(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02319307
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2018
• Case Number: F-2013-02252

Approved for Release: 2018/07/24 CO2319307
Preparing and coordinating post-rortem reviews of
tellirrence deficioncies in NlEls and studies of their
vol ity.
). All of 0/N-Jlis other functions are byproducts of its
-f=impry nission and integrally reletod to it. These include:
Prercrirg special memoranda and estimates for the
!A) on tonics of national intell'7ence significtnce.
1=) Providing staff ounoort to the agencyls representa-
tus on the 7SC, 73U Planning. Board, and the OGB.
c. Providing the Secretaiat of the TAG, which handles
ness.
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
Providing estimative guidance and support as aperonriate
to
It is not feasi-Ae to assign any order of priority to the above
functions, as 'heir relative importance varies in each individual
instance. Generally sneaking, however, a., h., and c. above are
;ore imnortant than d. and e.
L. 0/14Els on-duty personnel strength as of 31 October 1955 was
nprofessionals, I administrative, and 2:,:-,. clerical, for a total of
. This strength cannot be broken down according to the functions
=ascribed in Para. 3 above, becauEe each of the three components cf.
(1/75, (the Board of rational .=,stmates, the dstimates Staff, and the
',upport ,-,taff) is involved in every one of them. Even the iAU
secretariat function is handled part-time by oeople who are also
engaged on other Okl, duties.
Uurtail ent or LliminaLion of Functions in bvent of a lAt, Gut.
It would be extremely difficult to decide which of the functions in
oaro. 3 above could be eliminated or curtailed as they are all inter-
denendent and every element of 2/Ws small staff is engaged in almost
all of them. Loreover, 0/NE's nrimary functions derive from its
resnonsibilities to the TAC and could not be unilaterally reduced.
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Approved for Release: 2018/07/24 CO2319307
'.*�77.ipt=t5twan,(4/,
The only srecific function which 0/NE could eltninate
with a conseoltent reduction in a specific segment of the
staff would be the ILO Secretariat. In this case
could disnense with one GS-15 professional and one
G-6 clerical. However, this function would slimly
have to be transferred elsewhere in the agency, with
a eeesecluent increase in someone else's staff. In fact
since 0/YE nrovides such a large nronortion of the TAC's
'eeiness, it has managed to handle the TAG secretariat
with el much smaller personnel compleeent than was pre-
viously the case.
b. Under the circumstances, if we were recuired to take
a ](', C1-4, we would have to do so across the board,
ineteed nf concentrating the cut in any one segment of
0/11. The result would be some general reduction in
0/ Is ability to perform its functions. To the extent
fere:hie we woula attempt to curtail certain bynroduct
functions such as nose-mortems and validity studies.
Next we would cut out the comments on ITSC and OCB naeers,
although this would seem highly undesirable. Alternativel',
we would have to reduce the number of NIEls produced.
6. Duplication of Functions. 0/NE performs a unieue function
in the intelligence community, which is not duplicated by any other
agency or CIA office. The only agency with functions remotely similar
to 0/NE is the Joint Intelligence Group of the Joint Staff, which
erePares joint intelligence studies in collaboration with the three
services for the JOS. However, this is a purely departmental function.
There is no office on the interdenartmental level comparable to 0/e1e,
which utilizes and coordinates the views of the entire US intelligence
community, civilian and military. Moreover, the JIG deals mostly with
nurely military estimates and there is relatively little overlare To
,he extent that overlap does exist, however, we believe that such
estimates should be done by the IAC mechanism rather than that of
the JIG. The national estimates process brings to bear a far wider
range of intelligence assets and general know-how and its naners bear
witness to their superiority over those nroduced by the JIG.
7. Functions Beyond 0/11E1s Present Capacity. 0/NEfs work load
has increased marledly over the past several years. The amount of
overtime worked by the Board and staff (about half of which is not
even submitted for overtime or comnensatory leave) is ample indication
of its overeqployment. Upon occasion 0/1Ets extremely small staff has
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Approved for Release: 2018/07/24 CO2319307
to skimp on consideration of major substantive eroblems because of
lack of nersonnel. The quality of NIE's and other -reduction suffers
incordingly.
D. For example, the 0/NE staff has only three people to cover
the Balkans, Near East, and Indian subcontinent; four
(two of them very junior) to cover the whole Far East;
three to cover all Western Europe and Africa; one on
Latin America; and only'four (as of January) on tne leloc
itself. It has an urgent need for at least four aeditional
trained, highly qualified personnel to increase each of
its rectional grouos by one GS 12-15. 0/1\E already draws
intellip.ence sunnort to the maximum feasible extent on
other offices (including DD/P, 0/RR, 0/SI, and 0/CI)
but experience has indicated that these offices could not
he eenected to perform the drafting and coordinating
functions of 0/NE. For example, even sunerior hers
borrowed from these offices on an ad h'e basis are no
substitute for people fully trained in our particular
trade.
h. The expanding business of the la0 secretariat is also
nleeing on 0/NE a Thad which was not foreseen waen
0/Ne assumed this function without taking over
of the personnel previously assigned to it. The DAD/NE
nereonelly has been nerforming the duties of 10 Sec-
retrry in addition to his regular functions. The former
,e'te assistent secretary is now not available for the,
6uty. Therefore, 0/NE needs an experienced senior officer
to be Assistant Secretary and eventually Secretary.
e, OPE has also been required to provide a comnetent senior
officer each year for the annual NSC Net Evaluation
exercire, which is now on a permanent basis and takes
most of the year. Last year a Board member was erovided
as the only exnedient. 0/NE badly needs an additional
nervier General Group member to be assigned specifically
to l,N.Le task.
External Contracting and Research. NIEls by their very nature
cannot be handled via external research or outside contract. Moreover,
0/1E itself does not do intelligence research of a nature which might
be done externally, but reliee on the other IA0 agencies and CIA offices
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Approved for Release: 2018/07/24 CO2319307
for such contributions to NIEls. However, national estimates benefit
directly from all of the outside research or contract work undertaken .
by these offices and agencies, which is reflected in their NIE con-
tributions.
0. 0/NE does draw on a nanel of broad and varied outside exper-
ience in its Princeton Consultants, with Whom we discuss major sub-
stantive problems or on occasion draft NIETs. However, this highly
valuable adjunct to the NIE Process is harcfly external research or
contracting as normally construed, nor would it be feasible to have
such a group actually prepare NIETs.
CHLAMAN FE NT
Assistant Director
National Estimates
-5-
Approved for Release: 2018/07/24 CO2319307