Editing Phoenix Program (section)

===Recruits===
PRUs were primarily composed of South Vietnamese personnel, including former VC defectors (rallied through the Chieu Hoi amnesty program), ex-criminals, mercenaries, and ethnic minorities like Montagnards or Cambodians. The CIA valued defectors for their knowledge of VC tactics and networks, but this also raised concerns about loyalty and reliability.

Recruits were often motivated by financial incentives (PRUs were well-paid compared to regular South Vietnamese forces), personal vendettas against the VC, or coercion. Some operatives were criminals offered amnesty in exchange for service, which contributed to the units’ controversial reputation.

Each PRU was assigned a CIA advisor, typically a paramilitary officer or Special Forces operative under CIA direction, who provided training, intelligence, and operational guidance. Advisors reported to the CIA’s Saigon station or regional officers within the CORDS framework.