REPORT BY: THE GRILL FLAME SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00788R001300120002-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 94
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 18, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 1, 1979
• Content Type: REPORT

FLAME
HD CARRY
~OPI~S
 Approved For Release 2000/08/07 : CIA~I~~-~~Oi'~b0120002-4
~C~~~C~~ ~ ~~~~~ aid ~ ~~~a~~ ~a~a~
TABLE OF CONmENTS (U)
Page
(U_) SECURITY CLASSIFICATION GUIDE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction, Chapter 1 1-4
Major Findings &- Observations, Chapter 2 5-9
Recommendations, Chapter 3 10-11a
(S/NOFORN) DISCUSSION
Chronology of GRILL FLAME Activities, ChaptEr 4 12-20
Parapsychology in PerspectivE, Chapter 5 21-23
Evaluation of Parapsychological Experiments,
Chapter 6 24-27.
Assessment of Warsaw~Pact Parapsychological
Activities, Chapter 7 28-31
Review of Suggested Parapsychological Mechanisms,
Chapter 8 32-33
Evaluation of SRI Remote Viewing Experiments, 34-41
Chapter 9
(C) ANNEXES
Committee MEmbership, Annex 1 42
Places Visited, Annex 2 43-44
Comments Pertaining to AMSAA, Annex 3 45-45
Comments Pertaining to MICOM, AnneX 4 47'-55
Cornraent~ ~='erta:iz~ir~i~~ to INSCOM, Annex 5 56-CO
SG1D
Approved For Release 2000/
 ?- .-- ,-~ ~ o ~ h rn
Approved For Re
Page
(C) ANNEXES (cunt)
Comments Pertaining to Livermore Laboratories, 66-67
Annex 7
Evaluation of SRI Criticisms, Annex 8 68-72
Summary & Evaluation of Free-ResponsE Analysis 73-SO
Technique, Annex 9
Recommended Research Improvements (Suggestions 81-87
for RV Protocol), Annex 10
References, Annex 11 88-90
~s~~)~~~ ~~~~~~~
Approved
,U1~aL~~A-dG~~''~
 Approved For Release 20 -1~~,8.~~ztl 'I'3+~0120 2,_
~L~Gs~~~ ~ .o d ~ ~a~a,~ ~~J~~~
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION GUIDE (U)
1. (S/NOFORN) All eannECtion between official U.S.
Government interest or participation in the gEnEric
field of Parapsychology is classified a minimum of SECRET,
caveat N0 FOREIGN. DISSEMINATION: This connECtion includes
the word parapsychology (or any derivative thereof) and
U. S. Government. All data relat~:d to U.S. Government
programs or interest in Parapsychology is disseminated on
a strict; provEn need-to-know basis manly.
2, (j.T) The unclassified nicknamE for this subject is GRILL
FLAME. Within DOD ACSI DA must approve in writing further
dissemination or reproduction of this report. Future
security planning for GRILL FLAME includes making it
totally a spECial access program.
3, (U) Release of this report to cleared U.S. defense
contractors and other U.S. Government agenciES is contingent
upon written approval of SECDEF or his dESignated representa-
tive. Release will be accomplished on a case-by-case basis.
4. (U) Under na circumstance, other than that described in
paragraph 3 above, will this report be disseminated outsidE
the U.S. Government.
5. (U) All portions of this report are classified SECRET/
NOFORN. Removal of unclassified pages is authorized ~nl
upon complete obliteration of the nickname GRILL FLAME.
