colonel boekel was ordered, december 1943 to duty with the civil affairs division at washington, although he was technically still assigned to headquarters, usaf (united states army forces), cbi theater. upon reporting to major general john h. hilldring, commander, civil affairs division, colonel boekel was directed to assist the general in civil affairs planning and training for the far east. the civil affairs division directed its primary effort toward procuring a state department, war department (operations division); and joint chiefs of staff declaration of policy with respect to united states civil affairs administration in the far east. such a statement was dependent, in large measure, upon certain long-range policy decisions within the state department. general hilldring wrote to the chief, naval office for occupied areas, 25 january 1944: