of these safeguards is in the White House. The President and Vice President take an active and daily interest in intelligence efforts. The Director of Central Intelligence meets with them regularly to keep them informed. The second is the Intelligence Oversight Board, whose three mem- bers are appointed by the President from the public sector and report directly to him. Created in 1976, the Beard will hear anyone, from within or outside of the Federal Government, and will promise that person anonym- ity. It will look at each issue raised and determine whether or not it warrants action. It then reports its findings to the President. The third safeguard is congres- sional. The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Perma- nent Select Committee on Intelligence have primary responsibility for overseeing all intelligence activities. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees review intelligence activi- ties to assure they are cost effective. These four committees exercise a true oversight function by scrutinizing the Central intelligence Agency's work on a continuing basis and pro- viding advice and guidance when appropriate. The Agenes reports to them in considerable detail and is completely responsive to their re- quests for information regarding intelligence activities. Conclusion The Central Intelligence Agency is an intelligence organization working pri- marily abroad on behalf of the U.S. Government. It collects, analyzes and disseminates foreign intelligence. It has no law enforcement powers. And its budget is carefully scrutinized by the Office of Management and Budget and by four committees of Congress, even if it is not made public. While its failures are often trumpeted, its successes seldom receive fanfare because they usually must remain secret. The Central Intelligence Agency has changed mightily since its inception. Today it walks a new and fine line between an openness in gov- ernment Americans have come to expect and the secrecy that intel- ligence, by its very nature, demands. The Central Intelligence Agency's Finished Product Collection, processing and analysis all are directed at one goal—producing accurate, reli- able intelligence. That is the Central Intelli- gence Agency's finished product and it comes in several types, each of which must be presented in a form that is most useful to the intelligenve customer. For example, there is current intelli- gence, which takes the form of daily publica- tions and bulletins or briefings that inform the policymaker about current developments and gives estimates of how these developments will affect the situation in the near term. Another form is the National Intelligence Estimate, a longer and more in-depth look ata specific international situation that presents judgments on future developments and what they might mean for the United States. Such estimates are most often produced as a coordi- nated product of the Intelligence Community. A third form of finished intelligence is found in long research studies which may take months to complete. Who are the customers who get this finished product? They are the same people who ask to have it produced. At the very top of this list is the President. He is, of course, the Central Intelli- gence Agency's most important customer. But there are others: Cabinet members and the President's National Security Adviser and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In fact, every elected or appointed official in the national Government, including members of Congress, is a potential customer for some part of the intelligence product.
The People of the Central Intelligence Agency and Their Jobs In a complex and ever-shifting world, policymakers must have a knowledge of a wide range of subjects. As it is the - purpose of intelligence to provide in- formation about those subjects, it must employ the services of professionals with specialized back- grounds running the gamut from poli- tics and economics to the sciences and military strategy to geography and just about any other discipline. Agency professionals whose job is to deal with these subjects on a day-to- day basis are highly trained and edu- cated. The majority of professionals entering the Central Intelligence Agency have Bachelor’s degrees, and many hold Master’s degrees and Ph.D’s. In fact, there are more Ph.D’s employed by the Central Intelligence Agency than by any other government agency. In its constant pursuit of informa- tion, the Central Intelligence Agency is very much like a university. And, like a university, it has a place for people with a wide range of specialties. For example, historians, political scientists, area specialists and lin- guists find producing current-intelli- gence and working with people over- seas challenging assignments. Others produce biographic studies or trans- late foreign language documents. En- gineers and scientists work on the intricate and difficult task of assessing developments in foreign weapons systems or devote themselves to im- proving the Agency’s technical collection methods. Economists and students of international finance study subjects as disparate as future population trends, crop forecasting, or the movement of petrodollars. Cartographers and geographers can prepare specialized reports and maps concerned primarily with the environmental characteristics of foreign areas. Accountants, business administrators, lawyers and computer specialists apply their training in the demanding work of managing the Agency itself. The intelligence process is not a simple one. To function properly and efficiently, it requires people skilled in a variety of disciplines. These jobs—and others——are per- formed by the people of the Central Intelligence Agency. It is these people who give the Agency the sense of purpose, the dedication, and the commitment for which it is famous.
A Miscellany The Seal Section 2 of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 provided for a Seal of Office for the Central Intel- ligence Agency. The design of the seal was approved and set forth on Feb- ruary 17, 1950 in President Harry S Truman’s Executive Order 10111. In this Order, the seal is described in heraldic terms as follows: the Shield— its argent compass rose of 16 points gules; the Crest—on a wreath argent and gules an American Eagle’s head erased proper; below the Shield, on a gold scroll, the inscription, “United States of America,” in red letters and encircling the Shield and Crest at the top the inscription, “Central Intel- ligence Agency” in white letters. All on a circular blue background with a narrow gold edge. The interpretation of the seal— which is characteristic of the Agency itself—is simpie and direct. The American Eagle is the national bird and is the symbol of strength and alertness. The radiating spokes of the compass rose depict the convergence of intelligence data from all areas of the world toa central point.
