THE ASIA LETTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-05077A000100080004-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 24, 2000
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: March 13, 1973
• Content Type: MISC

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Approved For RetlwasCIA-RDP78-0 7A000100080004-1
THE BIGGEST ITEM under "wasted funds" for the United Statesr Agency
for Internattonal Developtnent (AID) is alcoholism,
A recent memorandum supposedly for in-house circulation tells of a
staggering estimated USS1.2 million annually that it costs the agency due
to absenteeism, poor performance and other side effects dice to alcoholism
among employees abroad.
AID's biggest problem area for hard-drinking officers: Asia.
The Al.]) memo, as well as earlier studies, gives no reasons to explain
why so many alcoholics turn up or are developed in the Asia region.
All) estimates some SO"/,, of the drunks on its pavrolI are now oosted
.._...~ - ---
in Asia!
~.w
A new directive by All) Admini.strator. Dr. JOHN HANNAH spells out what
the agency will do this year to combat the problem:
---First, a total of US$30,000 has been budgeted for the year for a
program to combat alcoholism (think of what that money could do for a
hospital in Laos or a self-help program in upper Burma!).
---Second, because All) counts alcoholism as a treatable affliction,
those employees who cooperate will. be given lime off for treatment.
---The estimate generally accepted is that half of the alcoholics can
be reformed completely; put another way, the program figures it can cut the
US$1.2 million loss in half during 1973.
That means that the AI]) goal for 1973 will. be to waste only US$600,,000
rather than US$1.2 million, due to alcoholism.
A study currently underway by the Asia section of. AID is trying to
determine the relationship between low cost of liquor at post exchanges and
clubs and the high il7,cidclhce of alcoholism among officers posted in Asia.
Climatic effects on heavy drinking are also part of the study.
A U.S. Government Accounting Office (GAO) study last year said that
there was a minimum 4% alcoholism rate among federal employees at any
one time.
Agai.n, the rate for government employees posted in Asia was by far the
highest; much higher than 4i'..
STATINTL
STATINTL
whose job Is to dry-out sloshed government officers.
y
This particular farm claims that. more than half of its::rac',tiates st.av
on the tarok,
1'or the., first time, some Asian govcrnnc0nts on the receiving end of AID
grants and technical he 11) are rcequestiIII, thrtt any k:+nown aIecho1i.es among
American technicians be sent home immedint.ol.y for treatment or otherwise
ti ansferred.
"It's .about time something, was done about this problem," Hannall sa i d
in his directive.
We'll drink to that!
State, USApDovedlForsl elease z0 0/08 9S~1A-R~P7N5077AOM00080004-1
 Appr - C
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Approved 2000/08n9GfArRDP78-
FORM NO. I?) 17 Use previous editions
UNCLASSIFIED CONF ENTIAL SECRET
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Director of Medical Service
ID-4o61 HQ
1973
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