COMMENTS ON PNIOS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82R00129R000100060025-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 19, 2005
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: February 28, 1963
• Content Type: MF

Approved For.&lease 2006/01/12 : CIA-RDP82RO0129p00100060025-7
S-E-C-.R -E-T
UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE BOARD
Office of the Executive Secretary
28 February 1963
MEMORANDUM FOR. Mr. Ray S. Cline, Deputy Director
(Intelligence), Central Intelligence Agency
Mr. Allan Evans, Deputy Director for
Research, Intelligence and Research,
Department of State
Chief of 25X1
Staff, Defense Intelligence Agency
Deputy Assistant Director 25X1
for Production, National Security Agency
Mr. Ludwell I. Montague, Board of National
Estimates, Central Intelligence Agency
SUBJECT : Comments on PNIOs
1. As agreed at the first meeting of the PNIO Review Committee
on 18 February, each member of the Committee has set down his ideas
and comments regarding the PNIOs. Copies of those comments are
attached hereto for information and consideration at the next meeting
of the group, except for the submission of the NSA member, which was
distributed directly to Committee members
2. Committee members are reminded that the next meeting
will be held at 1430, 4 March, in the USIB Conference Room, CIA
Headquarters Building.
Attachments
DIA and DOS review(s)
completed.
S-E-C-R-E-T
Executive Secretary
25X1
Approved For Release 2006/01/12 : CIA-RDP82R00129R000100060025-7
 Approved For,aelease 20MG -RDP82RO01 000100060025-7
CIA Comments on PNIOs
1. What is the proper function of the PNIOs ?
The PNIOs should provide initial and basic USIB guidance for
the coordination of intelligence research and.bollection through the identi-
fication of the critical intelligence problems inherent in the general body
of intelligence required for the formulation and execution of national
security policy.
2. What action should ensue in response to the PNIOs?
The formulation and adoption of the PNIOs should be the first
stage in a three-stage process, as follows:
a. The identification of critical substantive problems (PNIO,s,
as defined above) as a basi.h for the assignment of priority research tasks
and the consequent allocation of research resources.
b. The derivation of essential elements of information (EEIs)--CA;
that is, of specific collection requirements designed to obtain information
critically needed to fulfill the priority research tasks referred to above.
c. The assignment of specific collection tasks to the various
and disparate systems of intelligence collection according to their
capabilities and suitability in each case.
r Ct 4i tntl
Approved For Release 200 6J, /&~.l9- DP82RO
GROUP 1
Excluded from automatic
0129,RO0.1cO60
 Approved For Iease 200E (Z DP82R0012 2QP001 0006002
We believe that the process has ;ailed to function properly
hitherto for want of definite provision for the accomplishment of the
second and third steps in due relation to the first. Specific collection
requirements tend to be spontaneously generated and then to have
priority claimed for them by post hoc identification with some PNIO.
Such collection requirements tend to be served on all systems of
collection without discrimination in the hope that some one of them--any
one--may actually do something to fulfill them. This practice tends to
impose on collectors the task of deciding what should be done and what
should be ignored.
We believe that, to solve the true problem, the Committee
must not only propose such reform of the PNIOs as may be required,
but also demonstrate to USIB how the entire process is to be carried
out, through the use of such coordinating mechanisms as may now exist
or with the establishment of new mechanisms if any be required.
Approved For Release 2006/01/12' CIA-RDP82R00129R000100060025-7
SECRET
 Approved Fo efease 2006101/i2 : -
ADOR~SS OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS TO
Ty E SECRETARY OF STATE
WASHINGTON 25. D. C.
u kdT
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
February 26, 1963
0
My thoughts on the subject of PNIOs, delayed by fell disease last week, but
now sent to you in form for circulation to other members of our Committee: First,
PNIOs ought to be abolished altogether; if they cannot be abolished, we might discuss
continuing them as follows
1. MISSION
1 - We should decide whether the mission of PNIOs should be:
a - to serve directly as a program guide for particular intelligence
services and activities, or
b- to give a general alert to the intelligence community on national
intelligence goals.
