(404-10228-1001 4 SECRET | SEHSITIVE | 19 June 1962 MEMORANDUM FOR: Brigadier Ceneral FE. G. Lansdale SUBJECT : U. S. Army Eolietment Program lor Cubans i. Attached for your information {ea summary of raporte on recrultment for the U. & Army-by Cuban ealle groupe lathe Miansi &rea, 2, Also of interest in this connection ts the following additional information: e a. Col. Wendell U. Johnson, our contact with Dr. Joee MIRO Cardona, hap been informed by MIRG's secretary, Ascension Cadavieco FEREZ, that twenty-one members of the Dernocratic Christian Movement went to the Caribbean Adnmiesion Center on i2 June 1962 to enlist inthe U. 5S, Army at the office of lat Le. Yernande Grdas. They wero told, according to PFAZZ, thar it. Urdas was no longer at the Caribbean Admission Center and that the Cuban enlistment activities were “winding up." PEREZ told CeL Jehnason on 15 June that the game group had subsequently gone to the main U, &. Army recruiting office in the “iaml area to enlist. They reported that they were told that they could not be accented because they did not nest the Englieh language requirement and that, if they had been accepted for salistment, they could be stationed out- side the United States, , b. In collecting information concerning Cubana who migh¢ be eligible for United States milltary training, Capt. Ernesto DESPAIGNE Perez, Milltary Coordinator for the Cuban Revolutionary Council, contacted a group of former Cuban pilote in the Miamt area. #6 @ Fesult of thie cOnlact, & representative of this group leleshoned the Cifice of the Secretary of Defense on or about bi June 196é to ask if they were to be given military training soon and received a Begative SHHOHTIVE SECRET ([9-034-95f3
14-00000 SECRET rt Ed o - rs e reply. On 15 June Mr. Robert A. Hurwitch of the Department of State telephoned Manuel Antonio de VARONA y Loredo to inquire about thie incident. YARONA was not familiar with the matter and referred the query to DESFAIGNE. However, VAHONA also informed Col. Johnson, who telephoned Air. Hurwitch on 15 June and explained the background. Air. Hurwitch told Col. Johnson that he was concerned that too much talk by Cubans might | jeopardiae the U. S. Army program: now under consideration, — 3. In commenting on the reports in the attached summary, Col. Johnson stated that MIRC has been urging the Cuban exile groups to encourage thelr man to enlist ia the U. 5, Army but that the arguments reportedly used in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the ettachment are completely contrary to the inetructions he gave MIRO. In MIRO's absence Col. Johnson discussed this matter with VARONA, who denied that such arguments are being used. VARONA otated that his group (Movimiento de Rescate Constitue — clonal Democratice) had decided six months ago to seslet inthe — enforcement of the registration regulations of the Selective Service Syetem and to encourage ite mambere to join the U. 5. Army. VWARONA further reported that thie program had not gotten 6tarted-until June but thet he has a Iiet of 600 members, 1Qta 36 yeare of aze, who are potential military material. According to VARONA, his group now plana to determine how many of these have actually registered and/or enlisted. 4. Col. Johnson also commented that he had been informed by the U. S. Army recrulting office in Miarni that all allene muat register ix months after arrival in the United Statea and that the Selective Service System then assigns euch registrants te local boards for classification and further action. From the informa- tion now available it le not clear whether the reported acclvities of the Movimiento de Rescate Constitucitonal Democratice are in support of registration or actual enlistment. § Ags reflected by the information contained in Paragraph 2. a. above, and in some of the reporte summarised in the attachment, there ie obviously misunderstanding within the Cuban community concerning the exisilng policy on Cuban enllatmenie in the U. 5. SErcSUTVE stinel
14-00000 SECRE SCHSITIVE oje Army. Although it te understood that the program now being considered for the future will not assure Cuban enlistees that they will not be sent outeide the United States, both MIRO and Col. Johnson have understood that the existing agreement ia that Cubans who have already enlisted or who enlist before 3G June 1962 will not be sent outside the United Statea, There is also some confusion about the language requirements for Cuban enlletees under the present program. In order to deal with theee questions, our representatives ia Miami urgently need clarification of the existing official policy on Cuban en- listmonts, both for those who have already enlleted and for ' these who may enlist before the new program ja undertaken, It would also be of great agaistance If you could provide infor- mation on the new proposed program, I will appreciate it if you will furnish this office with the above information and with aa indication of what portions of it we may pase on to MAURO for hia guidance. SIGNED WILLIAM K, HARVEY Attachment - Summary DDjP/TFW/ Asst. Execf oh (19 June 1962) Distribution: : Orig. & 1 - Addressee 1-«C/TFW | w/att. l= TFW/Exec | w/att. ++ TEW/PA/Prop. y /att, SENSITIVE SiciEl