Robert Vickers

The History of CIA's Office of Strategic Research, 1967-81 Robert Vickers

During its 15 years of existence, OSR played a key role in providing in-depth military analysis and current intelligence reporting to senior policymakers on a variety of national security issues. These included the strategic military threats posed by the Soviet Bloc and Communist China, arms control measures and treaty verification, and various regional military conflicts and crises. The office grew to become one of the largest and most productive in the DI, and its leadership drew some of the Agency's best and brightest. Many of OSR's managers would subsequently hold some of the highest positions in CIA and the Intelligence Community (IC), and CIA's strategic military analysis would continue to play an important policy support role through the end of the Cold War.