MEMORANDUM TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-COMPTROLLER FROM JOHN W. COFFEY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74-00390R000300400006-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 8, 2002
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: April 24, 1972
• Content Type: MF

21 p r or Release 2002/05/06 : CIA-RDP74-00390R000300400006-
.O D E''T','~"y. 25X1A
CONTID
recent retiree from the National Archives and Records Service
where he had for years led U.S. Government records management
activities. I mention this as a matter of possible interest to
you as we had invited to talk to us precedent to
embarking on a CIA/OT recor s management training program this
fall. The objective of the training program is to sharpen the
technical skills of component records officers.
1. At my 18 April staff meeting with DDS Office Heads, we
had a speaker on records management, a 25X1A
2. is an articulate speaker who has a
thorough command of his subject matter. Some of the statistics
and examples he cited fell as bombshells on our group, impressing
us that CIA is indeed a paper mill. (With 15 cubic feet of records
per employee we lead the next highest Federal Governmental body,
ABC, which has 12.4 cubic feet of records per person. As a com-
parative, IRS has 7.7 cubic feet per employee.) One point in
particular impressed me: good organization and management of paper
can contribute significantly to the more efficient functioning of
almost any CIA official. gave several examples where
NARS specialists had conducted in depth surveys in government
agencies, the findings from which led to appreciable reductions in
manpower. While it may be possible to use cleared NARS people to
help us on some of our less sensitive records problems, security
and compartmentation sensitivities probably would forestall this
route being used to any great degree in CIA. As a more likely
course, we want to improve the scalist competence of our records
personnel within the Agency, require them to identify areas where
improvements can be made, help operating officials to effect the
improvements.
3. Before the records management courses start this fall,
I hope to arrange for o make similar talks before
senior officiers in other directorates. It might be profitable to
25X1A
?1 ?o- r
Approved For Release 2 A S. k P 4-0039OR000300400006-5
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director-Comptroller
 Approved For Release 2002/05/06 CIA-RDP74-0039OR000300400006-5
havel ake a short presentation at one of the
Directors morning meetings. I shall be happy to discuss this
with you if you wish.
John W. Coffey
Approved For Release 2002/05/06 : CIA-RDP74-0039OR000300400006-5