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tp ce er Pe a A a * Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5 _ Appendix D: Stargate Operational User interviews ee APPENDIX D STAR GATE OPERATIONAL USER INTERVIEWS i f Ai D-78 American institutes for Researc Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5
name team a Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5 APPENDIX D: STAR GATE OPERATIONAL USER INTERVIEW ORGANIZATION: A USER POC: #7 DATE: 3 August 1995 OPERATIONAL TASK: SG was asked to participate in a series of experiments to determine if their paranormal service could assist in locating someone who was at an unknown location and had no radio or other conventional method for communicating. Members of the user organization acted as "beacons" for the RV's by visiting sites unknown to the RV's at specified times. The RV's were requested to identify any information that would assist in determining the site location by "envisioning" what the beacons were seeing. MOTIVATION FOR EMPLOYING STAR GATE: The previous head of the user's group was aware of the program from other sources and requested that SG participate in these experiments in the hopes that some information might be obtained to assist in locating the sites and/or people given the scenario above This situation is similar to that noted from other user interviews, namely, the difficulty of obtaining relevant information from any other source renders the use of the paranormal approach as a worthwhile endeavor from the user's perspective "just in case” it provides something of value USER ATTITUDE: All of the interviewees were positive regarding the application of this phenomenology to their problem, albeit they all agreed that the RV information provided from the experiments performed to date were inadequate to define the utility of the phenomena and that additional experiments were needed. RESULTS - VALUE/UTILITY: For each user task, the evaluator was the same individual who had acted as the beacon, i.e., the person who had actually been at the candidate location. Each evaluator noted that some of the information provided by the RV's could be considered to be accurate. When asked if the accuracy of the information would be ranked as high if the evaluator did not know the specifics of the site, i.,¢., had not be the "beacon, which is the real "operational situation", all answered in the negative. Several interviewees indicated that their interpretation of the RV data led them to believe that the RV's had witnessed other items or actions the beacon was engaged in but not related to the site of interest. As a result of the experiments done to date, the user decided that the approach being pursued was not providing information of operational utility since it was too general. However, the user was convinced of the possible value of the paranormal phenomena and was planning a new set of experiments using a substantially modified approach in the hope of obtaining useful results. FUTURE USE OF SG SERVICES: As inferred above, the user would continue to use SG- type services, albeit in a new set of experiments. The user would be willing to pay for this service if it was not too expensive and requested that they be contacted if the program was reinitiated. When advised that they could obtain services of this type from commercial American institutes for Research D-19 Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5
cement rn A A A SS SS SE a Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5 oe Appendix D: Stargate Operational User Interviews sources, they noted that this would be difficult due to the highly classified nature of some of their activities. STAR GATE OPERATIONAL USER INTERVIEW ORGANIZATION: B USER POC: #3, et al DATE: 14 July 1995 OPERATIONAL TASK: Most tasking requested information about future events, usually the time and/or place (or location) of a meeting. Some tasking requested additional information describing a person or a thing, e.g., a vessel. In one instance, after previous "blind" requests had yielded no useful information, the user met with the RV's and provided a picture and other relevant information about an individual in hope of obtaining useful information about his activities. MOTIVATION FOR EMPLOYING STAR GATE: Gate- SG PM briefed RV activities and his desire to expand customer base. User was willing to "try" using SG capabilities since there was no cost to the user and, given the very difficult nature of user business, "grasping at straws" in the hope of receiving some help is not unreasonable. Note that this organization had tasked the program in the '91 time frame but had not continued tasking in '92-'93 until briefed by the new Star Gate PM. USER ATTITUDE: DIA POC was openly skeptical, but was willing to try objectively. Members of the organization he supports (Org. B) had varied levels of belief, one individual appear very supportive noting the successful use of psychics by law enforcement groups (based upon media reporting). Evaluation of the tasking was accomplished collectively by the DIA POC and three other Org. B members. RESULTS - VALUE/UTILITY: None of the information provided in response to any of the tasks was specific enough to be of value or to warrant tasking other assets. SG data was too vague and generic, information from individual RV's regarding the same task were conflicting, contained many known inaccuracies and required too much personal interpretation to wartant subsequent action. User would be more supportive of process if data provided was more specific and/or closely identified with known information. In one instance, a drawing was provided which appeared to have similarity with a known vessel, but information was not adequate to act on. FUTURE USE OF SG SERVICES: User would be willing to use SG-type services in future. However, in current budget environment, demonstrated value and utility are not adequatetojustify funding fromuserresources. Wouldnotfundinanycaseunless program could demonstrate a history of successful and useful product. User believes that RV's working directly with his analysts on specific problems would be beneficial in spite of the obvious merican institutes for Researc ») Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5
