Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1 Memo for : Comptroller Via: DDS&t ExDir D/OCA Subject: Response to CDA on Stargate 1. The conference report contained language that transferred ten civilian billets and, 500k dollars from DIA to CIA and directed the DCI to submit a status report to the appropriate committees by March 1, 1995. This status report is to include a management strategy, transfer status, and identification of a program manager. I have been asked to pull this activity cogether and to prepare a response to the CDA. That response is attached. Because of the many issues associated with this program and the potential for some controversy between us and our oversight committees I seek a corporate buy in to the proposed approach. 2. Language in the SAC report,originally directed at DIA but incorporated by reference in the conference report, requests that funds be applied equally to foreign assessment, research, and operational viewing. The SAC report expresses concern that Congressional direction in the past regarding Te the “solicitation of users across the NFIP and DOD and development of joint programs with the Russians and Chinese has only been sporadically pursued. They further note “obvious reluctance on the part of DIA leadership for this Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1
Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1 program” and direct pursuit of liason activities and a relook at the tight classification for the program. It also directs “iat ienet no a retrospective reviow and technical analysis of the data that has been produced by the program “since its inception 20 years ago.” 3. On 14 December, during a briefing arranged by cms and given by the current dia program manager, the program was described as an operational activity that is accepting requirements, conducting remote viewing operations, and disseminating intelligence based on these operations. Over 90 such operations had been conducted during the past year. Staffing consists of three remote viewers, a program manager, a technical advisor and a secretary. Asked his opinion for the reasons the Congress had transferred the program to CIA, the program manager stated his belief that he had failed to respond to previous direction to conduct objective reviews and pursue foreign liason activities. He also told us that all of the program funds had been expended and that their contractor (SRI) had stopped work on the R&D activities. 4. Our proposed approach in responding to the CDA is to conduct a multiphase program, beginning with the formation of a blue ribbon panel to assess the current program and make recommendations to us regarding how to proceed. With Army support, we plan to contact the chairman of a panel that did a review for the Arny of unconventional techniques( including remote viewing), for enhancing human performance, and ask him to convene a similar group for our blue ribbon panel review. Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1
Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1 5.D/OCA described this approach to Mr. Ricxhard D Amato, the congressional staffer responsible for the language effecting the transfer, and Mr DAmato expressed concern about the DIA people, in particular the three remote viewers, during the period that the panel is conducting our review. Our approach to this is to tell DIA that we do not need a program manager and will provide our own technical and administrative support for the activity. The three operational remote viewers should be kept as DIA employees until the Blue Ribbon panel reports and our program plan is developed. If they are continuing to conduct operations, they need to use the tasking and dissemination methods already in place in DIA. 6. There are several potential issues that could arise and need to be anticipated, and that cause me to raise this subject with you at this time.(a) Parapsychology is a very controversial subject It has been studied for at least the Je) past hundred years by many renowned scientists without reaching any yes/no answers regarding its scientific validity. We do NOT intend to ask our blue ribbon panel to ch 4 Mee s¢ fhe prrapigcholes focal COR gE? case a” wt we intend to ask them to review the STARGATE _program to = assess its overall value to the USG based on intelligence . a 9 producl . value, {proces validity, customer satisfaction, and foreign doc fart cé& cbyors ¢ “ la Ta. assessment activity aS directed by Congress. (b) It is possible that our panel will recommend that we do NOT proceed with the program, and that has the potential for some controversy with our oversight committees. (c) If we do Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1 wd ere is or is not anythitg to the concept} rather Be tig
Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1 proceed with the program after blue ribbon panel review, we need to plan for integration of the dia operational activities into our agency. This will include whether or not the DIA operations people become CIA employees and where in CIA this operational activity should be managed. ILLEGIB Approved For Release 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040021-1