CIA Procedure For Recruiting An Agent/Asset

[Gerry Down]

I've been reading up on the documentation regarding how the CIA went about recruiting a cuban exile named Augustin Guitart in New Orleans in 1963 to act as a cut-out for his uncle Rene Guitart who was still living in Cuba. I've been using this as an example to understand the procedure by which the CIA recruits an agent/asset (though i'd imagine the procedure is different for the CIA depending on whether they are recruiting the agent/asset on U.S. soil or in a foreign country.)

From what I understand it would seem that if the CIA wanted to hire an agent/asset the process goes as follows:

1 - Counterintelligence: C/I must be notified about the proposed agent/asset so that C/I can run a background check on the individual. I presume the local C/I department inside the DDP is first consulted and then the overall C/I department led by Angleton is consulted next. C/I first gives what is known as a “Provisional Operational Approval” based on initial file checks and then a few months later when more checking is done they give full “Operational Approval”.

LINK: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=71

2 - Central Covers Staff: Central Cover Staff are also notified regarding the proposed agent/asset. Central Cover Staff are required to "maintain an accurate register of current nonofficial cover activity" and the officer using the agent/asset is required to notify the Central Cover Staff when subject is activated. I presume this means that if the agent or asset is to have a cover, then the Central Cover Staff must be notified of this cover. I’m not sure if the Central Cover Staff would actually provide the cover or just keep a record of the various covers being used and it would be the DOD (Domestic Operations Division) that would be the ones who actually provide the covers (at least when it comes to domestic covers). I presume not every agent or asset needs a cover so the Central Cover Staff might not necessarily be brought into the process for every agent or asset ( @Tom Gram I know you were interested in the Central Cover Staff as you said on this thread https://educationforum.ipbhost.com/topic/28027-guy-banister-and-the-cia/page/15/#comments So maybe you know more on this issue than me.)

LINK: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=73

3 - Funding: I presume some funding department must be consulted as to how much and how often the agent or asset will be paid. Not sure where this funding department is or what it’s called.

4 - FBI Liaison: Apparently for some potential agents/assets the CIA must notify the FBI of the CIAs intent to contact the individual. Taking the example of the recruitment of Augustin Guitart, the FBI were notified: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=89 

5 - CCS/NC: Does anyone know what CCS/NC is? Apparently they must first be contacted about a potential recruitment of an agent or asset as stated here:

6 - Office of Security: Apparently the Office of Security are contacted during the procedure. This can be seen in the top right hand corner of the below document:

LINK: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=87

The above outline shows why Angleton often seems to be involved in everything. He is the ultimate boss on who is allowed to be recruited by the CIA as an agent or asset as he must make sure that it is safe to recruit that person and that they don’t pose a security risk to the Agency or their personnel or other agents/assets.

Am I missing any other steps? I’m sure I am. At some stage there would have to be a document check, such as a check to see if there was a 201 file. I presume C/I would do this as part of their background check on the individual. 

Also i'm not sure how the procedure would differ if the CIA was recruiting an asset/agent inside the U.S. vs outside the U.S. I'd imagine if it is outside the U.S., then the FBI maybe don't need to be notified?

Edited January 10 by Gerry Down

[Cory Santos]

I was told they monitor online forums for great minds.   

[Benjamin Cole]

20 minutes ago, Cory Santos said:

I was told they monitor online forums for great minds.   

For the right money, I am available! 

[Ron Bulman]

 

[Gerry Down]

Apparently each geographic area ( Africa division, Europe division etc) had a support section which had finance officers. The chief of finance arranged for financing of foreign operations. Perhaps they also arranged for any money to be paid to agents or assets.

[Michael Griffith]

15 hours ago, Gerry Down said:

I've been reading up on the documentation regarding how the CIA went about recruiting a cuban exile named Augustin Guitart in New Orleans in 1963 to act as a cut-out for his uncle Rene Guitart who was still living in Cuba. I've been using this as an example to understand the procedure by which the CIA recruits an agent/asset (though i'd imagine the procedure is different for the CIA depending on whether they are recruiting the agent/asset on U.S. soil or in a foreign country.)

From what I understand it would seem that if the CIA wanted to hire an agent/asset the process goes as follows:

1 - Counterintelligence: C/I must be notified about the proposed agent/asset so that C/I can run a background check on the individual. I presume the local C/I department inside the DDP is first consulted and then the overall C/I department led by Angleton is consulted next. C/I first gives what is known as a “Provisional Operational Approval” based on initial file checks and then a few months later when more checking is done they give full “Operational Approval”.

LINK: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=71

2 - Central Covers Staff: Central Cover Staff are also notified regarding the proposed agent/asset. Central Cover Staff are required to "maintain an accurate register of current nonofficial cover activity" and the officer using the agent/asset is required to notify the Central Cover Staff when subject is activated. I presume this means that if the agent or asset is to have a cover, then the Central Cover Staff must be notified of this cover. I’m not sure if the Central Cover Staff would actually provide the cover or just keep a record of the various covers being used and it would be the DOD (Domestic Operations Division) that would be the ones who actually provide the covers (at least when it comes to domestic covers). I presume not every agent or asset needs a cover so the Central Cover Staff might not necessarily be brought into the process for every agent or asset ( @Tom Gram I know you were interested in the Central Cover Staff as you said on this thread https://educationforum.ipbhost.com/topic/28027-guy-banister-and-the-cia/page/15/#comments So maybe you know more on this issue than me.)

