REPORT OF VISIT TO SRI INTERNATIONAL, 18-20 OCTOBER 1978

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00788R001200240003-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 19, 1998
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: November 8, 1978
• Content Type: MFR

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DRXSY-DS 8 November 1978
MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD:
SUBJECT: Report of Visit to SRI International, 18-20 October 1978 (U)
1. (S-ORCON) Lynne Taylor, Scott Phillips and Harris Walker visited SRI
on 18-20 October 1978 for discussions on Project Grill Flame. Personnel
contacted at SRI were Hal Puthoff, Russ Targ, Charles Tart and Ed May.
The major points of our discussions are summarized in the following para-
graphs.
2. (S-ORCON) The majority of our discussions centered on AMSAA's Grill
Flame replication of the original SRI protocol for remote viewing, particu-
larly the problems we have encountered in trying to remain true to the
protocol.
a. SRI maintains a very comfortable, privately accessed lab for remote
viewing sessions. Subjects and interviewers thus know exactly where and
under what comfort conditions their sessions will take place. AMSAA's
Grill Flame sessions have rotated between conference rooms and offices,
depending on their availability; comfort conditions have significantly
varied with the location.
b. In addition to the availability of conference rooms or offices,
AMSAA's Grill Flame sessions have been dependent on the availability of
the team members, due to meetings, travel plans, etc. Additionally, the
Grill Flame participants are not totally dedicated to just Grill Flame
but have other responsibilities that oftentimes must take priority over
a session. Thus, trying to set up a schedule for our sessions is next
to impossible. SRI does not have the same constraints on their sessions,
although this does not imply that everything works perfectly all of the
time at SRI, even though their level of dedication far exceeds ours.
c. A significant amount of time was spent philosophizing on the
critical relationship between the subject and interviewer. Our feelings
on this subject are detailed in the Memorandum For Record of Ingo Swann's
visit to AMSAA, so there is no need to repeat all of that in this memorandum.
809757
OF --,7 E
CLASSIFIED BY: MSG, 7 JUL 78, DA (DAMA-ISH),
WASH,. DC
EXEMPTED FROM GENERAL DECLASSIFICATION
SCHEDULE OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 11652
EXEMPTION CATEGORY: 2
DECLASSIFY ON: 31 DEC 2008
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 Approved For Release 2000/08/07 :
DRXSY-DS 8 November 1978
SUBJECT: Report of Visit to SRI International, 18-20 October 1978 (U)
Apart from our discussions, Scott and I had the opportunity to listen to
several of SRI's tapes of their early remote viewing sessions. Listening
to the tapes was a real education above and beyond just talking about
subject/interviewer relationships and was perhaps the most valuable part
of the trip for us. We have definitely carried this learning to our own
sessions and can already see the positive differences.
d. The judging procedures of remote viewing experiments are critical
to the statistical success, or failure, of the experiments. In prior
conversations with Ed May and Hal Puthoff, we had established the best
number of sessions to be judged as a package, i.e., 6 or 7 sessions. We
now established the amount and type of information to be given to the
judges: a copy of the protocol, copies of the edited transcripts in
random order, a list of target sites and target pictures in random order,
a judging matrix for the recording convenience of the judges, and a state-
ment explaining what the judges should do at the sites. Hal Puthoff provided
us with an example of what should be included in this statement, along with
a caution to be extremely careful about the contents of the statement so as
not to prejudice the judges.
3. (S-ORCON) Russ Targ, Hal Puthoff and I discussed the proposed training
contract for FY 79. The revised statement of work was again revised.
Subsequent to this visit, the new statement of work has been coordinated
with and agreed to by all parties concerned and the contract is being
processed.
4. (S-ORCON) We provided SRI with copies of our session transcripts
available at that date. We did discuss several of the transcripts,
particularly noting the differences between the two subjects, the target
sites, and the pattern of improvement starting to emerge, based on experience
and increased awareness of what works best for us.
5. (S-ORCON) Charles Tart, a psychologist who just recently joined the staff
of SRI, introduced us to the Ten Function Random Number! Generator Testing
Facility. This is an impressive piece of equipment. Scott and I had a
chance to try it out and are looking forward to spending more time working
with it. An important point to be aware of about this facility is people
who tend to do well on this facility tend to do well in remote viewing
sessions, but the reverse does not hold true. Russ Targ offered to loan
us their Four Function Testing Facility and we have graciously accepted
his offer.
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 Approved For Release 2000/08/07
DRXSY-DS 8 November 1978
SUBJECT: Report of Visit to SRI International, 18-20 October 1978 (U)
6. (S-ORCON) Hal Puthoff showed Scott, Harris and myself the Jack Perkins
NBC film, shown on the NBC Nightly News last year, on the SRI remote viewing
protocol. It's an excellent introduction to remote viewing.
7. (S-ORCON) Russ Targ has agreed to visit AMSAA during the first week of
December to continue our discussions, particularly on our future work and
the screening we are,planning to do, as well as review our judging. He.is
also going to bring the NBC film with him at our request.
8. (S-ORCON) The trip to SRI was a definite boost to our Grill Flame
project. SRI was impressed by both the amount of effort we are devoting
to the project and the results we have obtained under less than ideal
conditions. We learned a great deal about the feelings, perceptions,
ideas and helpful hints that are not recorded in print and have implemented
our new found learning in our sessions, with encouraging success. We are
looking forward to a continuation of this rapport.
NNE S. TAYLOR'
Copies furnished:
Dr.
Sperrazza
Mr.
J. Kramar
Mr.
S. Phillips
Mr.
C. Thomas
Mr.
M.
Reches
Mr.
G.
Hanna
Mr.
R.
Dietz
Dr.
E.
H. Walker, BRL
SRI
International
MAJ Stoner, HQDA
( MAJ Watt, INSCOM
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