On-Going Historical Program

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-06180A000300210010-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 25, 1998
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: October 29, 1971
• Content Type: MF

Approved ~Qp Release 2001/0 6A000300210010-1
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: On-Going Historical Program
1. The Support Services Historical Board met on 28 October 1971
to discuss the approach the Support Directorate should take to sustaining
an on-going historical program. Present were Office of Logistics; 25X1A9a
25X1A9a Office of Medical Services; , Office of Personnel; 25X1A9a
25X1A9a Office of Finance; -, Office of Training; 25X1A9Z5X1A9a
25X1A9a city; Office of Communications; and 25X1A9a
Support Services Historical Officer.
2. I described the purpose of the meeting as being to develop a response
to the memorandum the Executive Director-Comptroller had addressed to the
Deputies 1 October 1971 (DD/S 71-3838). We are expected not only to present
an outline and a schedule for its completion but plan the resources that will
be made available to write the histories.
3. There was general agreement that the various methods of allocating
resources to write histories during the catching-up phase was unsatisfactory.
The use of unqualified historians; the assignment of history as an additional
duty; the assignment of people a short time before their retirement; and the
use of contract annuitants are all unsatisfactory methods. They are time
consuming, costly, and frequently result in unsatisfactory products which
have to be redone. The group agreed that the on-going history program should
be sustained by assigning professional historians to the Agency Historical Staff
and making them responsible for the research and writing of histories. The
Security member said that he and the Director of Security felt that histories
relating to functions which are the responsibility of the Office of Security
could best be done by Security careerists. There was some discussion of
this point with the majority view seeming to support the notion that the most
objective and professional quality history could be written by professional
historians who are full time staff employees of the Agency.
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 Approved ll~gr Release 2001/08/31 : CIA-RDP78-06 A000300210010-1
4. In discussing the approach to the on-going program the idea was
offered that documents which have historical significance should be identified
day to day from current operations with copies of them diverted to a special
historical file. Such a file would then become the primary research source
for the historical writer. Two or three of those present felt this was a good
idea. I agreed that it might have utility but tried to make the point that historians
should not superimpose new record-keeping systems upon already existing records
management procedures. Acknowledging that most records management programs
now are inadequate to cope with the requirements of historical programs I said
that what was being suggested is, or is supposed to be, already included in our
records management system. That system is supposed to provide for the
identification of documents for permanent retention in the Archives and if that
were done it would be unnecessary to divert copies into a historical file as
suggested. I attempted to make the point that Archives are the research source
for historians and that documents selected for permanent retention should be
selected in the normal course of developing records schedules. I encouraged
all of those present several times to commence working very closely with the
records management people in their own offices and the Records Administration
Branch of the Support Services Staff to ensure that we modify or develop records
systems designed to serve the requirements of all Agency users to the maximum
possible extent.
5. The meeting concluded with the agreement that the Security repre-
sentative would discuss the philosophy and approach to the on-going Historical
Program internally again; that the others would furnish me with their proposed
outlines or confirmation that what I have already is acceptable to them by
5 November; that the DD/S position should be that assignment of full-time
professional historians to the Agency Historical Staff would represent the
best approach to maintaining an on-going historical program.
Chairman, Support Services Historical Board
cc: Each attendee
C/SSS
Approved For Release 2001/08/31 : CIA-RDP78-0618OA000300210010-1