FACT-FINDING MEETING WITH NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY (NSA) PERSONNEL CONCERNING DOMESTIC RELOCATION ISSUES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85B01152R000400530016-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 14, 2008
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: September 15, 1983
• Content Type: MEMO

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TRANSMITTAL SLIP DATE 9-11P-,-
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TO: DDA
ROOM NO. BUILDING
REMARKS:
9EP1983
FROM: Leg. Liaison
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E T ION
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DD/A Registry
OLL 83-2212/1
15 September 1983
SUBJECT: Fact-finding Meeting with National Security
Agency (NSA) Personnel Concerning Domestic
Relocation Issues
REFERENCE: Domestic Relocation Allowance (MFR 83-2212
dated 13 September 1983)
Deputy Director of Personnel ~
and I, visited with selected NSA personnel
and legislative liaison officers, on 14 September 1983, in
accordance with our plan indicated in the referent
memorandum. While the two of us were greeted by literally a
dozen NSA personnel, the key participants were:
Legislative and Regulatory Counsel
Assistant General'Counsel for Personnel and
Security
Deputy Chief, Staffing and Field Administration
Chief, Policy, Programs and Analysis,
Office of Personnel
2. We began the meeting by explaining our agenda--
fact-finding on NSA concerns, difficulties, and initiatives
with respect to the assignment of NSA personnel to domestic
installations and associated employee financial hardships
resulting from the inadequacies of Federal Travel Regulation
(FTR) allowances for same. Over a two-hour or so period,
NSA indicated that:
-- they make something on the order of 200 or so PCS
domestic assignments a year;
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-- they move their people from Fort Meade to 12.or so
different domestic facilities for standard four-year
terms and then directly back to Fort Meade, rather
than lateral reassignments either domestically or to
a foreign installation;
-- NSA exempt employees (low graded, easily obtainable
skills) are allowed to "homestead" at the pleasure of
the NSA Chief of Station, whereas NSA non-exempt
personnel (highly trained, valuable, hard-to-replace
skills) serve mandatory four-year tours and are
returned PCS to Fort Meade for new training and
further reassignment
-- all.domestic PCS assignments are voluntary (albeit
with. increasing coaxing) and not directive;
NSA employees accepting PCS domestic assignments
are suffering financial hardships;
-- NSA has no way of documenting in any supportable
fashion the extent of financial hardships being
encountered, although they have just initiated a
selective data gathering effort;
-- NSA is considering a legislative initiative in the
FY'85 authorization bill to establish a Living
Quarters Allowance (LQA) for their non-exempt
employees who accept PCS domestic assignments. They
presently use this type of an allowance for their
employees who are assigned PCS overseas;
-- NSA pays no allowances to domestic PCS assignees not
presently authorized by the FTRs;
NSA will make brevet (temporary). promotions at the
beginning of domestic PCS tours if a position com-
pensation determination (PMCD-like) can support a
higher grade, although they claim such were tightly
controlled. These brevet promotions are for purposes
of offsetting the.out-of-pocket expenses incurred in.
domestic relocations;
-- NSA has not adopted any "additional allowances" as a
means of making up'for lack of an. adequate allowance
structure (NSA says that the Veterans'. Administration
provides a permanent one-grade promotion for each
domestic PCS assignment accepted); and
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-- The Director, NSA, is not concerned enough about this
problem to want to tackle it head-on with either
Congress. or with OMB..
Liaison Division
Office of Legislative Liaison
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3. NSA personnel in attendance were aware of the
unsuccessful CIA attempt to. gain Oversight Committee
approval for the exercise of the DCL's special authorities
in March and April 1983 (because the HPSCI staff queried
them upon receipt of the EX DIR's 11 March 1983 letter re
domestic relocation allowance. We amplified somewhat on
the, princi.pally,.HP.S;CI, paranoia. of the.DCI's Community
role in this "administrative" area. We explained in general
terms our agenda (see referent memorandum) with NSA, FBI,
the result of which will be a point paper for the CIA
Director of Personnel. We asked if they would be willing to
collaborate.with us, informally and at the working level, in
an attempt to determine whether a timely.common solution
would solve our different needs in the domestic relocation
arena .if, in fact, a legislative remedy remains three or so
years away. They indicated a cautious willingness to do so.
We said we would.be in touch as appropriate.
4. On balance, we found the meeting'to be a useful and
productive one. We certainly have a much better understand-
ing of NSA's.problems (depth and breadth), and they of ours.
They appeared willing to work further with us as appropriate.
My sense is that we could work effectively with them on other
similar issues as well.
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