enemies a Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5 ND Appendix D: Stargate Operational User Interviews drawbacks. Individual quoted above suggested recruiting RV's from other sources, noting his belief that the government RV's may not be best qualified, i.e., have best psychic capabilities. STAR GATE OPERATIONAL USER INTERVIEW ORGANIZATION: C USER POC: #4 DATE: 26 July 1995 OPERATIONAL TASK: Most tasking requested information describing a person, a location or a thing, e.g., a vessel. Occasionally, the tasking would provide some relevant information about the target or “his/herfits" associates in hope of obtaining useful information about its activities. MOTIVATION FOR EMPLOYING STAR GATE: In circa 1993, the SG PM briefed RV activities and his desire to expand the customer base. This desire conjoined with the user's! belief that it provided an alternate source of information led to the subsequent tasking. User was willing to "try" using SG capabilities since there was no cost to the user and, as noted in other interviews, given the very difficult nature of the user's business, "grasping at straws" in the hope of receiving some help is not unreasonable. Thisorganization had tasked the program in th e (circa) '86-'90 time frame but had terminated tasking since there was no feedback mechanism. USER ATTITUDE: User was a believer in the phenomena based upon his "knowledge of what the Soviets were doing" and his perceptions from the media regarding its use by law enforcement agencies. He noted that his lead analysts, who generated the tasking, were very skeptical, as was his management. User insisted that analysts be objective in spite of their skepticism. In general,numerical evaluation of the task was performed by the individual who had defined it. RESULTS - VALUE/UTILITY: This interviewee claimed value and utility for the information provided by the RV's, noting that information regarding historical events was always more accurate that information requiring predictions. RV's were "fairly consistent’ in identifying the "nature" of the target, ¢.g., is it a person or a thing, but not always. On occasions where RV inputs were corroborated, additional data were requested, but these data usually could not be corroborated. User commented that all reports had some accurate LL 'Only one person provided all of the information at this review. Where the "user" or "interviewee" is cited, it reflects the remarks of that single individual. American Institutes for Researe. D-21 Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5
Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5 Appendix D: Stargate Operational User interviews een IO a STAR GATE OPERATIONAL USER INTERVIEW ORGANIZATION-. E USER POC: #9 DATE: 7 July 1995 OPERATIONAL TASK: Request to assist in determining if a suspect was engaged in espionage activities, e.g., who is he meeting? where? about what? are these activities related to espionage or criminal actions? Tasking comprised a series of four sequential tasks, each time a bit more information was provided to the RV's, including at one point the name of the suspect. (Note-. this "sequential tasking” is unique. Each of the tasks assigned from other operational organizations was a "singular" or “stand alone" event.) MOTIVATION FOR EMPLOYING STAR GATE: SG PMO briefed RV activities and his desire to expand customer base. User was willing to "try" using SG capabilities since there was no cost to the user and, given the very difficult nature of user business, "grasping at straws" in the hope of receiving some help is not unreasonable. USER ATTITUDE: Pre-SG experience - User (#9) had a perception of beneficial assistance allegedly provided to domestic police by parapsychologists; thereby he was encouraged to try using the SG capabilities and hopeful of success. Post-SG experience - Still very positive in spite of the lack of value or utility from SG efforts (see below). User is "willing to try anything" to obtain assistance in working his very difficult problems. RESULTS - VALUE/UTILITY: None of the information provided in any of the four sequential tasks was specific enough to be of value or to warrant tasking his surveillance assets to collect on-site information as a result of SG information. SG data was too generic and while it may have contained accurate information, it required too much personal interpretation to warrant subsequent actions by his assets. Much of the SG information was cleatly wrong so there was no way to ascertain the validity of the rest. One major deficiency noted in the SG responses was the lack of any RV data regarding large fund transfers that the suspect was known to be engaged in and which the user believes would have becn uppermost in the suspect's mind. User would be more supportive of process if data provided was more specific and/or closely identified with known information. FUTURE USE OF SG SERVICES: User would be willing to use SG-type services in future. However, in current budget environment, demonstrated value and utility are not adequate to justify funding from user resources. User would be willing to have a joint activity whereby RV's work directly with his analysts on specific problems if: a) user did not pay for RV services and b) commitment for joint RV's services was long term , i.€., several years. American Institutes for Research D-23 Approved For Release 2002/05/22 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000200180005-5