The Headquarters Building Located about eight miles from downtown Washington, D.C., the headquarters building and grounds presently occupied by the Central Intelligence Agency were envisioned by former Director Allen W. Dulles. His concept, projecting the at- mosphere of a college campus, was designed in the mid-1950’s by the New York firm of Harrison and Abramovitz—designers of the United Nations building. Construction began in October 1957 and was completed in November 1963. President Dwight D. Eisenhower laid the building’s cornerstone on November 3, 1959. The Central Intelligence Agency Headquariers, actually commissioned by President Harry S Truman, con- sists of 1,000,000 square feet. When combined, the building and the grounds surrounding it total 219 acres. Concrete and Georgia marble make up the main lobby and corridor. Along the south corridor are messages of gratitude and approbation to the Central Intelligence Agency from Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter. A Biblical verse, which character- izes the intelligence mission ina free society, is etched into the south wall of the central lobby. It reads: And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. John VII-XXXII Opposite, on the north wall of the central lobby, is a bas-relief bust of Allen Welsh Dulles who was Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for mine years. The building was erected during his period in office. Engraved in the same wall are memorial stars, each honoring a Cen- tral Intelligence Agency employee whose life was lost in the service of our country. For security reasons the names of many of these dedicated Americans can never be revealed.
Rite ca ne al A al RR el ER ES ESS OE a A The Library The Central Intelligence Agency’s re- search library, open only to Agency personnel, boasts 60,000 catalogued titles, 102,000 volumes, and 1,760 newspaper and journal subscriptions. It actively participates in interlibrary loans with other libraries in the United States. Emphasis here is on basic and current information about foreign countries including a selection of for- eign newspapers, diplomatic lists, dic- tionaries and encyclopedias. The Medals The Central Intelligence Agency rec- ognizes the heroism and exemplary performance of its employees with uniquely designed medals. These are: Distinguished Intelligence Cross: awarded for a voluntary act or acts of exceptional heroism involving accep- tance of existing dangers with con- spicuous fortitude and exemplary courage. Career Intelligence Medal: awarded for cumulative record of service which reflects exceptional achievement. 2A Distinguished Intelligence Medal: awarded for performance of outstand- ing services or for achievement of a distinctly exceptional nature in a duty or responsibility. Intelligence Commendation Medal: awarded for especially commend- able service or for acts which result In important contributions. Intelligence Star: awarded for volun- tary act or acts of courage performed under hazardous conditions or for outstanding achievements or services rendered with distinction under condi- tions of grave risk. Exceptional Service Medallion: awarded for injury or death resulting from service in an area of hazard.
Nebeak CRRA Rta 0 Ceara gall ahd EA eee me Intelligence Medal of Merit: awarded for the performance of especially mer- itorious service or for an act or achievement conspicuously above nor- mal duties. A Central Intelligence Agency Chronology 11 July 1941 Fresident Franklin D. Roosevelt establishes position of Coordinator of Information (COI!) and designates as Coordinator William J. (“Wild Bill") Donovan. He was an Army colonel and much decorated hero in World War I. As a civilian, Donovan thus becomes head of this country’s first central intelligence organization. 13 June 1942 President Roosevelt by Executive Order 9182 transforms COI into Office of Strate- gic Services (OSS) with Donovan as Direc- tor. Donovan becomes Brigadier General in 1943 and Major General in 1944. 18 November 1944 Donovan submits to President Roosevelt a plan for permanent peacetime central intel- ligence service. This is ultimately embodied in legislation establishing the Central Intel- ligence Agency (CIA). 1 October 1945 By Executive Order 9621, President Harry S Truman abolishes OSS but assigns some of its functions and personnel to State and War Departments. 22 January 1946 By Presidential letter President Truman establishes Central Intelligence Group (CIG) to operate under direction of National Intelligence Authority (NIA). Rear Admiral Sidney W. Souers, USNR, is appointed first Director of Central Intelli- gence (DCI). OSS elements assigned to State and War Departments are eventually transferred to CIG. 26 July 1947 President Truman signs National Security Act of 1947 which establishes, among other things, the National Security Council (NSC) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as replacements for NIA and CIG respectively. For CIA, the Act becomes effective 18 September 1947. 20 June 1949 Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 is enacted by Congress. It supplements the 1947 Act by specifying fiscal and adminis- trative authorities. 4 August 1955 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs bill authorizing $46 million construction of CIA headquarters building. 3 Novernber 1959 President Eisenhower presides at laying of cornerstone of CIA headquarters building in Langley, Virginia. 20 September 1961 First employees begin to move into new headquarters from various ojfices in Wash- ington, D.C. area. 4 January 1975 President Gerald R. Ford signs Executive Order 11828 creating “Commission on CIA Activities Within the United States.” Chaired hy Vice President Neison Rockefeller, Commission submits its repurt an CIA domestic activities ta President on 6 June 1978 27 January 1975 U.S. Senate establishes “Senate Select Committee to Study Government Opera- tions With Respect to Intelligence Activi- ties” under chairmanship of Senator Frank Church (B., idaho}. Church Committee in- vestigates nation’s intelligence activities for 15 months and is disestablished upon sub- mission of its final report 26 April 1976. 19 February 1975 House establishes “House Select Commit- tee on Intelligence” to investigate allega- tions of “illegal or improper” activities of Federal intelligence agencies here and abroad. First chairman is Representative Lucien Nedzi (D., Michigan}, who is later replaced by Representative Otis G. Pike (D., New York}. On 29 January 1976, two days before the Committee is scheduled to con- clude its activities, House votes to withkold public dissemination of Committee's final report. 