REDUCTION OF DOD AND AID CIVILIAN PERSONNEL IN SOUTH VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-14-2-21-0
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 21, 2011
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: June 3, 1971
• Content Type: MEMO

,01-4 28240
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-14-2-21-0
IIP IP
MEMORANDUM FOR
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
June 3, 1971
THE SECRETARY OF STATE
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
SUBJECT: Reduction of DOD and AID Civilian Personnel
in South Vietnam
To assure that the over-all U.S. presence in South Vietnam decreases
as U.S. military redeployments proceed under the Vietnamization program,
the President desires that a significant reduction be made in the number of
DOD and AID civilian employees. This reduction should include local hire
civilian personnel, as appropriate, though it is hoped that their talents and
experience could be used in the GVN apparatus.
The President has accordingly directed that a study be prepared by June 10,
1971, to determine ways of achieving a one-third reduction in these personnel
categories by the end of FY 1972 without seriously impairing U. S. program
objectives in South Vietnam. The study should not address personnel within
the CORDS organization, which is being reviewed separately.
/
Henry. . K-/issinger
NSS, OSD, USAID Reviews
Completed
cc: The Director of Central Intelligence
The Director, Agency for International Development
ttg1-DE-14-T424x-b-
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No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-14-2-21-0
IIP IP V o
MEMORANDUM
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
CONFIDENTIAL ACTION
MEMORANDUM FOR: DR. KISSINGER
THROUGH: GENERAL HAI
FROM: JOHN H. HOLDRIDGE/ff
r 6,
SUBJECT:
May 28, 1971
Reduction in AID and DOD Civilian
Employees in South Vietnam
In accordance with the instructions at Tab B, we have drafted a memorandum
from you to the Secretaries of State and Defense requesting a study on the
feasibility of a one-third reduction in DOD and AID civilian personnel in
South Vietnam by the end of FY 1972 (Tab A). As requested, we have
specified that local Vietnamese employees be included in the study. Because
of the numerous classifications and arrangements under which U. S.
civilians are employed by AID and DOD, we have not listed specific U.S.
personnel categories but rather have attempted to generalize in an all-
inclusive fashion.
This study should prove to be enlightening, since current AID civilian
personnel projections through FY 1972 do not approach the desired one-third
reduction. We have also learned that the AID personnel totals listed in the
memorandum at Tab B are can the low side. Indeed, current AID planning
calls for more than 1, 368 Vietnamese AID employees alone by the end of
FY 1972. There are no projections of DOD civilian personnel strengths
presently available in Washington.
You should also be aware that the study being requested does not include
AID or DOD employees in CORDS, the U.S. pacification apparatus. CORDS
personnel projections are now being reviewed by the U. S. Mission and the
Vietnam Ad Hoc Working Group. The U.S. Mission has already recommended
that the current CORDS personnel total of about 6,000 be reduced to 3,000 by
the end of FY 1972, nearly a 50% drop.
Wayne Smith has seen our draft, and concurs.
Recommendation:
That you forward the memorandum at Tab A to the Secretaries of State and
Defense.
Approve Disapprove
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-14-2-21-0
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-14-2-21-0
ENoirit.ANDUM gip ip
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHMOTON
C ONFIDENT IAL
V.
MEMORANDUM FOR:. JOHN HOLDRIDGE /WAYNE SMITH
FROM: AL HAIG
SUBJECT:
t:k to??t
May 4, 1971
?
Reduction in AID Local and Direct Hire
Personnel in South Vietnam
The President has directed that a sharp reduction in AID local and
direct hire personnel be effected in South Vietnam for the purpose
of reducing our overall civilian presence as our military presence
continues to lessen. I understand that from a total figure of 2381
AID personnel in 1968, we will have reached a ceiling of 1368 per-
sonnel by the end of FY 1972, with an overall 15% reduction scheduled
for the next year.
I have discussed this problem with Marshall Green, whose name
should not be associated with the proposal, and he believes that we
should put out a directive in the name of the President for a one-third
reduction in AID personnel, local and contract, to be completed by
the end of FY 1972 and to be accomplished without sacrifice of our
program objectives in South Vietnam.
Would you please prepare, in coordination with Wayne Smith, a
memorandum for Henry's signature to the Secretary of State, with
information copy to Director Hannah, directing in the President's
name a reduction as outlined above. We should ask for a report
by June 1, 1971 of how this reduction will be accomplished, in order
to give Bunker an opportunity to reclarna, should this reduction
prove absolutely impractical.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/08/07: LOC-HAK-14-2-21-0