DISCUSSION WITH ARMY MATERIAL COMMAND PERSONNAL ABOUT STANFORD RESEARCH INSTITUTE PARANORMAL PERCEPTION TECHNIQUES
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This document is a memorandum from November 28, 1973, discussing a meeting between Army Material Command personnel and the Scientific Advisor of the Army Material Command, Dr. Richard Kaufman. The meeting was arranged to discuss the parapsychology investigation completed at Stanford Research Institute (SRI). The Army is interested in understanding the abilities of certain soldiers who claim to be able to sense danger and avoid traps in combat situations. Dr. Kaufman believes that the answer to this ability may lie in the realm of parapsychology. The document mentions past experiences with SRI's parapsychology investigations and the proposal of SRI's results. It is agreed that although formal coordination between the Army and the CIA is unlikely, it would be useful to maintain informal communication. The Army plans to evaluate the SRI group and investigate the teachability and learnability of paranormal perception techniques. A meeting is arranged with a theoretical physicist, Dr. Walker, to further explore these abilities.
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Body: Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010065-4
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
I irte?
OTS/CB Memo #73-110
28 November 1973
SUBJECT: Discussion with Army Material Command Personnel
about Stanford Research Institute Paranormal
Perception Techniques
1. On the afternoon of 19 November, 25X1
LSD/OSI informed me of a meeting that afternoon with the
Scientific Advisor of the Army Material Command Dr. Richard
Kaufman. The meeting was arranged after Dr. Steininger
ADDS&T suggested Dr. Kaufman confer with and my- 25X1
self about the parapsychology investigation completed at
Stanford Research Institute (SRI). Other Army personnel
included, Cols. William Fox, Nickel and Dupont Copp and
Mr. George T. Myers. All present had verified SI and TK
clearances.
2. Dr. Kaufman explained Army interest. In a combat
situation it was determine that a certain group of men
were good point men, i.e. good men to lead a patrol. Good
was self defined in that a good man was one that the troops
would recognized and gladly follow. When these good point
men lead troops into boobytrapped and mined areas, they
claimed to be able to "sensed" a presence of danger and
hence were able to avoid the traps. Debriefing and training
has continued but no explanation of what abilities these men
have has appeared. After doing some reading and following
the claims of Geller, Dr. Kaufman has concluded that perhaps
an answer to this unexplained ability lies in the para-
psychology realm.
3. find myself described some of our past
experiences with SRI parapsychology investigations. The
discussions were limited to high-lighting a few investigation
and responding to specific questions. A copy of the SRI
proposal was used to illustrated some of the past results.
(Copies of the SRI proposal are available to the Army since
DIA and NSA have received copies from SRI.)
25X1'
25X11,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010065-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010065-4
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4. It was agreed during the meeting that although
formal coordination and liaison between them and us was
unlikely to develop, it would be useful to maintain in-
formal communication. Since CIA have not yet funded the
SRI group, the Army personnel would be free to solicit
proposals of interest to them. ?Since the Army's main
emphasis would be on the teachability aspect Of these
paranormal abilities, their efforts would likely complt!.
ment our investigations,
5. I gave.Dr, Kaufman the flame of theoretical
physcist? Dr. Walker, working at the. Jul isti0 Laboratory
in Aberdeen, Md. who has published theoretical models for
Paranormal abilities and expressed my interest in meeting
Dr. Walker. Dr,- Kaufman will arrange such A meeting with
his representative.a Dr. Suskee in the near future.
6, It appearS likely the Army will quickly evaluate
the SRI group, and begin an effort to investigate the teach-
ability-and,learnability of paranormal perception techniques.
Kenneth A. Kress
OPS/CB
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010065-4