WEEKLY ACTIVITIES REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61-00442A000200040021-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 16, 2009
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: November 18, 1959
• Content Type: MEMO

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/12/18: CIA-RDP61-00442A000200040021-2
IWV
Office Memorandum ? UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO ? Chief, Language and Area School DATE: 18 November 1959
FROM . Deputy Chief, Area Training
SUBJECT. Weekly Activities Report
A. SIGNIFICANT ITE21S
None to report
B. OTHER ACTIVITIES
1. In implementation of our reoriented program, two staff
meetings have been held in the past week, one for a general discussion
of how we might best proceed on the AA0 portion, and the other for
re-defining objectives of the AAO's. Our next meeting, to be held
on the morning of the 19th, will turn to the sizable problem of AA0
course content. Later meetings will be.concerned with instructional
methods and administrative problems. My intention is subsequently to
draft firm guide lines for the new AAO's on the basis of these discussions.
2. We are naturally encouraged by DTR's generally favorable response
to our program proposals. We feel that ultimate success or failure may
rest on one factor beyond our control, namely, the degree of cooperation
of DDP TO's and supervisors in requesting AAO briefings for all first-
timers - both personnel and dependents - destined for a given area. Our
tentative discussion of some of the problems related to this point pro-
duced suggestions for an IBM run of numbers of departures in fiscal
1959, broken down by station, and for a general meeting with DDP TO's
in the near future. This meeting would aim at firm procedures for
alerting us to all prospective departures of first-timers and for making
them available for group and/or individual briefings at mutually con-
vl .ent times. We are appreciative of DTh1s offer to help in these
efforts, and are awaiting word from PO/TR's office, whether an IBi
run can be tailored to fit our needs.
3. Initial publicity concerning our new program is expected to be
ready for inclusion in the November-December 0Th Bulletin and in the
Long-Term Schedule for 1960. We shall also furnish you shortly the
type of information already requested by for DDP branch
chiefs, to indicate both what we expect o b sable to d o for them and
what we would like them to furnish us,
is believed will be a common feature in the future AAO program - individual
orientations or ad hoc orientations for smaller groups. The experience
This briefing represents a
25 YEAR
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with the briefings completed indicates obvious advantages in tailoring
the orientation to the specific needs and experience of the given
trainees. The briefing in this instance will be completed after the
first of the year in a final session covering assigned reading, summary
of the international issues, and review of previously covered material.
So far this approach is deemed to have been an eminent success.
5. Another example of the form in which the expanded AAO program
can be of greater utility to the Agency is the effort underway to brief
a DDP employee, with a recent military service experienc for
Agency duty there. This individually tailored briefing, it is hoped,
will demonstrate to DDP the value of enrolling experienced DDP personnel
in the AAO program.
bl will conduct a joint language and area program,
at DD/P request, for 10-12 secretaries of AF's North African branch.
This program wilt consist of 16 lj hour sessions beginning in December
and will be conducted in "I" Bldg, either in the branch's conference
room or in the LAS lecture room.
7. I was shocked at the poor quality of the instruction at one
session which I attended of FBI's course A-418, "Regional Organization
in Europe." Dr. Leo Gross of the Fletcher School, speaking on "Germany
and AATO," confined himself largely to factual data and gave little or
nothing in the way of original analysis. I sensed that he had received
little guidance from the FBI instructor in charge, who took virtually
no part in the proceedings. who is attending the whole course,
reports a-similar reaction to some of the other sessions.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/12/18: CIA-RDP61-00442A000200040021-2