COURSE REPORT - SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL OPERATIONS COURSE, CHINA ACTIVITIES BRANCH/FE DIVISION - 4-15 MAY 1964

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04305A000100090008-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 11, 2000
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: June 5, 1964
• Content Type: MF

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A
MEMORANDUMFOR: Director of Training
Course Report - Special Scientific and Technical
Operations Course, China Activities Branch/FE
Division - 4-15 May 1964
SUBJECT
5 June 1964
25X1A 1. 1 Scientific and Technical Operations
Course for PE Division was conducted from
4 May to IS May at Headquarters on a full-time basis, with a total
of twenty students enrolled. Two students were unable to complete
the course because of processing for overseas assignments. One
student started the course one week late because of illness; she
was permitted to attend the balance of the course but was not
given credit. A total of 21 other persons audited selected por-
tions of the course by pre-arrangements with the chief instructor.
2. The class roster is as follows;
25X1A
DEN TIATF 1-7?-::& 1-----1
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Division
FE
FE
FE
PH
PE
FE
SR
WE
NE
NE
NE
FE
FE
FE
OSI
Grade
GS-09
GS-13
GS-I2
GS-13
GS-11
GS.14
GS 13
GS.. 13
GS.15
GS-IS
GS-12
CS-13
GS-10
CS .12
GS.14
1
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25X1A
25X1A
25X1A
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25X1A
GS.-12
GS-l0
GS-08
GS-13
GS..09
3. This course was organized and presented in response to a
special request from the Par East Division, which desired special
emphasis on SU operations in Communist China. Because of the
specific requirements laid down by that Division, the course con-
tent and duration differed considerably from previously run $AT
courses, which stressed Soviet Russia.
4. Most of the lecturers were furnished by the Office of
Scientific Intellignce0D/S4T. Members of that office, with
the endorsement of DD/SaT, cooperated enthusiastically
in presenting this course. During the course a one-day sergaiE on
"operations" was jointly conducted by representatives of I. and
FE/111111 One day of the course was devoted to lectures by ORR
representatives.
S. Unfortunately, who had agreed to address the
group, was unabae to do so because of unforseen circumstances,
though he tried to do so on two different occasions. (See schedule
attached.) The following lecturers were also unable to keep their
appointments and furnished substitutes ?a 25X1A
GSD/OSI? represented by1111111
ACD/OSI, represented by 25X1A
C/BMSD/OSI, for whom substituted. The details 25X1A
of the course content will not be repeated here, as the attached
schedule summarizes the scope of each lecture, and the objectives
are outlined in detail in the foreword thereto.
6. Three field trips were made. These included the US Army
8iological Laboratories at Ft. Detrick, Maryland, on IS May, the
Brookhaven National Laboratories at Upton, New York, on 14 May, and
the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center at Huntsville, Alabama.
For this last tour, the class left Washington Sunday afternoon, 31
May, toured the Center on 1 June, and returned to Washington that
evening. All of these trips were considered helpful by all of the
students; however, the Brookhaven tour was not particularly oriented
to the class needs. Although the undersigned had made advance
arrangements with the local Brookhaven representative of the activ-
ities concerned and explained that emphasis was desired on indi-
cators, this word was apparently not passed to the various guides,
who gave what appeared to be a standard VIP treatment to their brief-
ings. At Ft. Detrick, the various briefers did point out indicators
25X1A
25X1A
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25X1C
where possible, There was
some overlapping of the coverage ado in the classroom by OSI repro
sentatives. The most profitable tour was that of the George C.
Marshall Space and Flight Center. While there the class was able
to observe equipment and processes characteristic of missile pro-
duction and testing activity, and to get a better idea of the many
industrial resources required to support such activity. This trip
was considered the most useful of all by all the students. Inter-
estingly, this trip was to have been made on 21 May, but was post-
poned because all key personnel were going to Cape Kennedy to
witness the "Moon Shot," which in turn was postponed.
25X1C
25X1C
Student Comments
7. The class is to be complimented on the care and thought
they gave to their critiques. Several helpful suggestions were
made and these will serve to improve the next running of the course,
scheduled for September 1964. The results of the critique question-
naire were as follows:
a. Do you feel that the course achieved its object
Yes - 20 (of 20)
b. Was the course sufficiently comprehensive?
Yes 17. Too comprehensive - 3.
c. Should additional subjects be included in the future?
If so, what do you recommend? Yes . Radar - 4; Basic Electronics
10; Computer Principles - 2; China Topography - 3; More on Atomic
Energy, Missiles - 3; More on operations - 7; - 3.
d. What subjects could be eliminated or condensed?
ORR lectures - 9
e. What was your impression of the course as a whole?
With one exception all members of the course considered it highly
worthwhile, eight described it as excellent, five as very good, and
the other three did not make any overall adjectival description of
the course. The exception thought the course good, and oddly
enough, that it had fulfilled its objectives, but stated that he
did not feel that anything less than a scientific background would
help in the conduct of ST operations, and that it would obviously
take several years to acquire such a background.
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Miscellaneous
(1) Most of the students complained about the ov
sized room (1A-07 He.) and the resultant physical difficulties.
This could not be helped, as it was the only room available at
Langley.
(2) The consensus was that the ORR portion of the
course be shortened, perhaps to half its present length. Unfor-
tunately, although the ORR lecturers had prepared their lectures
well, the subject matter, though important, was by nature not as
fascinating as that on scientific subjects. One student suggested
that future ORR speakers use more comparisons (on production dis-
tribution, etc.), rather than absolute statistics, which are
difficult to remember.
25X1A
25X1A 8. By arrangement with the former chief of the FR41111111
only one day of the course was devoted
to operations as such. This was done because all the students
were experienced in operations, and it was desired that the course
emphasize orientation in the basic sciences, and an exposition of
hat is known about ST in Red China, and what information is
eeded.
9. The dramatic strides made and publicized in the scientific
field during the past three years caused an interesting change in
student attitude. While students had complained that there was too
much emphasis on scientific subjects in the previous SAT courses,
this class indicated an almost unanimous desire for more instruc-
tion in scientific matters, particularly in the fields of basic
electronics and the principles of radar, telemetry, and computer
principles.
10. Some of the students suggested that the lectures on bio.
logical and chemical warfare be eliminated or condensed. This
suggestion was made owing to the fact that an excellent and detailed
25X1C briefing of some four hours was presented at Ft. Detrick during the
field trip and furnished ample
11. Without exception, all students commented on the out-
25X1A standing lectures presented by
C/Plans A P ABGD/0 25X1A
C/General Services Div/OSI; and C/Non Soviet 25X1A
Weapons Br/BMSD/OSI. Only three speakers wore mentioned adversely,
one by ten members of the class, one by four, and one by one.
25X1A
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12. The ultimate test of this or any course of instruction
is whether or not it helps the student to do a better Job in the
field of operations concerned. As this was the first running of
the course in its present form, the students were asked to indi-
cate whether they thought that what they had learned would help
them in the conduct of possible future ST operations. It was
most gratifying to note that with the one exception previously
mentioned, all the students felt that the knowledge they accrued
from the course would indeed be of use, both because of the
information they had acquired and the confidence they had gained
by this brief guided tour beyond the shroud of mystery that often
insulates the layman from even basic scientific principles. The
following excerpts from student critiques are illustrative of
this thought;
a. "Generally I feel that the whole course was highly
worthwhile in that it has served to impress upon me the importance
of the ChiCom G&T target. Furthermore, the course has served to
enlighten me on many of the basics with some knowledge of the
subject matter. I feel that this 'feel' is important in my case
because I am scheduled to depart for the field very shortly and
I will have ample opportunity to put this acquired knowledge to
some use. r highly recommend the continuation of this course for
other case officers going out to the field."
