tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82979359846163047832024-03-01T05:19:44.791-05:00The UFO TrailCredible info on incredible topicsJack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.comBlogger347125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-75692533662079104682023-06-06T15:15:00.004-04:002023-06-07T02:01:03.406-04:00Oh, Disclosure, I Hear You Calling<span style="font-family: verdana;"> The following post is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of the 2021 book, <i>Wayward Sons: NICAP and the IC</i>. It seems currently relevant - if not evergreen - to the UFO topic. You may <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wayward-Sons-NICAP-Jack-Brewer-ebook/dp/B09BLHQZXY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=232MZBPOVC8GQ&dchild=1&keywords=wayward+sons+nicap+and+the+ic&qid=1629682489&sprefix=wayward+sons+%2Caps%2C596&sr=8-1" target="_blank">find the book on Amazon</a>.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Keep up with author Jack Brewer's activities at <a href="https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/" target="_blank">Expanding Frontiers Research</a>, a nonprofit organization he co-founded with Erica Lukes, where they and a growing team of outstanding volunteers conduct FOIA-related research, maintain a blog, produce a YouTube video show, and plan exciting future projects.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">OH, DISCLOSURE, I HEAR YOU CALLING</div><br /><span> </span>The 1940s rang in the modern UFO era. Many researchers went on to sincerely believe they had legitimate shots at pulling the UFO sword from the stone.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEoIMd4mi2ukPxR5tlQj7IbBUjgMZPssRH8maQX35cNkxpgk0l7xsTjTt40omU7KdfcDH0M_RYfhcjpSH8YhdAnSMtEnZCP-BASgReiuGUO3-FUvHZ9y53-oDFUUDldoIAi4WZTuPiWT16fL-sN1f06LwdlB_WVV9LIDokGHnkWOBvxUSED2kbcgYZDA" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="208" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEoIMd4mi2ukPxR5tlQj7IbBUjgMZPssRH8maQX35cNkxpgk0l7xsTjTt40omU7KdfcDH0M_RYfhcjpSH8YhdAnSMtEnZCP-BASgReiuGUO3-FUvHZ9y53-oDFUUDldoIAi4WZTuPiWT16fL-sN1f06LwdlB_WVV9LIDokGHnkWOBvxUSED2kbcgYZDA" width="184" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The late Leonard Stringfield</span></td></tr></tbody></table>“The greatest story involving Earth and Space may soon be told,” proclaimed an October 1, 1954, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SRV7o19jah_0RklFD4Y-69zuAJeHV8r0/view" target="_blank">newsletter distributed by CRIFO</a>. That organization was “Civilian Research, Interplanetary Flying Objects,” directed by Leonard Stringfield.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The assertion was based on an interview Stringfield conducted with Lt. Col. John O'Mara, described as a “Deputy Commander, Intelligence,” in the United States Air Force. The colonel apparently kindly “confirmed the existence of 'flying saucers,'” leading Stringfield to declare the “truth may be bared soon.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Spoiler: It wasn't.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stringfield further reported the Air Force planned to cooperate with the public about saucers, and that the public would be taken into confidence. This was believed to be “stimulated by recent events.” Ain't it always?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stringfield continued, “Flying saucers 'do exist' the Colonel told me, and he added, in effect, past contradictions were unfortunate.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stringfield described Col. O'Mara as “wonderfully cooperative,” and the officer even gave a thumbs up to the CRIFO newsletter. Asked about the publication, the colonel indicated it was slanted in the right direction.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The CRIFO newsletter was shared with me in an email from writer and researcher James Carrion. He found the comparisons interesting to much more recent drums of Disclosure, as beaten by such outlets as the New York Times. I indeed share the perspective, as we can note many similarities to the ongoing story of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) and those promoting the narrative. Comparisons include: recent events were supposedly a tipping point; in-the-know intelligence community insiders were believed to be aiding the process; the government acknowledged the existence of UFOs; praise was bestowed upon the writer embracing the narrative; and, of course, the ultimate confirmation was to come any day. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Members of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena, or NICAP, once believed they, too, were on the verge of something big. In approximately 1958 literature from the young organization was distributed with a message from its director, Maj. Donald E. Keyhoe.<br /><br />“Because of new developments, we expect a break in official [UFO] secrecy in 1959,” it was explained (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/130ATUK3R8qYDIaDLx0Wa5Gx22JAbIDep/view" target="_blank">see p4</a>). The general story line came to be a </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">recurring </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">theme for NICAP and its investigators, many of whom </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">worked diligently in their attempts to facilitate Disclosure. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was believed an ample amount of public pressure </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">strategically applied to the right agencies and offices </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">would cause a bean spill. The struggle, progress </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and setbacks of Disclosure were often publicly reported </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">by the group. As a matter of fact, a tug of war with </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Uncle Sam pretty much came to define NICAP.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">*<span> <span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> </span><span> </span> </span><span> </span><span> *<span> <span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> </span><span> </span> </span><span> </span><span> *</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span> </span>“We're close to it,” <a href="https://youtu.be/mOo9k4i3Lsk?t=566" target="_blank">Maj. Keyhoe declared</a> in 1966 about discovering what flying saucers were. He made the statement towards the end of his appearance on the then-popular nationally televised show, To Tell the Truth.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 1978, optimism among UFO investigators persisted. Phoenix-based Ground Saucer Watch (GSW) Director William H. Spaulding suggested during a funding appeal published in the organization's April bulletin that UFO answers were obtainable.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">He wrote, “Now is the time all of us must ask ourselves if we really want to solve the UFO mystery. If you answer yes, then we must ask every member to donate five, ten, twenty dollars to help defer the expensive legal fees.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Spaulding was alluding to legal action directed at targets such as the CIA to obtain what were believed to be revealing UFO documents. In <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fRM5NbvPRJUqEwT_x9P0cYYEUYOyOn53/view" target="_blank">that same bulletin</a>, GSW Director of Research W. Todd Zechel expressed his confidence in cracking the case.<br /><br />Zechel told readers, “In order to continue this fight and put enough pressure on government agencies to force them to start telling the truth regarding UFOs, we need substantial donations from each and every member. Moreover, we need help from the general public. After all, these efforts will benefit all of mankind, in that the evidence we obtain will once and for all allow us to determine the origin and nature of UFOs. I'll get you the truth: you get me the funds.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In Spaulding and Zechel's defense, they and their colleagues actually did, in fact, successfully obtain a substantial amount of government documents pertaining to UFOs. The material just never conclusively established their ultimate suspicions and beliefs about Uncle Sam and saucers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Too bad for Ground Saucer Watch they didn't think of raising funds by throwing a hat in the public securities ring. That's what happened in 2017 at To The Stars Academy of Arts and Science (TTSA).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Coinciding with a company launch and call for investors, TTSA front man Tom DeLonge took up the 'breakthroughs are imminent' torch, stating, “We believe there are discoveries within our reach that will revolutionize the human experience, but they can only be accomplished through the unrestricted support of breakthrough research and innovation.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Imagine having 25th century technology this century,” <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/to-the-stars-academy-of-arts-science-launches-today-1003836940" target="_blank">added longtime ufology staple</a> and TTSA co-founder Dr. Hal Puthoff. He explained that a team of passionately curious minds was assembled to reveal and decode “information that can challenge the limits of traditional theory” pertaining to studying Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. Puthoff further asserted they were bringing transformative science and engineering out of the shadows.<br /><br />Those 2017 remarks by DeLonge and Puthoff do not appear to be aging too awfully much better than those from their overly optimistic and perhaps at times self-important 20th century predecessors, but maybe I don't know revolutionized human experience and transformative science when I see it. I do, however, still have my money in my pocket. As of this writing, it appears much of that team of passionately curious minds sought greener pastures and the future of TTSA is very much in doubt.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Prior to the TTSA creative fundraising, the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) <a href="https://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2017/12/ufo-pentagon-story-reflects-fundamental.html" target="_blank">cut right to the chase</a> and seemed to accept funds provided to Robert Bigelow by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). The controversial philanthropist and UFO World main character facilitated the arrangement as part of apparent Pentagon UFO programs. I say “apparent” because a great deal of the projects remain unconfirmed for the time being. Key MUFON personnel typically claim no knowledge of the source of the funds or involvement with what we now know to have been the agency originally managing the reported UFO projects, the DIA. It is also unclear if the DIA fully endorsed enrolling the services of MUFON, particularly if the feds were already in possession of so much information ripe for Disclosure, but we'll just keep moving.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Writers like Leslie Kean and George Knapp managed to position themselves in the midst of the Disclosure dust devil on several occasions, even if their coverage may be disingenuous, in error, or more than a little responsible for perpetuating the whirlwind itself. The two, along with numerous Disclosure beat reporters who followed suit, tend to promote rather credulous stories and flawed lines of reasoning in the form of what some came to consider access journalism. Such examples include Knapp's devotion to the Bob Lazar story, unquestioning portrayal of Skinwalker Ranch, and uncritical acceptance of TTSA statements and narratives while consistently showcasing the personalities involved.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Knapp's defense of the dubious Lazar case is particularly vulnerable to criticism, considering the duo's claim they were each aware of a location where Lazar stashed some purportedly alien-engineered Element 115, yet they steadfastly refused to produce it. <a href="https://twitter.com/ddeanjohnson/status/1190287619239882753?s=20" target="_blank">Researchers aptly noted</a> the irony of supposed Disclosure activists who, we are to believe, choose not to grace the world with the very smoking gun they demand from the powers that be.<br /><br />Kean's objectivity and apparent confirmation bias were <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190324221348/http://www.realityuncovered.net/blog/2011/04/faa-instructions-on-ufo-sightings/" target="_blank">called into question</a> when she perpetuated claims of a government cover-up of the JAL 1628 UFO case. The claims were directly contradicted by testimonies of two firsthand witnesses to the alleged cover-up. They attended a meeting in which the purported cover-up directive was allegedly issued, yet they said no such statements were made. Moreover, the two indicated info was actually distributed for analysis. Kean omitted the circumstances from her account of the case - even after researchers brought them to her attention - while reportedly simultaneously obstructing communication between the researchers and her contact who claimed the cover-up was in place.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kean also made <a href="https://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2019/08/wicked-webs-media-portrayal-of-tall.html" target="_blank">yet to be verified assertions</a> about the AATIP, as well as fantastic claims about Chilean alleged UFOs that proved unsupported. The work of such writers as Kean and Knapp is held in high regard by many UFO enthusiasts, while others seriously question their chronic uncritical and incomplete reporting that often omits rather obvious discrepancies. Criticism may be most justified in the way the two present themselves as journalists, while titles such as UFO promoters seem much more accurate.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yet another noteworthy UFO Disclosure activist, or at least he seems to like to think so, is Dr. Steven Greer. The former medical doctor undertook rather extreme theatrics and questionable lines of research, ostensibly designed to facilitate wider knowledge of UFOs and their occupants. Greer's activities <a href="https://badufos.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-bizarre-horror-show-at-ufo-conference.html" target="_blank">reportedly include</a> bringing an entourage of armed bodyguards to a scheduled speaking engagement at the 2013 Contact in the Desert event in Joshua Tree, California. He is also known for exaggerating the significance of his interactions with public officials and charging substantial fees for workshops purported to facilitate contact with extraterrestrials, among other eyebrow-raising activities.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Greer's general shtick is that the visiting ETs are friendly, but Uncle Sam wants to paint them as hostile and keep a lid on it because ET has a source of free energy. Letting the free energy cat out of the bag would loosen the government stranglehold on many industries, Greer suggests. His outspoken activism on UFO truth, he would lead us to believe, resulted in several thwarted attempts on his life by the powers that be, thus the dramatic scene at Joshua Tree.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8UbDXv_iqyNlMhXiuKKJzWTrUPKUP83cAtbPAij5uDqvwZRYlvy2c7VbEJhF0BVk1wGZUNAT3ppN15gkd7awG67iSM5gNPpgUnzxYbV49qtAypr-WjtkCKUaOzbSZeqW3X6mWg7-RPbn2EXe1zooDykRBojxr0vc7Fs7Nqw4KB0F_Oyz9dvFUT5T2ig" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="320" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8UbDXv_iqyNlMhXiuKKJzWTrUPKUP83cAtbPAij5uDqvwZRYlvy2c7VbEJhF0BVk1wGZUNAT3ppN15gkd7awG67iSM5gNPpgUnzxYbV49qtAypr-WjtkCKUaOzbSZeqW3X6mWg7-RPbn2EXe1zooDykRBojxr0vc7Fs7Nqw4KB0F_Oyz9dvFUT5T2ig=w320-h213" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Contents of a May 2013 promotional MUFON email</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Greer may be most infamous for his extraordinary claims which proved incorrect surrounding the Atacama skeleton, and the <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chilean-government-investigating-whether-alien-skeleton-was-illegally-exhumed-180968630/" target="_blank">ethical issues which arose</a> with his and Dr. Garry Nolan's handling of the specimen. Nolan, an honored Stanford professor and researcher who obtained degrees in genetics, had a brief affiliation with To The Stars. He was also widely and confidently suspected to be a not so anonymously portrayed, starry eyed character in a Dr. Diana Walsh Pasulka nonfiction (sort of) book, <i>American Cosmic</i>.<br /><br />The situation was <a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2019/02/walsh-pasulka-nolan-decline-comment-on.html" target="_blank">questioned by your author</a>, as was Nolan and Walsh Pasulka's lack of willingness to directly address their alleged involvement in reports of “security personnel” monitoring and editing her statements made on podcasts. Suffice it to say neither of the two had much to say about any of it, but I guess that's Disclosure for you. Transparency often seems to only be a good thing if it's applied to the actions of others. The sincerity of Walsh Pasulka's seemingly halfhearted effort to conceal the identities of primary characters in <i>American Cosmic</i> was questioned throughout segments of the UFO genre, as were the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">underlying motives.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Back to Greer. He shoveled the coal pretty hard on the Atacama skeleton story, which he sold as pertaining to extraterrestrials. This was depicted in his 2013 crowdsource-funded film, <i>Sirius</i>, which was billed as blowing the lid off the UFO mystery. Cash contributors voiced disappointment when they had to pay to view the movie and indicated they felt double billed. Some then found the contents of the movie lacking and falling well short of its advertised lid-blowing significance. The disappointment didn't get any less bitter when Greer announced yet another film which needed funding and would, once and for all, reveal the shocking truth. It of course didn't, then he did it again. Some might think tax forms show the purpose of his persistence in the face of chronic futility.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2014 I reviewed tax information submitted to the Internal Revenue Service by the Greer-operated nonprofit corporation, Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI), which seemed to serve as the hub for his ventures. I discovered Greer reported taking no salary from CSETI, but during the 2012 tax year, CSETI reported paying some $177,000 for consultation fees to the Greer-owned Crossing Point Inc.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The amount CSETI paid the prior year, 2011, to Crossing Point was $180,360. In 2010 over $214,000 was paid from CSETI to Crossing Point. During the three-year period reviewed, Greer's Crossing Point was paid nearly 70% of the $833,083 combined CSETI reported total income, according to 990 forms filed to the IRS.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The 2012 CSETI Form 990EZ indicated the organization surrendered its nonprofit status effective January 1, 2013. The move may have been related to bringing in so much more unrelated business income than public support that its nonprofit charity status was possibly jeopardized as defined by IRS. Surrendering the nonprofit status would then be an advisable move on Dr. Greer's part, and not bad work if you can get it.<br /><br />Stephen Bassett crashed the Disclosure party and formed the Paradigm Research Group, a lobbying initiative, or something to that effect, to end the “truth embargo.” To the best of my knowledge, the Group officially and functionally consists of no one other than himself. His efforts include such projects as the 2008 Million Fax on Washington, in which he attempted to inspire followers to inundate the incoming Obama administration with faxes, emails, and phone calls demanding the release of UFO files.<br /><br />Bassett probably made his loudest noise with the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2013/05/03/believe-in-ufos-highlights-of-the-citizen-hearing-on-disclosure/" target="_blank">2013 Citizen Hearing on Disclosure</a>. Six former members of Congress were paid $20,000 apiece to sit in a mock hearing in which they spent a few days listening to dozens of people of varying levels of credibility, notoriety, and infamy provide testimony on UFOs. The above mentioned Steven Greer was among the presenters, and evening activities included a screening of his film, <i>Sirius</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Richard Dolan was also among the presenters at the Citizen Hearing and is known for what his followers seem to believe is his fight to pry the UFO truth from the government. At the Hearing he rather shamelessly trotted out a filmed interview of an aged man, referred to as “Anonymous.” The man allegedly worked for the CIA and observed many astounding ET-related sights during his employment at Area 51. The statements, dubbed a deathbed testimony, were heavily implied to be motivated by the man's desire to tell the world what he knew and avoid taking the stories to his looming grave.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble was, as I <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150924150840/http://www.examiner.com/article/linda-moulton-howe-i-first-talked-to-anonymous-1998" target="_blank">covered in 2013</a>, Linda Moulton Howe had long since interviewed “Anonymous.” His completely unverified story was no less than 15 years old at the time it was implied to be urgent and showcased by Dolan and Bassett at the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure. In preparation for my above referenced 2013 article on the situation, I offered both Dolan and Bassett an opportunity to comment and explain what they would say to people who might question the tactic. Neither responded.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYue3Xn0KJoxEta8NWY_UFeAtmROvKTzZFMyYTAwId2Xig8AIqm9JAWlhHMAAltcbif1FD8kKibnut05exS2OrWJc0NTXEQSGvzxZf-X35QIoTXkz3ig09AebbH0ai9ZZ-QoHQME_iXNabJm6KmCNxHIlIledZrsQw3RQzfSvQDdgPJ8XYifxM8y-W8A" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="400" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYue3Xn0KJoxEta8NWY_UFeAtmROvKTzZFMyYTAwId2Xig8AIqm9JAWlhHMAAltcbif1FD8kKibnut05exS2OrWJc0NTXEQSGvzxZf-X35QIoTXkz3ig09AebbH0ai9ZZ-QoHQME_iXNabJm6KmCNxHIlIledZrsQw3RQzfSvQDdgPJ8XYifxM8y-W8A=w320-h208" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mummy of a two year old boy promoted as an ET</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Doubt was further cast on Dolan's judgment and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">motives when he participated in the Roswell Slides fiasco, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a chain of events involving slides which depicted </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">what was actually a mummified Native American </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">child but were promoted as images of an ET. Dolan </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">spoke at the dubious beWITNESS event, a public rollout </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of the slides sponsored by Jaime Maussan, at </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">which time Dolan called the slides “compelling.” He </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">also vouched for the research skills of the questionable </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">crew promoting the story, who at absolute best </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">utterly failed to pursue the most profoundly obvious of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">explanations. Many wondered how Dolan, who claims </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to be qualified to penetrate and analyze complex issues </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">related to UFOs and national security, could sincerely </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">be so inept.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Shortly after the beWITNESS purported big reveal </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of the slides, the truth came shining through and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the story was completely dismantled due to the quality </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">work of the <a href="http://www.roswellslides.com/" target="_blank">Roswell Slides Research Group</a>. Within </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">hours of the event, a team of volunteer researchers </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">was well on its way to competently analyzing the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">slides, high resolution images of which the promoters </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">had previously withheld and supposedly been unable </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to accurately interpret for years. As stated, the slides </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">were conclusively shown to depict a deceased Native </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">American child. Dolan's stock continued to dip with </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">other instances of seemingly unquestioning acceptance </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of fantastic stories that should test the patience </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of even the most credulous UFO fan.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">He more recently vigorously fanned the flames </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of an ill conceived tale with extremely loose connections </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">between dots, all ultimately designed to prove </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">what, in UFO circles, is known as the Core Story </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">(saucer crashes, alien bodies and all that). A word to </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the wise: if an argument relies heavily on speculation, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">it doesn't prove a point.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The incarnation in question of this version of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the Core Story involves hearsay and alleged statements </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">attributed to the purportedly in-the-know Adm. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thomas R. Wilson, and was referred to by Dolan as </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the “UFO leak of the century.” The story was of course </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.mysterywire.com/ufo/ufo-leak-of-the-century-contained-in-15-page-document-historian-says/" target="_blank">amplified by George Knapp</a>, since it included reference </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to Eric Davis and others of Skinwalker and TTSA </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">notoriety. For those particularly interested, writer <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20200616123414/http://devoid.blogs.heraldtribune.com/16000/eric-who-the-admiral/" target="_blank">Billy </a></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20200616123414/http://devoid.blogs.heraldtribune.com/16000/eric-who-the-admiral/" target="_blank">Cox reported</a> how Wilson repeatedly denied any validity </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to the rumors, among other problematic aspects of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">this shaggy dog story.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is rather fascinating how the UFO Disclosure </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">concept stays propped up so sturdily. Back on January </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">8, 1999, Art Bell hosted <a href="https://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/ufo-disclosure-99/" target="_blank">“UFO Disclosure '99”</a> on </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Coast to Coast AM. Stephen Bassett was an integral </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">part of the show, and other guests included Steven </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Greer, Richard Hoagland, and Joe Firmage.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It should be noted that so many of these UFO </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">activists somehow manage to endlessly sell urgency. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many have been personally ringing an alarm of imminent </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Disclosure for decades.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The highest hurdle for Bassett to clear indeed </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">became the fact the deadlines of his recurring insinuations </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and outright predictions came and went, unfulfilled. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">And he made a lot of insinuations and predictions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Similar can be said of history's many UFO personalities </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">who donned the Disclosure cape to promise </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">all-telling government revelations to an eagerly awaiting </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">UFO World. It may get tough to perpetually conjure </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Disclosure urgency, but it is obviously quite possible. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">New generations and followers continue to find it </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">an irresistible draw while taking roles as both movement </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">leaders and supporters. For some there may be </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a lack of awareness of the history of futility, while the dedication of</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> others may be grounded in stubbornness, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">wishful thinking, questionable motives, or any </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">number of such circumstances. The UFO-intoxicated </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">masses just keep coming, and there is always a supplier </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to meet the demand, if not create it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Let's dial the clock back from the current headspinning </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">pace and return to the early days of the modern </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">UFO steeplechase. Though absent internet and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">podcasts, the pioneers were not without urgency and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">drama. Far from it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our group of focus formed in Washington, D.C. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in the 1950s. Mystery and curiosity surrounded the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from its very inception. Many challenges would </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">plague the organization, but public interest in its affairs </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">was usually not among them. This was apparently </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">due in part to the public's fascination with flying </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">saucers, an occurrence which was driven by several </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">factors, most certainly including media attention.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">After considerable investigation I have become </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">thoroughly convinced many NICAP members were </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">sincere and effective researchers, even if unaware of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">their biases at times. Whatever games may have </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">been afoot, there were indeed people in NICAP genuinely </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">interested in a UFO mystery, for better or </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">worse. They believed their work was important and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">they considered themselves to be pioneers of a sort. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">In some manners of speaking, perhaps they were. In </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">other instances, motives are more in question, as is </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">research accuracy at times.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">NICAP experienced highs, lows, success and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">failure, <a href="http://www.nicap.org/articles/Nicap_history_1976.htm" target="_blank">reportedly amassing</a> some 14,000 members at </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">one point. For some context, the Mutual UFO Network </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">currently claims on its website to have about 4,000 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">worldwide members.