96. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence McCone to President Kennedy1
SUBJECT
- Reorganization of the United States Intelligence Board
The Secretary of Defense and I have agreed that with the creation of the Defense Intelligence Agency and the assignment thereto of the responsibility for the integration of defense intelligence resources and functions, a change in the composition of the United States Intelligence Board is desirable.
At the present time the United States Intelligence Board is composed of eleven representatives (the Director of Central Intelligence as Chairman, six from the Department of Defense, one each from the Department of State, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation). When I assumed the Chairmanship of the United States Intelligence Board I advised the Board that as the Government’s principal foreign intelligence officer I would represent you, and that the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence would become a member and represent the Central Intelligence Agency. The Board accepted this change.
Accordingly I recommend and the Secretary of Defense concurs that Defense representation be reduced to two (the Director, Defense Intelligence Agency and the Director, National Security Agency). I also recommend with the concurrence of the Atomic Energy Commission, that the Commission membership be on an ad hoc rather than a full-time basis since the Atomic Energy Commission participation is required only infrequently, when matters within its cognizance are discussed.
If these recommendations are approved, the reconstituted United States Intelligence Board would consist of: Director of Central Intelligence, Chairman; State Department, Defense Department, [Page 198] National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation, members.
In limiting the regular membership of the United States Intelligence Board as recommended above, it would be our view that substantive dissents (including those of the military intelligence services) should continue to be reflected in estimates and other findings and decisions of the United States Intelligence Board.
This proposed reorganization of the United States Intelligence Board does not envisage limiting the composition of the United States Intelligence Board subcommittees to member agencies. The United States Intelligence Board subcommittee structure will be re-examined following your consideration of this memorandum to assure that membership includes representatives of all agencies with significant interests in the various intelligence fields.
- Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80–B01285A, Meetings with the President, 12/l/61–6/30/62. No classification marking. In a short covering memorandum to the President, also dated January 7, McCone wrote: “In accordance with our discussion concerning the role of the Director of Central Intelligence as the principal intelligence officer of the Government and the coordination of the work of the various intelligence agencies, I have reviewed pertinent recommendations of your Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, particularly as they related to the responsibilities of my position. Based thereon I recommend that you approve the enclosed draft directive, which I believe will accomplish the objectives you have in mind. I believe further that the substance of the directive is not inconsistent with applicable recommendations of your Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. I enclose also for your approval a memorandum proposing a reorganization of the United States Intelligence Board.”↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature. An approval line at the end of the memorandum is blank.↩