i Although at present I a- find nothing in writing M the office of the Military Aide has understood that the following assignments of re5ponsibility exist in connection with SIOP and 3 3 6 5 WHCA is also charged with maintaining communications so that the President can be in touch with the National Military COmmand Center 9W or officers of the Defense Department almost instantly SANITIZED E O 13292 Sec 3 5 04-171 w By pl NARA Dates- 7'28 3 39% ident Jo on has indioa that he 01 - -- 1 want to 5 ollowed close - - Seer ary 0 Jeen ucted to - a will elimia the nee f be in const atten-ance 0 im I have amined this situation and would make the following rec-ammo iations AF NDU ORT 3 EF are From the viewpoint of the President's desires in regard to the bag containing the SIOP and the Presidential Emergency Action Documents we have analyz ed the present requirements and believe the following changes can be made SOXS 3 The White House Communications Agency would be charged with the resPonsibility of maintaining COmmunications wherever the President goes so that he could be reached 50x5 DECLASSIFIED IN PART E O 13526 Authorl WW NARA DatejJ PHOTOCOPY LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON LIBRARY These directives should be written up by the Department of Defense and the Office of Emergency Planning and the responsibilities as well as authorities in these matters carefully assigned to the appropriate staff officers and staff agencies with Presidential approval One of the deficiencies right now is that none of these resPOnsibilities are assigned in writing nor are the location and time element require- ments firmly established The present system has been carefully followed and the responsibilities conscientiously- carried out but their assignment has never been made definite -PHOTOCOPY LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON LIBRARY r n' ' ' _ o 'r r _ - 3 - Our quick review of the Presidential Emergency Action Documents Indicates that there are several which are not of vital concern to the President in any measure of promptness They could be reduced to two Dr three papers which he needs very quic kly They were last reviewed by OEP in 1962 and I would certainly recom ' end an early review in cDnnection with the establishment Df a new system The cDmmunications cDntinue to be a vital link between the President From four years I experience I believe and the Department Df Defense that the communications including secure vDice have been nearly always sufficient I 50 5 ' I 50 5 I 50 5 L -_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ While this is being reviewed careful I l conside ration should be given to the coordination of these matters with the Presidential successors There are three pertinent subjects in con- nection with the Presidential succession a Delegation of authority in these pa r ti c ular m atte rs b The r es pon sibility or the location of and communic ati o n with the Presidential successors while the President is TOP iiilGBPRET _ o oo ooo - o _ o o - o ' - 1 '1d PHOTOCOPY - LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON LffiRARY ' r ' I ' ' ' ' 'o oo 1 - 1 01 3EOllEi - -l - traveling and c The proper briefing and assignment of responsibilities in these matters for Presidential successors I believe the Vice President and the two next successors should be briefed on the SlOP and the PEAD' s I recommend that a system be established that the Pre s ident and the Vice President coordinate their travel plans so that one of them is always available at the seat or' government and in instant communication with both the President and the National Military Command Center and that these communications be c hecked frequently when the Pr e sident travel s and I recommend also that the President decide which Presidential successors and key 'staff officers need to be informed about the delegation of authority in these matters Respectfully cc Mr McGeor ge Bundy - PHOTOCOPY - LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON LIBRARY o This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu