48. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)1

SUBJECT

  • Duty Officers

You will recall that I mentioned to you several weeks ago the changes in the arrangements between the Executive Secretary’s office and the Operations Center. I would like to confirm one or two points which I gather have caused some confusion.

We now have an integrated watch in the Department which is in the Operations Center. As part of this watch, the Reports Staff of the Executive Secretariat now functions on a 24-hour day rather than a 19 as previously constituted. The watch in the Operations Center is no longer a “sleeping” watch awakened as necessary but is now on a sit-up or stand-up basis on an 8-hour shift. This office can be reached on extension 4141–2.

Integrated into the watch is the duty officer in my own office who is here each night and over week-ends as long as needed. This is normally until about 11:00 p.m. on week nights and usually through the day Saturday and Sunday. When he leaves he turns over any pending problems to the Operations Center duty officer but remains on call at home in the event he is needed. For those matters involving the normal flow of paper, etc., you will probably wish to continue to talk with the duty officer in my office, extension 5381–2.

As I told you, the Operations Center follow-up unit and my follow-up unit have been merged but the nature and detail of follow-up will continue as previously. The follow-up unit is under Mr. Tom Rogers but Miss Moor on extension 6952 may be the most useful point of contact for your office.

I hope the foregoing is helpful. Please call me if there is any further information you feel is lacking.

N.A. Veliotes 2
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Departments and Agencies Series, State Department, General, 2/62. No classification marking. In a February 9 memorandum for heads of Bureaus in the Department of State, Battle described procedures for designating Bureau duty officers and stand-by officers in support of 24-hour coverage, coordinated through the Operations Center, to meet emergencies and other matters requiring immediate attention during non-working hours. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1960–63, 110.10/2–962)
  2. Veliotes signed for Battle above Battle’s typed signature.