SRI fiftmational Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-007891ROO330 CONTROL NO_QXM~4' SECRET SR1 COPY NO. ROJECT SM 7825 4/91 THE'ENHANCED HUMAN PERFORMANCE PROJECT,: 3-h1 CM Pq AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFORT TO DATE PROJECT REVIEW GROUP 14 APRIL, 1987 At the request of MG Philip K. Russell, MC, Commander, United States Army Medical Research and Development Command, the following individuals met at the Pentagon on 6 March 1987 to assess the work of the Enhanced Human Performance Project: Ms. Amoretta Hoeber, TRW Dr. Jack Vorona, DIA Dr. Michael A. Wartell, Humboldt State University Dr. Nick Yaru, Consultant (Chairman) Dr. Chris Zarafonetis, Biomedical R&D, Inc. Others in attendance at this meeting included: BG Richard T. Travis, MC, Deputy Commander, USAMRDC Col. Philip Sobocinski, MSC, Special Assistant for Biotechnology Col. Peter J. McNelis, MSC, Project Manager/COR Mrs. Jean Smith, Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting Dr. Edwin C. May, SRI, Principal Investigator In preparation for this meeting, copies of all Project reports for Fiscal Year 1986 along with the Scientific Oversight Committee's comments regarding these reports and the contrac- tor's responses to the comments were forwarded to each of the above-mentioned individuals for their review. The Project Review Group was asked. via correspondence (MG Russell, 12 January 1987; Col. McNelis, 12 February 1987) and by BG Travis in his welcoming remarks at the meeting, to address the following questions concerning the Project: I. Is the science underlying this research effort essentially sound? 2. Does the evidence to date support the existence of an anomaly? 3. What is'the potential value of this effort to the DOD? Classified by: CDR, USAMRDC DECLASSIFY ON: OADR WARNING NOT[ 01SSiN01QQThJRftI#ase 2000/08/08sig#rRDP96-00-MEP03300160001-8 ACCES',_; TIR Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789ROO3300160001-8 SECRET 4. Is the research focus and level of effort appropriate? The agenda for the meeting is attached as Enclosure 1. Following a presentation of the Project's historical antecedents, the questions listed above provided the structure for a discus- sion of: FY 1986 research tasks and results, the overall plan underlying the FY 1986, effort and possible modifications of the plan for follow-on work. The Review Group's responses to the preceding questions and their recommendations for the Project will be presented in rum. It should be noted that there was vMpni Lmity among the members of the Review Group with regard to these responses. 1, Is the science sound? The individual experiments conducted during Fiscal Year 1986 appear to be scientifically sound. The primary contractor's response to comments of the Scientific Oversight Committee (SOC) leads this Review Group to conclude that the scientific quality of the effort is under continual qualified scrutiny, and immediate adjustments are made by the researchers to insure that that quality continues. Additionally, appropriate community-wide symposia such as the Theory and Proof of Principle conferences projected for FY 1987 will enhance that quality. 2 Is there an anomaly? The results of experiments conducted by this Project during FY 1986, as well as other reports of previous operational related research, lead this Review Group to conclude that a natural anomaly exists, which we will refer to as Remote Viewing. Is it worthwhile? The Review Group believes that progress is being made in understanding this anomaly and that continuation of the effort is not only warranted, but entirely appropriate and strongly recommended, Should Remote Viewing be predictably reproducible and.its; mechanisms, parameters and physiological correlates understood, there would be a number of significant applications for the DoD. Current user agencies have reported utilizing the present technology with positive results. - 2 - Approved For Release 2.000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789ROO3300160001-8 SECRET Approved For Release 2000108108: OORRDP96-00789ROO3300160001-8 (4) is the direction and emphasis ap propriate? The Review Group believes that the probability of success in demonstrating and explaining a phenomenon known as Remote Action is less than the probability of success for the Remote Viewing phenomenon. Rather than continuing to explore both phenomena at equal levels of effort, it is recommended that the results of this year's (FY87) effort be critically reviewed and those areas that demonstrate the most promise be exploited and those that do not be tefminated. The focus then would be less diffuse and more vertical as the more productive pathways are emphasized. This should not be considered an economy measure, however, since the vertical effort should be assured of adequate resources to accomplish its more definitive tasks. The Review Group also recornmends that the Project should clarify its use of the terms: global/conceptual replication (i.e., other labs evidence the phenomena without following the same protocol), exact/technical replication (i.e., phenomena evidenced in other labs following the same protocol with other subjects and other targets), and reproducibility (i.e., phenomena evidenced by the same subjects over time utilizing the same randomly ordered target set). With this in mind, it is recommended that an effort be made to enhance the reproducibility of the phenomena by identifying and utilizing especiaUy talented individuals. It is believed that this pool of-talented subjects would also aid in isolating neurophysiological correlates and mechanisms. It is also recommended that one or two other secure labs be identified to carry out exact/technical replication, of the most promising experiments conducted b y the primary contractor. Overall, the current breadth of experiments selected to demonstrate and explicate the phenomena is appropriate, as is the present level of effort assigned to each of these experiments. 3 - Approved For Release 2000108108 CIA-RDP96-00789ROO3300160001-8 SECRET Approved For Release 2000/08/(5T;g~-~IR-&SP96-00789ROO3300160001-8 In summary, the Project Review Group has determined to its satisfaction that the work of the Enhanced Human Performance Project is scientifically sou nd, appropriately managed and monitored, and is providing valuable ins!&~t-irit-othe nature of an anomaly which could have significant i- act on the DoD. Dr. Nick Yaru, Chairman Project Review Group N11 A NAT "0 SG1A ru A 4 - Approved For Release 2000/OSZ4&CtamFIDP96-00789ROO3300160001-8