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Among the most notable aspects of the NICAP </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">legacy is <i><a href="https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP81R00560R000100010001-0.pdf" target="_blank">The UFO Evidence</a></i>, brought to life by editor </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Richard Hall. The 1964 report consists of some </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">200,000 words of UFO investigations. It embodies </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">what NICAP felt was its 750 most compelling cases </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the more than 5,000 contained in its files. <i>The </i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>UFO Evidence</i> was provided to Congress and more </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">than 10,000 copies were disseminated to scientific research </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">organizations, government agencies, universities, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">military installations, and libraries (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p9fFM0zX_BY4Ns7HZWZKResVdCsIVKRX/view" target="_blank">see p46</a>). While the relevance </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of the material could certainly be debated, the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">report offered a tangible starting point for discussions </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and a realized achievement for investigators of its </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">day.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">So what happened between NICAP's inception, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a 1960s heyday of public interest, soaring membership, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">reports of CIA infiltration, the org's decline, and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">its eventual 1980s demise? To better understand the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">rise and fall of NICAP, and events of cultural and social </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">significance along the way, let's start by exploring </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the beginnings. That takes us to the U.S. capitol. The </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">year was 195</span>6.</div>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-74011710193859417382023-01-10T15:23:00.003-05:002023-01-10T15:30:18.479-05:00In with the New!<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;"> I am looking forward to a bang up 2023 and I am excited about my ongoing projects. In 2022 I co-founded a nonprofit organization, <a href="https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/" target="_blank">Expanding Frontiers Research</a>, which is dedicated to conducting and publishing original research. We also have interest in a few other activities with lots of potential for promising outcomes. I hope you've been looking around the website and checking it out.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigoMo44KkT9FNgZ-7y7wOy5fDbMRCWTg7YnA26EbZO55HZeCB1Isruzdap4N43V29t_OVn02IMLMkQRs5Izbwyuk0t_Tl6FQsEMTnLSlynSNraHaouSZ3grXU1N0m-1Ph64vdIO7nXBWGhSpktDWLZUVuuqAk20wr41Cnx566KiF0xib9KTe92WnQnfg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="454" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigoMo44KkT9FNgZ-7y7wOy5fDbMRCWTg7YnA26EbZO55HZeCB1Isruzdap4N43V29t_OVn02IMLMkQRs5Izbwyuk0t_Tl6FQsEMTnLSlynSNraHaouSZ3grXU1N0m-1Ph64vdIO7nXBWGhSpktDWLZUVuuqAk20wr41Cnx566KiF0xib9KTe92WnQnfg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The <a href="https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/blog" target="_blank">EFR blog</a>, for instance, has posts on topics ranging from critical thinking to material obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. We also executed an investigation on PhenomeCon and financial incentives cast members of The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch have in maintaining unverified paranormal claims. I am proud of the work done to obtain material through public records requests, interviews conducted, and subsequent information provided freely to the public. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am equally proud of co-founder Erica Lukes's substantial contributions, which include, among other things, her brand new show, Expanding Frontiers. Guests so far have included science journalist Sarah Scoles, journalist and activist Heidi Beedle, and next up is controversial and popular author Robert Guffey. You can follow along and access the shows on the <a href="https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/items" target="_blank">EFR video page</a>, which will also be hosting video content we produce in addition to the Expanding Frontiers show. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Additional video content so far includes <a href="https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/items/importance-of-archiving-with-barry-greenwood" target="_blank">Barry Greenwood sharing his insights</a> on archiving historic material. Barry is a member of the EFR Board of Directors and a longtime writer, researcher, and archivist.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You might also find of interest a video posted in which <a href="https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/items/foia-basics" target="_blank">I discuss FOIA basics</a>. It includes a few tips, as well as specific examples of FOIA hauls. The documents referenced in the video are provided for viewing and downloading on the same page.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you find our work of value and you are in a position to do so, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through one of the secure donation buttons found on the EFR website. Your contributions support our FOIA work, archiving efforts, website maintenance, video production, and similar operating costs. Thank you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am very pleased with the progress and direction of Expanding Frontiers Research! We are excited about 2023. Stay tuned for lots more, and we hope to see you at <a href="http://expandingfrontiersresearch.org" target="_blank">expandingfrontiersresearch.org</a>. </span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-82292566147590915122022-10-20T22:07:00.000-04:002022-10-20T22:07:34.610-04:00Investigation of Skinwalker Claims Leads to Uintah County Offices<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;"> The beginning of the latest article at Expanding Frontiers Research, titled 'Uintah County Paid Tens of Thousands to PhenomeCon Speakers':</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span><a class="_3Bkfb _1lsz7" data-hook="linkViewer" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UkXsnAxUqQsc-OXLQ5VGjWMPtGeRxk2v?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; cursor: pointer; font-style: var(--ricos-custom-link-font-style,unset); font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: var(--ricos-custom-link-font-weight,unset); line-height: var(--ricos-custom-link-line-height,unset); margin: 0px; min-height: var(--ricos-custom-link-min-height,unset); outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><u class="_3zM-5" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Financial records obtained from Uintah County</u></a><span style="color: #141416; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"> indicate it spent over $133,000 on the 2022 PhenomeCon while raising about $124,000 in revenue, compiling a reported debt of some $9,000 for sponsoring the paranormal-themed conference. The inaugural 2021 PhenomeCon likewise tallied over $74,000 in payouts while collecting about $59,000 in revenue, finishing some $15,000 in the hole. Expenses for the two conferences, confirmed to be sponsored by Uintah County, include tens of thousands of dollars in payments to dubious speakers and catered “VIP” meals in which unsupported rumors were spread of dangerous paranormal phenomena. Payouts also include workshops promoting such topics as Remote Viewing and payments for rental car reimbursements. During the 2022 PhenomeCon, payments issued for speaking engagements, consultation services, and appearances at events totaled over $60,000, while hotel chains were paid in excess of $10,000, according to the financial reports.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Expanding Frontiers Research (EFR) obtained the information through public records requests submitted to the Uintah County offices of the Clerk-Auditor and Travel and Tourism. The requests were submitted as part of a joint effort between this writer and EFR Director Erica Lukes, who contributed substantial research to this article.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/post/uintah-county-paid-tens-of-thousands-to-phenomecon-speakers" target="_blank">Continue reading --></a></div></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROQAXTfKPoO7xoBNwUg3HTkuKVu6Dk_FDJb6lwUp6PR5quzBpH69ecrtMlSx0dguhD73Rv1nrNl5J3awBbOBJotun7Hy7UkgmZzgY7XSoTQHzHTvPxIdXHWpU5Y_O-xehzLQhxLusEmy8w8wVZnTxUdafYQ_TPWLk15fhZfCfwbCjiqlb13fZGDrG3Q/s1280/photo_2022-10-19_19-24-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROQAXTfKPoO7xoBNwUg3HTkuKVu6Dk_FDJb6lwUp6PR5quzBpH69ecrtMlSx0dguhD73Rv1nrNl5J3awBbOBJotun7Hy7UkgmZzgY7XSoTQHzHTvPxIdXHWpU5Y_O-xehzLQhxLusEmy8w8wVZnTxUdafYQ_TPWLk15fhZfCfwbCjiqlb13fZGDrG3Q/w380-h285/photo_2022-10-19_19-24-22.jpg" width="380" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-70269790317390691122022-10-03T20:08:00.000-04:002022-10-03T20:08:49.454-04:00UFO Trail Projects<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> Lots of interesting projects have been coming to fruition around UFO Trail headquarters! If you haven't yet heard, I helped launch Expanding Frontiers Research (EFR), a Utah-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. We're dedicated to sharing information and resources that most effectively embody best research practices. We also envision expanding on the archive work already undertaken by Erica Lukes and Barry Greenwood. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can view the <a href="https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/" target="_blank">EFR website</a> and have a look around. Be sure and check out the blog as well, where I'm adding material, including the latest post, <a href="https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/post/fbi-docs-offer-clues-on-nicap-president-right-wing-extremism" target="_blank">FBI Docs Offer Clues on NICAP President, Right-Wing Extremism</a>. It explores declassified FBI material that offers further insight into Jack Acuff and his contacts. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You might also be interested in a recent UFO Classified episode in which Erica graciously provided Emma Woods and me a venue to explore Emma's history. For those of you not entirely familiar, the case involved a number of unethical actions committed on the part of David Jacobs. We listened to actual recordings of audio clips made during long distance telephone hypnosis sessions conducted by Jacobs. Be advised the subject matter is mature and disturbing at times. It is brave of Emma to continue to address and speak out on the circumstances. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The episode of UFO Classified is shown below.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks for your continued interest in The UFO Trail and my projects! I look forward to lots more intriguing circumstances to explore.</span></p><p><br /></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5un42hn9o3A?start=1" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-83963585843074889232022-09-17T10:55:00.001-04:002022-09-17T11:18:31.253-04:00CIA Responds to FOIA Request on Jack Acuff<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicZSJGI-QnX47F02DcW1JhRToHnq6sS0DnRqVrdRBQd5ndlVInp6OdL4sISpZcnDbmW1EDxDGMHafB2tKYNKKFgby2vgWGfkpC2XnllIdZx3DYRQRH1GElY-Xv6oRUVArvBbDH7MgbDitgAhbmx7k6-8VaCgWeHx1NL9ubdlM9cmvyooUFuaA9IVzHRQ" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="471" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicZSJGI-QnX47F02DcW1JhRToHnq6sS0DnRqVrdRBQd5ndlVInp6OdL4sISpZcnDbmW1EDxDGMHafB2tKYNKKFgby2vgWGfkpC2XnllIdZx3DYRQRH1GElY-Xv6oRUVArvBbDH7MgbDitgAhbmx7k6-8VaCgWeHx1NL9ubdlM9cmvyooUFuaA9IVzHRQ=w157-h200" width="157" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John "Jack" Acuff</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span> A Freedom of Information Act request submitted to the CIA on </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">John L. "Jack" Acuff, Jr., the man instated as president of NICAP in 1970, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">received a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VJs9mBY3-dvRE6q_MSTEnt1S0IY3CyrN/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">September 9 response</a> in which the spy network would neither confirm nor deny the existence of records that would reveal an unacknowledged or classified association with Acuff. Known as a "Glomar response," the Agency explained that the admission of the existence or nonexistence of such records is a fact that is exempt under the FOIA.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Agency did, however, provide copies of two previously released documents that reference Acuff. The first is an intriguing, two-page, unattributed profile of NICAP as cited and explored in <i>Wayward Sons</i>. The second is a 24-page Robert J. Durant essay, <i>Will the Real Scott Jones Please Stand Up?</i>. The 1990s Durant work, widely known among researchers familiar with the latter 20th century saucers and spooks scene, apparently found its way into possession of the CIA for what may be a variety of possible reasons and came to be archived on its website.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jack Acuff took charge of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena in the wake of the removal of Donald Keyhoe as director. Staffer Stuart Nixon was given Keyhoe's former position in what became known as the Acuff-Nixon era of the UFO organization. Speculation and accusations of hidden intelligence community agendas involving NICAP echoed throughout the UFO subculture and continue to be popularly accepted today among those familiar with the circumstances.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The two-page document carries the heading, "National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP)," and appears to possibly be a draft of a memo or report. The name of an author is not included and the specific purpose of the document is not clear, although it is apparent that NICAP structure and operating methods were the focus of the work. It places Nixon as director and Acuff on the Editorial Review Board, suggesting the date of the piece was the early 1970s. The two pages were apparently originally approved for release by the CIA in 2010.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The document goes on to break down the education and scientific backgrounds of select NICAP volunteers. "All investigators carry credentials identifying them as investigators for NICAP," the author informs the unknown intended audience.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">From the document:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3q2RcBYcAuZqK6OK7rAZJJc_Bfi6lzeM_JtTPwjNGdZIeUuAtybTJcWeVyXhU57ycLaYWelU6J30R_w66ke4trps2K8ZlHOhs_sY_A0vzHciFZ3LmbEdnG6_dhd2s3JUCZXa0YBcBLt9dMDc4KYLQ7XBvNxEfeO7Xh2V7fq6PNNYOdt-WtcsAZgXSyw"><img alt="" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="611" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3q2RcBYcAuZqK6OK7rAZJJc_Bfi6lzeM_JtTPwjNGdZIeUuAtybTJcWeVyXhU57ycLaYWelU6J30R_w66ke4trps2K8ZlHOhs_sY_A0vzHciFZ3LmbEdnG6_dhd2s3JUCZXa0YBcBLt9dMDc4KYLQ7XBvNxEfeO7Xh2V7fq6PNNYOdt-WtcsAZgXSyw=w400-h254" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><i>Will the Real Scott Jones Please Stand Up?</i> takes readers through the shenanigans and misadventures of intelligence professional Cecil B. "Scott" Jones and a surrounding cast of dubious characters. Many of them have been explored on this blog, including Jones himself, who I <a href="https://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2012/02/interesting-eventful-and-incredible.html" target="_blank">interviewed by email in 2012</a>. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Acuff makes an appearance in the essay when author Durant quotes the work of Fawcett and Greenwood (<i>Clear Intent</i>). They explained how prior to serving as president of NICAP, Acuff "was the head of the Society of Photographic Scientists and Engineers (SPSE), a frequent target of Russian spying attempts and a group that had many members involved in Defense Department intelligence units, including the CIA."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Acuff was indeed but one NICAP officer of many with significant and direct ties to intelligence agencies. Stuart Nixon left NICAP in 1974, which was the same year Sen. Barry Goldwater joined the Board of Directors. Goldwater went on to chair both the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Intelligence Committee.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 1978, Acuff now-infamously sold the NICAP mailing list to a Toronto-based Nazi group. Twice. The purchaser, Ernst Zundel, aka Christoff Freidrich, was reportedly none too pleased because the list included 8,000 names of people who were physically dead (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p-FTDbGq2J6swauPM0lqSj2CSy8y0dY0/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">see pp1-3</a>). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The office of Goldwater was likewise not thrilled with the turn of events, at least due to the potential publicity problems, but relations </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">between Acuff and the Senator apparently</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> did not entirely go south. Although Acuff was replaced at president by Harry Cooper in 1978, he did not depart NICAP for good until 1982. This happened after he secured a four-digit cash settlement from the org for what at least one member reportedly described as holding its files ransom (</span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p-FTDbGq2J6swauPM0lqSj2CSy8y0dY0/view?usp=sharing" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">see p14</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a letter dated January 29, 1982 and shown below, Acuff notified Goldwater he was leaving the Board (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cCWfOyEdzm5tLaUkO8TyDOmkTqEV2VQL/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">see p21</a>). Acuff thanked the Senator for the help he and his staff gave him.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQCT1KM4E46o4o2JTjt9tLu_n8WTElcj6SyyruZB5NJM9_lRAFug7s9cYe6GC--znlWJYO015609ox-L_menpPEOzaxqbp-XLlffSm7LKQ2TMJQgAy-w9dDN8o42i4xKffUpAqiUdeUoSOvvSBG2AEUCiRJ58j6fWuIBLsexiHAW9-fpG5kJlOD-5Dxw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="418" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQCT1KM4E46o4o2JTjt9tLu_n8WTElcj6SyyruZB5NJM9_lRAFug7s9cYe6GC--znlWJYO015609ox-L_menpPEOzaxqbp-XLlffSm7LKQ2TMJQgAy-w9dDN8o42i4xKffUpAqiUdeUoSOvvSBG2AEUCiRJ58j6fWuIBLsexiHAW9-fpG5kJlOD-5Dxw=w323-h400" width="323" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span><p></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-89201639145557751942022-08-09T13:53:00.004-04:002022-08-09T16:16:27.465-04:00Responsive Records on 'Coast to Coast' Relevant to Pending Law Enforcement Proceedings: FBI<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Material responsive to a FOIA request on Coast to Coast AM is located in an investigative file, an <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YEfZmT0FHtm16vxWFDQr4o3xSubOMnTC/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">August 2 FBI response</a> to the request stated. The Bureau added the responsive records are law enforcement records. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"[T]here is a pending or prospective law enforcement proceeding relevant to these responsive records," the Bureau continued in the response, "and release of the information could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings. Therefore, your request is being administratively closed."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The FOIA request sought records cross-referencing or pertaining to Coast to Coast AM, a late-night fringe talk show that typically explores paranormal topics and conspiracy theories. The request was submitted at the suggestion of researcher, archivist, and host of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/EricaLukes" target="_blank">UFO Classified</a>, Erica Lukes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">From the FBI response:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-4kLxnvOjBGsFI_MGitPfe9pizBnsB2pls2lg6iRE2p1qRovQefF8it27cxVhzDfyXidwedMtMlisfkVCp1LCIJ_fv-g0pAx0sDBresvpLe7Ajs2y4opmG2zWecRQMowLhYXBvKTs8csUwHYddUvvbMHeDMl2OcvWo5yCdFJNfooctgbXd39Xd7CQZQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="647" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-4kLxnvOjBGsFI_MGitPfe9pizBnsB2pls2lg6iRE2p1qRovQefF8it27cxVhzDfyXidwedMtMlisfkVCp1LCIJ_fv-g0pAx0sDBresvpLe7Ajs2y4opmG2zWecRQMowLhYXBvKTs8csUwHYddUvvbMHeDMl2OcvWo5yCdFJNfooctgbXd39Xd7CQZQ=w400-h214" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Coast to Coast is no stranger to controversy, hosted from 1988-2000 by the late Art Bell. It was during Bell's time at the mic that such sagas as Heaven's Gate, Art's Parts, and the Area 51 Caller were broadcast to millions of listeners. </span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: verdana;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3OgE7GDThxtoa5YDLtiuNkzWqzxmvA336Z1uMNeh6u5LjHc-os2qay9nHSVl6wFHebyUxFoOnB6y5cWjLpNWWMmE1EaNznjG7S5QDVTcABEl0UpSiqtfSplkyh9z0nhLqQA3UwmV45LQ9QraEeFsS9FNmA4pnG4FcRgt_sFED_NSE7W6TpD9VGyj1iQ" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="220" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3OgE7GDThxtoa5YDLtiuNkzWqzxmvA336Z1uMNeh6u5LjHc-os2qay9nHSVl6wFHebyUxFoOnB6y5cWjLpNWWMmE1EaNznjG7S5QDVTcABEl0UpSiqtfSplkyh9z0nhLqQA3UwmV45LQ9QraEeFsS9FNmA4pnG4FcRgt_sFED_NSE7W6TpD9VGyj1iQ" width="118" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">C2C's George Noory</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">In more recent years, Coast to Coast host George Noory increasingly provided a platform to controversial rightwing figures and their talking points. His counterpart George Knapp uncritically promoted Skinwalker Ranch lore and defended sensational tales told by defense officials claiming knowledge of paranormal activity and nonhuman intelligences.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It should be noted the responsive records may be nothing more than mentions of Coast to Coast, such as references to guests appearing on the show, or similar asides. The significance of the records, acknowledged by the FBI to exist, cannot be established without examining the material.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In its August 2 FOIA response, the FBI cited Exemption (b)(7)(a) for withholding the responsive records. The exemption states records compiled for law enforcement purposes are exempt from disclosure under the FOIA, but only to the extent producing the records could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">An appeal was therefore submitted, requesting further review of the responsive records to ensure they are not part of a former investigation, or a once prospective investigation that is at this point not reasonably expected to proceed. Under such circumstances, as compared to an active investigation, the records may be subject to release. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The appeal additionally presented for consideration that Coast to Coast AM attracts 2.75 million listeners per week across some 600 American radio stations plus international affiliates. The records therefore represent a potentially significant public interest. The appeal is in process as of this writing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In other developments, the <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fbi-search-at-trump-e2-80-99s-mar-a-lago-home-tied-to-classified-material-sources-say/ar-AA10s5Qh" target="_blank">FBI executed a search warrant</a> Monday at the Mar-A-Lago home of former President Donald Trump. The FBI reportedly spent the majority of the day at the location conducting a search related to the National Archives. National security analysts suspect the raid to be related to classified records Trump took with him from Washington to Florida after losing his 2020 re-election bid. More specifically, what he was doing with the information contained in those classified records may be more at issue than their unlawful removal. </span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-51731809751125135332022-07-23T12:07:00.003-04:002022-07-23T22:44:45.937-04:00Working the FOIA<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> Earlier this year I submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for all records cross-referencing or pertaining to Ira Samuel Einhorn. The late Einhorn, dubbed the "Unicorn Killer," was convicted of the murder of his former girlfriend Holly Maddux. It is a tragic and somewhat complex saga that winds through the environmental activist community and an international trail of evading authorities.</span></span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: verdana;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhi3ZGxKvvbOeHICIghLQ25WW1yBpfCQx9wuO3Eykij9BvVr_DoyNdkCzmpE5tDL5tx0oBhZba-2cahvBQB9_8lkKT7lqw8AJowhknQWnm-WgzA8JnksSsZ6L735z9p4M-6eEVyHEn2V_0rkddUKj6a1mL38azqoUrVoe_SLl2dGaWMky9knplwjbWZEg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="107" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhi3ZGxKvvbOeHICIghLQ25WW1yBpfCQx9wuO3Eykij9BvVr_DoyNdkCzmpE5tDL5tx0oBhZba-2cahvBQB9_8lkKT7lqw8AJowhknQWnm-WgzA8JnksSsZ6L735z9p4M-6eEVyHEn2V_0rkddUKj6a1mL38azqoUrVoe_SLl2dGaWMky9knplwjbWZEg=w160-h200" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The infamous Einhorn</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">Maddux disappeared in 1977 during a trip to gather her belongings from an apartment she and Einhorn previously shared in Philadelphia. A year and a half later her remains were found in a trunk in his closet. Einhorn fled to Europe and was assisted by supporters who he convinced of his innocence. He was not arrested until 1997 in France, and even then the extradition process proved complicated. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Einhorn was eventually convicted in 2002, but not before taking the witness stand in his own defense and claiming the CIA killed Maddux. He asserted he was set up because he knew too much about the Agency's military paranormal research. The case resulted in researchers such as Mark Pilkington and Greg Bishop showing interest over the years. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Einhorn died of reportedly natural causes in a Pennsylvania prison in 2020. For those wondering, he was called the Unicorn Killer because "Einhorn" apparently translates to "unicorn" in German.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So a few months ago some friends were discussing the case and I offered to submit a FOIA request to the FBI. The <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q9Koe4qav5qyq87F7UXFPCWhSsf0JeZj/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Bureau responded in May</a> with <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1keOfAJgGdPXNF74uY2cbJD5o_n4t9uGl?usp=sharing" target="_blank">356 pages of records</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, the response indicated the Bureau was simply providing records which were previously offered in response to other requesters:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgc9oI0tEqb3BOi4AENls4hIrh8ZO9S5YMx2vVvJekUBKB9Oh-XhsHJ_w6DN6PUQ3jQ0MDmSQEX-Bf91WCZ5yfitO-2yYdDqxcd2cwUIniTKjtK0hGKOxVJEdeG-CuBL-XXIk1fwQZRpxoohEVqjzQxqRWMuDesfNA7VhMLgyETSPxRhvmv23WSJ29z5Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="596" height="78" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgc9oI0tEqb3BOi4AENls4hIrh8ZO9S5YMx2vVvJekUBKB9Oh-XhsHJ_w6DN6PUQ3jQ0MDmSQEX-Bf91WCZ5yfitO-2yYdDqxcd2cwUIniTKjtK0hGKOxVJEdeG-CuBL-XXIk1fwQZRpxoohEVqjzQxqRWMuDesfNA7VhMLgyETSPxRhvmv23WSJ29z5Q=w400-h78" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />This means a thorough search was not actually conducted, but the request was filled by providing the material already offered in response to the same or similar requests. As once pointed out by John Greenewald, an effective means of having an additional search conducted is to promptly respond with a request for all records not included in the release.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I realize this sounds crazy. A FOIA request gets submitted for all records on XYZ, the agency responds, then the requester asks for all the records not included in all the XYZ records. Like, <i>no, really, all the records</i>. But this technique results in additional documents a rather surprising amount of the time. While it is indeed a little crazy, it makes a bit more sense when understood from the perspective the initial response was pretty much nothing more than giving the requester what was already provided to previous requesters.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this specific instance, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HL2RHU64z7mD8Y14qbfi464-lmSdxfj-/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">FBI notified me July 19</a> of an additional 4,473 pages of potentially responsive records not included in the initial response to my request:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhha5HtRTnXEho8CnratOn3ndYYJ0fvXyAIdhdrmxk689NX4hcSJUGC1mjDkzXUaQcMAglfq_wsEyIhx_0jKmI2vGc7sZB2jK7gFDOe62QwBT1pnnsghXHrK5vZokKVS0O1wNki4ddax2znF3rphB2FhjJIx57uhT9l4xAnhvTz8T1W8SwE0gBcm6BBiA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="642" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhha5HtRTnXEho8CnratOn3ndYYJ0fvXyAIdhdrmxk689NX4hcSJUGC1mjDkzXUaQcMAglfq_wsEyIhx_0jKmI2vGc7sZB2jK7gFDOe62QwBT1pnnsghXHrK5vZokKVS0O1wNki4ddax2znF3rphB2FhjJIx57uhT9l4xAnhvTz8T1W8SwE0gBcm6BBiA=w400-h138" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />A large number of additional documents does not always prove to be as interesting as it initially seems. For instance, sometimes 356 pages of XYZ may be stored in a much larger folder containing thousands of pages pertaining to similar cases as XYZ, perhaps from the same era or general topic. Nonetheless, one might indeed prefer to be made aware of such records and browse the material for them self. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The quoted cost of a reproduction of the roughly 4,500 pages is $130 which may be delivered in pdf in nine monthly increments of about 500 pages each. I will probably order the material and post it as I periodically receive it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In related FOIA news, I received <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-rzjdtH73g0vVaB-Fz5wo1nvQUsnVSFN?usp=sharing" target="_blank">47 pages of previously released FBI records on George Hunter White</a> in April. White was a Federal Bureau of Narcotics agent who parlayed his career underperformance into becoming a member of the MKULTRA crew. He ran houses of ill repute for the CIA where hookers dosed unsuspecting Johns in the name of national security and science. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwawzkxzphuJlm8g_1jgun5KDDkhz-98bc-94tcqNP2XafLVIVo1xSbEiRoDKviVPsn6NVUM9F9vlwKqxepe2Iml9vk0Z1wTghzx55B8csQTsG0aim0UQNzM9S7L-ykP-3dHB_MmOKvQTsUjrFjD_peiROBk0Gb8hxJFEScGB7tKe9pUm6W0qCZC14Xg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="160" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwawzkxzphuJlm8g_1jgun5KDDkhz-98bc-94tcqNP2XafLVIVo1xSbEiRoDKviVPsn6NVUM9F9vlwKqxepe2Iml9vk0Z1wTghzx55B8csQTsG0aim0UQNzM9S7L-ykP-3dHB_MmOKvQTsUjrFjD_peiROBk0Gb8hxJFEScGB7tKe9pUm6W0qCZC14Xg=w152-h200" width="152" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">According to John Marks, the overindulging White once had a fender bender in the neighborhood of a CIA-sponsored brothel, resulting in the Agency paying cash for damages to the other driver in an effort to protect the cover of Operation Climax. He reportedly once used a gun to shoot his initials in the ceiling of a New Orleans hotel room. He's also the guy that released hallucinogenic chemicals on a New York subway for the Agency you may have heard about. Real charmer, this guy. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In response to my request for all records not included in the initial response, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bERbUS83kHfgA1BbwV82yTUb-4CE6iJT/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">FBI replied July 20</a> that additional responsive records were transferred to the National Archives:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIP4zPuPpBkDGbMLgKs-t1twE4uHbOzCE---enKYHA56BvGBZ-H2QU9exIao06X_oq_NNh6YwlIMMRbO0yaSYqIKSArbztjHvEbo94P2o6x2BUtfyHJ8u4EwwPAIAGXZ9ovNqe9LuUXjGh8ewd13KiUs2wwD_zg9avCDRswGpg3Oy6Cj69MTvEPKzMMg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="157" data-original-width="570" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIP4zPuPpBkDGbMLgKs-t1twE4uHbOzCE---enKYHA56BvGBZ-H2QU9exIao06X_oq_NNh6YwlIMMRbO0yaSYqIKSArbztjHvEbo94P2o6x2BUtfyHJ8u4EwwPAIAGXZ9ovNqe9LuUXjGh8ewd13KiUs2wwD_zg9avCDRswGpg3Oy6Cj69MTvEPKzMMg=w400-h110" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />I will post from <a href="https://twitter.com/TheUFOTrail" target="_blank">my Twitter account</a> as I learn more about the number of pages involved and as I obtain the files. NARA will advise of the circumstances in response to a request for the material.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I discussed in WAYWARD SONS: NICAP and the IC, the FBI may offer insights into CIA personnel and activities that are not always accessible through the Agency. Director Hoover had his nose in virtually everything, and FBI files may reflect espionage investigations, background checks for security clearance, and any number of circumstances which provide more material than released by CIA.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Along those lines, readers of WAYWARD SONS will recall the significance of the Office of Policy Coordination, a 1948-1952 front for the CIA and State Department. From the book:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>In 1949 the OPC had a total of 302 personnel.
