LANGUAGE INCENTIVE PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00780R003700100018-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 3, 2003
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: May 5, 1970
• Content Type: MF

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4 i 493?
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Support
SUBJECT : Language Incentive Program
Attached are copies of papers that provide background information
on the Language Incentive Program. The package includes some recent
correspondence pointing u efforts to get the DD/I to agree to the pro-
posed across-the-board
1. Memorandum for the Director from Alan Warfield,
ADD/S, dated 17 May 1966, in which he notes that the Language
Development Committee "is charged with continuing the incen-
tives study" and that "there is still a lack of unanimity as to
what incentives should be. "
2. Your memorandum to the DTR, dated 20 December
1966, in which you tell of the briefing of the DCI and the DDCI
on incentive awards.
3. Memorandum to you from the DD/P, dated 15 July 1968,
in which Tom K. indicated that your approval will put the CS-
Vietnamese incentive program into effect. Bob Wattles' concur-
rence carried the proviso that a regulation be published and that
these "awards" be called Language Proficiency Increases.
4. Memorandum for Chief/FE from Chief/OPSER/DDP,
dated 24 July 1968, in which mention is made of your approval
and that Tom K. I s memorandum contains "basic managerial
guidelines. " To the best of our knowledge, there was no "sub-
sequent memorandum" outlining administrative procedures.
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5. Memorandum for Chairman, LDC from DDP/TRO, dated
1Z August 1969, gives some idea of how priority languages were
identified.
6. Memorandum for DTR from Chairman, LDC, dated
4 December 1969, in which I have outlined the DD/I's opposition
to the proposed
7. Memorandum for ADD/I from ADD/S, dated 2 March 1970,
in which he emphasized the Intelligence Directorate's role in
delaying action on our
While we would like an Agency incentive program -- and regulation --
it is not inappropriate for each Directorate to have its own program; in
fact, it may be good. The needs of each are different: CS needs are
almost exclusively "oral's in contrast to the DDI's wanting mainly "read-
ing" knowledge. While the "priority" languages are going to be quite
similar in each Directorate (e. g. Russian and Chinese), the CS will have
a much larger list of priorities, including almost every boondock language.
The important differences between this incentive program and past
Agency efforts are:
1. You can't volunteer for it; you must be selected and be
tested for aptitude before training.
2. It is limited to priority languages (the CS will, in some
instances, give an LSI for the achievement of the highest. level,
fluent (Native), in a language such as Spanish and French. As
Chairman of the LDC I do not like their exception to the "hard"
language concept -- but I guess there is much pressure for this.
Furthermore, few will achieve the "fluent" level.
3. Each Directorate declares its own list of priority lan-
guages. We understand that these will be "hard" languages
(Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, Vietnamese, Burmese,
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Bengali, Lao, Mee, Persian, etc.) and that the individual
accepted in the incentive program commits himself to one or
two tours of service in the country concerned. This will
assure sufficient use of the language to retain it for a very
long time.
25X1
/Deii'Y itector of raining
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 DD/S 6-2%53
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1 ,!f~3RAND v FORD Director of Central Jrtelllgcx e
SUBJ CT : Induce rents In Coxmectio n with CIA's 'oreejf,.z a *_S iuagc
y_
orann
REF RENCE : Note from Morning Meeting of 8 April 1966
,r ern oranduxn fa for yo i nuf'orin t :on only.
20 'x. p.ce 2erLts 'whjCft. ill. :roduce c'~.n ou st ding is g uage. t`ap xlity'
In the Agency are being carefully considered. xhe Le + e evelo 3.; . t
C1mmitteom , : !dJ ' ; E 9uty I)i G to of is f , ce . # ni
che,i g e d ' t X ; , 4 0 1 continuing . ? . i n s . ` stu'.y O the \ orki ,'xo . j' wi h c
p~:ocI ced ? e r port (V 11 .s o glCTR fa t1 etc c:-a 1Pc 7ann L 1 '1 c~ fi ) VGed
by the LHC1, on I 1 'e rUa. y 39y1ue ' c 'e is rt 1J a lE e?. of it t"*yft..p to 41m cowt,i'ii en ^i1 f .I bp med. but ae sere Is 4 _, ant -'o- c~.t vrit h iu Lan:
f veIop tt tl Conii?3 t Cash the practXk''a1Uty of co,.?side Y3 an
t~ ;9J ci Vi"
rewG. -c? for new em plo ?ees rwwho brj-n r ~ ill a ,c t'?fE?l Into
y F ~, ? a w .1 r. o il , ., y l2n y ~
?fit : 'C.'A :ie C on incentive Pay Y ithin the Agency v., ises in iAl t & . o :. #' ; -,,am
dationa are prod.tced, are these:
3.Ainducements to be investigated andstedicd, until specific reco-ni)'nen-
p o .t,`t'n that failed to relate to - ;.w,tee s _,t to Kal,..
j_.ox , ( 111011viC]t,lc'.l[s Ofte9l recV'ed ca,,-,% awarJs In ues c. os thr a iy?P,
even raore lt.nguagW l YO1i1ie vey~g} Y A.- Ali as 1g. etle'uts S.equir is no langtbF,?4ge
competency.
