FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01826R000800020037-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 2001
• Sequence Number: 37
• Publication Date: November 8, 1956
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 20
SIG1 : CIA-RDP80-01826R000800020037-6
i%w .1 N *MW
N. FIBENT14
8 NOV 1956
MEMORANDUM FOR: The CIA Career Council
SUBJECT: Foreign Language Development Program
25X1 A 1. On 25 October 1956 the Chief of Operations, DD/P, provided me
with detailed comments on "Development of Foreign Language
25X1A Proficiency," and "Foreign Language Development Awards."
These regulations are designed to put the decision of the Career Council,
in approving the Foreign Language Development Program, into effect.
These regulations were considered and approved by the Ad Hoc Committee
on the Foreign Language Development Program, in a meeting held on
1 June 1956. While DD/P was represented on the Committee throughout
the development of the Staff Study which recommended approval of the
Program, the DD/P member was not present at the 1 June meeting, For
this reason, copies of the draft regulation were sent to DD/P for con-
currence in early June,
2, The DD/P comments in the 25 October memorandum consist of
more than six pages of recommended deletions, substitutions and changes.
While many of these are minor language changes, some acceptable and
some not, in my view, other changes are either contrary to policies
governing the conduct of the program as approved by the Career Council
or in conflict with my understanding of the basic objectives of the
program. A summary of the significant DD/P comments is contained in
paragraph 3 following.
3. The summary is organized in three parts as follows: (a) those
in conflict with policies previously approved by the CIA Career Council;
(b) those which I believe are detrimental to the objectives of the pro-
gram; and (c) those with which I find myself in agreement.
D /PComments Contrary to Policies Approved by the CIA
Career Council
(1) Foreign Language Development Awards should not be
limited to members of the CIA Career Staff; completion
of a yearts probationary status should be sufficient.
(2) Clandestine Services personnel assigned to full-time
intensive language training as a duty assignment should
be ineligible for awards.
Approved For Release 2001/089
MV "Wfoi.
 f 4"
Approved For Release 2001/08/1 A- 826ROOO8OOO2OO37-6
NOW
I.
(3)
(4)
(5)
Foreign Language Development Awards should be retro-
active "when an employee can prove that past study
was undertaken on individual initiative to enhance
his value to his Agency assignment."
The Language Specialist Reserve will include only
those members of the Clandestine Services who have
been determined by appropriate Clandestine Services
panels to possess functional qualifications, the
exercise of which requires competence in one of
those languages which is unusual, difficult or
in short supply.
Maintenance of foreign language proficiency on the
part of the individual should be a responsibility
of the Agency to the extent that "all Clandestine
Services personnel should have free and easy access
to the language laboratory and that, if necessary,
OTR should expand its class and laboratory facilities
for after-hours study."
DD/P Comments in Conflict with the Objectives of the Proem
(1) "DD/P cannot tie language qualifications to individual
positions. Unfortunately, personnel and operational
requirements dictate a flexibility which does not lend
itself to this."
(2) Candidates for Awards may not make direct application
to the Director of Training, but should do so "through
established command channels."
(3) Deputy Directors will establish appropriate procedures
within their components to insure the orderly and just
processing of applications for awards.
DD/P Comments In Which DTR Concurs
Language aptitude testing will be included as an integral
part of the prescribed EOD testing for professional personnel,
and the results of such tests will be incorporated into ap-
propriate personnel and training records.
4. I have attached hereto copies of the OTR draft regulation approved
by the Ad Hoc Committee on 1 June which include the additions, substitutions
and deletions now proposed by DD/P. In view of the foregoing summary of
the DD/P comments, I recommend that the CIA Career Council:
Approved For Release 200 1/0/ ~ F p~:91826ROO0800020037-6
 25X1A
Approved For Release 2001/08/0'G _CIAr DP8.0~91g26R000800020037-6
low %0
Authorize the romul ation of the draft regulations
dated 1 and 5 June respectively,
which were approved by the Ad Floc Committee,
b.- Approve the inclusion of Foreign Language Aptitude tests
in the Professional Employees Test Battery for all entrants-
on-duty in professional positions in the Agency. (Note:
This will not require amendments to the regulations. I
can accomplish this by including the language Aptitude
tests in the test battery.)
c, Provide DD/P an opportunity to demonstrate, six to twelve
months hence, wherein these regulations have hampered
effective fulfillment of the mission of the Clandestine
Services,
25X1A9a
MATTHEW BAIRD
Director of Training
Attachments
25X1A
-3-
Approved For Release 2001/08/01 : CIA-RDP80-01826R000800020037-6