~~C~G?3~~ ~~~~~~ ~od~~~.~~~ ~a~~~
Approved For Release 2000/08/07 :CIA-RDP96-007888001300120002-4
 AEpprovec~'~or~e~ease
A-~~~'~~-0~~~2~OOn~A0120002-4
l~(~G~~~ ~~d~:/i~.~~~ Cw~~~~
Introduction (U)
1. (S/NOFORN) Background, Iri June 1979 it was suggested
by Dr. LaBerge, then Under Secretary of the Army, that a
Scientific Evaluation Committee be appointed to review the
Army's parapsychological activities. In early July 1979,
Dr. Ruth Davis recommended that because of the special
interest of the Secretary of Defense, that the Committee
review the total DOD posture and report directly to the
GRILL FLAME Oversight Committee: ("GRILL FLAME" a_s the
unclassified code word for r.~ny-.DOD or intelligen~~c
community assor.iation or ~.nvolvement with parapsychological
activities or interests; definitions of scientific areas
discussed can be found in Chapter 5.)
~. (U) Mission and Organiratiori. The Comn~itte.:?~ was
organized by thE~~~t".ha~.rmari~6(se~ Annex 1 ) and hi_gtrly gua.Li Pied
members were :tr~v~ted ~:cr sF~rvc~ From various z~~ic'r?c_ific
disc~ip.lines .. ~I I. members enjoy a reputation for ar= extr_?emt~ly
Ya-i.gh integrif:y ~~nd i~ri~~r~ ~;o t;he Committee n=x v~re~.7_th of
experience iri i~xper~a_~,t~~nta.l design and eva.la.a.ation. ~'~-ze
areas of expertise of Committee members :inc].k.;~de I='syc~~r.is.rts~~C,r,
Biostati.stics, Psychology, Physics, Engineering, anc~
Operations Resear~:~ii. Committee members were car `.fully
screened to avoid any- ~zersons with preconceived ~r~otions f'oxs
or against tare stzb jest under investigation, ~~o torah: Q~rr ob jec -
tive assessment: could ro+:j evolved . A11 Committee mernber~~
represented t.hemselve~s and were selected on their ind:i.v..dual
merits; therefore, views expressed are neither :implicitly
nor explicitly associated with their employing organizations.
The listing of the organizational affiliation in the Annex is
for identifying purposes only.
a. (S/NOFORN) The mission of the Committee, known as
the"GRILL FLAME Scientific Evaluation Committee" was as
follows:
To review the parapsychological research, investi-
gations, and applications within DOD and the intel-
ligence community.
To assess the validity of claims made for the
alleged existence of the PSI phenomena; with
particular emphasis on the experiments which were
instituted to approach the "proof of principle".
Approved For Release 2000/08/07 :CIA-RDP96-007888001300120002-4
 Approved For Release 200
To recommend a course of action for DOD in
future parapsychological activities.
b. (S/NOFORN) The Committee visited all DOD installa-
tions involved in any aspect of parapsychological efforts
and conducted additional visits and interviews with non-
government sponsored investigators (see Annex 2). In
addition, a large amount of classified reports, intelligence
summaries, and open literature was reviewed. A collection
of all such documents is stored in the Chairman's office
and was made available to Committee members as required.
In addition, available documentation applicable to the
particular investigations in process or related materials
was made available for inspection at all installations
which were visited,
c. (S/NOFORN) Because of the DOD interest for
eventual application and also because of the considerably
greater activity, the balk of the Committee's work was
concerned with that por~ti.c;n of PSI research and applica.tion~~
known as "Remote Vi.ewir~g" (RV} . The Tavork on P~rychokinetics
(PK) was also reviewed; hr~wever, since tr'ese inve:~tigations
are concerned with the productsiorr o:~ physical effects,
there :is cansi.der`ably les.~. controversy from the point of
view of measurement techniques, but PK investigation~~ share
with RV the perp3e~xing prablems of ~~nderstanding, cor7troll.ing,
an~w~1:C~Y1 ~'~c3~Ea
r,,zblc ~K;o si~_~icantly disturb, can r~~o~~x~aar~d, a ~rup?=rc~onr~.~xct.
x..rag a~~ag~setometer, which was as :~~~iPldcd as technology
nsity, ?ow prafi.~.e; (b) balanced
d~ ~tr?ibutir~n of work _ -- avoid overlap and husband sca~?e:e
re>~ources ; (c) ba.l.anced in-out house effort ; (d) in~--h?use
ei"fort first center on replicating SRI-type organ~i~at:~ons'
experiments; (e) consider both basic and applied research;
anal (f) fit within any future DOD program. A complete
security envelope was placed over Army?s interest in PSI,
end the effort was given the unclassified nickname, GRILL
FLAME,
(4) (S/NOFORN) In March 1978, Targ and Puthoff
presented a talk on RV to a select AMSAA/DARCOM audience.