2 - If the purpose is to be as in (a) above, specialized PNIOs should be drafted
for each of the intelligence activities in view, because an action document of that kind
is effective only to the extent that it is tailored to action capabilities. '
3 - It follows that under alternative (b), the PNIOs would be expressed in very.
general terms, with a minimum number of subjects. Their purpose would be to list
not all topics requiring priority attention, but only major national intelligence goals,
and. particularly changes needed in the orientation of our intelligence effort.
4 - I sensed that the Committee was in general agreement on the desirability
of what I have called alternative (b). I should so vote myself.
5 - We should carefully in our Committee Report show how PNIOs under
alternative (b) would actually be used and would work down into the operating areas
of the community. Obviously, such PNIOs would not by themselves serve as direct
guidance for programming collection or production. Further steps would be needed
for the translation of broad PNIOs into specific action proposals. These steps might
involve:
a - Examination of (1) the extent to which the activities concerned
have the capabilities to contribute to goals requiring increased
attention, and (2) the impact of reduced priorities.
b - Determination
xeA0 i~?v grdV4 ease 2006/01/12: CIA-RDP82R00129R000100060025-7
United States Intelligence Board.
 Approved Fo lease 2006/01/12: CIA-RDP82R001 000100060025-7
b - Determination of the magnitude of effort that should be directed
against targets which contribute to goals of. increased or re-
duced priority.
c - Development of concrete action proposals for specific
collection or production proran3u.
H. EFFECT
I - We can further define what we mean by PNIOs if we describe what happens
when they have been prepared.
2 - I take it that what happens is that new PNIOs at once become the subject of
action under 5a and b above by interagency groups or committees set up to guide
the major services and activities of the community. Thus, I assume that the
issuance of new PNIOs. would at once be followed by meetings of, for example:
NIS Committee
Intelligence Priorities Committee
SIGINT Committee
NIE Planning Group
COMOR.
3 - These groups would be responsible for submitting to the: USIB within some
interval appropriate to each one, a broad report and recommendations that would
show how the activities involved are specifically expected to respond to the broad
PNIOs.
4 - We might consider the question whether groups of this sort should not in
advance of the formulation of PNIOs make general recommendations of topics which
they thought suited for inclusion in a statement of changes in intelligence goals.
III. FORM and SUBSTANCE
2 - They should be broad in substance, but not through the inclusion of words
that cover all aspects of any problem that comes up -- rather, through exclusion of
details in favor of the simplest possible statement. Thus, for example, I quote
present PNIO I B, underlining unnecessary words:
25X1
Approved For Release 2006/01/12 : CIA-RDP82R00129R000100060025-7
 Approved For glease 2006/01/12-- CtA-RDP82R001 00100060025-7
3 - To avoid the problem of annual repetition, we should consider a list of
PIN?s which includes only priorities that have gone up since the previous list
or priorities that have gone down. I myself see little use in filling up our space
with obvious unchanging priorities like the present Group I.
Sincerely,
Allan Evans
Deputy Director for Research
Bureau of Intelligence and Research
25X1
Approved For Release 2006/01/12 : CIA-RDP82R00129R000100060025-7
 Approved Foelease 200
,(fist PT-RDP82RO01 ?000100060
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE ? AGENCY
WASHINGTON 25, D.C.
S-15533/P-2
STAT
25X1
Executive Secretary, United States
Intelligence Board
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington 25, D.C.
2 5? FEB 1963
In preparation for the next meeting of the PNIO Review Committee, I have
first of all, as was suggested, set down what I believe to be the purpose
of the PNIOs. It is to focus attention and generate action on critical
intelligence problems whose resolution is necessary to the National
Security Council in the formulation of policy and in the making of
decisions affecting the security and foreign policies'of the United
States.
To accomplish this purpose, my concept of the PNIOs is that they should
simply state the problems and indicate how critical they are; the
intelligence collection requirements and the actions stemming therefrom
being generated by. the USIB members. Each member must determine the
appropriate effort required by his Agency or Department in the light of
its resources and capabilities as related to the intelligence deficiences
or gaps noted. The process is well.set forth. in paragraph 3 of the
Memorandum For the Special Group (C.I.) of 12 February 1963. In
addition, a combined review by the USIB to insure as complete coverage
as possible, would serve to identify community wide gaps in the
collection or production effort and would reduce undesirable duplication.
