MEMORANDUM:U.S. ARMY ENLISTMENT PROGRAM FOR CUBANS
Originator: CIA
From: HARVEY. TFW
To: BRIGADIER GENERAL E.G. LANSDALE
Document date: 06/19/1962
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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..2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

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19-134-5513

19 Juns 1984

SAEMORANDUM FOR: Brigadlor General E. G. Lasadalo

SUBJECT

: U. S. Army Enllotment Program lor Cubeas

1. Areached for your informalion lo a surmary of reporto ou

recrulemens 10s the U. E. Army by Cuban ello groupe in lie Minus

2. Ales of Inaredt in thie connection lo the lollowag addiclona!

Islarmiation:

a. Col. Wendell U. Johnson, our contact with Dr. Jode

MIRO Cardona, bas boen Informed by MIRC'a docretary, Ascenslos

Cadavlaco FEREZ, that twenty-one moinbers of the Derrocrallo

Carlolian Movement vene lo the Carlbbean Adrieuion Center on

12 Juno 1962 10 anlier in the U. S. Army as the office of ! at 1e.

Fernando Ordas.

They vero told, according lo PERIZ, liunl

Ll. UIdas Mas Do lonzer al the Caribbean Admiasion Centor and

¿bas the Cubes calletront activitles were "minding up." PEREZ lold

Col. Jobndon on 15 Juro thas the same group had subsequenly zone

10 cão mala U. ", Arisy recrulling office in che !1laul area l0 enlior.

They reported that they were told that they could not be accozrad

because they dld cor nicei lhe Engliah languago requirement and thal,

I they had been accepted for enliotment, they could be ararloned out -

aldo cho Undred stares.

b. In collecting Information concorniay Cubana who migbe

bo eligiblo for United jealos milltary training, Capl. Ernesto

DESPAIGNE Parer, Milltary Coordinaror lor the Cuban Revoluelonary

council, contacred a group of formor Cuban piloto in the lilami arca.

As a result ol thia contace, a representative ol this group lalephoned

lha Cilice of the "ecrelary of Delonge on or abour l1 JuDo 19ó6 to asl

is they were to be given milllary tralniny soon and racelrod a sogallre

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reply. On 15 Juse Nir. Kobert A. liurwich of the Departmone of

Stare tolephoned dianual Ansonio de VARONA y Loredo lo laquiro

aboue shia dacident.

VARONA was not lanillar with the matter

and referred the query to DESFAIGNE. HoWerer, VAMONA aldo

jeopardizo the U.S. Army program now under consideration.'

3. In commenting on the reports in the attached surimary.

Col. Jobneun stated that MIRC has deen urging the Cuban oxlle

groups to encourage their men to calist in the U. S. Army but

that the arguments roportedly vord in Paragrapha l and 1 of tbo

ellachmem are completely contrari so the inatructione ho gavo

MIRO. In MIRO's absence Col. Johnson diocussed tale master

-with VARONA, who denied shas such argumonse are being used.

VARONA srared thai his group (Morimlento de Rescate Consticu-

clonal Democratico) had decidod six monthe ayo to soolar la the

enforcemene al the reglarration regularione of the selectivo

Servica Syatem and to encouraje lia mambera to joln the U. S.

Army, VARONA furthor reported that this program had not

golien atarted.unll june but that he bas a 11or ol 600 membera.

19 to 36 years of age, who are porearial military material.

According to VARONA, his group now plane lo determino hom

many of these have actually registered and/or enliared.

Col. Johnaon also commented that he had been informod

by tho U.S. Arnsy recrultleg office in Allami that all aliena muos

reglator alx montha altar arrival in the Unicod States and that the

Selective Service System then assigas such regiarranta lo local

boardo for classificasion and lureher acilos. From the Informa-

¡10n sov avallablo ll la nor clear sherber phe reported acrivities

ol lhe Morimiento do Rescare Canstirucional Democralico aro in

suppore of regiasration or actual aniisement.

5. As reflecrod by the informatios consinad ln Paragraph 2. a.

abore, and lo some al lhe reporte summarised in the attachmone,

thoro lo obrioualy mlaunders andlag michis the Cuban community

conceralag the oxiasing polley on Cubas enliarmonto la tho U. s.

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Army. Although le la underatood that the program now belag

considered los lhe future will nos asouro Cuban enliorees Chas

they will sor be sent outelde she Unllad iraleo, borb MIRO and

Col. Johnson bave understood that the extoling agroenent la

lhar Cubana who have already enllorod os who enllar bolore

36 Juno 1962 will nos be sens ouralde the United States.

Thore

la aldo some confusion about the language roquíremento for

Cuban callaroes undes the present program.

In order lo deal

with shone questone, our representalireo la Miaml urgenely

nood clarificallon of lhe extating official polloy on Cuban on-

liarmones, both for those who have already enllosed and lor

Cose who riay callos triore the now prograin la underrahon.

It would also be of great asslatance li you could provida infor-

Inallon on the now proposed program. I will appreciaro it it

you will furniah this offleo with lhe abore Information and wies

an indicardon of whar parilona of l8 me may pasa on lo MIRO lor

hlo guddance.

SIGNED

WILLIAM K HARVEY

Atrachment - Summary •

DD;P/IFW/Aase. Exec/JSDouglas:bh (1) June 1962)

Distribution:

Orig. & 1 - Addreasee

1 - C/TFW - w/ate.

1 - TFW/ Exec - w/att.

to TEW/PA/Prop- w/alt.

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