COMPETITIVE PROMOTION PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04718A002400130044-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 7, 2001
• Sequence Number: 44
• Publication Date: March 15, 1957
• Content Type: MF

Approved
R ~ S
-04718A002400130044-5
MAR 1957
MEMORANDUM FOR- Deputy Director (Support)
SUBJECT Competitive Promotion Program
REFERENCE
DD/S memo to DTR, dtd 1 Mar 57,
subject as above
1. This memorandum reports progress by the Office of Training
i
n implementing the Competitive Promotion Program.
2. This Office established promotion panels and a Career Serv-
ice Board in 1952, shortly after I assumed a measure of control over
the Clandestine Servicest training activity. The policies and procedures
we have followed during the past 5 years have been generally in accord
with what are now the provisions of Regulation - Thus we have
in being a promotion system which provides for equity, objectivity and
impartiality in the promotion of OTR Career employees, and one which
can be modified easily in the few respects necessary to bring its pro-
cedures into conformity with the present regulation.
omparative analysis of our present system and that set forth
in eveals that the requirements of the regulation can be met
by We ch angel which are discussed under the following headings:
a. Competitive Promotion Areas ? At present OTR does not
have "competitive promotion areas' defined formally in the manner
prescribed. However, our system recognizes that there are marked
differences in the functions performed by the various Office com-
ponents, and that we have certain positions which relate more
closely to the functions of other Agency components than they do to
training. We have consistently taken such factors into account,
even though informally, in evaluating the relative merits of employ.
ees recommended for promotion. We have now established four
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 Approved For Release 2001/08/10 : C L-04718A002480130044-5
SUBJECT: Competitive Promotion Program
competitive areas (1) Instructors - personnel of the Schools,
engaged in direct training; (2) Psychologists - professional
and technical personnel of the AkE Staff; (3) Junior Officer
Trainees, (4) Support Staff - personnel, including clerical, en-
gaged in support of training.
b, Promotion Panels - This Office has used promotion panels
for the past 5 years. There have been two, one for clerical em-
ployees and one for professional personnel. These panels, meeting
monthly, review all promotion recommendations up to grade GS-13
and recommend action to the OTR Career Service Board. The
Professional Promotion Panel also considers recommendations for
the promotion of employees assigned to OTR from other Agency
components, who have career service designations other than ST
and for ST designees assigned outside OTR. The OTR Career
Service Board meets once each month to review and take appropri-
ate action on all recommendations received from the panels, and
itself acts as the Promotion Panel on recommendations for pro.
motions to grades GS-14 and GS-15. We have found this panel
system to be efficient and satisfactory, particularly in view of the
relatively small numbers of people in the Training Career Service
by grade level and area of activity. However, following upon the
definition and establishment of the competitive areas mentioned
above, we have established one additional panel to consider actions
on Junior Officer Trainees. Thus we will have three promotion
panels, and the Career Service Board which will act as the senior
panel, each meeting on a monthly basis. With this mechanism we
will be able to give continuing attention to all grade levels and will
not find it necessary to implement the program in gradual stages
of one grade level at a time.
c. Competitive Rank-Ordering of Career Service Members
Up to this time it has not been our practice to require the Promotion
Panels to establish a formal competitive ranking of the members of
the OTR Career Service. In fact, however, this has been done in.
formally by the Promotion Panels and by the Career Service Board
in each monthly meeting. In taking up each promotion recommenda-
tion brought before it, the appropriate panel has been required to
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SUBJECT* Competitive Promotion Program
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present system rioted above will bring us into conformity with the ree-
quiroments of the regulation. However, we identify as a problem area
in administering the competitive promotion program the equitable con-
s Iideration of career designees who are assigned away from their parent
services. This may apply to ST career designees more than to most
other categories because of the extent to which the Office of Training
must rely on rotational assignments. Resolution of this problem may be
accomplished by clarification of the responsibilities of Heads of Career
Services toward members of other career components assigned within
their jurisdictions.
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give consideration to every other individual in the same grade
level who is within the zone of consideration. thus insuring
against inequities. We propose to strengthen this process by
requiring the panels to make a comparative analysis of all em-
ployees in the zone of consideration, using the Biographic Profiles,
each time a promotion is considered within any competitive area
or at any grade level.
d. Recommendations for Promotion in Order of Priority -
In current practice OTR. supervisors do not present heir recom-
mondations for promotion in any order of priority, largely because
it rarely happens that any supervisor would recommend two or more
promotions at the same level at the same time. In the unlikely event
that this should occur, an Indication of priority will be required.
4. In summary, we see no significant problems in implementing
personnel assigned to the Office of Training. We will be
able to begin operation of the program within a month after the Bio-
graphic Profiles become available. I believe the modifications in our
MATTHEW BAIRD
Director of Training
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