CLOSING THE CIRCLE

Early 1964 was rather calm for me, a breather I was happy to have. I am not sure when I was sent to the Washington, D.C. area for evaluation. I think it was late spring, but that truly is a guess. What I didn’t know was that this evaluation would change my life forever. My worldview was, and is to this day, completely altered from that event.

I was given orders to report for evaluation for special assignment. I was told I would be tested for my suitability for assignment to the intelligence field called HUMINT. This acronym stands for Human Intelligence. This is seen as the dark side by many in the United States and even by many in the military. The main roots of this career field can be found in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) headed by Wild Bill Donovan in WWII. The CIA was established in the late 1940s. In the early 1960s all three major services had their own “spook” service.

For three days I was poked and prodded, emotionally and psychologically, for my suitability for inclusion in this small band of crazies. I wanted to be included. I am not sure why I wanted to work in the shadows. I really think it appealed to my desire to work in a close brotherhood. It was my normal. My parents were distant and not prone to warmth and closeness. I found love, acceptance and family closeness with my buddies during high school and college. I wanted to replicate that. Lastly, I like to compete and I view competing with wits and brains as the highest level of combat.

One thing from this three-day evaluation has stuck with me since. The last part of the evaluation was with a female shrink. I knew that upon her judgment would be a yes or no, a go or no go. I knew that I had passed thus far or she would not be talking to me. She had all my data in front of her. I wondered if she had picked up on my, what I thought cute, jab at the system during one of the written multiple choice/true or false evaluations. The question was “Do you have a difficult time making a decision?” I had erased the yes and no a half dozen times until the paper was worn through prior to writing a final “No” in the space.

Finally the shrink was done with me. I asked if I passed. She got an odd look on her face and said, “Oh, yes.” She paused and I think she was deciding if she should tell me something. She looked me in the eye and said quietly, “Lt. Slessler, you are the most extreme example of ‘don’t give a shit’ combined with intense loyalty that I have ever seen.” She added, somewhat sadly, I think, “You will do nicely.”

I headed back to South Carolina to await orders.

I also purchased my first new car. I had survived with clunkers up to this point. I was so proud of my shiny new1964 Plymouth.