By 1952 it had 2,812 with an additional 3,142 overseas contract personnel. The 1949 OPC budget was
$4.7 million. Just three years later, in 1952, it was $82
million. By the time of its merge with the Office of Special Operations, OPC activities included worldwide
covert missions conducted out of some 47 overseas
stations. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The previously cited 1973 CIA intelligence
study and its assertion the Clandestine Services
stepped up the pace thereafter could certainly be interpreted as significant, if not outright mind boggling.
The study references a CIA-composed history of the
OPC made up of five volumes, consisting of 722
pages plus three appendices and eleven attachments
(To the best of my knowledge, the five-volume OPC
history has not yet been released, although a partially
redacted version of its introduction is contained in the
referenced 1973 CIA Studies in Intelligence).</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The OPC originally operated on the watch of Director of Central Intelligence Roscoe Hillenkoetter. Col. Joseph Bryan III was recruited and ran a psy warfare subdivision consisting of such notable characters as E. Howard Hunt. Both Hillenkoetter and Bryan were destined to play influential roles on the board of directors of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Curiously, Hillenkoetter's CIA successor, DCI Walter Bedell Smith, expressed interest in the use of the UFO topic as a psy warfare tool. He wanted to know "what use could be made of the UFO phenomenon in connection with US psychological warfare efforts," <a href="https://www.cia.gov/static/105bd8290b90de13ee136fecc9fe863f/cia-role-study-UFOs.pdf" target="_blank">according to the CIA</a> itself. In 1950, DCI Smith took complete control of the Office of Policy Coordination from the State Department. Surrounding circumstances and the cast of characters are explored at length in WAYWARD SONS.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On July 21 the FBI responded to a 2021 FOIA request on the Office of Policy Coordination. All responsive material was withheld in full:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOO286gAQ2qze5aN6JkwLfq3FplLOkcFeVAOdzqVenfNZRf-YeSPeZz1LqHwuzMT2oOV7qKiIywm7KiSgnp--nlHynOi7j5XUZsXlxgnlclkI5NuKAJo-aPNGeS0TDW8DKn7Uda3v2NQWOCIXlJGx6ASQ1qj7VN5Qe1rSem50VMbsYDGVsrAkwbo4wug" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="659" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOO286gAQ2qze5aN6JkwLfq3FplLOkcFeVAOdzqVenfNZRf-YeSPeZz1LqHwuzMT2oOV7qKiIywm7KiSgnp--nlHynOi7j5XUZsXlxgnlclkI5NuKAJo-aPNGeS0TDW8DKn7Uda3v2NQWOCIXlJGx6ASQ1qj7VN5Qe1rSem50VMbsYDGVsrAkwbo4wug=w400-h115" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />The cited exemptions involve privacy and security issues. I am in the process of appealing the FBI determination to withhold the material, most, if not all, of which is now over 70 years old.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I recommend those interested in studying the FOIA process (and particularly obtaining related resources) follow <a href="https://twitter.com/bethbourdon" target="_blank">Beth Bourdon</a>, a fulltime attorney and parttime FOIA activist. She maintains a Patreon which has proven valuable in furthering my understandings of FOIA appeals as well as related steps of effectively navigating the entire process.</span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-28749683988399488632022-07-10T17:15:00.003-04:002022-07-10T17:15:51.361-04:00Skinwalker Transparency and Burden of Proof<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>The Uintah County Sheriff's Office (UCSO) issued a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kibz3wtXNxquVEJxWsJ8XHwN6sywIUXZ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">response to a records request</a> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">that it shows no record or contact at the property popularly known as Skinwalker Ranch. Records are no longer kept on file that date earlier than 2007, the UCSO added in its response dated July 7. The request specifically sought all records cross-referencing or pertaining to Skinwalker Ranch, Sherman Ranch, Myers Ranch and/or the physical address of the property, which was provided in the request, with a date range of 1983 to present.</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqy_JKcwK_95iJI7RiLgUJZkJHOidvLen0fnGqDdvysadyx6W2HjcbcvPFPozL2kNq7BkRKKjZMcVDIBSmQRu9VNZPwNJX8eYPVkslMkDPzXNoatj87E3RF8ZT7SJsXx5Za8gtMakkOpGLrUYa1E_dKADaJxH1qQnp0ZCXrUdu-KlvDN5CYiWAy5eCag" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="353" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqy_JKcwK_95iJI7RiLgUJZkJHOidvLen0fnGqDdvysadyx6W2HjcbcvPFPozL2kNq7BkRKKjZMcVDIBSmQRu9VNZPwNJX8eYPVkslMkDPzXNoatj87E3RF8ZT7SJsXx5Za8gtMakkOpGLrUYa1E_dKADaJxH1qQnp0ZCXrUdu-KlvDN5CYiWAy5eCag=w200-h168" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">The inquiry resulted from a June Twitter exchange with Brandon Fugal, in which the current ranch owner and television personality </span><a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonFugal/status/1538255996069347328?s=20&t=-suggFsz9tCyfWrf_Cmbyw" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">alluded to law enforcement responses</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to the property reportedly taking place during the 1980s. Following requests for citations, Fugal provided a </span><a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonFugal/status/1538259822943952896?s=20&t=-suggFsz9tCyfWrf_Cmbyw" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">link to an interview</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> of an apparent former Uintah County Deputy Sheriff, Kris Porritt. I indicated I was interested in original law enforcement reports resulting from any such police responses, as compared to witness testimony. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fugal then provided me with the contact info of an associate he suggested I contact for further inquiry. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I subsequently had a series of email exchanges with the individual, who initially offered to speak by phone. I advised that I may not require that much of their time and attention, further explaining I was seeking either law enforcement records or information to assist me in submitting a request for such records. They clarified they do not have any police reports. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">At my request, Fugal's associate helpfully provided additional information that would potentially support an effective records inquiry. It was after my email exchange with them that the request was submitted to the Uintah County Sheriff's Office. The person asked me to inform them of results, to which I agreed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Saturday I emailed the individual a copy of the response from the UCSO and offered them an opportunity to comment for this blogpost. They responded that they respectfully do not wish to comment, nor do they give consent to use their name or any information they shared regarding the ranch. I opt to honor their request, curious as the circumstances may be. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The irony of the turn of events is rather striking, given Fugal's consistent claims of transparency, combined with the fact it was he who recommended in the first place I consult his associate concerning my search for law enforcement records. In the event you're wondering, the information shared with me was not shockingly damning by any means, but suffice it to say neither did it strongly support urban legends associated with police calls to Skinwalker Ranch. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was after I provided both Fugal and his associate the UCSO response, and after I informed Fugal of aspects of the email exchange with his associate (in order to offer Fugal an opportunity to comment on the specific circumstances), that the individual - who initially offered to speak by phone - advised me of their request to neither be named nor quoted. We can only speculate exactly how that evolved.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Offered an opportunity to address the circumstances, Fugal responded in a long message that he spoke to his associate and indicated they are concerned I have a "clear negative bias." According to Fugal, they therefore do not want their name associated with an attempt to disparage witnesses. Fugal suggested he<span style="background-color: white;"> applauds what I do "</span></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">relative to calling out people who are exploiting the phenomenon or spreading disinformation and lies," yet alternatively went on to state I give voice to people who hide behind a cloak of hypocritical skepticism or self-righteous critical thinking. Some, he stated, are clearly dishonest. He also stated he hopes I am honest and not a disinformation agent.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">Fugal was obviously much less inhibited about commenting than the person who</span> will remain nameless who he initially recommended I hit up for info. Directing our attention back to his original statements about law enforcement records, Fugal stated t</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">he lack of corroborating records "doesn't make the fact that [Porritt] went on record regarding the multiple events that occurred and his relationship with Ken Myers any less real or true. For instance, I have closed billions of dollars of transactions going back to 1991, but in countless cases couldn't give you the exact dates of groundbreaking events, transactions closing or key meetings with leaders structuring some of the most important business deals in the Intermountain West. My testimony and track record stands."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll let the reader decide the tenability of the argument. Fugal further asserted they have interviewed other law enforcement professionals who "recall responding to incidents in the area" that predate the Sherman and Bigelow era.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1419;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Furthermore," Fugal continued, "we have an interview with a respected professional who had a firsthand experience coming on to the ranch in 1984, who did provide exact dates, who happened upon a freshly surgically dissected cow in the same area on the property that other strange incidents have occurred in the field just south of Homestead 1." </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1419;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The apparent respected professional and an accompanying friend were so disturbed, Fugal continued, they promptly reported the circumstances to law enforcement. Fugal hopes to obtain permission to release the account to the public, along with what he described as additional witness testimony, seemingly either ignoring or oblivious to the relative lack of value such material has to a more discerning research community not under the ether of Skinwalker lore. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1419;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Similarly, Fugal explained how a member of his security detail interviewed many retired officers who attest to strange and disturbing activity. Their accounts go back many decades, he contends.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #0f1419;">"</span>Since I know you have a tendency to give weight and voice to the criticism of people with no credibility or credentials, I encourage you to continue to interact with people who actually know what they are talking about. My professional track record and history is unimpeachable, as is the case with my principal investigator/physicist, ranch manager, law enforcement & superintendent."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fugal's remark about me giving a voice to criticism may be related to my willingness to explore the arguments of those which include James Carrion. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fugal has previously expressed disappointment to me specifically about my interest in Carrion's perspectives.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I identify </span><a href="https://historydeceived.blogspot.com/2021/12/where-theres-smoke-theres-mirrors.html" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Carrion's criticism</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> of the Skinwalker saga and television series as worthy of consideration, particularly in the context of Fugal's persistent suggestions the show portrays legitimate scientific study. Related posts may be found at Carrion's blog in addition to the example linked above. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What would Fugal say to people who might feel he is attempting to stack the deck by suggesting he has documentation of law enforcement responses while no actual records of such responses, or what was originally recorded in them, is available?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"</span><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: verdana;">Transcribed
interviews & testimony from former law enforcement stating they
responded to incidents on the ranch in the mid-1980s constitutes
documentation. We have verified that the people involved and cited
were indeed acting in that capacity during that timeframe and have no
reason to doubt their testimony or credibility. Although you were
unable to obtain the actual records from the Sheriff’s office from
that time period, you cannot say that the events did not occur."</span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: verdana;">Fugal </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">directly denied he is trying to stack the deck, continuing,</span><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: verdana;"> "My own firsthand experience
(with multiple witnesses) coupled with countless events with data
involving 3rd party experts has proven (so far) there is no
conventional, prosaic explanation for past & present
extraordinary events at Skinwalker Ranch. I respectfully request that
you take a balanced view and appreciate you giving me the opportunity
to respond & address your questions."</span></p><p><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiL2zpqLkwks0sAJ91cz5uRpHAUnVw9VkEB_F-QK39NCob28HBlvEoAcmdcxYhMWQXBUSfmquOo-p8UQBBcNF-UJWdgRLCws0YVI4jhPZSLGUINUSqzNZnL4Y-8AzF0sStw8cNjivdYXTJuWUa1z9TV9bbf5gU1yRwz2oIMZL5YDOypCAw0IAZq27J-IA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiL2zpqLkwks0sAJ91cz5uRpHAUnVw9VkEB_F-QK39NCob28HBlvEoAcmdcxYhMWQXBUSfmquOo-p8UQBBcNF-UJWdgRLCws0YVI4jhPZSLGUINUSqzNZnL4Y-8AzF0sStw8cNjivdYXTJuWUa1z9TV9bbf5gU1yRwz2oIMZL5YDOypCAw0IAZq27J-IA=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>There are a number of people in addition to James Carrion who challenge several aspects of Brandon Fugal's stated positions, and one of those people is Erica Lukes. T<span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: verdana;">he outspoken host of </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/EricaLukes" target="_blank">UFO Classified</a> understands the winding Skinwalker saga and personally knows the players about as well as anybody who rolls the UFO dice. </span><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: verdana;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #0f1419;">"When
bold claims are made about a particular location having an excessive
number of paranormal phenomena, the expectation for me is that they
are not just narrative tall tales but are well-documented, testable
events," Lukes responded. "Can the anomalous nature of these events be demonstrated
beyond 'they came without warning and left without warning' that
we always seem to get in such reporting? </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">"I</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">f
they can’t rise above the usual level of narrative
story-telling, there is a presumption that errors can be introduced
into the events. After all, the usual method of relating the details
is done verbally from the mouths of human beings, a notoriously
flawed means of recording transient events. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It’s
a mistake to accept verbal testimony at face value without extensive
testing of that information by means of questions designed to assess
the accuracy and consistency of the related information."</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some people don't see the issue as a matter of verifying claims, but suggest those who do not unquestioningly embrace the stories must be calling the supporters of those stories frauds. What would she say to them?</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"No,
not frauds, at least initially," Lukes explained. "Fraud comes from deliberate intent to
deceive. Supporters of the claims can simply be accepting bad
information by not exercising due diligence at considering all the
more possible mundane explanations before opting towards the unusual,
sensational ones."</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What
does Lukes think is most important for people to keep in mind when
considering claims associated with the ranch?</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: verdana;">"It's
critical to understand that as with any extraordinary assertions, the
burden of proof is on those making the assertions and not on those
raising questions about them. That is real science."</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: verdana;"><b>Conclusions</b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>The lack of significant documentation of sensational Skinwalker claims continues to haunt the saga worse than a hitchhiking bipedal wolf. While a valid argument can be made that a lack of UCSO records does not completely negate the testimony of Porritt, the fact remains law enforcement visits to the ranch cannot be verified. More importantly, the extent anyone may have originally perceived the events as extraordinary cannot be verified. We are unable to examine descriptions of events and the interpretations of those involved as may have been entered into original police reports. This does not allow us to compare those reports to the possibly dramatic narrations recorded decades later for an entertainment-based television show. It seems the UFO subculture indeed often needs to be reminded the burden of proof is on the claimant.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As observable in various internet spaces, a concerning aspect of the online Skinwalker fan base and cast is their tendency to sensationalize until checked. They then encourage more patience for ongoing investigations, as if they have not been suggesting all along a supernatural presence is a foregone conclusion. They <i>are</i> promoting conclusions; many of them only deny it and urge suspension of judgment when called on it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Investigations, by definition, must include systematic examination. That is particularly the case if framed as scientific activity. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">One might get the idea the faithful would never tap the brakes if their claims went entirely unchallenged. When challenged, a typical response is to act as if a request for proportionate evidence is unreasonable, as if anything less than extending limitless patience and unquestioning belief is a disrespectful personal attack. All of this without so much as forming a hypothesis, identifying a sustained research objective, or proposing how progress will be measured. We're in for a long wait under such conditions. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-24906794424182359422022-06-30T09:48:00.004-04:002022-06-30T22:04:32.792-04:00Timing Is Everything<p><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> A self-described journalist recently published a story about a scientist who is a participant in the intelligence community as well as a television personality prone to making dubious statements. It was revealed the scientist at the least contributed to the UAP Task Force. That contribution may have been substantial.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3ZXHUkMWcZSIPFkhfOGgmTM43cyDpyw7hS1797yp_pcZa6hd28sAzryXBVmyVcLA-kSdWju2ItsFGTXQt0otUNV7-8JgE24JDeQrdRAGlUIX4QNb8QriAEOdNDWDSkdULEiMWTaFB8ykz_IY5dyriN93qkOCBBMjmiyTW0j-KgOmjkqjQj0tfrODsuQ" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="220" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3ZXHUkMWcZSIPFkhfOGgmTM43cyDpyw7hS1797yp_pcZa6hd28sAzryXBVmyVcLA-kSdWju2ItsFGTXQt0otUNV7-8JgE24JDeQrdRAGlUIX4QNb8QriAEOdNDWDSkdULEiMWTaFB8ykz_IY5dyriN93qkOCBBMjmiyTW0j-KgOmjkqjQj0tfrODsuQ=w200-h193" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">He makes his living on the evening news</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It should be noted that same reporter was apparently aware of the Advanced Aerospace Weapon Systems Application Program for years prior to running with the story. When the light apparently finally turned green to grace the public with the news, the reporting included a series of unsourced documents frequently implied to verify things that actually were not established in the material at all. That same reporter went on, for rather inexplicable reasons, to co-author a self-published book on the AAWSAP and its sensational urban legends, the timing of which remains unclear.</span></span><p></p><p><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Other reporters - journalists, they like to be considered - who were credited with breaking the AAWSAP story fully acknowledge its context was spun for optimum acceptance by the public. Selective omission was standard operations. One of these reporters, who at one point asserted he was purposely misled by his otherwise informed sources, is appearing with said sources at a UFO conference, moderating what is billed as a government secrecy panel.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately, these are not isolated events, but arguably make up the bulk of some of the most popularly embraced aspects of news pertaining to the Pentagon UFO program. In yet another instance, a complaint apparently filed on behalf of a self-described UFO project VIP to the DOD Office of Inspector General was quoted by a reporter for months - without publishing the document. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">More recently, the complaint was published with redactions. It was not accompanied by a chain of custody, explanation for the redactions, or any info about how decisions were reached to previously withhold and eventually release the document.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Besides what should be the obvious concerns about the reliability of information that is inherent to circumstances as described above, it should also be considered that the timing of the news drops is likely not arbitrary. There seems to be a process, whatever it may be, that dictates how and when reporters select to omit and provide information. They are almost entirely not reporting that process, which should not go unnoticed.</span></span><br /></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-63382776137337842672022-05-26T10:54:00.002-04:002022-05-26T14:19:34.013-04:00UFO World from the Cheap Seats<p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span> </span>A</span><span style="color: #1d2228;"> lot of what happens in UFO World is cyclical and repetitive. Sometimes it overlaps with the rest of society, and the circumstances are inevitably indicative of a variety of agendas among the most prominent players. Lots of layers of motives. It's not as if politicians effectively hide that's the case, but people still want to argue that if some Senator or Congressperson says something, that makes it more valid. It doesn't necessarily, and there is no substitute for observing universally recognized standards of evidence. It takes continuous conscious decisions to be committed to objectivity through recognizing the importance of standards of evidence, and UFO World, if nothing else, offers an abundance of opportunities to strengthen that practice.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: verdana;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitKGvtZtG_BOlBXWyXtFarFcK0aS2u9IO7pSI4a6oEjIM1zw2o7FUrZse2CV3OqkYLqq11JSywGvNdAmz3NwA5n4oOjvHyZ119fohXHzCYdCqyeDfNQmxedMhfFamvbrTAUmXVcxsgJiRR_7EGsc7MnTszlr18Ee90QAMBA-9Wwc75wAVjNdJUzZH5vw" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="95" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitKGvtZtG_BOlBXWyXtFarFcK0aS2u9IO7pSI4a6oEjIM1zw2o7FUrZse2CV3OqkYLqq11JSywGvNdAmz3NwA5n4oOjvHyZ119fohXHzCYdCqyeDfNQmxedMhfFamvbrTAUmXVcxsgJiRR_7EGsc7MnTszlr18Ee90QAMBA-9Wwc75wAVjNdJUzZH5vw=w158-h200" width="158" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The late Sen. Reid</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">From the best I can tell, we have a situation where Sen. Reid saw to it that Robert Bigelow received funding. The purposes of the work conducted under the grant award seemed to be misrepresented to the DIA. That gets a little murky, as these things do, but then the funding was clearly discontinued. The circumstances were eventually egregiously and willfully mischaracterized by Kean and others in their reporting.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">Any way one slices it, a public relations campaign was successfully executed by Mellon, Elizondo, and TTSA. It appears at that point they had favor with select politicians who saw it beneficial to champion their story, and these politicians had abilities to make hearings happen. This has all happened before, but that's not really my point, deserving of mention as it may be.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">Now here we are, post-hearings, with little to nothing more than we started with because much of it was built on unverified stories and exaggerations in the first place. As I see it, there really is no way to have Robert Bigelow in a story or chain of events without the story being suspect. One just has to ignore too many circumstances to frame it otherwise, and I think writers and researchers do a disservice to their readers who ignore the history of his ethical failings. Same for the gross miscalculations, conflicting statements, and general buffoonery out of his camp for some 30 years.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">Meanwhile, we continue to await circumstances of scientific merit to be presented by these people who claim to have been conducting scientific investigation. Where is the substance, the reports demonstrating systematic and careful investigation? You know, the science? </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">A number of people and outlets enabled the lapse in prioritizing standards of evidence, many of which are actually taken advantage of by those who perpetually fail to produce all this big evidence that never seems to make it to the light of day. Unfortunately, in UFO World it is not just a lapse. It's a feature, not a bug.</span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-57240757523453286062022-05-22T12:19:00.007-04:002022-05-24T06:42:01.531-04:00Hall, Keyhoe and the FBI<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> Richard </span>Hall served as Donald Keyhoe's assistant in the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. He is credited as the driving force behind <i>The UFO Evidence</i>, a 1964 report embodying some 750 of what NICAP deemed its most compelling cases. The organization compiled over 5,000 UFO reports by that point in time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQkVqwwQrCNBpAmO2XL83-vdM-73VChmknQYFBlZJxqYheA754qlyKZgKquqN8sJ27gw6lnhJl6AwkMCJ-a0qLASeBmjEAu6uoChHF1iutnyWUx7xDAb26ueP2TStjSxkEgN7VbLfWJdHrgeftOJs1u0tucns0N9b6_tBkGt7WrBFXMEbV8FO9mgmIUw" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="130" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQkVqwwQrCNBpAmO2XL83-vdM-73VChmknQYFBlZJxqYheA754qlyKZgKquqN8sJ27gw6lnhJl6AwkMCJ-a0qLASeBmjEAu6uoChHF1iutnyWUx7xDAb26ueP2TStjSxkEgN7VbLfWJdHrgeftOJs1u0tucns0N9b6_tBkGt7WrBFXMEbV8FO9mgmIUw=w144-h200" width="144" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hall largely ran day-to-day NICAP operations with a typically understaffed office. Keyhoe is remembered as an off-site manager, perhaps most effective at pursuing public relations and appearances. This provided Hall opportunities to organize projects, conduct research, and coordinate the growing number of NICAP subcommittees, the structure of which he is credited with designing. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was Hall holding down the fort at NICAP headquarters on Connecticut Avenue in Washington when the CIA came calling in 1965, as explored in a <a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2022/05/ufo-activism-and-congressional-hearings.html" target="_blank">recent blogpost</a> and WAYWARD SONS: NICAP and the IC. He loaned materials to officers dispatched from the CIA Contact Division for what a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ajsRZhIQ7grVsc8So15VLDor2ZKUVXUv/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">now-declassified Agency document</a> indicates was delivery to its Office of Scientific Intelligence. The OSI was composing an <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-7w9AiZx60YA_yJscRectcvC_TgsxP0k/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">evaluation of UFOs</a> at the request of DCI John McCone. The declassified documents do not support the NICAP narrative of an orchestrated CIA and Air Force cover-up.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ep1fN_Ws8YGEzHOa2bYB0_GhmyOj4GIz?usp=sharing" target="_blank">FBI files on Richard Hall</a> show he was a quick study of Maj. Keyhoe. Hall quickly picked up the technique of requesting Director Hoover clarify FBI official policy on investigating UFOs, circumstances Hoover repeatedly addressed and minimized. The official FBI position probably reflected that Hoover sincerely had no interests in UFOs, at least not until the topic would bleed into areas for which the Bureau considered itself responsible.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hall got wind of FBI agents reportedly taking an interest in a photo from a case in Flint, MI. Part of his resulting and inquisitive 1960 <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/191OSXhV8aYBhJwQwzaZXLP4eY7SGPgFA/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">letter to Hoover</a>: </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcJ7Km4YsZSq_AxtWZVf1qtHdB9fy6kxciS-FPBjRslAMUrwAbGfUE08cPZl1CgXJ_I07v-7yOucrDYpTxG_VlmyKb3gTm81QXgbZT8v4ny919y8GgUsRlVXKe3EVV9Catk2m0G3bipJ5HJhzl8s-QXTNXFaE_E0pT_ubpnU2xJeCKfBEsdBe8KsQITw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcJ7Km4YsZSq_AxtWZVf1qtHdB9fy6kxciS-FPBjRslAMUrwAbGfUE08cPZl1CgXJ_I07v-7yOucrDYpTxG_VlmyKb3gTm81QXgbZT8v4ny919y8GgUsRlVXKe3EVV9Catk2m0G3bipJ5HJhzl8s-QXTNXFaE_E0pT_ubpnU2xJeCKfBEsdBe8KsQITw=w400-h198" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />The above linked records obtained from the FBI pertaining to Hall do not include a response from Hoover to the above inquiry. I speculate that may be because Hoover did not respond and ignored the query, other than having the letter from Hall placed in his file of correspondence.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a throwback to previous exchanges between Keyhoe and Hoover. A 1958 letter written by the major to the FBI chief included the following questions (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-iRrgAkjazHqzO6MHHo2dvAbChj3TpT4/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">see page 5</a>):</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmeefUOFF1o7Si--GjF7PGjo39mjL2IPhGEamgGJw40xIznifP_sJGlRuqTIswvXD56awZbE-dMtgcVIQxHpQC0qA1B1PDGYi0JnPE_LZx4pnFAwjIIssxinQ0XnML1cm4FSywJjmPZczfh7-KKxxGslCjAVlzpfbVQctpbd8YMGiHhPr9cLTK-VT3Gg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="661" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmeefUOFF1o7Si--GjF7PGjo39mjL2IPhGEamgGJw40xIznifP_sJGlRuqTIswvXD56awZbE-dMtgcVIQxHpQC0qA1B1PDGYi0JnPE_LZx4pnFAwjIIssxinQ0XnML1cm4FSywJjmPZczfh7-KKxxGslCjAVlzpfbVQctpbd8YMGiHhPr9cLTK-VT3Gg=w400-h109" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Keyhoe further requested "an interview with an FBI official acquainted with the facts, and with the FBI policy which may be involved." I guess one could admire his determination if nothing else.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In Hoover's 1958 response (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-iRrgAkjazHqzO6MHHo2dvAbChj3TpT4/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">see pages 2-3</a>), he explained to Keyhoe the FBI did not investigate UFO sightings and did not issue instructions not to talk about them to those who report sightings. It was not a function of the Bureau, Hoover continued, to make character investigations of UFO witnesses. The FBI had no information concerning UFOs which could be released, which did not imply it had information which could not be released. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In closing, Hoover acknowledged Keyhoe's request to interview an FBI official. "Since this Bureau's policy in connection with unidentified flying objects has been fully set forth above," the FBI director concluded, "you may feel that the requested interview is not now necessary.":</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzyQHp25e6sIwFUDx8PZyzews9ga-Uuuwww-PwpGQ-ETQVah8GR_f93cQn-GEUSt4WSROh9IFk9M6ybgXhtMqOkD5lUfucQDxhLJgoqaMHL2Kry3oPethi86ICwAy2tN4FNf_iC8Iqvn_mc56RNtDufDPB-wLknFlcvXWM9v4aXJkYUx44rZvU2-1VzA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="625" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzyQHp25e6sIwFUDx8PZyzews9ga-Uuuwww-PwpGQ-ETQVah8GR_f93cQn-GEUSt4WSROh9IFk9M6ybgXhtMqOkD5lUfucQDxhLJgoqaMHL2Kry3oPethi86ICwAy2tN4FNf_iC8Iqvn_mc56RNtDufDPB-wLknFlcvXWM9v4aXJkYUx44rZvU2-1VzA=w400-h165" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Hall's correspondence with the FBI included apparent efforts to offer assistance to the Bureau. In <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mKo8a9Mv3UbY21Rk6vlzoKMzRoqbBTuj/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">one instance</a> in 1962, Hall supplied Hoover with a NICAP report compiled on Frank Stranges (view <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11BfAPwScLKCrfOiKFkeEBveKIbCGb15P?usp=sharing" target="_blank">FBI files</a> compiled on the good doctor of divinity). It had come to NICAP's attention, Hall explained to Hoover, the Bureau had investigated Stranges, so NICAP wished to provide the FBI an overview of its experience with Stranges and offer further information as requested. </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAM6ZOfZlkNpJmBhofrZPK79SPdqiyr1kzowH63sgyBwQ1hMgXC9LdPNI4Wq5mKDLCJU1kys24eqEvP14GEik150B4Vi2jw3-hy_vhQu3Ne6zbeQaNrK1yzDYd4_C8oe0SQB1Don5zOJY0XRDAwuVW-ErJz7jjxJgHIeQg9xyFDIG0aff0xoyCRVS2_g" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="271" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAM6ZOfZlkNpJmBhofrZPK79SPdqiyr1kzowH63sgyBwQ1hMgXC9LdPNI4Wq5mKDLCJU1kys24eqEvP14GEik150B4Vi2jw3-hy_vhQu3Ne6zbeQaNrK1yzDYd4_C8oe0SQB1Don5zOJY0XRDAwuVW-ErJz7jjxJgHIeQg9xyFDIG0aff0xoyCRVS2_g=w184-h320" width="184" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pamphlet by "Former Special<br />Investigator" Stranges</span> </td></tr></tbody></table>Hall and Keyhoe often seemed to take exception to individuals exploiting the UFO topic such as Stranges, who launched the story of Venusian Valiant Thor. Hoover did not seem to share such concern. I don't think Hoover cared in the least about honesty and integrity in the UFO subculture. The FBI director took interest if and when such behavior became criminal or, in the case of Stranges, came to stretching the truth about relationships with the FBI. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hoover discovered that those attending the lectures of Stranges and reading his literature were often left with the incorrect impression he was a former FBI agent. This seemed to be what Hoover was concerned about, and instructed agents in 1962 that Stranges "should be admonished" to cease implying an affiliation in any way.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As explored in a <a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2022/05/pulp-ufo-writers-and-fbi.html" target="_blank">recent blogpost</a>, FBI agents were similarly dispatched in 1954 to pay pulp writer and editor Ray Palmer a visit to clarify the Bureau's displeasure with being granted a starring role in his sensational saucer stories. The misrepresentation and exploitation of the FBI was Hoover's concern, as compared to the ethical shortcomings of writers and UFO investigators as NICAP seemed to have tried to urge the director to monitor and patrol. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYXppAzbecXCCCoND0tZTsYm0Vd2Yjc4HkDYZamXEHU5NkrxYKPLA6svj4Rjvn5Iwwmyg96Q0i63tMy8OK4XgvALKWNPf_vijy9h2tsKk3w5D7cRXcR9CuCYuSJ36aFDLOR8t_PoNN29TDGw9pK-UvJkvUqDvfgmxqN7J2m3dKvTu4E1yCTVM4sXgulg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="134" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYXppAzbecXCCCoND0tZTsYm0Vd2Yjc4HkDYZamXEHU5NkrxYKPLA6svj4Rjvn5Iwwmyg96Q0i63tMy8OK4XgvALKWNPf_vijy9h2tsKk3w5D7cRXcR9CuCYuSJ36aFDLOR8t_PoNN29TDGw9pK-UvJkvUqDvfgmxqN7J2m3dKvTu4E1yCTVM4sXgulg=w149-h200" width="149" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">J Edgar Hoover</span></td></tr></tbody></table>It could also be interpreted Keyhoe and Hall tried less successfully than they hoped to build bridges with the FBI by framing themselves as honest saucer brokers. Hoover was diplomatic but wasn't biting and, frankly, NICAP probably greatly overestimated Hoover's commitments to honesty and integrity.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Further example of NICAP efforts to build bridges with the Bureau may be observed in a 1957 letter of congratulations Keyhoe wrote to Hoover about the FBI work on the "Trip to Venus" swindle. Career conman Harold J. Berney was arrested after using a UFO-inspired story about his travels to Venus to separate a woman from $38,000. Factoring inflation, that's approaching 400 grand. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">A resulting article stated Keyhoe congratulated Hoover for exposing the fraud and offered full NICAP cooperation in securing evidence of other false UFO claims </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">(</span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CkEKKbOJdvvSBLd-JIfVBSNyDFDWVx1M/view?usp=sharing" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">see pages 184-185</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">)</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">. It's a bit difficult for me to envision Keyhoe was not being obtuse when he emphasized potential FBI interest in the false UFO claims of the Berney case as compared to financial extortion perpetrated by a career criminal. I suspect Keyhoe was attempting to capitalize on potential advantageous public relations while simultaneously encouraging Hoover to get in the business of UFO fact-checking, or at least Keyhoe's version of it. The article went on to explain Hoover diplomatically yet carefully responded to Keyhoe, "I have received your letter of May 29, 1957, concerning our activities in the 'Trip to Venus' case and I want to thank you for your thoughtful congratulations." </span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The above linked FBI records were obtained over the course of writing and conducting research for WAYWARD SONS. In January 2021 the FBI advised a document yet to be processed for the FOIA and potentially responsive to my request on Richard Hall was in the possession of the National Archives and Records Administration, or NARA. FBI identified the document as 100-HQ-359927 Serial 41. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I subsequently filed a FOIA request to NARA.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In recent months NARA provided what proved to be the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1la53bhT2JFy_ZA2xgNqsxuszpihK9QSc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">3-page document</a>, which contains two pages of a 1961 FBI memo from the Washington Field Office to Director Hoover on a William Francis Johnston. It appears the FBI was trying to determine the activities and interests of Johnston, particularly including his interaction with NICAP:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibNQDJvQ2yq3LQRwSriLNwX_eUoqARk37rE-dkr7ACM1QT_JPAiPNMJ2e9oZ4Irg40p_sWCqpbv4FZWn09fxz1tppnWtOXoc2lgnfEQqBHSkg_Q_8mDdo3yQ4rfds7GOnEfSBhrJJfBBHISDz-5VDjyGts6SE-efnjPq_zCRiaGwW-VPUFzB7GOCtz6Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="536" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibNQDJvQ2yq3LQRwSriLNwX_eUoqARk37rE-dkr7ACM1QT_JPAiPNMJ2e9oZ4Irg40p_sWCqpbv4FZWn09fxz1tppnWtOXoc2lgnfEQqBHSkg_Q_8mDdo3yQ4rfds7GOnEfSBhrJJfBBHISDz-5VDjyGts6SE-efnjPq_zCRiaGwW-VPUFzB7GOCtz6Q=w400-h220" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hall was apparently interviewed by Special Agent Fisher, who determined Johnston, of Long Island, submitted a NICAP "Membership Subscription Application" in 1959:</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMvQQBumuemG_AZEU3VRW-OBe2JY6KKD-ERxjhuhDmDW7ck8pUGG9MSt7TUswpRy9DcLWfBGuU5QFumh7zi0nkYdkEMoF_1jEeutVIJjGC9vHbMYJDoW8ZO3ys6XUG8sFId3brc4q_ay58qSKOiEiEJLo9A5xAtKaV-uxwzZubQh4S9PK31f356wzn3A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="530" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMvQQBumuemG_AZEU3VRW-OBe2JY6KKD-ERxjhuhDmDW7ck8pUGG9MSt7TUswpRy9DcLWfBGuU5QFumh7zi0nkYdkEMoF_1jEeutVIJjGC9vHbMYJDoW8ZO3ys6XUG8sFId3brc4q_ay58qSKOiEiEJLo9A5xAtKaV-uxwzZubQh4S9PK31f356wzn3A=w400-h100" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhghWIrIxzdRxk1zPJv-WAEBdQGMTn-HEC6YjdiWP8YFKvvLu9OysoYKtRPpTdTQkghEqcZRXLq93xWTRUaIx0I9WodKWqSn86yt20CKnC9XL2VEbzJ9TCU5KlQJb3MAKV21A1s2rYAi2jIsV-TQg9x7i49vvQNK8I5dAESPkFtzyBq9erSkPgaQMRRJA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="546" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhghWIrIxzdRxk1zPJv-WAEBdQGMTn-HEC6YjdiWP8YFKvvLu9OysoYKtRPpTdTQkghEqcZRXLq93xWTRUaIx0I9WodKWqSn86yt20CKnC9XL2VEbzJ9TCU5KlQJb3MAKV21A1s2rYAi2jIsV-TQg9x7i49vvQNK8I5dAESPkFtzyBq9erSkPgaQMRRJA=w400-h144" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">SA Fisher further discovered Johnston sought assistance from Keyhoe and NICAP to secure a speaker for a civic group. Keyhoe and Hall each indicated they were unable to specifically recall Johnston or if they supplied a speaker, while office notes provided by Hall to FBI suggested they offered to help, which was essentially part of the NICAP mission.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Curious to see what else the file contained, earlier this year I requested NARA provide FBI file 100-HQ-359927 in its entirety. NARA advised in an April 13 email that William Francis Johnston was the subject of the requested records, compiled as part of a domestic security investigation created between March 1942 and January 1972, consisting of about 400 pages. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The estimated time to process the file under the FOIA is 39 months. Current cost for a reproduction, or pdf in my specific circumstance, is 80 cents per page, or about $320. It should be noted it is not necessary to pay to have files processed and, once processed, they may be viewed for free at the NARA facility in College Park, MD. I am therefore of the opinion the first step is to have the material made available for release, then worry about how to obtain and view it, thus I proceeded with the request.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps Mr. Johnston was involved in some type of employment requiring security clearance. Perhaps he was an asset of the FBI, or maybe he was of interest for any number of other reasons, or all of the above. It could nonetheless be considered interesting his path intersected with 1959 NICAP. I look forward to eventually reading more about William Francis Johnston and the FBI. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">-----------------------------</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Recommended further reading:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2022/01/cold-war-cash-politics-and-saucer.html" target="_blank">Cold War Cash, Politics and Saucer Stories</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2021/12/ongoing-nicap-research-foia-request.html" target="_blank">Ongoing NICAP Research: FOIA Request Lands FBI File on Counsel Services Co-Founder</a></span></p></div>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-34353413187753883942022-05-16T18:51:00.015-04:002022-05-16T21:25:13.310-04:00Pulp UFO Writers and the FBI<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span> </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ray Palmer was an editor and distributor of pulp magazines during the mid 20th century. He got in my sights while I was researching and writing WAYWARD SONS: NICAP and the IC. Palmer distributed pulp fantasy and sci-fi on a wide scale and is considered to have significantly contributed to the public perception of flying saucers and conspiracies during his era. Suffice it to say Palmer was not overly concerned with accuracy in his magazines as compared to getting eyes on the pages.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijJd_OMVm2UDzxOw9ytlEcIx6JWCNEGMWdDgpvhdfbIrlvwTmCCfGZzSurIlikePcRVuZxoraGZ1KBtV1o82X-ycwTLOSKZv2C4_vfu3my_XMiekT6xgWUoFRlzVzDevm3Opjx7YHMEsuuKIdXhDMaGr4C_08DUYjUv5vmmV44GB40n7fBJEwS6N5BMw" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijJd_OMVm2UDzxOw9ytlEcIx6JWCNEGMWdDgpvhdfbIrlvwTmCCfGZzSurIlikePcRVuZxoraGZ1KBtV1o82X-ycwTLOSKZv2C4_vfu3my_XMiekT6xgWUoFRlzVzDevm3Opjx7YHMEsuuKIdXhDMaGr4C_08DUYjUv5vmmV44GB40n7fBJEwS6N5BMw" width="167" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Maj. Donald Keyhoe, who became the face of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena, was a widely published author before his run as the most high profile UFO activist of his time. His writing included contributions to the fantasy genre, as Palmer was popularizing. Keyhoe's work once made the cover of <i>Weird Tales</i>, pictured right. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-iRrgAkjazHqzO6MHHo2dvAbChj3TpT4/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">FBI records on Keyhoe</a> indicate the Bureau was not a fan of his articles. A 1958 FBI memo on Keyhoe quotes Bureau Assistant Director Nichols as describing Keyhoe's writing as flamboyant and irresponsible. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>An example is cited of a 1941 piece co-authored by Keyhoe and published in <i>Cosmopolitan</i>. It apparently reported Adolph Hitler had a plan to seize the Merchant Marines and went on to assert the FBI possessed documents to that effect. The memo stated the assertion "was completely false." From the 1958 FBI memo:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrXsKjnA_Ue4Ul7n5eV1Eb5FtAIMEkrg1mBNtli0Dlx2a3c_Ceb8f6Kd0aiSq6Sc7NFPmA6rCBOnKAJFOJlzW-n3ROdrXTd26EO3i7sBE240f3fLcctyCE3OCt0rggyNQ0RjlV1hDqgF2GoFW62uHhTAS7qtDpxyqkl7a4Dq2N6S-3yKqsAo9wGmb_WQ"><img alt="" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="773" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrXsKjnA_Ue4Ul7n5eV1Eb5FtAIMEkrg1mBNtli0Dlx2a3c_Ceb8f6Kd0aiSq6Sc7NFPmA6rCBOnKAJFOJlzW-n3ROdrXTd26EO3i7sBE240f3fLcctyCE3OCt0rggyNQ0RjlV1hDqgF2GoFW62uHhTAS7qtDpxyqkl7a4Dq2N6S-3yKqsAo9wGmb_WQ=w400-h122" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>There was no doubt media was a valuable tool in shaping public sentiment, and the FBI had keen interests in all phases of the process. That included Palmer and his distribution of pulp magazines, in addition to keeping an eye on what was coming out of the typewriter of Donald Keyhoe.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A 1953 report contained in an <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NhMfOooc6gGE-EPx0e1i01bx0suTxVVe/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">FBI file obtained on Ray Palmer</a> lists five publications he operated at that point in time. Among them was <i>Fate</i>, with a reported circulation of 65,000. Several former publications were mentioned in the report as well, such as <i>Amazing Stories</i>, which gave rise to some of Palmer's most widely known sensations. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The FBI file indicates an investigation was launched on Palmer in 1953 after the Bureau received a tip he was publishing Communist propaganda. Palmer would have seemingly been in a minority if he wasn't accused of Communist sympathizing, and the investigation found nothing of concern, at least not about Russians. There were other aspects of the resulting reports authored by Special Agents that caught my attention, however.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not unlike the actions of Keyhoe, writers and opportunists numbered among those who worked the FBI into their narratives. One was a Paul Vest, published in Palmer's <i>Mystic Magazine</i>. This was the kind of thing that tended to get Director Hoover's attention, and in 1954 agents were dispatched to Palmer's location in Evanston, Illinois. They were equipped with instructions from Hoover to make it clear the FBI did "not appreciate having the name of the Bureau used in fantastic stories appearing in his publication to add credence to his stories and articles." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Vest piece was titled, catchily enough, "Venusians Walk Our Streets!". The author claimed in the story that FBI labs were in possession of a steel plate that just such a Venusian had marked with a half inch deep streak with no more effort than passing his fingernail over it. This also obviously suggested the Bureau was aware of said Venusians walking among the population. Hoover subsequently investigated to his satisfaction there were no FBI personnel at any such labs spreading stories as published and subsequently sent agents to make Palmer well aware of the fact. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCOXQtFAPxOv-BPTLmm0Anbnw0YfdztzhlCq7ujw8WLmi2pXUSw2h9XAsg_4x06WIqRzr9Vc_a8Ues3JYHYB67llRtgZj3fS2Fp5Bj6hbIdqclS22qNw_eD1P62pyY2n1_kMy4_O7qihCr4Ffswcf7DYZFDHfbA4L3mjFUE7LNT-TboxAMXeNqC_gbjw" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="76" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCOXQtFAPxOv-BPTLmm0Anbnw0YfdztzhlCq7ujw8WLmi2pXUSw2h9XAsg_4x06WIqRzr9Vc_a8Ues3JYHYB67llRtgZj3fS2Fp5Bj6hbIdqclS22qNw_eD1P62pyY2n1_kMy4_O7qihCr4Ffswcf7DYZFDHfbA4L3mjFUE7LNT-TboxAMXeNqC_gbjw=w152-h200" width="152" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The creatively resourceful<br />Ray Palmer</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a memo dated July 22, 1954, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a Special Agent in Charge at the Milwaukee Field Office advised Hoover contact was made with Ray Palmer. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Palmer reportedly apologized for the misrepresentation of the Bureau and described it as an oversight on his part. This is where it gets a bit more interesting.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Palmer offered to publish a retraction, according to the FBI report, refuting Vest's claim about the FBI. Palmer further informed the agent he regularly supplied the CIA in Chicago with saucer reports mailed to him that he thought were most feasible, adding he was advised the Agency was interested in flying saucer reports. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The FBI agent wrote Palmer explained, that in the next issue of <i>Mystic Magazine, </i>"h</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">e would be glad to insert an article agreeable to the Bureau." From the 1954 memo:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijwiQKxgu8L4eM6D0D1_wPPmNn8R86FlDMRFyZdQrajgf5s2PBXmJfqBgHDYYrZ1waoYM_owwUNGbNVAk7hicYakziwXN045gofVWHzljqHfRqz_jvWIFwKJvAOZ3w10PyEW1t0QQkRAmpK7PyZ9t0iIOhp-76lvMwRtVOWJ0ONG_KJS7WcxJcUKRuWA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="498" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijwiQKxgu8L4eM6D0D1_wPPmNn8R86FlDMRFyZdQrajgf5s2PBXmJfqBgHDYYrZ1waoYM_owwUNGbNVAk7hicYakziwXN045gofVWHzljqHfRqz_jvWIFwKJvAOZ3w10PyEW1t0QQkRAmpK7PyZ9t0iIOhp-76lvMwRtVOWJ0ONG_KJS7WcxJcUKRuWA=w377-h400" width="377" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiykipce_SJgREF_IlPVPGawmMA8903GqFzU9gqvDwuNQvkj1Udc3_ltvLKYvPfJOUj8eJGgx382tiRu6EHj-Mtrcf3hTw-4jht7KLxUx5tTEV8UDbeUfABzMWtoRqEG4LZEosOrz26uT9Cs2nqBSfcn0zL2R8y9BKzEOyPoLxyniNyzS3OLYr2yZ1qw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="516" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiykipce_SJgREF_IlPVPGawmMA8903GqFzU9gqvDwuNQvkj1Udc3_ltvLKYvPfJOUj8eJGgx382tiRu6EHj-Mtrcf3hTw-4jht7KLxUx5tTEV8UDbeUfABzMWtoRqEG4LZEosOrz26uT9Cs2nqBSfcn0zL2R8y9BKzEOyPoLxyniNyzS3OLYr2yZ1qw=w400-h103" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Was this Ray Palmer attempting to secure an advantageous relationship with the FBI? It could also be interpreted he was suggesting he already had such an arrangement with the CIA, and that perhaps the Bureau would find it mutually beneficial to be in the loop.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whatever might be read between the lines, it was indicative of the niche Palmer carved out for himself, and a certain amount of power it wielded. It also signaled the beginnings of a tumultuous and unsteady alliance between certain writers and their intelligence agency contacts on the topic of UFOs. Those precarious relationships would persist to this very day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">-------------------------------------</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">See also:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2022/05/ufo-activism-and-congressional-hearings.html" target="_blank">UFO Activism and Congressional Hearings, 1960s Style</a></span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-33124392427586460692022-05-13T08:43:00.000-04:002022-05-13T08:43:02.513-04:00UFO Activism and Congressional Hearings, 1960s Style<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Below is an excerpt from Chapter 10 of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BLHQZXY/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tut02-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B09BLHQZXY&linkId=bb82a348e4ef55037a3dbbc8a2d73581" target="_blank">WAYWARD SONS: NICAP and the IC</a>. The excerpt explores the efforts of Maj. Donald Keyhoe and his National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena to generate Congressional hearings on UFOs during the 1960s. There are many similarities to events happening in today's overlap of politics and UFO advocacy. While Keyhoe's efforts may have initially appeared successful, his lobbying may arguably serve as more of a cautionary tale than cause for celebration. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>NICAP files contain reference to what the organization considered “educational work” conducted in
1962. During the first quarter of the year, “special material” was sent to 62 students and teachers for what
was described as use in preparing term papers, science projects, research reports, and so on (</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ofgIwP_N1vfbN4b9KFy8Vr1Fr0eFr70b/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">NICAP_Educational_work.pdf, p1</a></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">). Such
material included “a bibliography, source material,
back magazines, etc.” More shipments for the fall
were reportedly being processed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Similar efforts to “educate” Congress were also
undertaken, as indicated in a 1962 form letter apparently authored by Keyhoe (</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ofgIwP_N1vfbN4b9KFy8Vr1Fr0eFr70b/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">NICAP_Educational_work.pdf, p9</a>)</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirT4NfXmwxiLGEQfzmUBw8oRFodOepmamBBTJ2RIujieDS4uLC7vIZ0LKTNHZoZd5ieaMdIMfA_vkiQp89tT-Sezlpf6Gec6ZQlB7i9y4GFw2lu73shhSVD7DLc6ZPoA4clN5xWf97Wi-enUVwTToh8KPiBAupvInobDqTcZ9ppVg3RChzc4GJJkDAMQ"><img alt="" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="487" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirT4NfXmwxiLGEQfzmUBw8oRFodOepmamBBTJ2RIujieDS4uLC7vIZ0LKTNHZoZd5ieaMdIMfA_vkiQp89tT-Sezlpf6Gec6ZQlB7i9y4GFw2lu73shhSVD7DLc6ZPoA4clN5xWf97Wi-enUVwTToh8KPiBAupvInobDqTcZ9ppVg3RChzc4GJJkDAMQ=w286-h320" width="286" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We can observe Keyhoe's tactic of declaring
UFOs represented a national security threat. This
would hold obvious significance to elected officials and intelligence agencies. Perhaps, however, applying the term “UFO” to such potential threats was not
as relevant as UFO proponents might prefer the public believe. Beyond groups like NICAP using the issue
as a public relations ploy, it's not clear how the armed
forces should do its job any differently if it called air incursions UFOs instead of radar returns. Similar circumstances may be observed today. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Keyhoe previously ran into resistance on such
matters. Rep. Joseph Karth, in a 1961 letter to Keyhoe, addressed Keyhoe's proposal for a Congressional hearing. Karth wrote (</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lMfcEVdtjZUJzsjLLsbtV7njdwTahSPn/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">NICAP_Keyhoe_Karth.pdf, p3</a>):</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmyh8n5ZZ07pfQ1tkl12Ix82t6mAA9__SyXsZuzyateuJN3xrtSZ4z-hrMrsDRpjXxg7AVVUf6saxmzh8QJpyuxbVaTnAaNvPsScBk71kB2Il_nx6mq2NfdxmTcH5mLsD6WA8HWK2YJGp4fryVaz9FdFNYc8P1ONed_56BXH8cwThSUf2pgau9otJN2w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="475" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmyh8n5ZZ07pfQ1tkl12Ix82t6mAA9__SyXsZuzyateuJN3xrtSZ4z-hrMrsDRpjXxg7AVVUf6saxmzh8QJpyuxbVaTnAaNvPsScBk71kB2Il_nx6mq2NfdxmTcH5mLsD6WA8HWK2YJGp4fryVaz9FdFNYc8P1ONed_56BXH8cwThSUf2pgau9otJN2w" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Rep. Karth expressed disappointment in Keyhoe's apparent intention to focus on Air Force secrecy
as compared to presenting substantial evidence of
UFOs. It has since become an all too standard part of
the ufologist tool kit to plead their cases based on the
obstruction of evidence rather than its presentation. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Furthermore, Karth suggested he questioned
Keyhoe's arrogance and hypocrisy concerning national security and secrecy. The Congressman appeared
perturbed Keyhoe seemed oblivious to the sensitivity
of classified material, referring to it as “minor items,”
while expecting to be granted the luxury of withholding information as he saw fit. This of course became a
staple of the UFO genre, and it continues today. Such
concealed details frequently obstruct fundamental aspects of the universally recognized fact-finding
process. The double standards try the patience of the
more discerning members of the community at large.
Rep. Karth was apparently in the “put up or shut up”
camp, and saw the irony in Keyhoe reserving the right
to remain silent while demanding answers from men
charged with protecting national security. </span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: verdana;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqJ4IdDIT-hp1PQo7w2rtKM4s3znD0pJ9O_8L4HzpUDf0mfMxCZFF4m2ACtkd3X0uSTXmGhjXxU5VFeFGKgER2CEFH7Z5KyA1OrFiGw3d1FJuVP6ak6OdO7ameutAcF4kuMpId_DHhMqETWEVt1sacdz72dgX5PpQAs8OpdHM0ZiKo4poQTwFk9M65pg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="157" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqJ4IdDIT-hp1PQo7w2rtKM4s3znD0pJ9O_8L4HzpUDf0mfMxCZFF4m2ACtkd3X0uSTXmGhjXxU5VFeFGKgER2CEFH7Z5KyA1OrFiGw3d1FJuVP6ak6OdO7ameutAcF4kuMpId_DHhMqETWEVt1sacdz72dgX5PpQAs8OpdHM0ZiKo4poQTwFk9M65pg=w186-h200" width="186" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Richard Hall</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nonetheless, as noted in the above 1962 letter
penned by Keyhoe, <i>The UFO Evidence</i> was on its
way. It was destined to be considered among NICAP
and editor Richard Hall's most significant contributions
to the study of UFOs. From a July 1, 1964 NICAP
press release (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/130ATUK3R8qYDIaDLx0Wa5Gx22JAbIDep/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">NICAP_papers_mixed_years.pdf, pp32-33</a>): </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>“A documentary report charging Air Force censorship of unidentified flying objects was submitted today to Congressman John McCormack, Speaker of
the House, and Senator Mike Mansfield, Majority
Leader. The report is based on a 7-year investigation
by military and technical experts of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The 184-page document, titled 'The UFO Evidence,' contains hundreds of verified UFO sightings
by airline and military pilots, aerospace scientists and
engineers, and other experienced observers. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“NICAP, a private fact-finding organization, includes on its Board of Governors and Advisers: Army, Navy and Air Force officers, scientists, veteran pilots,
and other specialists... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The charge of official secrecy was backed by
a majority of the Board and Advisers, including
Colonel J. Bryan III, USAFR (Ret); Admiral H. B.
Knowles, USN (Ret); Dr. Leslie K. Kaeburn, biophysicist, University of Southern California; and Dr. C. P.
Olivier, President of the American Meteor Society... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The NICAP Report covers approximately 750
cases selected from over 5000 on file. The documented cases include numerous reports by Air Force pilots, and incidents of UFOs which made close approaches to aircraft... According to NICAP, the large
majority of these cases are totally unsolved. Although
Air Force analysts claim to have explained some of
the cases, NICAP says counter-to-fact answers have
often been given to Members of Congress and the
press... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“After the current outbreak of UFO sightings,
the Air Force admitted it had 910 unsolved cases out
of 8128 - approximately 11%. Heretofore the Air Force
had insisted it had solved all but 1 or 2%. The most
recent unexplained sighting, according to the Air
Force, is the April 24 observation by a police officer in
Socorro, N.M., who saw an egg-shaped UFO take off
from a gulley. Imprints and scorch marks were found
at the site. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The NICAP report states '...it is a reasonable
hypothesis that the unexplained UFOs are real physical objects... artificial... under the control (piloted or
remote) of living beings'... Many of the NICAP Board
Members and Advisers have gone further, contending
that the UFOs are extraterrestrial devices observing
the earth. Among these are Col. J. Bryan III; Admiral
H. B. Knowles; Prof. C. A. Maney; Dr. Leslie K. Kaeburn; and Capt. William B. Nash. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Verified cases in the report show speeds and
maneuvers beyond the capabilities of any earth-made
machines, often confirmed by radar... In addition to
the massive U.S. evidence, NICAP reports dozens of
foreign cases from trained observers which confirm
the observations of high performance objects and
lead to the same conclusion. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“In order to reduce the dangers of accidental
war caused by misidentification of UFOs on radar
screens, and to educate the public to the realities,
NICAP advocates a sweeping review of government
policies on the subject by Congress. Speaker McCormack and Senator Mansfield have been asked to request UFO hearings. Many Members of Congress in
recent years have gone on record in favor of open
hearings... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“In releasing the document, NICAP warned that
crackpot groups might try to take advantage of it by
claiming it supports their views. The Committee disowned any claims that UFOs proved any particular religious or philosophical views currently being expounded by UFO cults. NICAP stated it had not found
verification of a single claim of communication with
space men.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>NICAP would indeed eventually see its hopes
come to fruition for a Congressional hearing on UFOs,
but before that happened, CIA officers paid a visit to
NICAP headquarters. A now publicly available <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ajsRZhIQ7grVsc8So15VLDor2ZKUVXUv/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">CIA memo</a> dated January 25, 1965, reflects Agency interest in obtaining materials, including UFO reports, from
NICAP for delivery to its Office of Scientific Intelligence (OSI). The memo further states OSI desired
the information to assist in preparing a paper on
UFOs. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The CIA Contact Division met with Richard Hall
on January 19, 1965, at which time he loaned the dispatched officers material and UFO reports for review.
It was noted in the January 25 CIA document there
was a strong feeling on the part of NICAP officials that
the Air Force tended to downgrade the importance of
UFO sightings. Hall apparently told the CIA officers
there had been instances where the Air Force attempted to intimidate witnesses and get them to sign
false statements. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In closing, the report stated a security clearance was being requested on Hall. There are various
accounts and anecdotes around the UFO community
about Hall's interactions with intelligence agencies, often framed as Hall having a rather nonchalant attitude
about them. A generally accepted consensus is Hall
was never issued a security clearance and did not develop a significant relationship with the CIA, and I
have not discovered any particular reasons to suppose otherwise. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A now declassified <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-7w9AiZx60YA_yJscRectcvC_TgsxP0k/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">OSI memo</a> is dated January
26, 1965. You will note it was apparently composed
the day after the above memo was written. The OSI
memo was sent to the Director of Central Intelligence
from OSI Assistant Director Donald F. Chamberlain. It
was written in response to a request from DCI John
McCone for an assessment on UFOs. The materials
borrowed from NICAP contributed to findings reported
by Chamberlain in the memo, <a href="https://sgp.fas.org/library/ciaufo.html" target="_blank">according to the CIA</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Chamberlain summarized some then-recent
UFO reports, adding no evidence was revealed UFOs
were of foreign origin or were a security threat to the
United States. He clarified OSI monitored UFO reports, including those investigated by the Air Force,
and concurred with Air Force conclusions. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ironically, while Keyhoe and his supporters
were convinced an orchestrated UFO cover-up was
being perpetrated by the CIA and Air Force, the two
agencies were apparently actually in agreement there
was not even a threat, at least not from unknown airborne objects. Threats of propaganda and espionage
were another story, as suggested previously by the
Robertson Panel. An argument could be made such
concerns, and the resulting minimization of the topic
for what may have been considered in at least some
instances the public's own good, contributed significantly to the perception of official UFO secrecy. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Similar might be said about the intelligence
community's aversion to publicly addressing UFOs
due to reasons that included its own manipulation of
the topic in an offensive capacity. Uncle Sam obviously did not want to address his own covert use of the
UFO subject. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">There was additional irony in the way UFO enthusiasts tended to interpret CIA interest in NICAP.
For instance, NICAP and Keyhoe chose to withhold
certain information because they did not want to divulge sources of reports and documents. They subsequently feared the CIA was snooping around to infiltrate their lines of communication. That may have
been true to some extent, but not for the reasons
NICAP chose to believe, which hinged upon the perception the CIA was scrambling to keep the existence
of an extraterrestrial presence from becoming publicly
revealed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a manner of speaking, NICAP activities and
subsequent CIA responses served as a self-fulfilling
prophecy for NICAP. Intelligence community actions
often seemed to be interpreted to confirm what UFO
investigators chose to subjectively believe, and that
largely continues to be the case in the UFO genre today. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> *<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> *<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *</span></span></span></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinIW6LuUhL9-iGJPbSaa7KwSWiixKZYhqIOCWM6wCzUj0izUL5sAst_3RLdBwxVrBr1hH-9BWHQ8NYsuoch-9J_GIwrRPCwKehnGf8w2UIYyuLD7mA2RUXmp6czyc8Ctfl428bRUfTY4IIpszHKO15xMMSccR7caVtELdSWHqbrQCKp5YYh24SDn_uyQ" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="122" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinIW6LuUhL9-iGJPbSaa7KwSWiixKZYhqIOCWM6wCzUj0izUL5sAst_3RLdBwxVrBr1hH-9BWHQ8NYsuoch-9J_GIwrRPCwKehnGf8w2UIYyuLD7mA2RUXmp6czyc8Ctfl428bRUfTY4IIpszHKO15xMMSccR7caVtELdSWHqbrQCKp5YYh24SDn_uyQ=w136-h200" width="136" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gordon Lore</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>Gordon Lore explained it was during this point
in time he began working at NICAP. In his book <i>Flying
Saucers from Beyond the Earth</i>, Lore stated he had
taken a job as a writer-editor in Washington, D.C. In
addition to writing, the future NICAP assistant director
was also a musician who played the guitar at night at
a local coffee house. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Richard Hall was in attendance during one of
Lore's performances in the summer of 1965, Lore
wrote. He accompanied Hall and a group of friends
back to Hall's apartment where they hung out and
Lore entertained some more. Lore told Hall about his
interest in UFOs, and was hired to join NICAP by the
end of the night. He soon submitted his resignation at
what he described as a subsidiary of U.S. News and
World Report and was on his way to work with Keyhoe, Hall and NICAP.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“It was to become a dream job,” Lore wrote,
“mixed with more than a little anxiety about keeping
the organization afloat during the next five years.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 1966 a series of dramatic UFO sightings began in Michigan. The widely reported events included
dozens of witnesses, as well as police officers giving
chase to whatever they were seeing in the sky.
Renowned UFO investigator J. Allen Hynek infamously suggested swamp gas as a feasible explanation. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then-House Minority Leader and future-President Gerald Ford took interest. As an elected official
of Michigan, he was among those supporting calls for
a Congressional hearing on UFOs. The House Armed
Services Committee soon conducted just such a hearing, although it was relatively brief. While there wasn't
much in the way of substantial information getting revealed, a chain of events was by that point in motion
that would forever shape the timeline of UFO World. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Air Force announced a forthcoming independent review of Project Blue Book and related UFO
evidence. It was titled the University of Colorado Scientific Study of UFOs, conducted by what was known
as the Condon Committee due to the lead researcher,
physicist Dr. Edward U. Condon. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Richard Hall described events of 1966 and how
they influenced NICAP in his previously referenced
1994 paper, <i><a href="http://www.nicap.org/papers/hall-IUR1994.htm" target="_blank">The Quest For The Truth About UFOs: A Personal Perspective On The Role Of NICAP</a></i>. With a
little help from the UFOs, Hall explained, NICAP was
thrust further than ever into the media spotlight. As a
result of all the buzz, NICAP was deluged with mail,
routinely receiving hundreds of letters a day. Public interest in UFOs, and subsequently NICAP, produced a
degree of financial stability previously unknown to the
organization. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://www.nicap.org/articles/Nicap_history_1976.htm" target="_blank">Don Berliner reported</a> that by early 1967
NICAP grew to some 14,000 members. The Committee then employed nine full-time staff, which, Berliner
noted, was more than could be said for the Blue Book
payroll. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hall wrote that NICAP worked diligently to provide Dr. Condon and his staff with the best evidence
possible to assist in compiling its report. NICAP understandably saw the UFO study undertaken at the
University of Colorado as significant, or, as Hall put it,
that their dreams were coming true. The help was enrolled of Dr. James E. McDonald, an outspoken UFO
proponent and atmospheric physicist at the University
of Arizona. Many UFO proponents probably fully anticipated a desirable outcome, at least initially, because they sincerely believed the evidence <i>did</i> indicate an abundance of interplanetary craft. Intelligence
agencies and other scientists, not so much. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In his 1973 book, <i>Aliens From Space</i>, Maj.
Keyhoe stated NICAP eventually compiled some
9,300 UFO cases, 2,000 of which he suggested were
top notch. I guess he was suggesting there were
aliens all over the place. Perhaps it did not occur to
Keyhoe that overwhelming Condon and the public in
endless stories might not be as effective a tactic as he
hoped. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hall wrote NICAP “worked on a massive
project of copying files for the Colorado scientists.”
This went on for over the course of a year and included “hundreds of strong cases,” as well as NICAP subcommittees sending Condon new reports perceived
as potentially important. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Keyhoe further wrote that almost right away
Condon and the project administrator, Robert J. Low,
began indicating to the press they did not anticipate
arriving at conclusions supporting anything overly significant about UFOs. The two were quoted as speaking favorably about Air Force investigative efforts, as
well as suggesting the government should get out of
the UFO business. Such positions were of course in
conflict with stances held by NICAP. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In spite of the statements, Keyhoe and NICAP
tried to stay the course. That might have particularly
been due to repeated assurances received from Condon and Low the study would be conducted objectively, according to the writings of Keyhoe and Lore. Dr.
Condon and Robert Low reportedly minimized the significance of their published remarks when asked
about them by Keyhoe. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The final straw came for Keyhoe when he
learned of what came to be known as the “Trick
Memo.” It was a leaked Condon Committee memo
written by Robert Low in which he described an operating strategy for the UFO study. The committee
would consist of scientists, Low explained, who could
not possibly prove a negative result, even though they
might indeed publish an impressive body of evidence
suggesting there was nothing extraordinary about
UFO observations. Low then added, “The trick would
be... to describe the project so that, to the public, it
would appear a totally objective study, but, to the scientific community, would present the image of nonbelievers trying their best to be objective but having an
almost zero expectation of finding a saucer...” </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">(Lore, Gordon. 2018. <i>Flying Saucers from Beyond the Earth</i>.
BearManor Media. (p124))</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Keyhoe and his organization, when they got
wind of the memo, responded with an April 30, 1968
press release, “NICAP Calls Colorado UFO Project
Failure” (</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zX-HukwOKIZYtLZIoachlEqHcD6ZYlX7/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">NICAP_incorporation_papers.pdf, p31</a>).</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> The release stated NICAP sent a report to
the president of the United States, containing evidence of “grave deficiencies” in the University of Colorado UFO project. It was further stated NICAP broke
relations with the project after 17 months of cooperation. Reasons listed for the break included Condon
had never conducted a field investigation of a UFO
sighting or interviewed responsible witnesses, although named as chief principal investigator. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Dr. Condon summarily discharged two Project
scientists,” the news release continued, “for revealing
written proposals by Project Coordinator Robert J.
Low that the Colorado Project be represented to the
public as 'totally objective', when in fact it would be
constituted almost entirely of non-believers, with 'an
almost zero expectation of finding a saucer'.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was further alleged Condon and Low “both
refused, in writing, to answer NICAP questions as to
whether the Project was being conducted in a biased
and negative manner.” Condon, it was asserted, “refused to guarantee he would examine any of the hundreds of NICAP-investigated UFO reports, submitted
at the Project's request.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Keyhoe and NICAP took measures to prepare
for public response to what was clearly going to be,
from their perspectives, an unfavorable report from
Condon. Their efforts included a second Congressional hearing, organized by NICAP supporter Rep. J. Edward Roush, an Indiana Congressman who chaired
the House Committee on Science and Aeronautics.
He held the Symposium on Unidentified Flying Objects on July 29, 1968. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">While a few qualified scientists and NICAP representatives attended and provided testimony, the
event was limited in scope. It did, however, mark the
historic occasion of a second Congressional hearing
on UFOs. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *</span></span></span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>The <a href="http://files.ncas.org/condon/text/contents.htm" target="_blank">Condon Report</a> was published in January
1969. The general conclusion stated nothing had
come from the study of UFOs that added to scientific
knowledge. It was additionally reported, “Careful consideration of the record as it is available to us leads
us to conclude that further extensive study of UFOs
probably cannot be justified in the expectation that
science will be advanced thereby.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The issue was addressed in the document as
to what, if anything, the federal government should do
about UFO reports received from the general public.
“We are inclined to think that nothing should be done
with them in the expectation that they are going to
contribute to the advance of science,” the Condon
Committee wrote. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If the implications were not clear enough as to
what the group collectively recommended about operating government UFO research projects outside normal military channels, it explicitly clarified its stance.
“It is our impression that the defense function could
be performed within the framework established for intelligence and surveillance operations without the
continuance of a special unit such as Project Blue
Book, but this is a question for defense specialists
rather than research scientists.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Condon Committee made its position
clear: The study of UFOs was producing nothing of
scientific value and Blue Book should be discontinued. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *</span></span></span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>The report, eagerly anticipated by the public,
was now actually published. Gordon Lore wrote a
memo to the NICAP office in the aftermath. The January 27, 1969, memo declared the organization and
the UFO subject were facing perhaps their most critical period. Refuting the Condon Report was crucial
and would require cooperation and hard work on the
part of NICAP, Lore suggested (</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U82-7Es0BTsxk5e6VMrS9KggOsVLf3xn/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">NICAP_Condon_reaction.pdf, p1</a>).</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Time would show
the goal was not to be achieved. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Challenges included quarrels among the staff
and a declining membership. If the negative Condon
Report wasn't bad enough, it had now been over two
full years since the Michigan sightings. People were
tired of waiting for answers, or at least the answers
they wanted to hear. What's more, a growing number
of NICAP supporters' patience was wearing thin about
attacking the Air Force. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As explored earlier, it is difficult to tackle the
UFO subject without drawing lines in the political
sand. This was not only true in Keyhoe's day, but was
the case for years to come. As I write this, current
news cycles are more likely to include statements
about UFOs from Pentagon spokespersons, Senators, and bureaucrats than from scientists. We should
take that into deep consideration when forming our
assessments. We might also question what practical
contribution Congress might even make to the topic of
UFOs. In hindsight, much of it seemed to be performative and in pursuit of a mixed bag of agendas. </span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: verdana;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgclaTtqJ05CvgwqW6Nm1IQCHdiHZIeLGse1aMHp0cpWB8fJO9erKj_2r6Ca0o_wW1NrnZMBoDNqNka_LN5MiqsHzPjxgzF4Ra15TunFULWyQojPwscMu-F5Rtpe7oBSLlvBsuHChSTAu3daHiso4L0odOH0eFjxhN7UQ6KUbrcrSWjqDI4ylAsEosmmg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="191" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgclaTtqJ05CvgwqW6Nm1IQCHdiHZIeLGse1aMHp0cpWB8fJO9erKj_2r6Ca0o_wW1NrnZMBoDNqNka_LN5MiqsHzPjxgzF4Ra15TunFULWyQojPwscMu-F5Rtpe7oBSLlvBsuHChSTAu3daHiso4L0odOH0eFjxhN7UQ6KUbrcrSWjqDI4ylAsEosmmg=w200-h188" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Maj. Donald Keyhoe</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the case of Keyhoe, he seemed to have
come to believe lobbying elected officials and leveling
demands at intelligence agencies <i>was</i> UFO research.