This led to increased effort by AMSAA to explore RV in
harmony with DA guidance, as it might apply to target
acquisition and target description: (a) ascertain ]_acation
and .activity status of enemy units;- (b) detect changes in
status of places like enemy assembly areas; (c) detect ,
identify,. and report .activity of enemy equipment; and (d)
provide real=time battle damage assessment. Also of prime
interest was accessing enemy communications, and command
and control systems.
0 14 ~~~?~,~ ~~n~~ c~)
~~G3C~~ ~~.G~~~ aJd~/a.aa~ ~-.~ .:~~~
Approved For Release 2000/08/07 :CIA-RDP96-007888001300120002-4
 Approved For Release 200 / D: -RD~~=(9U7~~3~~20002-4
L~~~l~ ~ ~ d~~~~~~~ ~~~'?
SG1C
(5) (S/NOFORN) In July 1978, DIA sponsored a
series of four unique experiments, in. which intelligence
analysts intimately familiar with target sites interfaced
directly with the Remote Viewer. The DIA Project Officer
had prepared three sets of Soviet/Bloc target coordinates,
and one US control set. Even he-did not know the coordinates,
until the moment they were- read aloud to the Viewer, Ingo
Swann. Immediately upon hearing the coordinates, Swann
verbalized. about and drew sketches of the target. Only
l.ow correlation of target description to actz~al site was
achieved in the first three trials, Hows~ver, Swann
~~rovided a "moderate to PAS gh?' , lengthy desc~r?iption of
the last target, a soviet ~t~~ateg:ic missile fiel+;~ ea:;t of
Moscow, a s~ ~ ~xai f:icant ~~ch~.eventent , Most airnaxing perhaps ,
Swann passed through a s.~_~.o :over, '"traveling'" down ~an~til
r~~~,.rhi ng a connec.tinc~ 3::a,~.sarre7L ~ Goinel thrcauc~-a th?..s passac~c .
gray e exitered a ~;c~p~m~~rad anc~.. :~..on~tL~o:1. room . ~~ne comrc~c~nt ,
~m~ang maxtap, s~tarzds rauf:: ?`The i'lracar~: are ~aa.v~:d in 'whi.te
;il~~s~ 6~
t~) (S/N01~'ORN Ir'x l~.ug2x:~t 19?~3 , D~~ `Jt~x,;~na s ~~ ~
~.:xa~~ired a i~iu~;ting ~=~r, ~:l~velop a c:r.~:~rdi~a~~t~~~:c;:eptable~ experim~~rxts and aiva.luat:ion ~~ethor~ologie~s; (b)
:~ns~are valid inve:_=sticlation caf milit~~ry applicationc~ of ~S_~
-ar7de (r.) i.nvest~gate sigr~~i.ficance of :foreign tec:hnica~.
~~nd military PSI efforts. The working group also acts
as a clearing house fur information on the subject within
-the DOD framework, and monitors protocols for compliance
w~.th legal and medacal guidelines.