LINK: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=73

3 - Funding: I presume some funding department must be consulted as to how much and how often the agent or asset will be paid. Not sure where this funding department is or what it’s called.

4 - FBI Liaison: Apparently for some potential agents/assets the CIA must notify the FBI of the CIAs intent to contact the individual. Taking the example of the recruitment of Augustin Guitart, the FBI were notified: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=89 

5 - CCS/NC: Does anyone know what CCS/NC is? Apparently they must first be contacted about a potential recruitment of an agent or asset as stated here:

6 - Office of Security: Apparently the Office of Security are contacted during the procedure. This can be seen in the top right hand corner of the below document:

LINK: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=87

The above outline shows why Angleton often seems to be involved in everything. He is the ultimate boss on who is allowed to be recruited by the CIA as an agent or asset as he must make sure that it is safe to recruit that person and that they don’t pose a security risk to the Agency or their personnel or other agents/assets.

Am I missing any other steps? I’m sure I am. At some stage there would have to be a document check, such as a check to see if there was a 201 file. I presume C/I would do this as part of their background check on the individual. 

Also i'm not sure how the procedure would differ if the CIA was recruiting an asset/agent inside the U.S. vs outside the U.S. I'd imagine if it is outside the U.S., then the FBI maybe don't need to be notified?

Gerry, your handler has asked me to advise you that you're sharing too much information about CIA recruiting operations. He also asked me to pass along that it would be a shame if your scheduled promotion were delayed or revoked. Remember: I'm just the messenger here.

[Tom Gram]

17 hours ago, Gerry Down said:

I've been reading up on the documentation regarding how the CIA went about recruiting a cuban exile named Augustin Guitart in New Orleans in 1963 to act as a cut-out for his uncle Rene Guitart who was still living in Cuba. I've been using this as an example to understand the procedure by which the CIA recruits an agent/asset (though i'd imagine the procedure is different for the CIA depending on whether they are recruiting the agent/asset on U.S. soil or in a foreign country.)

From what I understand it would seem that if the CIA wanted to hire an agent/asset the process goes as follows:

1 - Counterintelligence: C/I must be notified about the proposed agent/asset so that C/I can run a background check on the individual. I presume the local C/I department inside the DDP is first consulted and then the overall C/I department led by Angleton is consulted next. C/I first gives what is known as a “Provisional Operational Approval” based on initial file checks and then a few months later when more checking is done they give full “Operational Approval”.

LINK: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=71

2 - Central Covers Staff: Central Cover Staff are also notified regarding the proposed agent/asset. Central Cover Staff are required to "maintain an accurate register of current nonofficial cover activity" and the officer using the agent/asset is required to notify the Central Cover Staff when subject is activated. I presume this means that if the agent or asset is to have a cover, then the Central Cover Staff must be notified of this cover. I’m not sure if the Central Cover Staff would actually provide the cover or just keep a record of the various covers being used and it would be the DOD (Domestic Operations Division) that would be the ones who actually provide the covers (at least when it comes to domestic covers). I presume not every agent or asset needs a cover so the Central Cover Staff might not necessarily be brought into the process for every agent or asset ( @Tom Gram I know you were interested in the Central Cover Staff as you said on this thread https://educationforum.ipbhost.com/topic/28027-guy-banister-and-the-cia/page/15/#comments So maybe you know more on this issue than me.)

LINK: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=73

3 - Funding: I presume some funding department must be consulted as to how much and how often the agent or asset will be paid. Not sure where this funding department is or what it’s called.

4 - FBI Liaison: Apparently for some potential agents/assets the CIA must notify the FBI of the CIAs intent to contact the individual. Taking the example of the recruitment of Augustin Guitart, the FBI were notified: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=89 

5 - CCS/NC: Does anyone know what CCS/NC is? Apparently they must first be contacted about a potential recruitment of an agent or asset as stated here:

6 - Office of Security: Apparently the Office of Security are contacted during the procedure. This can be seen in the top right hand corner of the below document:

LINK: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=225782#relPageId=87

The above outline shows why Angleton often seems to be involved in everything. He is the ultimate boss on who is allowed to be recruited by the CIA as an agent or asset as he must make sure that it is safe to recruit that person and that they don’t pose a security risk to the Agency or their personnel or other agents/assets.

Am I missing any other steps? I’m sure I am. At some stage there would have to be a document check, such as a check to see if there was a 201 file. I presume C/I would do this as part of their background check on the individual. 

Also i'm not sure how the procedure would differ if the CIA was recruiting an asset/agent inside the U.S. vs outside the U.S. I'd imagine if it is outside the U.S., then the FBI maybe don't need to be notified?

CCS/NC is just Central Cover Staff/Non-Official Cover - I’m pretty sure. 

I haven’t looked at this stuff in a while, but I was under the impression that CCS managed all aspects of providing cover identities: development, assignment, backstopping, etc. You can’t put a guy in the field posing as an electronics salesman or something unless that employment is is completely verifiable, down to tax returns, W-4’s, time cards, the whole nine yards - and that’s the sort of thing CCS did. 

This document describes the process for developing non-official covers for agents: 

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=226608#relPageId=18

Basically CCS would get a request from a case officer or something with requirements for the cover, then CCS would approve it and set it up after a vetting process.