Approved For Release 2004/09/09
: CIA-RDP96-00791R0001 001 60002-9
SECRET
WORKING PAPER
ORD-374-95
7 June 1995
MEMORANDUM FOR:
Comptroller
Director of Congressional Affairs
Director for Science and Technology
Deputy Director
for Science and Technology
SGI
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FROM:
Director
of Research and Development,
DS&T
SUBJECT:
Star Gate
- Program Status and Proposed Response
to
Richard
D' Amato
1.
In late March we briefed Mr.
Richard
D' Amato on the status
of
Star Gate.
At
that time CMS also submitted a general
"Terms
of
Reference"
for Congressional review in response
to the requirement
for
a
status report
to Congress about the program transfer.
In both the terms
of reference and at
the March briefing,
we specifically discussed:
a.
Our plan to conduct
a blue ribbon panel
review,
using the
National Research Council
(NRC )
.
b.
The need
to declassify aspects
of
the program,
and,
c.
The unlikelihood,
based on preliminary discussions with
the NRC,
of completing the review in time
to devise
a management
strategy prior
to
July.
2.
We made
it clear
to Mr.
D'Amato during our briefing that
before CIA could devise a management strategy regarding the disposition
of any program resources,
(including what
to
do with the people
currently at
DIA)
,
we would have
to complete
the review.
We emphasized
that
it made no sense
to bring any DIA people
to CIA to perform
paranormal remote viewing until we had an answer about whether this
program made sense
for CIA,
and had developed the necessary
i
SGI
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Approved For Release 2004/09/C^F^-RDP96-00791R0001 001 60002-9
Approved For Release 2004/09/09
: CIA-RDP96-00791R0001 001 60002-9
SECRET
SUBJECT:
Star Gate
- Program Status and Proposed New Direction
infrastructure
to obtain requirements,
task,
disseminate,
and otherwise
make use of
the product these individuals offer.
Since this
all exists
at DIA,
we stated our intent
to leave the people there
for now.
3.
In early May,
the NRC informed CIA that
it formally and
emphatically declined to participate
in the blue ribbon panel
review.
The NRC cited it's own prior,
definitive study.
They stated
unequivocally "the case
for remote viewing... is virtually nonexistent."
After consulting with the DDS&T,
ORD subsequently initiated
a contract
with the American Institutes
of Research
(AIR)
to perform the required
review and to complete
it by October
1995.
4.
In response
to
a request
from SSCI,
we briefed seven staffers
there on 22 May 1995,
and indicated to them our plan to have AIR proceed
with the review.
5.
We understand that OCA recently informed Mr.
D'Amato that
the
review will be completed by AIR in October,
but that he seeks an
immediate answer from CIA regarding our proposed disposition of the DIA
people.
(DIA informed us
that they have elected to reassign the remote
viewers
in other jobs
at DIA during
the course
of CIA's panel
review.)
We oppose any action
to transfer these people
to CIA at this
time
for
the following reasons:
a.
Based on our limited understanding
of
the current program at
DIA,
it
is likely that
the AIR review will conclude
(as did the NRC)
that
the remote viewing operations are without utility.
b.
The Inspector General
of DOD strongly recommended in a
1989
memorandum that this program be terminated at
DIA.
The issues
warranting that recommendation do not appear to have been remedied.
c.
Current demand for remote viewing by all of
the
"customers"
for this product
in the intelligence community appears to be
insufficient
to employ the DIA remote viewers full-time
-
thus their
reassignment
.
Approved For Release 2004/fMJ§FP®!$&P96-00791R0001 001 60002-9
Approved For Release 2004/09/09
: CIA-RDP96-00791R0001 001 60002-9
SECRET
SUBJECT:
Star Gate
- Program Status and Proposed New Direction
d.
Based on our preliminary discussions with various CIA senior
managers,
there
is no enthusiasm for this
type
of product within either
the DO or DI
.
e.
None of
the nearly 100 documented remote viewing products
evaluated by DIA's own customers was said to be of
"major significance",
the highest possible numerical rating
for value.
6.
Until we complete an objective blue ribbon panel review of
this program,
we cannot develop
a
"management
strategy"
to satisfy the
Congress ionally Directed Action.
If pressed to reach an earlier
conclusion,
I would strongly recommend termination of the entire effort.
If,
however,
the completed review results
in
a positive recommendation
to pursue this program for the purposes of collecting useful
intelligence,
CIA will propose a management plan which we believe
employs
the current personnel
in the most productive way possible.
SGI
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SGI
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cc
:
|0/Compt
foRD
SGI
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