19 February 1976 President Ford signs Executive Order 11905 which sets intelligence policy and guidelines and establishes an intelligence oversight mechanism. 19 May 1976 Senate establishes permanent “Senate Select Committee on intelligence” (SSCI} under chairmanship of Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D., Hawaii) to carry out oversight of nation’s intelligence organizaiions. 14 July 1977 House of Representatives establishes “House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence."’ Chaired by Representative Edward P. Boland (D., Massachusetts), it differs from the SSCI by having oversight jurisdiction over CIA but shares with several other House cammittees legislative oversight authority over all other intelli- gence agencies. 4 August 1977 President Jimmy Carter annources reor- ganization of Intelligence Community. cre- ating a high level committee chaired by DCI to set priorities for collecting and producing intelligence, and giving DCI full control of budget and operational tasking of intelligence collection. 24 January 1978 President Carter signs Executive Order 12036 which reshapes the intelligence struc- ture and provides explicit guidance on all facets of intelligence activities. 29 October 1981 President Reagan reconstitutes the Pres- tdent’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and names 19 distinguished private citizens to Serve on it. 4 December 1981 President Reagan signs Executive Order 12333, which clarifies F.O. 12036, and Executive Order 12334, reestablishing the Inielligence Oversight Board. 23 June 1982 President Reagan siens Public Law ¥7- 200, the Intelligence Identities Protection Af, mmiposing crinuimad penalties on thase whe reveal the names af covert intelligen personnel
People Often Ask Who watches the Centrai Intelligence Agency? Two committees of Congress (Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence) have been established for the sole purpose of overseeing activities of the Intelligence Commu- nity. We are also closely monitored by the Appropriations Committees of both Houses. In addition, the Presi- dent has established an independent Intelligence Oversight Board, which reports only to him on any alleged impropriety or illegality. What kind of people work in the Central Intelligence Agency? We carefully select well qualified people in nearly all fields of study. Scientists, engineers, economists, lin- guists, mathematicians and computer specialists are but a few of the dis- ciplines continually in demand. Some are specialists—physical and socia! scientists, doctors of medicine, law- yers, etc.—but many are generalists, people who have demonstrated their qualifications to hold the many varied positions that make up the bulk of the domestic and overseas staffs. Who spies for the Central Intelligence Agency? Intelligence officers, commonly called case officers, with the assistance of local persons abroad coilect the in- formation our country needs te support our nation’s policymakers. Those persons who agree to assist our . case officers are called agents. Our employees who analyze the collected information and produce intelligence are called analysts. How many people work for the Central Intelligence Agency? That figure is never made public because it would tell other nations the scope of our intelligence operation. But again, those people in govern- ment who need to know have that information and closely monitor the number of staff positions allocated to the Agency. What is covert action? Covert action is a special activity conducted abroad in support of United States foreign policy objectives and executed so that the role of the United States Government is not apparent or acknowiedged publicly. Covert action is distinct from the intelligence-gath- ering function. Covert action often gives the United States a foreign policy option between diplomatic and military action. Who at the Central Intelligence Agency decides to undertake a covert action? The Agency does not undertake a covert action without approval. First a covert action is considered by the Natienal Security Council and recom- mended to the President. After receiving written approval by the President, the Director of Central Intelligence initiates the action and must then report it to seven commit- tees of Congress. What is the Central Intelligence Agency doing abaut spies from other countries in the United States? Counterintelligence—that is, identify- ing unfriendly foreign intelligence ser- vices which are trying to obtain secrets from the United States—within the U.S. is the job of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Counterintelligence in foreign countries is assigned to the Central Intelligence Agency. Of course, the FBI and CIA work closels in this activity and constantly ex- change information. Can we be arrested by the Central Intelligence Agency? Absolutely not. The Central Intel- hgence Agency has no police, law enforcement, subpoena powers or internal security functions, either in- side the United States or overseas. Why won't you release your budget? Because it would provide other coun- tries of the world the advantage of knowing how much effort we are putting into various intelligence activi- ties. The Intelligence budget is well known to, and daily scrutinized by, appropriate government officials— including the Office of Manage- ment and Budget and four committees of Congress. Why does the Central Intelligence Agency make estimates of things like foreign oil production or future grain yields? When the Agency began in 1947 our country was primarily interested in the military activities of the Soviet Union and the Communist Bloc. Today we must be informed on the activities of the more than 150 nations of the world about such things as oil production, grain harvests, weather, and population. Current knowledge about anything that can affect world events helps our leaders make better decisions. Does the Central Intelligence Agency give tours of its headquarters building in Langley, Virginia? No. The idea was considered and tested but logistical problems and security considerations demonstrated it is Just not possible.
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