CIA'S FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00780R001500070023-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 12, 2006
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: April 6, 1966
• Content Type: MF

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MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Support
SUBJECT : CIA's Foreign Language Training Program
REFERENCE : (a) Memo dtd 8 Feb 66 to DTR fr DDS,
same subj.
(b) Memo dtd 11 Dec 65 to DDCI fr DDS,
same subj.
1. This memorandum is for information only. It is in response to
Reference a, paragraph 3.
2. As an initial step in implementing the Agency's new Foreign
Language Policy as approved by the DDCI on 1 February 1966, I have
appointed the Deputy Director of Training as Chairman of the CIA
Committee for Language Development. This Committee, represented
by a senior officer from each of the four Agency directorates, will be
responsible for (a) assisting the Director of Training in developing
procedures for implementing the language development program, (b)
assisting Deputy Directors in developing realistic language and language
training requirements, (c) providing centralized monitoring of the pro-
gram, and (d) recommending policy changes or additions to the Program
where necessary. An example of the latter would be to recommend
whether monetary incentives are to be used in connection with the pro-
gram; and if affirmative, to develop the ground rules for their adminis-
tration, The Committee may elect to act on this provision prior to
OTR's revising
3. One of the first problems to be presented to the Committee,
which the DDTR hopes to convene on 8 April 1966, is the matter of
testing language proficiencies of employees who have claimed some
knowledge of a foreign language. This we believe must be done before
the Agency can embark on any comprehensive language training program.
The Agency's language qualification register is completely unreliable
as now recorded; we estimate that less than one third of those employees
claiming proficiency actually possess that proficiency. The first step,
therefore, is to purge or purify the register.
4. As of this date, the intensive testing program has proved a
disappointment. The average number of employees being tested each
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week is only 30 while an average of 56 test periods are scheduled (our
maximum capacity is 72). Employees either fail to show or request
to be rescheduled. Unless this situation improves we will have tested
only about 1, 400 employees by the end of this calendar year out of a
total of 2, 600 that should be tested. The importance of language testing
will be brought to bear on each committee member. We will look to
them to inspire more enthusiasm in their components for this phase of
the program than heretofore shown. Also, OTR will be looking for
suggestions from Committee members as to maintenance of the
qualification register.
5. Another item for the Committee's first meeting is the subject
of language requirements and language training requirements. Language
requirements must be determined prior to the establishment of training
requirements. The Chief of the Language School is developing a format
to be used by Agency components in outlining their current language
requirements. This format will be reviewed with the Committee prior
to its use by the Directorates.
6. Since the Working Group envisioned that it would take up to
four years for the Agency to fully develop and maintain language skills
required to discharge the mission and functions of the Agency, this
will be the guiding principle for the Committee and OTR. During the
remainder of FY 1966 Agency components, working in concert with
their representatives to the Language Development Committee, will
determine, and develop language requirements and language training
requirements for FY 67. As the program gains momentum and as the
Language School augments its training capabilities, we foresee a gradual
build-up in the number of employees engaged in foreign language training
at any one time. The peak may not be reached until FY 69 or FY 70.
This will depend, of course, on the number of employees the DDP and
other Deputy Directorates are able to place in full- and part-time
language training during any one year. We may find that the number
in training will rise moderately during FY 67, again in 68, then tend
to remain constant through FY 70-71.
7. OTR, in its recent Program Call, assumed that Agency compo-
nents would not be able to place large numbers in training until late
FY 67 or early FY 68. Using this as our guide, and with a constant
increase in the numbers of Career Trainees engaged in language training,
we believed that it would be necessary to start augmenting the Language
School Staff during FY 67. We believe the school will need additionally
2 staff instructors, one more clerical employee, 3 full-time contract
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instructors, and a number of additional instructors employed on a WAE
basis. During FY 68, seven more full-time instructors and 16 WAEs
will be required. The School as presently staffed will be able to meet
training requirements during the interim period, i. e., remainder of
this fiscal year and the first few months of FY 67.
8. A major problem in language training is to provide for full
utilization of language classes. In the five common languages, one
instructor is able to accommodate 5 or 6 students to a class. Currently
an average of only Z students is enrolled in each class. This problem
will also be taken up with the Language Development Committee to
determine whether, through regular scheduling, classes can be fully
committed. If this problem cannot be overcome the Language School
is going to be hard pressed to meet all training requirements even
with an increase in its instructional staff.
9. It is clear that we plan to rely heavily on the Language Develop-
ment Committee to assure smooth and progressive implementation of
the Language Development Program. By working through committee
members, we should be able to exert steady pressure on Agency compo-
nents to provide us with realistic training requirements, and to make
certain that employees in their components are tested and enrolled in
language classes.
o. n is ar so .
Director of Training
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Al L
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