INSCOM GRILL FLAME PROGRAM (IGFP)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00788R002000250058-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 12, 2000
• Sequence Number: 58
• Content Type: MF

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
SUBJECT: INSCOM GRILL FLAME Program (IGFP)
1. (U) Definitions.
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a. (U) Psychoenergetics. The study of informational and
energetic processes associated with paranormal mental functioning.
An older term commonly used in relation to such phoenomena is
extrasensory perception (ESP), which includes telepathy and clair-
voyance.
b. (U) Remote Viewing (RV). One of many (apparent) sub-
processes of psychoenergetics which pertains to the specific human
ability to acquire and describe, by mental means, information blocked
from ordinary perception by distance or shielding, and generally
believed to be secure against such access.
2, (S/NOFORN) General History.
a. (S/NOFORN) The US intelligence community has been involved
in evaluation of psychoenergetics since 1972. Earliest involvement
'btA
was directed toward aAtassessment of Soviet/Warsaw Pact psychic
research.
b. (S/NOFORN) Prior to September 1978, the 902d MI Group,
US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) had begun pre-
liminary threat assessment of Soviet/Warsaw Pact psychoenergetics
research in an effort to evaluate Operations Security (OPSEC)
ramifications via-a-vis US Forces (GONDOLA WISH).
C. (S/NOFORN) In September 1978, INSCOM was tasked by ACSI, DA
to establish a program to examine potential use of psychoenergetics
for intelligence purposes (GRILL FLAME).
Initially,.. specific
interest was focused on that element of psychoenergetics identified
as Remote Viewing.
ASSIFIED EY: MSG, OACSI, DA
DAMI-ISH, DTG
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d. (S/NOFORN) In vlew..o (then) concurrent DARCOM and MIA
(thru FTD) contract involvement with Stanford Research Institute,
International (SRI) in the area of RV training, funds contributed
by ACSI, DA and INSCOM were allocated to DARCOM for the purpose of
"satelliting" initial INSCOM personnel training on the extant
DARCOM/SRI contract.
e. (S/NOFORN) Due to involvement of several diverse military
services and DoD civilian agencies in psychoenergetics investigation/
training, a DoD level joint working group (GRILL FLAME Working
Group) was established under the auspices of Dr. LaBarge (then
Under Secretary of the Army) for coordination purposes.
3. (S/NOFORN) INSCOM GRILL FLAME Program Development.
a. (S/NOFORN) In September 1978, INSCOM was tasked by ACSI, DA
to establish a training familiarization program using specially sel-
ected INSCOM personnel, establish. RV intelligence collection tech-
niques, and to establish a system for responding to intelligence col-
lection requirements so that RV produced data is quickly and
efficiently used.
b. (S/NOFORN) Screening/selection of prospective INSCOM RV
personnel was accomplished during the period December 1978 to
February 1979 employing a general sketch of personality traits.
which had been observed/compiled by SRI. 251 INSCOM personnel in
the Baltimore-Washington area were considered, 117 of these were
interviewed. Of 30-40 highly prospective candidates, 12 were finally
selected based solely on their respective future assignment avail-
ability. In February, SRI researchers in conjunction with IGFP
management selected six of the final 12 candidates for training based
on personal interviews conducted at Ft. Meade, MD, Of those selected,
a cross section of professionals from the three general intelligence
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collection disciplines (HUMINT, PROTINT, and SIGINT) was achieved.
c. (S/NOFORN) In-house (INSCOM) familiarization/training of the
RV personnel in SRI RV protocol to prepare for their SRI training
sessions began in February 1979. During the period April-October
1979, 170 RV training sessions were conducted. During the period
April-June 1979, six RV personnel were progressively cycled to SRI
for 5 consecutive RV training days each, during which they received
training in RV "beacon" technology. During the period July-December
1979, five of the original six RV personnel were returned to SRI for
two weeks each for further "honing" of individual abilities observed
during their earlier training sessions. During this training cycle,
emphasis was placed variously on "beacon", geographic coordinate,
and
35mm slide,Tpreeognitive 35mm slide techniques.
d. (S/NOFORN) In the absence of subsequent SRI training activity,
IGFP in-house training of new RV personnel has occurred on an as re-
quired basis as personnel shortages have arisen.
4. (S/NOFORN) IGFP Operational Summary.
a. (S/NOFORN) Commencing September 1979, IGFP initiated oper-
ational sessions directed against "real world" intelligence gaps at a
low level, and concurrant to on-going training activities. This pos-
ture was abruptly modified in November 1979 with the onset of the US
hostage situation in Iran and a JCS request for IGFP collection
assistance. Since then, IGFP has been fully operational in its
response to "real world" US intelligence needs, and has conducted 317
operational sessions toward that end. Of these 317 RV sessions, 142
have been performed in direct support of JCS requirements stemming
from the US hostage situation. The remaining 175 RV sessions have
been in support of NSC, CIA, ACSI, DA, and INSCOM analysts.
b. (S/NOFORN) During the period 17-25 April 1980, a total of
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28 RV sessions were conducted which were targeted against the. US
hostage situation; comprising the sole mission of the IGFP during
that period. 20 of these 28 sessions occurred during; the critical
23-25 April 1980 period when, as a result of special. JCS request,
IGFP staff and RV personnel were assembled in a "safe site" to pro-
vide full time around-the-clock collection of data.. At this time,
IGFP continues to support JCS at an approximate frequency of 2 RV
sessions per week.
C. (S/NOFORN) As of 22 January 1980, IGFP has been operating
under a Task Force structure comprised of 8 INSCOM personnel spaces
taken "out of hide". The Task Force configuration is scheduled to
last until July 1981, at which time a thorough review/evaluation
of the effort will be performed to determine viability as a formal.
collection activity. INSCOM's attempts to program increases in
personnel spaces to prepare for the eventuality of formalization of
the effort began with the FY 82 Program Objectives Memorandum (POM),
in which an initial space enhancement of 12 personnel spaces was
proposed.
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