"/4 / N~Cn (comes
a. Financial recor< titfon (e iiatT ..-f_x th e form of step f.'-Icre ses)
t while studying #3 "hard' or ' esotoric" ? &gu e and du lr .r the period
of its u.,e=a/ mow( 'rmyle sryo~~f Asonic "lza d" {Ian uaoes to ho included;
CKh.nc,e, Arabic, Japanese, and Vie iaxneee..)
b. Inclusion in fit less reports of a s.pectc ref trice, much
11ke t a.t now i1 ad t s cost couscioe rknest, to the ofiicae`?:'s l`1a' ;t.tsge
study, degree of competence and use In lii c~ si rCsm n a
c. Assa utnont at ji,
?oad, particularly in "bard" language areas,
for " asst'" study . '1111s is already done to a 1.t liked 0,,s;t'ee f:!
the Agency, particularly itch Chinese and 1%rabic
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 .do-?aa..s
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:'rt Pind at ie .dqt e :'tern in e Wryt l %I r e A e . .y i,i :.1c1.'r..ed . ,
y e. Testa ll. tion of a Voice of .1.Me k:i. tra . snAwton 11n- to c:.#:
lang,wq e iahor to,P;. ies. 'It ese ct rr'ont f t:1~i;n br ti i ` F's i1 f fit? f 31.
is tra. aRtcd to us r t a cost of $21 raontlhly. 'Phis new facil -y
Is berg used by students in J-11 1.tan ages h'.:kstud ef] 'pt A f.~l on
Towers, emd b.opefully this serv ce will be extended to the Head-
(111-m.-Corp, crJ.absetr
L. C: onsideration, a = lection and teM Uti ` of L %o not crjr.y al isi?' .t a /`a~ 4 iy[een ig{~"-I y~~:~ K~ ,p{ /` ?}t
4>.~. i .i.
. b 5 ~ h4.baA6~e equi'.L~~X~1- entsO a 4Ux.4Oz en s CiS.tr~0 be
A~t ~Jo to i.+l
by July 1966, . e test ~r Of He dqu rt.'.rs personnel to ,t.
will not be completed before 31 December 1966.
DI sb:: mutton:
Orig - Addressee
1 - ER
2 - 1)1)/S
L '^ DTR
Alan ix . V!v flelC,
Actiug Deputy q vireo.:
s.o.6 Support
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S ESE T
. Greater i se of foreign fil so p4.'riodicals L' d 1 n/s."taper';3a
E 4'S~ #~tn~~ 'E' "3 dcdix j r are now gvail43aai:~1 nd old editions t?: e
 Approved For Release 2003/0') CDP84-007
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Training
918-4
2 0 DEC 1966
SUBJECT : Briefing on Language Incentive Awards
16.4 5
1. At a special briefing of the Director and Deputy Director, the
latter asked for a short briefing on the history of language incentive awards.
This resulted from my description of the Language Training Program and
particularly how it fits within the Career Training Program. The DDCI
suggested that perhaps incentive awards would assist in the Program and we
advised that we had been through this Program before and had dropped it in
favor of the Language Training Program as adopted in the earlier part of
this year.
2. Please let me know when you are ready and I will arrange a time
with Admiral Taylor.
25X1
annerman
Deputy Director
for Support
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1 5 JUL196
ai> ORANDUM FOR Deputy Director for Support
Incentive Program for Study
of they Vietnamese Language
1. This me vaorandum recommends an incentive pr ogralr
for CS personnel selected to study the Vietnaiw..,-,e language
prior to a;~signment to the Saigon Station or to other
Vietnam operations positions. A recommendation relativc
to this proposal is submitted in paragraph ~~ beLow for
your approval.
2. The Far East Division is in need of qu;d,lif ied
Vietnamese linguists to fulfill case officer anil tran.s1F to.;/
interpreter requirements. This need has been evident
since the expansion of the Saigon Station sever;.l years
ago. As you are aware, Vietnamese is a difficult and
complex language, requiring 12 to 18 months to ,-,chieve a
basic proficiency. In addition, Vietnamese is not a
language that has general operational utility slch as
Russian, Chinese and Arabic, etc. For these re.t.sons, C
officers are not attracted to the 'study of Vietnamese a~
a long range investment in their careers,
3. It is envisaged that the need for Vietnamese
linguists at the Saigon Station will continue to increase,
particularly during the current emergency and 'to a lesser
but equally important extent after hostilities when the
station commences to redirect its operational e:ifort along
more classical CS lines. Currently a requirement cxi.st.E
to select, train and assign to the Saigon Station and.