At the least, it appears he considered it the most likely
way to produce substantial results. If his actions were
indicative of his beliefs, and he truly thought he was
pursuing the most productive path, he was simply
wrong. He gave it a hell of a try, though, for what that
may or may not be worth.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many at the time seemed to believe the Condon Report was part of an orchestrated cover-up to
deny the reality of UFOs and ultimately the extraterrestrial presence the reported craft were often believed to indicate. More than a few still think so, at
least among those in UFO circles who are aware of
the Condon Committee. Frankly, I doubt many people
could tell you why they believe the study was a sham,
the idea just took on the quality of one of those “everybody knows” kind of things. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I strongly suspect very few people could articulate such circumstances as the Trick Memo and offer
specific reasons why they believe the Air Force and
Condon Committee conspired to deceive the public
and cancel Project Blue Book. In most circumstances,
the primary reason for such beliefs seems to be because UFOs were not confirmed to be sensational,
thus there must have been a government cover-up. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps there actually were more deceptive
motives at play. It's possible, for any number of reasons. It's also possible the Air Force came to conclude chasing UFOs was a waste of time much more
often than not, and Condon and Low were subsequently identified as good candidates to arrive at such
a conclusion. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's a reasonable likelihood Air Force officials
sincerely found UFOs and the related controversies to
be an unproductive drain of resources, and believed
objective scientists would concur – as had often been
the case up to that point. The powers that be may
therefore have identified a somewhat “fixed” study as
the best way out of the problem. It may not have been
they were trying to rig the study as much as they were
trying to ensure it did not fall under the care of overly
enthusiastic saucer fanatics. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It could even have been the intent, at least in
part, for the Condon Committee to upstage NICAP,
and create an alternative group of respected scientists and researchers. The alternative group would, of
course, reach different conclusions than those promoted by NICAP. In the process, it would ease the Air
Force burden of answering questions about UFOs
and constantly finding itself in the crosshairs of Donald Keyhoe. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> *</span></span></span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>Richard Hall did not seem to subscribe to conspiracies about the Condon Committee. That was the
case even though he was admittedly bitter over circumstances surrounding his August 1969 final departure from NICAP. He described negotiations as long
and contentious with Board members Col. Joseph
Bryan III and Joseph B. Hartranft, Jr. Hall wrote the
conflict was over back salary issues and stated the
negotiations ultimately went nowhere. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hall extensively supplied information to the
Condon Committee, as well, which stood to substantially increase his disappointment about the resulting
report and overall circumstances. Nonetheless, he did
not promote the Condon cover-up angle. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Was the Colorado UFO Project a conspiracy
to debunk the subject?” <a href="http://www.nicap.org/papers/hall-IUR1994.htm" target="_blank">Hall wrote in 1994</a>. “Another
'front' operation to sweep the UFO problem under the
rug? Many UFOlogists today write it off in that way,
assuming that it must have been a put-up job from the
start. However, there is a much simpler and all too-human explanation for what happened.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Condon and Low were simply not interested in
UFOs, Hall suggested. Hall wrote that during one
briefing he attended, Condon fell asleep. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In another instance, Hall explained he personally hand-carried to Condon what he felt was an impressive and thick investigation report on a 1966 UFO
case. When the Condon Report was later released,
Hall was astonished to find no mention of it at all. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“It had never occurred to me,” Hall explained,
“that he would simply ignore it.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In his previously referenced 2018 book, Gordon Lore reflected, “Following the public release of
the Condon Report, the prospects for NICAP continuing as a viable UFO organization quickly took a downward spiral. Adding fuel to the fire, unfortunately, was
Keyhoe himself. Being an organizational and money
manager was not his cup of tea. Some had even compared him to 'a second Townsend Brown.' </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">“In a secret meeting on December 3, 1969, the
NICAP Board with Colonel Joseph Bryan III presiding,
fired both Keyhoe and myself. It soon became apparent that I had to be terminated as a convenient
'scapegoat.'” (</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lore, Gordon. 2018. <i>Flying Saucers from Beyond the Earth</i>. BearManor Media. (p237))</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And like that, the Keyhoe years were over. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Staffer Stuart Nixon became director, and John
“Jack” Acuff was soon appointed president. Ted
Bloecher recalled the circumstances in a letter written
to Richard Hall in approximately 1973. He was initially
referencing his own business disagreement with
Nixon, as compared to those concerning Keyhoe and
Lore, when he wrote, “I have underestimated the
lengths Stuart is capable of going to. But then, he's
the one who fixed it so Major Keyhoe and Gordon
Lore got axed. The shame of it is, I went along with
it.” (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/14q15oJq14bcPP5Yg1X_FntVkcuf6NRta/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">NICAP_Bloecher_Report_1947.pdf, p5</a>)</span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-29899443838242797772022-05-10T10:23:00.000-04:002022-05-10T10:23:31.231-04:00UFO Faux Journalism<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> I'm not a journalist. I write about stuff I find interesting.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Journalism is a profession consisting of skilled investigators and reporters. Many are educated in its disciplines, although its protocols are often undermined by hobbyists. I think calling myself a journalist would devalue the work invested and dues paid by those who earned the title through years of college and employment. I just like to conduct research and then write about my findings, and I have been fortunate enough to be able to spend some time pursuing the pastime.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />The UFO subculture blurred the lines between not only professional journalists and amateur reporters, but also between journalists and what are more accurately described as UFO promoters. It's been happening and morphing for decades. Such promoters become enmeshed with their subjects of interest and even seem offended at times if they are not discussed as primary parts of the stories.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizYZ_inzkMLNxO7LyP_bx224HTRJNqnOZLpOSfk1wvNvKweYWEUNxwJrK_g23qHsFBo_vRZ53sT36lc4ucxhRraMEGuni6S0Frb0W3GfCu-tq4inuy0D2-Gfka66wTi0vV7yofUIUqilGdVYEBKz0fH_hwFH5sZYc4dlp1j7R76MQq_YpRZwTTPrUNAA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="143" data-original-width="254" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizYZ_inzkMLNxO7LyP_bx224HTRJNqnOZLpOSfk1wvNvKweYWEUNxwJrK_g23qHsFBo_vRZ53sT36lc4ucxhRraMEGuni6S0Frb0W3GfCu-tq4inuy0D2-Gfka66wTi0vV7yofUIUqilGdVYEBKz0fH_hwFH5sZYc4dlp1j7R76MQq_YpRZwTTPrUNAA" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The 2022 UFO Researcher of the Year at -<br />wait, being told that's pro wrestling promoter Vince McMahon</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In recent years and months in (what we might generously call) ufology, numerous self-styled journalists cropped up to assist the usual UFO promoters in making an absolute mess of anything that may have ever held any resemblance to objective reporting. This happens through a combination of shortcomings. Make no mistake, the sometimes sincere yet unequipped self-styled journos are manipulated in some instances. They lack the skills and tools they need to navigate increasingly complex situations. This can result in folding to the noise of the crowd and those who push them hardest. They typically have minimal mentorship and what little they get is often low quality. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In other circumstances they're more willingly coerced, hoovering up and disseminating talking points they're given by what they perceive to be movers and shakers. Some simply don't care about accuracy and have any number of ulterior motives, ranging from believing ends justify means regarding their beloved Disclosure to their quest for heightened community status that results from "attaboys" gifted from those movers and shakers. If you're thinking that sounds a lot like a cult, you're right. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It should also be noted there are actual journalists who often don't fare a whole lot better when caught between UFO storytellers, deadlines, and their needs to get work published. A lot of rationalizing goes on. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I do not consider myself a journalist. I do however, respect and observe standards recognized by the professional research community. I try my best to remain in the framework of those standards, citing sources as applicable and obtaining comment as I think adds value to my offerings. This has guided me through some 12 years of blogging and two self-published nonfiction books. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">For what my opinion may or may not be worth, I think the two dynamics described below are primary reasons current UFO "journalists" are following in the long tradition of failure forged before them. These dynamics are not new to the genre by any means, but various aspects of technology and current day circumstances indeed further aggravate the dysfunction. UFO reporters fail to produce quality work when: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">- They mistakenly try to be friends with the subjects of their interviews and research, and</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">- Online screennames and concealed identities create an environment in which they don't know who they are talking to from one interaction to the next </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">We will explore these two dynamics further below.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Fraternizing</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> Some UFO writers and podcasters get the idea that building a following must be contingent on being well liked. This goes hand in hand with wanting access to inside info and juicy gossip; it only seems to stand to reason you'll get more news tips and eyes on your work if people like you.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately for them, this may well be the easiest type of person to manipulate. I often wonder if they're aware they transitioned from reporting to acting as someone's mouthpiece, and if they identify a particular point in time it happened.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some of the manipulators are much more skilled than your average bear at transferring their talking points into someone else's platform. They may approach writers and podcasters in overly friendly manners, making it challenging to hold boundaries. They may then express disappointment and suggest they were hurt by the way a writer framed their statements or how a show host described their actions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Is that gaslighting? You bet your ass it's gaslighting. They'll have you apologizing for accurately quoting them if you let them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another tool in their bag is dumping "off the record" remarks all over your inbox when you specifically requested comment for inclusion in a blogpost or book. In at least some instances, this is a direct attempt to influence your framing of a story without taking public responsibility for their statements: They are trying to persuade you to champion a cause but do not go on record for the simple reason they cannot prove the legitimacy of the tale they're selling. They want you to take the heat for it and be left babbling about how you can't tell anyone how you know it's true.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">To the less experienced, I recommend bringing such exchanges back to focusing on comments to be published, and the sooner the better. You are outright being enrolled as an emotional support person or confidant without your permission, and in direct contradiction to the role in which you defined and presented yourself, a writer impersonally seeking comment for publication. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is simple manipulation. Recognize it, label it, and act accordingly.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Research and investigations should prioritize accuracy. We should seek to support or refute a given point. It's not personal. Keep it that way.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Sockpuppets</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> Online discourse, research communities, and virtually every other aspect of internet interactions in the UFO subculture is in a state of dysfunctional paralysis. A leading reason is we simply do not know who we're talking to from one interaction to the next. This virtually cripples podcast hosts who rely heavily on social media for interacting with potential guests, as well as researchers who make themselves available for a variety of purposes. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Let's say Podcaster A invites you to their show to discuss your take on the UFO research climate. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, how do you know they're not one of those anonymous trolls that posted an inappropriate and vulgar photoshop of someone's profile pic? And how sure are you they're not one of those people sending you unsolicited direct messages, asking you what you think about 'this' or 'that' about one person or issue or another? And why do people that just want to discuss this or that have to hide who they are?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIbtARfrbhXg5PaRQbjh8I0rO7_4KAU0D0QfEwhJiRcnvTSJD1P6b9Ho2441Gc_dZ8MFX6TXd9aOkwZIlsqL3wze-9E3WhP5lotw1OxZi-Qjee-jy_lEb4Vs2zgcv5QPElNZ0CSP-xWlDQTOVRY9tIAJ09NIvLSQjMHm1qvMw3TKzW-gvB9nO-V03ZYw" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="166" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIbtARfrbhXg5PaRQbjh8I0rO7_4KAU0D0QfEwhJiRcnvTSJD1P6b9Ho2441Gc_dZ8MFX6TXd9aOkwZIlsqL3wze-9E3WhP5lotw1OxZi-Qjee-jy_lEb4Vs2zgcv5QPElNZ0CSP-xWlDQTOVRY9tIAJ09NIvLSQjMHm1qvMw3TKzW-gvB9nO-V03ZYw=w184-h200" width="184" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A UFO researcher, podcast host, or<br />Luis Elizondo. Gets hard to tell which.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>If you consider yourself a researcher and you're not willing to post your identity at an online venue, maybe you shouldn't be dabbling at that venue. Maybe it's more than you bargained for and you should give that more consideration. What does someone honestly think yet another anonymous voice can functionally contribute to this mess in a research capacity? If they feel their employment, community status, or similar circumstance prohibits them from sharing who they are, there's a pretty good chance they shouldn't be mixing it up with spooks and sociopaths who congregate to UFO websites in the first place. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Moreover, screennames and hidden identities stand in direct contradiction to the very research process certain individuals and venues claim to pursue. In my personal experience, I considered publishing my real name to be part of making the decision to launch this blog in 2010. I did not see how I could undertake the things I intended to do without offering such a show of good faith. There are exceptions to what I have described here, but they are not the rule, and they certainly do not apply to people operating god only knows how many accounts to hide behind across multiple websites. We should all be sincere enough to differentiate between the spirit of rules and their intentional misuse and exploitation.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The bottom line is aspects of the UFO research community have largely paralyzed themselves again, as has always been the case. The means and technologies evolve, but self-styled reporters frequently find ways to waste time and attention instead of presenting meaningful material. That's no coincidence. It's likely in some instances by design and intentional manipulation, often to distract you from the fact promises of forthcoming revelations and claims of paradigm-shifting knowledge remain so utterly unfulfilled and empty. </span></div>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-66679196710316240812022-05-03T09:37:00.003-04:002022-05-03T10:58:50.151-04:00Debate or Advocacy?<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span> There are different kinds of arguments. Some have the potential for resolution while others do not. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Arguing opinions provides opportunities to express ourselves and widen our horizons through the consideration of perspectives held by others. Often, however, debating opinions that contradict one another does not result in any type of resolution, particularly pertaining to circumstances surrounding UFOs. It just goes in circles, as has been the case since the dawn of the modern UFO era.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiH-OAN2y0DS00ElILPDHFyiGY-OTjW7oIVyxUBW-wf-H1s-ImCEQwJZAgGnFfsA0hI_YzCmyp7xUaMAaQpBz8aaL3rpXWvXhqBw4QJaUuxb3Iw_kVtxPxUHfVrQT-gOI-wKPT_7Rm4nwNtagiCFX3hGWFNyXQV0qzgMGGc-sVPNzPYs1Ku3xQAYRd3VQ" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="124" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiH-OAN2y0DS00ElILPDHFyiGY-OTjW7oIVyxUBW-wf-H1s-ImCEQwJZAgGnFfsA0hI_YzCmyp7xUaMAaQpBz8aaL3rpXWvXhqBw4QJaUuxb3Iw_kVtxPxUHfVrQT-gOI-wKPT_7Rm4nwNtagiCFX3hGWFNyXQV0qzgMGGc-sVPNzPYs1Ku3xQAYRd3VQ=w148-h200" width="148" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Maj. Donald Keyhoe, a UFO advocate who<br />presented himself as an objective researcher</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">In contrast, the inventorying of facts during a debate stands to resolve the accuracy or inaccuracy of any given point presented. Arguing facts offers resolution; arguing opinions does not. Arguing with people who do not demonstrate a knowledge of the difference, whether out of simple ignorance or bad faith, is an exercise in futility. Whatever their motives, they are advocating rather than sincerely seeking information to support or refute any given point.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It has been aptly observed that people often think they </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">are</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> objective, whether or not that is the case.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> A symptom of bias can be not knowing we're biased. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Other times, people seem much less sincere. Not everyone you offer facts is interested in resolution and arriving at a fact-based conclusion. They may be more motivated to promote a preconceived agenda.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A rational conclusion simply cannot be reached if parties involved in a discussion do not recognize and respect standards of evidence. If we don't agree on how facts are established or what they are, we cannot jointly determine what facts indicate. We are destined to hold conflicting opinions and conclusions.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps one individual is thoroughly convinced adequate evidence has been presented to determine UFOs are material craft piloted by a non-human intelligence in at least some instances. They base this judgement on what they feel is an overwhelming amount of evidence, much of it put forth by scientists with impressive credentials.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Someone may challenge their point of view, asserting the conclusion is not supported by facts. Such facts, they argue, indicate those scientists with impressive credentials talk a lot but do not actually present any work that can be peer reviewed to the extent of supporting their often sensational interpretations; decades of extraordinary stories may be evidence but not <i>good</i> evidence; and blurry videos does not a non-human intelligence make.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first individual thinks they are arguing facts that the second party refuses to recognize, while the latter understands they are respecting universally recognized standards of evidence. One is presenting <i>their opinion</i> as fact, for whatever reasons may motivate them to do so. There is little chance of resolving the argument.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A talented songwriter once observed, "It takes a lot to change your plans and a train to change your mind." In UFO circles, it often takes a whole lot more than a train. Pack a lunch or, better yet, choose your battles wisely.</span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-28628878756684969072022-04-27T09:49:00.003-04:002022-04-27T19:42:31.404-04:00Reporters Say They Were 'Purposely Misled' About AATIP<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Bryan Bender, Senior National Correspondent at Politico covering defense who was one of the reporters credited with breaking the AATIP story in December 2017, recently <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanDBender/status/1518413721986424832?s=20&t=xQ5rRQtmatqRWgSclfTDrQ" target="_blank">stated on Twitter</a> he was "purposely misled" about the project. "I was misled early on on what AATIP was and wasn't," Bender wrote: </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMfrIynfA-JhDYDV3tgrpc3_6RbzIDVM3dkDcNjMy5RU5-p5PY6aCv26G_Vv5vlzGA_wcDjSGTxq6CA5qmQmswaUQENfas4By0C8fnAEaXzx0lGGovuipLOTGJ-NE42oQAEuukNYvWAj1ildfF9k7MmbuaebtOcyyqvv2-IYnyFp6Mxq-1fUMIHhylA/s557/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="143" data-original-width="557" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMfrIynfA-JhDYDV3tgrpc3_6RbzIDVM3dkDcNjMy5RU5-p5PY6aCv26G_Vv5vlzGA_wcDjSGTxq6CA5qmQmswaUQENfas4By0C8fnAEaXzx0lGGovuipLOTGJ-NE42oQAEuukNYvWAj1ildfF9k7MmbuaebtOcyyqvv2-IYnyFp6Mxq-1fUMIHhylA/w400-h103/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bender <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanDBender/status/1518372557858115584?s=20&t=WILGS31T9DVUg6Tgjoztug" target="_blank">specifically referenced</a> the controversial Luis Elizondo in his series of tweets, adding, "No one is clean in this and been fully transparent or truthful. No one.":</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeCBebBasKlES6f4dJPSqix_XNC6R5A0P5Zni9KSQVyUqgq3Z1QHdfT74E3-PfE2wPYmIS9PUnfJ8NQVOiCJnuXUHbs4DQmUzyMdMKahxMAcWPmbLH9VXjJrYGTWQ7OPgphZc0osoewEtUWYq_f43RMhM8Dr01s0xohffETOiJb0HZz7BIOj1PMYFeg/s557/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="113" data-original-width="557" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeCBebBasKlES6f4dJPSqix_XNC6R5A0P5Zni9KSQVyUqgq3Z1QHdfT74E3-PfE2wPYmIS9PUnfJ8NQVOiCJnuXUHbs4DQmUzyMdMKahxMAcWPmbLH9VXjJrYGTWQ7OPgphZc0osoewEtUWYq_f43RMhM8Dr01s0xohffETOiJb0HZz7BIOj1PMYFeg/w400-h81/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Parts of the AATIP story got buried, Bender suggested in a <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanDBender/status/1518418291206721537" target="_blank">series of tweets</a>, "because they were afraid it would be perceived as an utter waste of taxpayer money." Bender then referenced the Robert Bigelow connection to the late Sen. Harry Reid, adding, "It was a pork project to investigate voodoo that morphed into UFOs."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Without the Nimitz case and the video they would have had little but ghost stories and campfire ghouls to show for it," Bender added.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But that's not always the way the Politico correspondent framed the so-called government UFO project as media outlets saturated the nation with the related fantastic stories. In the past Bender <a href="https://www.openminds.tv/bryan-bender-politicos-defense-editor-talks-ufos/42439" target="_blank">typically defended</a> how he vetted AATIP information and vouched for figures such as self-proclaimed AATIP director Luis Elizondo, going as far as to guest on <a href="https://www.history.com/shows/unidentified-inside-americas-ufo-investigation" target="_blank">Unidentified: Inside America's UFO Investigation</a>. The cable program was considered by many to be sensational and lacking, at least if intended to be taken seriously, as Robert Sheaffer observed when he documented how an Italian case of a known hoax was presented as legitimately mysterious by Elizondo and his supporting cast.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"They make statements and gaffes that betray complete ignorance of what has occurred before them in UFOlogy," <a href="https://badufos.blogspot.com/2019/07/to-stars-closes-its-series-unidentified.html" target="_blank">Sheaffer wrote</a>, "yet they bluff their way to convincing gullible reporters for major news organizations to take what they say very seriously." Sheaffer further observed that Bender made multiple appearances on the Unidentified show to explain "how significant and wonderful everything is that TTSA is doing."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Concerns about Bender's objectivity and handling of the story were common. In a <a href="https://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2019/08/wicked-webs-media-portrayal-of-tall.html" target="_blank">2019 post</a> at The UFO Trail, it was suggested Bender's rationalizations about difficulty in confirming Elzondo's assertions did not justify reporting his claims as fact. "It arguably makes it all the more apparent <i>not</i> to report them as fact," the post continued. </span></p><p>Bryan Bender did not immediately respond to an April 25 email. He was offered an opportunity to comment for inclusion in this blogpost on the statements portrayed in his recent tweets. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Edit:</b> The following comments were received from Bryan Bender in two April 27 emails after this post was published:</span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sorry I didn’t get to this sooner. Just a busy week. Elizondo and Mellon purposely buried AAWSAP when they went public in 2017. It was a huge part of the story purposely left out. But your piece suggests I don’t think they are credible experts anymore. That is just false. They made a strategic decision not to bring AAWSAP and Skinwalker into the story. I have discussed this with them numerous times and their view was that it would muddle their message on UAPs and the successor AATIP program that Elizondo oversaw. And it probably would have. Moreover, the AAWSAP players, particularly Lacatski, refused to talk back then. I tried repeatedly to get his view on this in the early days. </span></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And on the question of Elizondo and Mellon’s credibility, any informed observer knows that they have played a huge role in bringing the debate about UAPs to the fore and are still a major influence in ensuring Congress — and the public — get more answers from the Pentagon and intelligence agencies.</span></span></p></blockquote><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps Mr. Bender should be reminded it was his tweets that suggested he was misled and that Elizondo had not been fully transparent. If he continues to consider those to be attributes of credible expert sources, that might be considered part of the problem.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Journalist Steven Greenstreet, who also covered the AATIP story, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MiddleOfMayhem/status/1518416737477177345?s=20&t=VlbIfFehIqlqiLVJ6atGIg" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">stated in a tweet</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to Bender that he too was purposely misled. "I definitely put too much faith in some of the main 'knowledgeable' sources," Greenstreet added:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCMc0kbNtJtH_ooeGj1NH-WGnptjR0ZYy9f5UuBryjUbhD8-fZvyB2u1CaVzeGHHqtBUcmPhkko7V0wk7BwDRe1_iVjlnCvZc2o4tpk4WNxntOeIFwzde0046b2LVmizUq3mox_cmy7lwEUVt2u2SwBr_sZKphX3mxUza0iMF8ogCJ7V2F98mDbSDjw/s643/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="643" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCMc0kbNtJtH_ooeGj1NH-WGnptjR0ZYy9f5UuBryjUbhD8-fZvyB2u1CaVzeGHHqtBUcmPhkko7V0wk7BwDRe1_iVjlnCvZc2o4tpk4WNxntOeIFwzde0046b2LVmizUq3mox_cmy7lwEUVt2u2SwBr_sZKphX3mxUza0iMF8ogCJ7V2F98mDbSDjw/w400-h126/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Greenstreet is well known on "ufotwitter" due to his multimedia coverage of the evolving AATIP story since it surfaced. His work included co-authoring a New York Post article in which <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/04/30/feds-cover-up-of-ufos-puts-us-at-risk/" target="_blank">Luis Elizondo expressed</a> his now familiar claims of widespread UFO sightings and subsequent cover-ups.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Greenstreet was also credited with a <a href="https://nypost.com/2019/05/22/the-pentagon-finally-admits-it-investigates-ufos/" target="_blank">2019 story</a> destined for controversy when Pentagon spokesperson Christopher Sherwood was quoted on various UAP matters. The article suggested the Pentagon was admitting it investigates UFOs. However, diligent <a href="https://www.theufochronicles.com/2019/08/the-pentagon-ufo-program-and-luis-elizondo-credentials.html" target="_blank">researchers followed up</a> on the Sherwood statement, sought it in full, and subsequently identified that Sherwood made additional remarks unsupportive of Elizondo's claims and omitted from the article: "Mr. Elizondo had no responsibilities with regard to the AATIP," Sherwood stated on behalf of the Pentagon. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">In an April 26 exchange conducted via direct messages on Twitter, in which Greenstreet was</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;"> offered an opportunity to comment, he indicated he authored a follow-up story on the piece containing the Sherwood statement, adding, "I spent 2 weeks writing the story. It was never published."</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;">"If you wish to read more about how I worked on the story regarding the Sherwood statement, my emails with Mr. Sherwood during this time were released via FOIA to John Greenewald:</span></p><p>"<a href="https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/osd/21-F-0946.pdf"><span style="font-family: verdana;">21-F-0946.pdf (theblackvault.com)</span></a>"</p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Steven Greenstreet provided the following statement concerning</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> his recent tweet that he was purposely misled about the AATIP:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>Last year, after having personally ridden the UFO bandwagon for 2 years, I asked myself "What if I'm wrong?". I went back and retraced "the evidence" again. Every document, every news story and every on-record statement from the main players in the current UFO story. I quickly realized "the evidence" was not as solid as the majority of the mainstream media, including myself, had portrayed it. A combination of new documented evidence that I have acquired and uncomfortable conversations with key players that I was privy to led me to believe that I was being deceived. I plan to be more specific regarding what I discovered in the weeks to come. I've since spent the last year preparing new episodes of "The Basement Office" in which I essentially start over and confess, "I was wrong".</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Luis Elizondo maintains he directed the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program. The claim and its lack of cohesive narrative has been <a href="https://theintercept.com/2019/06/01/ufo-unidentified-history-channel-luis-elizondo-pentagon/" target="_blank">called into question</a>, as has <a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-ufo-injury-study-that-wasnt.html" target="_blank">Elizondo's tendencies</a> to be long on sensational stories and short on producing verifying evidence. Critics argue reasonable people should expect to be required to substantiate their assertions, particularly <a href="https://unknownboundaries.com/former-aatip-director-tells-of-ufos-bringing-aircraft-carrier-offline-and-causing-positive-brain-changes" target="_blank">those that involve</a> UAP-related injuries and "positive" brain changes, such as Elizondo uses the UFO circuit to describe. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">His followers remain unfazed by the criticism and gaps in verifiable information. They are convinced Elizondo is leading a push to the coveted government disclosure of UFO truth, an obsessively - if not a futilely - sought prize in which ends are often believed to justify means within the uncompromising demographic. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Luis Elizondo was offered an opportunity in an April 26 email to comment </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">for inclusion in this blogpost </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">on the positions of Bryan Bender and Steven Greenstreet, as reflected in their recent tweets, that they were purposely misled about the AATIP. Elizondo did not immediately respond. He has yet to reply to this writer's multiple attempts on several separate occasions to obtain comment on salient issues.</span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-25582673212315286342022-04-19T09:19:00.001-04:002022-04-20T12:32:07.853-04:00Show People, Don't Tell People<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span> Let's do an exercise. I'll describe some types of people in the UFO fray, and then we'll decide whose personal statements out of the group should be accepted as fact. Whose statements of the following can we rely on to be factual?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Intelligence Official</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> They were a longtime employee of the federal government and climbed their way to a position of responsibility in an intelligence agency. They were issued a security clearance and it's a given they were read into various classified projects as a condition of employment. They now frequently speak publicly about their knowledge of the presence of a non-human intelligence. </span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>The Experiencer</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span> They published their full name and regularly field questions about them self. Widely considered an alien abductee, they have rehashed their story for decades. They continue to report being plagued by baffling events in their day-to-day life.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><b>The Scientist</b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span> A qualified expert in their field, this person earned two PhDs and a Masters. They enjoy talking about their work and explain in interviews how a non-human intelligence was observed during research projects in which they participated. They show a willingness to risk professional status and reputation to defend their position and describe seemingly anomalous events they saw take place.