(7) (S/NOFORN) In September--October 1978, Army
ACSI and INSCOM designed a small program to narrowly
examine purely intelligence application of RV. The
concept was to familiarize (train) a cadre of personnel
who had been subjectively culled from the whole Washington
area INSCOM organization. Selection criteria included:
above average intelligence, outgoing personality,.
adventuresome, open-minded, mature, artistic nature, and
successful life career. It was preferred that-the individual
SG1C
~C~~ :o o s~a~ c~a~~~
CdG~[~ ~~dC/~.~
Approved For Release 2000/08/07 :CIA-RDP96-007888001300120002-4
 Approved For Release 2000/08/07 :CIA-F~~~DO~T~F~ ~ 0
p ~~G~i~ ~ ~ dLI ~ ~ 'b
~~~~~~
SG11
not have. in-depth PSI knowledge or background. The
following potential intelligence PSI applications were
identified: locating and effecting undetected entry .
into denied enemy units facilities; SALT verification;
advance warning of hostilities; "reading" enemy battle
plans and intentions; tracking and locating key enemy
clandestine HUMINT operations and activities. Implicit
was the development of appropriate countermeasures to
known or suspected enemy PSI capabilities.
(S) (S/NOFORN) AMSAA concluded a contract in
September 178 ~:o have SRT conduct a number of experiments
~.n s~.dpport o:f the Areas of i.nte.rest out~_.~~rned in paragraph
1_c(~Y) abc.~ve. These would be carr~.ed out i.,n ~~oncert witka
1,'gi ~ q~~+.D' A~DE ~.~ , ~' or 1. ?rd .
'~ :10 ) ( S/:~IO~"Ok~iV ) Also on 1 ~ F~abrtixax?;, ~ D? ~ , ~;h~,
a:s ~ i:,1, t"'~:,AMN DOD S~oering ~"ommittee first met te: hear and
~~~-.-e~- comments orY the program"s developrnerxta~_ status.
.ter ~`~;s~~ta~i t tee r~c~nrbc~rs included : all Service ACSI ? s ~ Dr . Ruth
-~ SG 1 I
x7~~vi ?~ , D.r . i~~~Eerge , and Dr . Vorona { starid~..~ag ?~n fo~? T~,TG
`~'~_~~he) ~ ~ The ~;orxe of the muting was a pos:.tive one .
(1.1) ("aJ) Ms Valner, AGC, provided legal guidance
ors 1S February 179, to the effect that any GRILL FLAME
protocol should be reviewed by the Sxxrgeon General's Human
Use Testing Committee. If found to :involve humans as
subjects of research, or "risk" was entailed, appropriate
HEW guidelines and AR 70-25 would apply.
(12) (5/NOFORN) On 6 March SRI briefed, at his
so on request, subsequent brie~ings were
provided to him by DIA, CIA, and the Army..
SG11
(13) (S/NOFORN) On 26 March SRI and AMSAA
presented their RV-related protocols to the Surgeon
General's ad hoC Human Use Subcommittee for GRILL FLAME.
That panel judged the proposed RV-work to be technology
transfer and application oriented, rather than research or
~~~~~~ 16 Q? ~ ~~ ~~ d ,~ ~
C~C~G~I~ b~L~~/~l.~~l~ C~a~G3~7
Approved For Release 2000/08/07 :CIA-RDP96-007888001300120002-4
 Approved For Release 2000/08/OD7 ? -~~~ ~l?~8~0~~0120002-4
C~G3~ c~dc~~ b o~dC./~.~a~~ c~a~c~~
~~
testing; therefore, HEW and AR 70-25 did not apply... It
was recommended, however, that:' (a)' adequate .scientific
review of research. protocols should be provided;- (b) a
behavioral scientist should participate in protocol
execution; and (c) separate organizations like AMSAA and
MICOM should develop Human Use Review Committees and
processes. These recommendations will be incorporated
whenever appropriate.
.(14) (S/NOFORN) .This week, MG Thompson requested
the Surgeon General deignate, by name, a fully qualified
behavioraa..scientist to act as consultant during protoco:~
dev~~.le7pment. In adclita.on, the Deputy for Scien~:~ a.:cad
Tc~~sx~r:rlology t_n ~;he Office of ~+,SA(RDA) , Dr. Yore, Baas
:};, ~~