headquarters over the next 12 -- 18 months 0 Vi,etname e
linguists. In addition, replacements must be t).-a:inad li'
Vietnamese to replace these personnel over the next 3
5 years. CS personnel most csuaa.ifi.ecl to Lu l_f:i.l,l. t}.i:is
25X1
25X1
' ? " N ~ N164+ft
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requirement are V,- young Career Trainee, Pro] e Ssional
Trainees, and certain middle level (GS.--12 .- G . 13)
officers. In view of the priority to assign V:i etnamese
linguists to Vietnam Operations, the length of time
required to achieve a basic proficiency and tht: general
lack of appeal to CS personnel to study the language,
it is submitted that a modest incentive progra.n to
encourage the study of Vietnamese is proper anc? in keep-ingr
with continuing CS interest to improve our fors-ign lang:zago
inventory.
4. As a guide in submitting this proposa t., cogni nnco
has been taken of the Department of State's language
incentive program. The Department has instit.ui;ed incentives
which provide for payment of within--class (GS Quality Step
Increase) salary increases for language profic .ency acc,uire(d
prior to entry into the service and for pr ofic-~.ency acc,n?ircd.
in certain designated languages after entry. The Depaa-L.-.
ment's program is managed according to the nee s of thc
Department and difficulty in learning the l.ang-irage. Ir
addition, as you are aware the proposed revis:i_')n of the CIA
Language Development Program 'regulation places rer:spoza:~ i
bility on the Deputy Directory for estE blish:i_n; inccnt: vjcn
for foreign language study, specifi.cal.ly, Quals.ty Step
Increases for study of a Directorate priority iang uago
and recognition of language competence as P. fa-,,tor ill
promotion.
5. Towards encouraging study of the Vietnamese
language by CS officers selected for assignment to the
Saigon Station and other Vietnam operations positions,
the Deputy Director for Support approval is rep u: steed i car
establishment of the following, incentive program:
a. When the CS officer is selected and entex--~
intensive Vietnamese language trai.ziing, a salary
increase will. become effective as follows:
(1.) One Quality Step Increase effective
the first pay period following OTR ce_ ti.: i.c aa, cn.
of successful completion of 16 weeks of fu`il'c;::r::o
7 ntens ve V~-etnr rr1C .` e language tl"ainir and at f E+.-. 2'
moat of a Courtesy level pr?oficioncy.
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(2) One additional. Quality Step 7 nc7 case
the first pay period following certif cation by
OTHZ of successful completion of a tot .l of 44
weeks fulltimo intensive Vietnamese lsa.nguage
training or attainment of an I,lemontacy level
proficiency.
(3) One additional Quality Step Increase
th4 first pay period following O'lIi ceeti.ni_cation
of attainment of an Into medi. ?to level!. proficiency.
(4) One additional Quality Step Increase the
first pay period following; OTIt certification cf.'
attainment of a High level of profici.d:ncy.
(Note: It is envi.saoncd that Intermediate anc'.
High level proficiency will ne rinal Iy s_~e ~a tai.z :c?.
while overseas. Certification by 0Th of these
proficiency levels will. be accomplis1J od at the
earliest practical date after the off ices: returns
from overseas.)
b. CS officers eligible for participation_-). in
this language incentive program must be ssignod to a
VietnarMi operations position and their entry into the
Vietnamese language tr. aini.ng progeam app) oved by
Chief, FE Divi.s:i.on.
C. Inconti.vcs cited above will be awarded on the
basis of speaking, understanding and r. eaciirg ability
within the respective level of p. oficie zcy.
d. The incentive provisions of paragraph Fa a (:I.)
(2) above will.. apply to CS personnel cur~arently en?allod
in intensive Vietnamese language training and CS
personnel who have completed intensive V`etnamese
language training after 1 July 1.968. CS officers who
completed Vietnamese language training prior to 1
July 1968 and who have achieved an OTR rt ?cordec
ficiency level of Elementary are el.igi.bl,: only fo:v
.Quality Stop Increases awarded for attainment of
Intermediate or high proficiency, paragr ta?z .a 5 a!: ( )
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c. This language incentive program wi 1 be
effective upon approval by the Doputy Di_r,actor
for Support.
Thomas H. Karamossines
Deputy. Director .for P: ans
-j _0 iT. - R:Lchar ctson
Director of Training
Hobert S,?. 4~attl.oa
Ro ica 6. ' at:t los.??
Directors of Personnel
The rocommj.endation contained in paragraph 5
above is approved: as amended by Director of Pc-i.sonncl cc r lnzenf.
recorded below.
Via.
Deputy Director for Support
Concur provided:
(1) those payments should be called. Language Proficiency 7,lc:cewsc.~ ~Y':Ycl_ an
appropriate specific regulation shoaldl be yuabl_i hcd.
(2) parzc,Craph 5.a(2) should read of 6 e5._'ncY~c