Likewise, frequent reviews of DCID 1/3 by the USIB would improve. the
basic guidance for the coordination of intelligence research and
collection. It would also cause the PNIOs to be reevalued in the light
of new developments and trends so that the intelligence product might
be more responsive to NSC policy requirements.
Close contact with the NSC would seem to be essential in order to receive
the guidance that would insure appropriate and, timely support of the NSC.
Such cooperation could extend all the way from the sort that occurred in
the days of the Planning Board to the formal approval of the PNIOs by'
the NSC, a matter which I would like to see explored.
Approved For Release 2006/01/12: CIA-RDP82
001 Z50 M APN14ATIC
REGRADING; DOD DIR 5200.10
DOES NOT APPLY
 Approved Fotelease 26E16JRE- IA-RDP82R001 J000100060025-7
As we all know, the PNIOs were expanded rapidly over the years to.the
point where they had lost much of their original meaning, encouraging
by their very inclusiveness, dependence upon them for the direct
allocation of resources and the justification of budgets. Recently,..
some progress has been made to reduce the number of PNIOs in an attempt
to restore, to them their true priority status and at the same time to.,
return resource allocation for collection and analysis to its proper
place in subsidiary, detailed listings.. I hope this recent trend,
continues.
Much of the misconception concerning the PNIOs and also the dissatis-
faction over them stems., I believe, in large..part from the present
format, the definitions, and certain ambiguities of the directive.
Some aspects of the first two of these confuse'.me, I confess,. and the
last leads me to hope that the next revision of DCID 1/3 can-be written
.in simpler and more direct language.
With the above comments in mind, I have the following changes to suggest
in DCID 1/3.
As to the general form and substance of the introductory paragraphs of
the directive, I would, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, like
to see paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 replaced by the substance contained,in.,
paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 of the Memorandum For the Special Group (C,I.).
of 12 February 1963. Certain changes in the text, I believe,;would'.be
appropriate. Add to old paragraph 1 the sentence,:"The DCID is
reviewed at frequent intervals, at least semi-annually, and is revised
whenever a need to do so is indicated." In substitute paragraph 2,
delete "and effort" in the next to the last line. In substitute
paragraph 4, delete the bracketed next to last sentence. I would like
to see just after the DCID title on page 1 and before the first
paragraph the underlined statement, "A reading of the following
introductory paragraphs is essential to an understanding of the PNIOs."
As I said earlier, I am confused by the definitions following each of
the category headings which appear to delinfate and direct the degree
of effort necessary in each case. I would favor no definitions at
all, because priorities 1, 2, 3, and 4 as such for the objectives
speak for themselves. In any event, substitute paragraph 4 states
simply what the categories stand for. If, however; it is decided
that further explanation is required, I. would suggest that after
each numbered category-the corresponding criterion in the Annex be
adapted for descriptive use.
As far as the body of the PNIOs is concerned, I would like to see the
size of the third and fourth categories reduced substantially.
2
Approved For Release 2006/01/12 : CIA-RDP82R00129R000100060025-7
_qFrPPT
 Approved Foelease 200a1'4`2 `If4-RDP82R001000.100060025-7
The Annex, I feel, is no longer required because of the new introductory
paragraphs, provided the essence of paragraphs 3 (time of validity) and
4 (scope) of the Annex are brought forward as part of the introduction.
I would favor abolishing it. Annexes have away of being neglected by
the reader in any event.
In the last paragraph of Mr. Montague's study on PNIOs that was given
to us at the first meeting of the Committee, he refers to
views on the importance of the more systematic use of the
findings of
the USIB subcommittees in their respective fields as part of the PNIO
problem. We should, I think, give some thought to this.
The ideas expressed in this letter are, of course, subject to change
even before our next meeting as a result of studying the contributions
received from my fellow committee members.
Sincerely,
Rear Admiral, USN
Chief of Staff
25X1
3 (,
Approved For Release 2006/01/12 : CIA-RDP82R00129R00010d060025-7
SECRET