b. "The course was an outstanding contributiono my
own understanding of the importance and significance of the SU
field. It was well designed, well presented, most interesting
and very comprehensive. I have urged several others to attend
It at its next running. The suggestions and criticisms above are
really quite small when placed beside the many fine points of the
entire program. I should think the high spot occurred during the
first several days (not considering the field trips) in the expla-
nation of China's atomic energy and missile efforts. This Was
done well and done in a manner to interest and teach. The presen.
tation left a lasting impression and provided the foundation upon
which to fit new information into proper perspective."
c. "In general I think that this course opened up what
had previously been a closed door to many of the case officers
attending it. Like most Americans, I think many of us feel that
we are anachronisms in modern day America. The world of science
has jumped far beyond the smattering of scientific training we
may have had in high school or college. The old fashioned vacuum
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tube (which few of us ever understood) 13 now being outmoded by the
transistor, the jet plane is being challenged by the rocket as a
coming mode of mass transportation, the automated factory is replacing
the lathe operator and the computer is replacing the bookkeeper. This
course provided some insight into this new world - perhaps only a
small peek - but nevertheless a useful one. By so doing I think that
we are more attuned to the collection needs of the analysts and of
their intelligence customers."
d. "Training is wonderful for the morale. This course was
particularly good in that respect. The adult method of organization0
the manner of presentation, and the 4130 of visual aids WAS noteworthy.
As an NE hand, I, of course, found most of the information new and
useful. But more important, the emphasis on the need for collection
in a field not usually considered by the NE Division, the stress on
the opportunities which exist for such collection . even by persons
in other divisions - has opened (if such a poetic term may be excused)
new vistas."
e. "I have probably been unduly critical of the course. My
concern as reflected in my comments has reference to ways and means
of tightening up the course, I feel that the course was well worth
the effort, and that it should be repeated on a regular basis. I do
not agree that there is insufficient experience or useful material
available to conduct such a course. Since I am an SU desk officer.
I was particularly sensitive to the class reaction. The class reaction
was extremely favorable, interest was high, and the class to a man came
away with the feeling that he had learned something invaluable. The
course was stressed in the right aspects of ST China, and I believe
that the class very quickly got the idea that there is no reason to
be reluctant to engage in ST operations. I believe that a sufficient
amount of confidence was imparted to every class member so that he
could participate in ST operations, if called on to do so
Discus ion
13. It is believed that the basic ORR lectures might profitably
be condensed into one-half day (from the present full day) by covering
the light and heavy industries in Red China in two twouphour lectures,
rather than be treating industries within those classifications indi-
vidually as was done in this course. This portion of the course should
not be eliminated, as the practical scientific capability of any
country is inexorably linked with its industrial potential.
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14, Despite the fact that this was not a graded course, the
entire class was most attentive to all the presentations, including
those they considered dull. They asked intelligent questions, and
showed by them that they had indeed absorbed the key points. As
previously mentioned, even their preparation of the critiques showed
thought and an earnest desire to see the course continued and improved.
15. The senior representative in the class from NE Division and
an observer from WE Division both indicated that they would like to
see a similar course with emphasis on the requirements of their
Divisions' needs. In view of the fact that neither of these Divisions
would have more than a handful of students, however as 25X1A
suggested a course be organized that would include common basic
lectures given to all students regardless of area specialization.
In the later stages the group would be divided into division/area
groups for specialized training. This portion would include addi-
tional detailed discussions on operations.
16. Prior to the presentation of the next course,divisions
concerned will be consulted to determine whether they can spare their
students for three weeks, rather than two. This would permit inclu-
sion of more instruction on basic electronics, radar, computer prin.*
ciples, and operations, which were the principle requests of the
students, and with which the undersigned concurs. If this is not
25X1C the case, some, but not all, of the aforementioned instruction
could be included by cutting both the ORR and
to one-half day each, without unduly detracting from the course.
25X1W-'
Chief Instructor
Attachment: Schedule
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