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><b>The Civilian Investigator</b></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span> This person puts boots on the ground and diligently collects statements from those who report UFOs. They study case files, are well read, and do popular presentations. They have authored several books, do a weekly podcast, and are consistently a favorite at UFO conferences, for reasons including they describe the people they meet and cases they investigate.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><b>The Journalist</b></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span> The UFO journalist is an award-winning writer and reporter. They are well connected and so entrenched in their stories they participate in third party interviews along with the subjects of their investigations, who are often intelligence officials and scientists. They frequently explain to the public what they have learned from their many contacts about the fascinating subject matter at the center of the otherwise private and classified activities.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><b>Conclusion</b></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span> Question: So, which of the people described above may we accept their personal statements as fact?</span> </span></span> </span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Answer: None of them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Or anybody else, for that matter, without corroborating evidence. As has been aptly stated by others, "Show people, don't tell people."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0MWt7PvAcJc_BnI0R9RH2oyMtydVIb0-UU5V81W49I-hnZ01JVQXO8TVxFgRHsWCCZqgzK6GCnOwgxAN4rmm82rRP0uxwzK6USFD3M4y0Ii_WkxXbyLy6O6ezx8T0B52N7pwkCSluYLxwX6t8-WVeIAwzwVip9MRNEYPoDmkCLyAfjtMmtILWx-vh3g" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0MWt7PvAcJc_BnI0R9RH2oyMtydVIb0-UU5V81W49I-hnZ01JVQXO8TVxFgRHsWCCZqgzK6GCnOwgxAN4rmm82rRP0uxwzK6USFD3M4y0Ii_WkxXbyLy6O6ezx8T0B52N7pwkCSluYLxwX6t8-WVeIAwzwVip9MRNEYPoDmkCLyAfjtMmtILWx-vh3g" width="156" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The clinical work of memory experts such as Dr. Elizabeth Loftus and Dr. Julia Shaw confirm witness testimony is the least reliable form of evidence. Basically, when it comes to narrating the past, we often don't know what the hell we're talking about.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This doesn't mean we're always wrong about things. Neither does it mean people are always lying or intentionally deceptive.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What it <i>does</i> mean is universal standards of evidence recognized by the professional research community stipulate unsupported claims are not taken into evidence as facts, no matter who they're from. Not when someone appeals to authority, not when someone says others will vouch for them, not when someone promises proof is coming later. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">We may </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">believe</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> what we choose, or speculate as we wish, but if we are asserting something as fact, or claiming we are framing the assertion in a scientific context, we must provide adequate verification for it to qualify. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A salient point: Although ufology has long claimed to want wider acceptance from the scientific community, it often fails to conduct its affairs in a way that would facilitate that acceptance. Not always, but often. If ya don't want in, don't ask for an invitation. And if ya ask for an invitation, act like you are actually willing to conform to the guidelines of the scientific community into which you sought entry. Otherwise, it's subject to be viewed as the same ol' disingenuous ploys charlatans have used for centuries to try to dress up unscientific activities as scientific study in order to gain otherwise unearned credibility.</span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-47393915351329086132022-04-12T12:26:00.003-04:002022-04-12T13:21:06.935-04:00The UFO Injury Study That Wasn't<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> <i>Due to the considerable length of this post, it is <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RKT1PflTzgHl0Cl4AtHynKDB6R2rxcQ5/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">available in pdf</a> for those who might prefer to store and read it in another medium. </i></span></span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Thank you to the many people who contributed valuable insight, assistance, and comment during the creation of this blogpost.</i></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>Longtime staple of the UFO subculture and author of a paper submitted to the AAWSAP, Dr. Kit Green, indicated during an April 6 telephone call he believes cases reviewed in his injury study did not represent people harmed by paranormal or extraterrestrial phenomena, but by human beings. "The perpetrators - in my judgment - are human," Green stated.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLBqsWwo3EzO4h_jcdzQjtOYHQk9DCEuP1GKmcXRzE7hUNcshizuiw-ia67iiK4lJAap8sF1wpmGFVzx8iPDUdq6OpcwSkhDUVBCrnVIsUKEoJgcKmlNTX5WuUC0sV7UP_Eft-QdgOdK1vz_MBh8Xsvti9kvSjjsdWuR2UZo_LnFq_5n6WdcqdUUZ4IA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLBqsWwo3EzO4h_jcdzQjtOYHQk9DCEuP1GKmcXRzE7hUNcshizuiw-ia67iiK4lJAap8sF1wpmGFVzx8iPDUdq6OpcwSkhDUVBCrnVIsUKEoJgcKmlNTX5WuUC0sV7UP_Eft-QdgOdK1vz_MBh8Xsvti9kvSjjsdWuR2UZo_LnFq_5n6WdcqdUUZ4IA=w183-h200" width="183" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Dr. Kit Green</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even as <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18115486/ufos-injuries-radiation-burns-pentagon-docs/" target="_blank">tabloids ran with clickbait headlines</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1511864579600654338?s=20&t=ax10BcS4II1drenV1HZ6vg" target="_blank">Luis Elizondo took to FOX News</a> to oblige Tucker Carlson's misrepresentations of the AAWSAP and the context of Green's paper, the forensic physician suggested no hocus pocus is required to account for patients he believes suffered injuries after encountering strange flying objects. "I don't think it's a guy with slanty eyes from far, far away in his shape-shifting universe," Green explained during the call. "I think these are human technologies."</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dr. Christopher "Kit" Green is well known among those with an eye to the UFO genre for reasons including his work with the CIA and corporations controlled by Robert Bigelow. In approximately 2010 he provided a paper to Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies for inclusion in the Advanced Aerospace Weapon Systems Application Program. The AAWSAP contract was awarded to BAASS by the Defense Intelligence Agency. Green's paper, one of some 38 collected by BAASS at the time, is titled <i><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hPj4HV3VbKYig_KjspGDxvyKLFflVMw3/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Anomalous Acute and Subacute Field Effects on Human Biological Tissues</a></i>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The paper attempts to summarize evidence of injury to human observers by "anomalous advanced aerospace systems," and argues the possibility such systems can be reverse engineered through clinical diagnosis of the injured observers. The paper was recently included among a batch of documents released by the DIA in response to FOIA requests but is not entirely new to those closely following the saga. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The newfound attention propelled the paper to be mischaracterized rather far and wide, misrepresented as portraying DIA official conclusions that people were seriously injured during otherworldly UFO encounters. In actuality, the paper was authored by a consultant who unequivocally stated during the April 6 phone call he absolutely believes the cases he studied are indicative of human technology. Moreover, Green stated he is working on hypothesis generation and suggested an applicable hypothesis has not yet been adequately tested, much less that a conclusion has been scientifically established.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I don't talk about this as if we had scientific data. I've got clinical data for each individual," Green stated. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green's interpretations should be subjected to the same rigors of fact-checking as those of any other scientist. However, the point remains that not only were the circumstances wholesale misrepresented, but the shock and awe strategy used by media outlets - and those from which they sought comment, such as Luis Elizondo - does not even reflect the author's actual current position. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">While any number of aspects of the present UFO scene are worthy of examination, the focus of this piece is injury studies related to reported unusual phenomena, such as UFOs and alleged encounters. The more I was hearing about people - doctors, CIA officers, and writers - carrying on about injury studies, the more I wanted to nail down specifics. A seeming overload of podcasts and interviews were emerging with an abundance of ambiguous statements about brain changes, blood samples, and similar buzz words that suggested medical exams were conducted. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was the type of material addressed in Dr. Green's paper, and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was already scheduled to speak with him about the paper and related issues when tabloids and media outlets picked up the story. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">This blogpost actually began percolating quite some time ago.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I eventually put together a list of people to contact, and Green happened to be next up when his paper got launched into the tabloid spotlight.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Those familiar with evolving tales surrounding Skinwalker Ranch and Bigelow associates have long heard various bits and pieces of information suggesting such studies occurred. More recently, however, it seemed to be a particular talking point making the rounds on the UFO podcast and interview circuit.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Talk</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> The never-short-on-claims Luis Elizondo is an example of seemingly promoting the injury study message and, more to the point, extraordinary yet unsubstantiated alleged physiological conditions. Elizondo asserted during a <a href="https://unknownboundaries.com/former-aatip-director-tells-of-ufos-bringing-aircraft-carrier-offline-and-causing-positive-brain-changes" target="_blank">March 22 discussion</a> with the chronically dubious Linda Moulton Howe that pilots coming in close contact with UFOs suffered brain damage and radiation burns. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In other cases Elizondo described as UFOs causing positive effects on people, he asserted some individuals developed artistic abilities, such as being able to play the piano although never having a lesson. Others developed extrasensory perception, or ESP, he said. We might indeed question how <i>that</i> was established, as certifying ESP would arguably be a bigger deal than identifying the alleged origin of the ability (some cart and horse stuff going on there). This is just one public appearance of many in which Elizondo uses the UFO interview circuit to describe extraordinary occurrences while neglecting to provide adequate verification for his claims.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dr. Colm Kelleher and George Knapp continued their alliance during a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFGMdp4fRog&t=1s" target="_blank">February 3 YouTube appearance</a>. Their statements consisted of tales of the hitchhiker effect, an upright wolf running down the street, and the now standard assortment of supernatural subject lines. In the comment section of the video, the host of the proceedings shared an apparent email exchange with Kelleher, in which the doctor addressed AAWSAP and the hitchhiker effect, and recommended an article on the DIA-awarded program:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFa0McUpyhRt5T5XupiZPsdMlUJv2CZ2z2NYw78AK7qp0fHvImfuSIfEqRweycJz24sTBA0YTwUYEZwGJVNPT-JVY_9maq3DxtDmd-SM21dDGaz2WJ9lpF0qnRa2Jb0iYy4yLRthhinV9uuPWYAl0MuTL0RBQRGmDmAMK04hT90t6sCCynwZhqZzoSog" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="832" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFa0McUpyhRt5T5XupiZPsdMlUJv2CZ2z2NYw78AK7qp0fHvImfuSIfEqRweycJz24sTBA0YTwUYEZwGJVNPT-JVY_9maq3DxtDmd-SM21dDGaz2WJ9lpF0qnRa2Jb0iYy4yLRthhinV9uuPWYAl0MuTL0RBQRGmDmAMK04hT90t6sCCynwZhqZzoSog=w400-h272" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />The recommended link connects to an article on a site questionably titled Liberation Times which shows a fondness for credulous stories. UFO Disclosure and its champions are heavily featured. Actually, that's the only thing Liberation Times covers. The particular article in question linked by Kelleher asserts the AAWSAP found that there may be immediate and long-term side-effects to UAP encounters.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This all rather clearly circled back to a <a href="https://www.8newsnow.com/news/statement-from-a-senior-manager-of-baass/" target="_blank">2018 statement published at 8 News Now</a> and issued by an unnamed senior manager at BAASS. It should be noted the website, Channel 8 in Las Vegas, is host to George Knapp, and <a href="https://ufos-scientificresearch.blogspot.com/2018/05/dr-colm-kelleher-and-advanced-aerospace.html" target="_blank">some suspected</a> the unnamed BAASS senior manager to be Colm Kelleher. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As the AAWSAP was becoming evermore established in the eyes of the public as a so-called Pentagon UFO program by figures such as Knapp, Kelleher, and Elizondo, the BAASS statement was issued at Channel 8. It asserted the human body was viewed as a readout system through forensic technology, immunology, cell biology, genomics and neuroanatomy:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2BAzGHO0_lAK_PNSRdAIAg7WOjJyl7ULL18pAgZUgFHabSZ-sS9qxJIAzT_0ILPQrdzBccbHH4fH7Bc8gdxCYRcNaxAYV8qWgV3jTLsaOKMnKOlzk6D4jKYlU6HkUY__xMlx_m7Hi5zWWCjiFSkpDeJkTGhkmSH4zUH30SdNLIYGLI6dPZLJmeHGCmQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="231" data-original-width="752" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2BAzGHO0_lAK_PNSRdAIAg7WOjJyl7ULL18pAgZUgFHabSZ-sS9qxJIAzT_0ILPQrdzBccbHH4fH7Bc8gdxCYRcNaxAYV8qWgV3jTLsaOKMnKOlzk6D4jKYlU6HkUY__xMlx_m7Hi5zWWCjiFSkpDeJkTGhkmSH4zUH30SdNLIYGLI6dPZLJmeHGCmQ=w400-h122" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />A number of questions should arise. Answers would prove to be few, far between, and nonexistent. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The obvious implication of all the chatter was encounters with UFOs and unusual phenomena were altering people physiologically in a variety of measurable ways. Sensational</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> claims were many and details were few. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frankly, I heard so much meaningless talk that it was not until the topic got stepped up in recent months I decided to locate what facts could be found.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The above examples are just a few of the many instances in which seeming insiders describe medical documentation of what they purport to be physiological changes resulting from encounters with UFOs or unusual phenomena. We will explore the surrounding circumstances in further detail in the forthcoming sections of this post. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Jim Semivan</b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">
</span>
</p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>In an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yrIy7yUidw" target="_blank">interview conducted earlier this year</a>, Jim Semivan described an encounter he and his wife had with an entity in their bedroom. The experience reportedly led to their eventual interaction with "a group" conducting apparent medical procedures. The interview was done by none other than George Knapp, and Semivan twice indicated Knapp is aware of the group.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"A group you know," Semivan told Knapp and the Coast to Coast AM audience.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">James "Jim" Semivan is credited as a co-founder of To The Stars. He is <a href="https://tothestars.media/pages/about" target="_blank">described on the website</a> as a 25-year Operations Officer for the CIA Directorate of Operations and a recipient of the Agency's Career Intelligence Medal. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLG0GQ8FRUi58zOFCohS7xFAR9MDn75IICWq92FknFhA6elEA-7MAO7ai0fbrKfZ37uKywu0NhD98FE-mfAL3IoFUHtLMtkqBm_Ww131ddgKmTZIAn5trUEFTJjrkA0E2E3pttGOkRcnDjczOKMPJSeUGPGHD9nM7BQU5A-C0meJInrH0qiGGC5QkKtQ" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="169" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLG0GQ8FRUi58zOFCohS7xFAR9MDn75IICWq92FknFhA6elEA-7MAO7ai0fbrKfZ37uKywu0NhD98FE-mfAL3IoFUHtLMtkqBm_Ww131ddgKmTZIAn5trUEFTJjrkA0E2E3pttGOkRcnDjczOKMPJSeUGPGHD9nM7BQU5A-C0meJInrH0qiGGC5QkKtQ=w188-h200" width="188" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over the course of the interview Semivan stated the entity encounter happened in probably 1991 or 1992, but he's not sure the exact year. However, he said that the day after it happened, he was speaking to a CIA "deep cover guy" who was planning to soon attend a UFO convention in Virginia Beach. Semivan shared his experience from the night before with the man, who recommended he read Vallee.</span><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"That started everything for me with that," Semivan remarked.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In what Semivan estimated to be 2014 or 2015 he was interviewed by longtime Bigelow associate, intelligence officer, and non-lethal weapons expert John Alexander, for what are not entirely clear reasons, and Semivan told Alexander about the encounter. The next thing he knew, he was being visited by the group Knapp knows. They "took my blood and did everything else," Semivan said, but, as far as describing the circumstances more clearly, opted to "leave it at that." He stated he and his wife are still being studied and "looked at" by a group.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is for such reasons Jim Semivan made my list of people to contact. I had a number of questions that did not seem to be of much importance to George Knapp.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who are these people? How did the group initially make contact? Did he question exactly how he came to their attention? </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had many more questions. Who funds the group? What kind of consent forms and documentation of his participation in the study have they provided?</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Walk me through how a CIA officer goes from seeing an entity in his bedroom to having his blood drawn. Did he tell a supervisor? Exactly what happened? </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Am I to understand some 25 years passed between the early 1990s perceived encounter and the time he was first visited by a group wanting to collect samples? One might wonder about that.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If he has been urged not to discuss the group, why? And if he can't talk about it, why is he talking about it? ...on Coast to Coast AM, no less? </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And let's not forget the brick lobbed into the pond about the undercover guy headed to a UFO conference. Was that official CIA business, as in part of the guy's cover, or in a recreational capacity? And if the latter, does the Agency not have a policy on deep cover personnel mingling at UFO conferences and similar such social events? One would suppose undercover officers wouldn't make a habit of recreationally joining special interest fringe groups if not part of the manufactured identity and if it was in contradiction to the assumed role being cultivated.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a brief series of email exchanges, Jim Semivan explained he wasn't going to talk to me further about the apparent medical study group. To his credit, that's more than can be said for Eric Davis, Colm Kelleher, and Garry Nolan, each of which did not respond to emails requesting a few minutes of their time that, I might add, they regularly invest in podcasts all over hell's acres talking about such issues as the topic at hand. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In response to my email expressing a desire to learn more about a group mentioned during his Coast to Coast appearance which was conducting a study of those experiencing what we might call personal encounters, Semivan replied in a February 28 email, "</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">For
a variety of reasons, I cannot discuss any of the details regarding
this study. Most of it is restricted for privacy reasons and
the people who oversee it are generally not happy when it is
mentioned. I probably should not have referenced it
during my C2C talk but it was late.... I suspect that one
day there will be a paper written or a talk given on this
subject but that will not be my call. I am sorry that I can't
be of any help to you on this matter." </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Was there anything further he could add to his mention of a CIA asset attending a UFO conference in the wake of his experience?</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not really, Semivan replied, adding, "John Ramirez, my buddy from the CIA, has more to say on all of this."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Does he find the public statements of Mr. Ramirez to be credible?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I
have the utmost respect for John," Semivan wrote. "I did not know him well during my time at CIA, but I do know he was a top
flight analyst with a very solid reputation. He retired as
a senior GS-15 (the equivalent of a full colonel). He was also
awarded the Career Intelligence Medal when he retired. No
small feat. So yes, I do find him credible."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Suffice it to say there are researchers who don't. John Ramirez reportedly worked for the CIA in various capacities from approximately 1984 to 2009. As of this writing, his <a href="https://twitter.com/JRam_11_11" target="_blank">Twitter profile states</a> he is an experiencer from childhood who was "taken and implanted." In a <a href="https://sottovocevault.com/index.php/2021/12/16/major-disclosure-from-ret-cia-analyst-john-ramirez-interview/" target="_blank">December 2021 interview</a> he asserted the existence of an extraterrestrial-human hybrid breeding program has been confirmed since World War II. He further stated during the interview the CIA has knowledge the human race is the result of a genetically engineered mix of ET and primate DNA. This is par for the course for Mr. Ramirez.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm reminded of the time I asked Col. John Alexander what he thought of extreme things said by Gen. Bert Stubblebine, with whom he worked. The late general, along with his wife Dr. Rima Laibow, an advocate of hypnotizing alleged alien abductees, <a href="http://drrimatruthreports.com/dr-laibows-codex-newsletter-archives-5/nsf-attacked-the-truth-is-our-defense/" target="_blank">asserted in 2008</a> they were revealing such damaging information that the powers that be made an attempt on her life. <a href="http://drrimatruthreports.com/the-big-plan/" target="_blank">In 2013 the couple reported</a> that "The Big Plan" was a scheme undertaken by the global elite to eliminate 90 percent of the population and enslave the rest through vaccines, chemtrails, and electronic low frequency radio waves (ELFs). There's much more, but I'll leave it at that. John Alexander replied Stubblebine was his boss and he doesn't know why he said the things he said. That makes two of us, colonel, that makes two of us.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What's clear enough is John Ramirez numbers among those who feel no obligation to provide verification for extraordinary claims. At any rate, I was intent on keeping the injury study squarely in my sights, so I opted against heading out into the hybrid weeds with John Ramirez. Maybe another day. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There is one more point that arose with Jim Semivan: The vast majority of people reporting him to be a retired CIA officer probably do not know that to be fact.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It came to my attention <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-semivan-3b703227/" target="_blank">Semivan's Linked In profile</a> does not state he worked 25 years for the CIA, but the Government Accountability Office, from 1982 to 2007. As of this writing:</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirc4Zfe26DaQ70oZdgCfJ86OZentclXvvs4OhgDaDw6BLjRbn_3qRaAkNFznrHXeeumAt2UPKkNDg6PBr675ztLsIU1CSwAmx-voYVFGoLdBwJLo3DXgKSbHtwpLQ99DRte9SDScUpXDf2A89f_bDiBoutWZnyiSS1kX81pOWbY2A-TmpRPTaD5a_rKA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="358" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirc4Zfe26DaQ70oZdgCfJ86OZentclXvvs4OhgDaDw6BLjRbn_3qRaAkNFznrHXeeumAt2UPKkNDg6PBr675ztLsIU1CSwAmx-voYVFGoLdBwJLo3DXgKSbHtwpLQ99DRte9SDScUpXDf2A89f_bDiBoutWZnyiSS1kX81pOWbY2A-TmpRPTaD5a_rKA=w194-h200" width="194" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />I emailed Semivan, explaining I was having difficulty verifying his CIA employment for this blogpost and inquiring if there was any particular reason he would not cite the CIA as his employer at Linked In. In a March 14 email, he responded:</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span></span></p><blockquote><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>First,
thanks for pointing out the GAO emblem... I have no idea how it got
there. But I will change it. When I first joined
Linked In, like many former CIA employees, I did not want
my previous CIA affiliation known to the general public. Foreign Intelligence Services, among others, collect that data and I
simply did not want to be on another list. Obviously with my
public statements of late, that has all changed. I may change the
designation in the future. After 25 years of hiding my affiliation,
it is still hard for me to say "CIA" out loud.</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As
for verifying my CIA employment, you will just have to take my word
and the word of many others in the community who know me and have not
protested publicly that I am portraying myself as someone I am not. Not sure if you call the CIA they will verify my employment.</span></span></p></blockquote><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I continued to have some questions about all that. I inquired to CIA Public Affairs but did not really expect a response. I did, however, submit a FOIA request to CIA for a publicly available list of unclassified or already declassified recipients of the Career Intelligence Medal from 2005 to 2010. Such a list might further validate the employment of John Ramirez as well. The FOIA request remains pending at this time.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I reached out to the Government Accountability Office. A series of phone calls and emails resulted in a March 25 call from John Travett who identified himself as being with the GAO. He subsequently informed me he was unable to either verify or refute Semivan's employment from 1982 to 2007. Mr. Travett indicated in order to do so he would prefer I have the social security number of the person in question, and added he would rather be presented some type of release from the parties involved as well.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisKh8TmlK-7n2KXckLgyoCN_DzxtsmLgy2o-R2xHzb1OwDJe2VEN5qDm7vVuw8VhQYqmPK_vd3twJWrzl1Q5dhfiP4PHw6Bnl9KElC1-DhRAmeE9KdVnlz2mn-Q2ujyVWwf4FNaLRtCZxJG2s2mYo_Ez3ZaxxUH_X4lS-Nf0mFIWIf8DQunCGZQgYJtQ" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="363" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisKh8TmlK-7n2KXckLgyoCN_DzxtsmLgy2o-R2xHzb1OwDJe2VEN5qDm7vVuw8VhQYqmPK_vd3twJWrzl1Q5dhfiP4PHw6Bnl9KElC1-DhRAmeE9KdVnlz2mn-Q2ujyVWwf4FNaLRtCZxJG2s2mYo_Ez3ZaxxUH_X4lS-Nf0mFIWIf8DQunCGZQgYJtQ=w200-h147" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">People in the circles of To The Stars may very well know Jim Semivan worked for the CIA, as they have been promoting and discussing high and low for years now. I nonetheless think the point is relevant that scores of podcasters and writers who present him as a retired CIA officer apparently do not know that to be correct. As Semivan suggested himself in his March 14 email, they just take his word for it.</span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There's a salient point to be made here about the entire UFO scene. You have either verified something or you haven't. It starts and ends with standards of evidence. If you compromise the extent you are committed to fact-checking from the very outset of an interaction with someone, it is reasonable to question what other "facts" get compromised along the way in pursuit of YouTube viewers and website hits. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">By this point I had spent time looking closely at statements made by Dr. Garry Nolan. In the next section we will explore some of those statements, and concerns I would have addressed with him had he given me the opportunity.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Dr. Garry Nolan</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <a href="https://profiles.stanford.edu/garry-nolan" target="_blank">Dr. Garry Nolan</a> is a Professor of Pathology at Stanford University. He has also become a go-to guy in the UFO scene due to his professional qualifications and involvement in such storylines as the Starchild Skull, the Atacama humanoid, and the not-so anonymous characters portrayed in Dr. Diana Pasulka's <i>American Cosmic</i>.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7nzkq/stanford-professor-garry-nolan-analyzing-anomalous-materials-from-ufo-crashes" target="_blank">December 2021 Vice interview</a>, Nolan described how such activities brought him to the attention of "some people associated with the CIA and some aeronautics corporations." Some "people" just showed up unannounced at his office one day, enrolling him to do blood analysis and review brain scans associated with cases of individuals who had reportedly "gotten close to supposed UAPs and the fields generated by them." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nolan indicated he was not at liberty to disclose who those people were or what departments of government they represent. Okay, I have some problems with where this is headed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For starters, let's be clear: If you are approached by members of the intelligence community, you are under no obligation to secrecy. They're the ones with the security oaths and security classifications, not you, unless, of course, you actually are issued some kind of clearance or sign some type of non-disclosure agreement, as often discussed surrounding Bigelow associates. If that's the case, perhaps it should be questioned why you're talking to Vice about things you can't talk about.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Secondly, there's a history here. In 2019, <a href="https://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2019/02/walsh-pasulka-nolan-decline-comment-on.html" target="_blank">Nolan and Pasulka were involved</a> in a rather sensational series of claims that "security personnel" were censoring Pasulka's statements made during podcast appearances. Neither chose to elaborate on the circumstances, which revolved around Nolan's then-anonymous involvement with purportedly retrieving saucer crash debris from a location the two rather inexplicably still fail to further report. Suffice it to say I found the behavior particularly unimpressive from academics and much more of the problem than the solution in UFO circles. Another unclaimed Nobel. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm less awed by Nolan's cloak and dagger stories than others might be. I have some doubts about his interpretations of security issues, and I'd require further explanations and documentation to more fully accept the ways he frames them. Just because you might not want to give someone a straight answer doesn't necessarily mean you're bound to secrecy by a security oath, whether or not you have been issued clearance. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nolan went on to explain to Vice that cases such as presented to him get filed at the "weird desk" by the Department of Defense. Enough people were having very bad things happen to them, the doctor continued, that it came to the attention of Dr. Kit Green.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some of the patients reported seeing UAP. Some of their brains were "horribly, horribly damaged." One of the cases was from Skinwalker Ranch, Nolan explained.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">"Given how deep into their brain the damage went," he continued about the Skinwalker case, "we can actually estimate the amount of energy required in the electromagnetic wave someone aimed at them. We don't think that has anything to do with UAPs. We think that that's some sort of a state actor and again related to Havana syndrome somehow."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was not entirely clear how, exactly, one differentiates between the controversial Havana Syndrome cases and encounters with other unusual reported phenomena, such as UAP or paranormal-type perceptions. Perhaps witness narrations play significant roles in categorizing cases, leading to issues of verifying such claims, establishing causality, and lag time between reported events and medical examinations. The further I delved into this, the more apparent it became there were a wide variety of cases and circumstances. It could indeed be questioned how scientists establish any given reported UFO sighting directly resulted in an injury, and how successfully it would be expected to pass peer review. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">One might of course also wonder why a state actor would be concerned with someone at Skinwalker Ranch. The means to execute such an attack should also be questioned, as should specific details of the entire investigation prior to drawing conclusions. How, exactly, does Nolan know "someone aimed" an electromagnetic wave, or anything else, at the individual?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was also suggested some cases involved high-functioning people, such as pilots who make split second decisions and intelligence officers in the field. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a theme that runs through the interviews of Nolan and some others claiming to be familiar with the studies. The general idea put forth is experiencers may have some type of unusually advanced brain functions, enhanced by their encounters, if not attributable to such encounters, and observable through select procedures such as brain scans. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/slpacy/garry_nolan_is_james_from_american_cosmic/" target="_blank">Pasulka was quoted</a> around the UFO e-scene as confirming Nolan was "James" in <i>American Cosmic</i>. This was already widely and strongly suspected, and Nolan seemingly confirmed it with a Twitter "wink":</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1PTSSc9OyuiDf3y9Zl_oahadDF5rPJ1wKjvvJXto7UiNWhLPjKReoi0MS8grEB_kPylo39zzIm3BxO1vBhMrEQ4iviEKyvgccEurZ_fMganx5gaQD3pIt1i_FXOES1wMx9EQqFVq0cPwXZC4k9SqZ6ju5LcGeX6cPt_bBELb7Kq8ARiK2d3JHd2reGg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="1064" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1PTSSc9OyuiDf3y9Zl_oahadDF5rPJ1wKjvvJXto7UiNWhLPjKReoi0MS8grEB_kPylo39zzIm3BxO1vBhMrEQ4iviEKyvgccEurZ_fMganx5gaQD3pIt1i_FXOES1wMx9EQqFVq0cPwXZC4k9SqZ6ju5LcGeX6cPt_bBELb7Kq8ARiK2d3JHd2reGg=w343-h400" width="343" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"James" is portrayed in Pasulka's book as considering himself an experiencer, describing bedroom encounters as a child and various events throughout his life, including the strong suspicion family members experienced encounters as well. This culminated in reading John Mack's <i>Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens</i>, which Pasulka suggested "James" found revelational and described as the story of his life. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I point this out because in Nolan's interviews he frequently describes the high-level functioning of the patients he identifies as having certain brain conditions, and at times remarks the condition is present in his family. It therefore seems noteworthy Nolan's endeavors, framed as scientific study, in no small way seem to also represent a personal journey of potential validation and self-discovery.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nolan spent significant amounts of time discussing such circumstances publicly. Interviews are abundant. In a <a href="https://youtu.be/GprQmw366Ek?t=8" target="_blank">February YouTube appearance</a>, indicative of several others, Nolan said people from the government who said they were associated with the CIA approached him about injury studies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Asked if his resulting work took place under AATIP or AAWSAP, Nolan said he doesn't know. He doesn't pay attention to acronyms, he said.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Regarding Havana Syndrome and UAP, Nolan said people "have gotten pretty confused about the whole thing." It was not clear how confident Nolan's colleagues may or may not be in the methods used to categorize cases and differentiate between Havana and UFOs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A lot of the cases ended up being Havana, Nolan explained, and the patients had no "experiences," adding, "By chance we threw in a couple of Remote Viewers just because we had their MRIs for other reasons."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What reasons would that be? Potential explanations are found in Annie Jacobsen's <i>Phenomena</i>, as <a href="https://ufos-scientificresearch.blogspot.com/2018/04/kit-green-in-phenomena-book-by-annie.html" target="_blank">explored by Keith Basterfield</a>:</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"> "We are also mapping [DNA and immune systems in] people and their families who claims to be remote viewers or have anomalous perception," Nolan confirms. For example, Joe McMoneagle is part of their research program; he provided them with a sample of his DNA, and the team is considering how to access the DNA of his sister, who was also allegedly a remote viewer, says Nolan. "Whether real, perceived or illusion, there appears to be a genetic determinant." And while Dr. Green maintains that his patients' injuries may have come from high energy devices or their components, both Green and Nolan think there is more to it than that. "Some people [seem to] repeatedly attract the phenomena or the experiences," Nolan says. "They act like an antenna or are like lighthouses in the dark."</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Once again, causality rears its ugly head. And is Dr. Nolan suggesting there may be a genetic determinant in a person <i>believing</i> they are a Remote Viewer, or actually <i>being</i> a Remote Viewer? Like, hasn't the Remote Viewing crew been teaching workshops and courses for decades? Are there measurable results? Data that can be conclusively established to be related to either RV results or beliefs of results? What do other scientists think about this? One might have a difficult time envisioning how this would be received favorably in peer review absent a lot of refining. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And the antenna effect. How strongly do Nolan and his fellow investigators feel their deductions are correct and will withstand additional examination? It would seem this would require extensive research, much more than a case study of a couple family members, as well as the addition of control groups. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A concern here is such speculation is taken to heart by many, even if the scientists themselves label it innocent spitballing. The public succumbs to beliefs cultivated by a hype-driven media saturating it in fantastic, even if yet to be executed, lines of research.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the above linked YouTube appearance, Nolan referenced a paper submitted with Dr. Green. Hopefully relevant questions and issues will be adequately addressed which are thus far omitted.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">During the same interview, and much to his credit, Nolan emphasized the significance of obtaining blood samples in timely manners if they are to be of relevance in exploring reported incidents. Similarly, the doctor discussed the so-called hitchhiker effect, but says it has not yet been tracked, unlike other investigators and reporters much more willing to try to prematurely assign it validity.</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: verdana;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3BYDX16jT0mPJn1uuqd49OuA5RC6Zsau2W0XpmfhQkwxxRxI9TAQCrc2tINHx2eTUf2AWQAOE2ySJCFX6eC1nU9kXLHxIVWvS-kzWvFMEWRwh7o5FaHk5KT7jIBQjSmsCLfWhEE93lQmZlpZ_7q2IrAA_Mg1Xt_brligOaH4vI3f-eeZLtdSsL9Z_Ow" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="277" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3BYDX16jT0mPJn1uuqd49OuA5RC6Zsau2W0XpmfhQkwxxRxI9TAQCrc2tINHx2eTUf2AWQAOE2ySJCFX6eC1nU9kXLHxIVWvS-kzWvFMEWRwh7o5FaHk5KT7jIBQjSmsCLfWhEE93lQmZlpZ_7q2IrAA_Mg1Xt_brligOaH4vI3f-eeZLtdSsL9Z_Ow=w200-h130" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Ranch</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nolan mentioned he has been invited to Skinwalker Ranch but has never visited. He did not say who invited him or give a timeframe of when he was invited. He sees no compelling reason to be a tourist at the ranch.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nolan resisted negative assessments he saw expressed on Twitter about Avi Loeb and the Galileo Project, perceived by some as rounding up all the same old credulous UFO personalities as have been blowing smoke for years. He specifically denied Jacques Vallee, Luis Elizondo, Chris Mellon, and he are "true believers," adding, "We are all looking for evidence." </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">They may well be looking for evidence, but the lack of reliability of some of the material they promote is perhaps a more significant issue than belief or intention. Much of it is simply unreliable, if not demonstrably incorrect. An argument could be competently made those referenced should be substantially more careful when addressing the public about UFOs and particularly if framing it as science-based material.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In another <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTCc2-1tbBQ" target="_blank">February YouTube appearance</a> Nolan again discussed injury study, saying it started with a cohort of individuals' information brought to him. Most were Havana Syndrome, so "it's somebody else's problem now," not his, whatever that means exactly. He also said some 200 cases that you can just download off databases online were reviewed and contributed to his studies.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Vallee was working behind the scenes with people who were employed with the government that turned out to be Havana Syndrome cases, Nolan suggested. Specifics of that are not clear, such as exactly what kind of work Vallee was doing and what the qualifications for it were. It should be noted a recurring theme from one interview and individual to another is the cases examined by doctors such as Kit Green involved military and government personnel, presumably intelligence officers in at least some instances.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nolan said he has spent some $70,000 of his own money on his research, but this seemed to be in the context of testing alleged UFO debris, not the injury cases. He added millions are needed to do proper, thorough testing, and said Avi Loeb needs some $50 million for work envisioned.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The interviewer asked if Nolan thinks a government is in possession of something of extraterrestrial origin that is far more impressive than anything we've seen in the public, to which the doctor replied, "I've not seen anything personally, but if I believe the people who I don't think can lie, yes." </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The people who can't lie? I'm not even going to comment on that.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I won't touch a skeleton ever again," Nolan stated, presumably alluding to complications that arose over the Atacama specimen. After collaborating with Dr. Steven Greer, who maintained a mummified tiny body was an extraterrestrial, a paper was later published by Nolan and Stanford researchers. They did not propose the specimen was an alien, opting instead to argue genetic abnormalities could explain perceived abnormal characteristics of the human skeleton of the specimen.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Other <a href="https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/analysis-of-atacama-mummy-called-into-question-306470" target="_blank">researchers argued</a> there was no scientific rationale to undertake genomic analysis because the skeleton was normal. Moreover, the ethics of the handling of the specimen were called into question. Some <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/28/science/atacama-mummy-chile.html" target="_blank">scientists protested</a> the research. By that point, people in fringe circles all too well knew the widely publicized photos to have been touted as an alien, or, at the least, some kind of miniature humanoid. The scientific community wasn't buying either, and it questioned the ethics of the entire undertaking. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A point here is not just the importance of ethics and research integrity, but those who steer news cycles are often much more interested in sensational stories than correcting the record after the fact. It could be considered concerning when academics and scientists eagerly promote sensational speculation through the many podcasts and media outlets willing to court them, but the public is much less exposed to the actual eventual scientific findings, resulting papers, and informed debate when those speculations are rejected. People watching YouTube UFO videos and reading Liberation Times are typically not examining scientific papers or even FOIA documents. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A percentage of people already believed someone found a dead alien in the Chilean desert, based on hundreds of video, website, and print messages to that effect, and they're not changing their minds over a handful of articles on the problematic aspects of the research, even if they happen to see one. Similar can be said for the Starchild Skull, and the cycle may very well repeat itself through stories of miraculous overnight pianists emerging in the wake of a UFO sighting, regardless of what peer review panels say later about the papers submitted. People already saw it on FOX and YouTube. One of the more significant aspects of the unfolding injury study and AAWSAP saga, however, as compared to garden variety UFO credulousness and media coverage, is the United States federal government had a stake in the evolving plotlines. That's the case whether it was duped about where its money went or something else was going on. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Dr. Tyler Kokjohn</b></span></p><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> To offer readers some perspective and keep a foot firmly planted in research fundamentals, I sought comments from a qualified scientist. Dr. Tyler Kokjohn is a microbiologist with a career of experience in medical research projects. Below are questions I posed, followed by his responses. </span><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>When it comes to injury studies about reported UFO phenomena, what are some of the issues the public should keep in mind to assess the claims they hear from researchers?</b></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span> Dr. Kokjohn: </span>The first thing I suggest in evaluating any injury claim is to be clear that correlations do not necessarily reveal causes. Unless the UFO induces some sort of unique structural damage or syndrome, ultimately proving how the observed damage came about will be challenging. These issues can be especially complex for situations involving neurological/behavioral damage in which a formal diagnosis may often hinge not on the presence of damage, but on the degree of damage. For example, with Alzheimer's disease dementia, patients harbor amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in their brains. However, the formal diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is made after a post mortem examination in which the density of amyloid plaques and tangles are enumerated. So, even though they are both linked to Alzheimer's disease, finding a few plaques and tangles does not automatically mean that particular patient died with Alzheimer's dementia. Even more fascinating, a subclass of subjects has been identified who never exhibited any signs of cognitive impairment in life, but on post mortem examination are found to harbor as many plaques and tangles as persons who did have Alzheimer's disease dementia. This condition and others like it are based on subtle distinctions in degree of damage. And sometimes even that rigorous characterization may not always offer clear answers.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">Observational studies of brain structure also warrant some caveats. Scans are expensive and time-consuming, which often means study groups are small enough to wonder about their reliability when it comes to inferences about the presence of detectable damage and conclusions regarding things such as their impacts on function. The brain is dynamic and exhibits age-specific changes which complicates the assembly of valid comparison control groups. In addition, machines, protocols and software may vary. Perhaps the best way to look at some reports is as anecdotal case history accounts that demand further investigation, not as established facts or revelations.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br clear="none" /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Why are Institutional Review Boards and peer review important?</b></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br clear="none" /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> Dr. Kokjohn: </span>Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are an operational entity set up to ensure the rights, safety and well being of human research subjects. An IRB-approved plan is required before any work may commence. Investigators are required to provide the rationale and justification for the research, a plan of operation and to identify any foreseeable potential adverse events along with explanations as to how such issues will be mitigated if they arise. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In addition to technical details, investigators are required to structure and conduct their investigations in ways that will safeguard subject privacy and confidentiality. Along with the research plans submitted to the IRB committee, investigators must create and include for advance approval written informed consent documents that explain the study to prospective participants, details any potential adverse events and risks of participation and informs them they have the right to cease participation at any time. The prospective participants must be able to understand these documents and sign them before enrollment. IRBs are a critical and independent check on investigators, put in place to ensure research involving human subjects is valid, will advance scientific understanding and performed as safely as possible. To my knowledge, all federally-funded researchers conducting experiments with human subjects must undergo an IRB approval process or be formally exempted from that requirement by the IRB chairperson.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br clear="none" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Peer review is the prime quality assurance mechanism of scientific research. Publications and research grant proposals will have to sustain an examination by (usually) anonymous experts in the area who will certify the level of scientific significance, soundness of experimental design and data interpretations of the authors. To put it bluntly, the reviewers do not always agree with the authors. Often the peer review process is a give-and-take affair, with referees making suggestions or requiring changes with the investigator incorporating the alterations and re-submitting for another review. It is a time-consuming process and mainstream scientists will generally consider manuscripts published in a peer-reviewed journal to have a much higher level of significance and trustworthiness than those appearing in less scrutinized venues. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Let's look at it the way a researcher might who is writing a proposal for funding. It is a lot of work and they generally have to be of high quality to win an award. If I was that person I would take care to present solid preliminary data from sources I know my reviewers will deem reputable, in other words, if I use anything from the published literature to build my case, I will use peer-reviewed journal sources. You need the reviewers to be enthused about your ideas, but if they look at your sources and deem them unreliable for purpose, you court disaster. The kiss of death would be for a reviewer to realize your key material came not from a peer-reviewed scientific journal, but a tabloid publication that often features Bat Boy on the cover. That Bat Boy content might be 100% accurate, but unless you provide your own preliminary data to back it up, I can predict confidently how my peers would react. No reasonable scientists would invest their time and effort producing work that is based on unreliable sources. No creditable journal or funding agency would accept such submissions. Garbage in, garbage out and in short order.</span></div></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What kinds of challenges do you see in assessing the physiological characteristics of members of unique demographics, such as "experiencers" or Remote Viewers? How does a researcher identify who is and is not a member of such a demographic, and wouldn't there be inherent challenges to convincing peers the process was reliable?</b></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br clear="none" /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> Dr. Kokjohn: </span>Identifying persons falling into 'unique demographics' for study - The way a scientist might put this is 'what inclusion and exclusion criteria will I use to select my study groups?'. This is a crucial first step for any study, but for work involving subjects like experiencers or alleged remote viewers, this will be exceptionally challenging.</span></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br clear="none" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Think of this the way a peer reviewer might; UFO experiences come in a huge array of types and degree of interactions, how will I decide - explicitly - which qualify for study and which should be left out? However, there is an additional complication here that must be factored in. How many of the encounters are bona fide UFO interactions? General experience suggests many, perhaps a substantial majority, of reports are cases of misidentification of mundane events/phenomena. Unless the investigator has a reliable mechanism to weed out reporting errors, as a reviewer I would wonder whether it is possible to recognize a genuine signal camouflaged in a vastly greater amount of noise. If you are forced to winnow out a substantial fraction of events you face the dilemmas and potential errors imposed by small sample sizes. If the criterion is to include anyone with an abnormal finding, presumably caused by the UFO encounter, the investigator is making a classic error known commonly as begging the question. This is the simple situation. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For a remote viewer, the controversy over the existence of this phenomenon will make matters far more difficult for the investigator. Failing some sort of means to prove the persons examined could successfully demonstrate remote viewing capabilities confirmable through repeatable and objective criteria, this appears, in my opinion, to pose an insurmountable problem. If the investigator attempts a workaround and simply declares the study group includes subjects with a claimed capacity to remote view, the question becomes one of degree. Presumably some subjects are better than others at this, how much better? And then how do you exclude that ability in your comparison control group? Being generous, maybe a lot of people have the capacity, but are never checked for it. Frankly, research based on unproven or extraordinarily difficult-to-assess phenomena like remote viewing or UFO encounters is unlikely to be reviewed favorably by mainstream scientists. My advice to anyone interested in pursuing such work would be to pick both your potential sponsors and reviewers very carefully. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Dr. Kit Green</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> It had become clear I should contact Dr. Green. I first studied his paper, <i><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hPj4HV3VbKYig_KjspGDxvyKLFflVMw3/view" target="_blank">Anomalous Acute and Subacute Field Effects on Human Biological Tissues</a></i>. This was one of the 38 Defense Intelligence Reference Documents, or DIRDs, you may have heard about, collected by BAASS as part of the AAWSAP.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You should probably pretty much try to forget what you've heard about the paper if you haven't read it. It's probably wrong. The work has points that are competently challenged, but the media portrayal of it and the circumstances it represents are largely misleading. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Neither Green's paper nor any of the DIRDs collected during the AAWSAP represent official statements or positions of the Defense Intelligence Agency or Department of Defense. They are theoretical papers, collected by Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies during its work on the Advanced Aerospace Weapon Systems Application Program. The AAWSAP contract was awarded by the DIA so, yes, if parties should be held responsible for what BAASS did with funds granted, the DIA and DOD are firmly on the hotseat, but, no, that does not mean those papers speak for the DOD. The manner BAASS represented its interpretations of project objectives compared to its subsequent selection of activities may also well deserve scrutiny. What's more, the DIA may have very much preferred a majority of AAWSAP material never reach the public to avoid embarrassment stemming from accountability issues. The fact will remain, however, the DIRDs associated with the AAWSAP simply do not reflect DOD official positions or findings as was widely suggested.<br /></span></div></div><div dir="ltr"><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br clear="none" /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the paper authored by Green, the forensic physician essentially argued UFOs can be reverse engineered by examining people who encounter such craft at close enough range and sustain injury:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW9uC9QHb7RMimm7kU95u9aCVeixlHiDP8LonJ_xYArj8YdMa_GJcpfGH5IayEfLRCJAt5uATcDKVhAda32Tc6Kmn2eT_7Of_OfqdUTW7q6qi8whzoGeQGZWXLLKNjVKPMdZ6zNCMjcg1yTb9ACOkgvuk96Pky2E9RORtHzEZnX4smOd6ApdMBEr4ehA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="671" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW9uC9QHb7RMimm7kU95u9aCVeixlHiDP8LonJ_xYArj8YdMa_GJcpfGH5IayEfLRCJAt5uATcDKVhAda32Tc6Kmn2eT_7Of_OfqdUTW7q6qi8whzoGeQGZWXLLKNjVKPMdZ6zNCMjcg1yTb9ACOkgvuk96Pky2E9RORtHzEZnX4smOd6ApdMBEr4ehA=w400-h240" width="400" /></a></div><br />The basic premise went like this, as I understand it: There is an abundance of material available on the effects on human and animal tissues of various transmissions of energy, such as microwaves and radiation. Sometimes such material is compiled in lab settings, while other times accidental exposure resulted in cases of injured people available for study. Green proposed the injuries sustained by people coming within a certain distance of unusual air vehicles could be compared to published studies and known cases consisting of similar injuries, thus determining likely types of energies and degrees of exposures involved in select anomalous events. Ultimately, he argued, the extent an otherwise elusive aerial vehicle could be reverse engineered through the process could be substantial.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You'll recall the BAASS senior management statement about viewing the human body as a readout system. I think this is some of what we're looking at here.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">During the April 6 telephone call I asked Dr. Green if he still believes anomalous craft could be reverse engineered through injury study.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Absolutely!" he responded without hesitation.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The material he referenced pertaining to effects of radiation on human beings is easy enough to cite, but not so much when it comes to qualifying someone as a UFO witness. Researchers such as Dr. Adam Kehoe <a href="https://twitter.com/strategic_doubt/status/1511471909166272515?s=20&t=IQ_apLlgquLUDIUv9XEo6w" target="_blank">recently took issue</a> with some of the material cited by Green pertaining to alleged UFO cases, pointing out Green's footnotes ultimately lead to dubious sources. Cases referenced in Green's paper could be followed to such sources as the National Enquirer and Penthouse Magazine. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9_VaV_MzD-UbLM1iGTymHAzoCru_OERF184DgisYwrk2vTkNnie2bCtnQOkl24jQe1PIQ6Tr0Sl71HGn3Kze05SDZHXWJg5nY4GzBxjEm4Ugcwa6RWLc30gouBbYWhHkuOAnVMaV7J3jLlm5kbmj-7dAEsurQXfFgH672rTgg81-Z5L6j8QdpcnNlaw" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="173" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9_VaV_MzD-UbLM1iGTymHAzoCru_OERF184DgisYwrk2vTkNnie2bCtnQOkl24jQe1PIQ6Tr0Sl71HGn3Kze05SDZHXWJg5nY4GzBxjEm4Ugcwa6RWLc30gouBbYWhHkuOAnVMaV7J3jLlm5kbmj-7dAEsurQXfFgH672rTgg81-Z5L6j8QdpcnNlaw=w193-h200" width="193" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A type of antenna array</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">One particular prominent case in the paper is portrayed as involving three antenna engineers and an "anomalous" aerospace-related incident, but upon checking the cited source, <a href="https://twitter.com/strategic_doubt/status/1506626857692807174" target="_blank">Kehoe explained</a>, there is no flying object at all, anomalous or otherwise. The three were injured when they came too close to an emitter array.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green told me he had not read the paper in years, and that he does not even have a copy. I nonetheless informed him how his citations were being challenged, and asked if he stands by them.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I think that's absolutely excellent criticism," Green began. He then suggested he was merely analyzing the sources cited, not that he necessarily believes them.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"In my paper, I didn't think any of the stories were necessarily valid," he continued. If anyone said the MUFON database he cited was garbage, he'd be inclined to agree, yes, it was. He was citing the cases to narrow his demographic of study and eventually work directly with patients in which he could control the administration of such procedures as brain scans and blood collection when illness from radiation was suspected. He was not citing them as necessarily true stories, Green maintained.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"The argumentation of the paper doesn't match that," Kehoe observed during an April 7 telephone call.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"The structure of the paper," Kehoe continued, "is not just that some people claim these things. In fact, there are remarks to the effect that the fact these people have these injuries tells you that something happened." </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kehoe, a software engineer quite familiar with Green's paper, referenced a point that stood out to him. He quoted Green from the paper, who wrote, "It is our contention that characteristics of the fields or mechanisms associated with close encounters with anomalous craft can even sometimes carefully be gleaned from archival records where effects on human physiology have been carefully reported."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"That raises the question of which archival records," Kehoe said. "Are those the MUFON records here?"</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With anything you glean from such records, Kehoe continued, how can you determine a margin of error? "There is no mechanism in place to ever validate or control or check what you've done. You need that feedback."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"You've got a model," Kehoe explained, "it spits out a prediction and then you want to know, how good was the prediction? If you kind of have to shrug your shoulders in answering that question, you don't really have, well, anything."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I initially emailed Green and requested he speak with me a few minutes to discuss research involving medical examination of UFO witnesses and his AAWSAP paper. He responded favorably. During an ensuing email exchange about scheduling a time for the call, Green stipulated there were a few topics that were off limits. Those topics were anything whatsoever about the Skinwalker Ranch; Havana Syndrome; patient names; and his current work, classified or not, with the CIA. He indicated he was otherwise willing to discuss his investigations of "Experiencers who have been harmed" and the related circumstances about which I inquired. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #1d2228;">Over the course of the 75-minute conversation taking place by phone on April 6, Green unequivocally stated he believes human beings are responsible for producing the technology that ultimately injured patients in the cases he examined. I'd add that nowhere but UFO World would his position be considered controversial or outside the box, should such cases actually prove to be indicative of encounters with aerial vehicles as Green indicates he believes. </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">"All I'm saying is I don't need alien spacecraft from another dimension to explain the injuries. That's all I'm saying," Green added. Never once, in the last 15 years of examining the cases, has he had to invent an extraterrestrial or an esoteric device to account for the injuries.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">"So to be clear, what I'm hearing," I clarified, "is you have not ruled out the byproducts of man-made propulsion systems or even non-lethal weapons research and development."</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">"I think you got it exactly right," he replied.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">"I absolutely believe that one major category would be non-lethal weapons," Green continued, adding he absolutely believes another major category of explanations for sightings involving aerial vehicles that reportedly result in injury would be "another kind of a weapon."</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">He then briefly discussed aspects of the controversial Havana Syndrome, pointing out what he perceives to be some overlap in cases. Green alluded to Mike Pompeo, referring to him as a Secretary of State who previously served as the director of the CIA, and suggested Pompeo once told a reporter he suspected Havana Syndrome was instigated by an "NNSHIS," a non-nation state hostile intelligence service.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">"I thought, when I heard that, bingo," Green continued. "That's what I think is causing these things in my patients. I don't think it's a guy with slanty eyes from far, far away in his shape-shifting universe. I think these are human technologies. Sometimes, accidents that are occurring because instrumentation and deployment that has another purpose is approximating what it is as having an unintended consequence – that is a medical consequence – and that's happened in government technology centers and laboratories ever since technology was a tire that was put on a vehicle and it rolled away."</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">Green added that he is not saying the technologies he believes he is tracking are trivial. He believes the technologies injuring his patients are very advanced, but he doesn't think they're magic, and he doesn't think they're </span><i style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">that</i><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"> advanced. </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">"And I'm not sure the technologies are not deeply classified," Green went on, "not necessarily classified by a government, but by a trillion-dollar industry."</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">"I'm not saying I know who the perpetrators are, because I don't, but I know that the perpetrators – in my judgment – are human." Green clarified he doesn't think the cases he's been investigating have anything to do with UFOs, not in the more widely accepted sense of the word, and he has arrived at the realization they never did.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">Concerning the AAWSAP DIRD, Green
said his paper was not initially approved due to references
made in it to UFOs and terminology that indicated UFOs. This
was apparently frowned upon "by people who were reviewing it at
DIA." They didn't want to distribute it in government circles,
according to Green.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">He explained he was a consultant to AAWSAP, facilitated by BAASS, and
that he interpreted the project to be about UFOs. He suggested he was
told to change the wording in his paper.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">Can he
say specifically who informed him the study was about UFOs, and who
was saying it was not?</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">"Well,
no, I can't. It was not that easy. There was no person that said
either one. From the beginning, the purpose of the study was to look
at unidentified aircraft, but I referred in my paper with the acronym
UFO, and they said, 'Well, no, we're really looking at technology,
and whether it's going to be technology from planes, or technology
from whatever, we don't want people to think it's about UFOs,' and
this was not any one person that said that."</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">Green
reiterated he was a consultant to the project and didn't even know who the program managers were. He just knew
it was DIA.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;">
<p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green
explained his paper reflected reviewing databases of UFO reports. As anyone aware of
such reports knows, they consist of everything from distant lights to
alleged alien abductions. Green suggested he tried to find cases that
would be of the most use to his study.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Did he physically examine these people?</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"No," he replied, which I interpret to mean the people referenced in the DIRD, but he would explain later in the conversation how he and his team of doctors administered brain scans and related procedures on others. I interpret these patients to have been referred to him and examined in later years.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green's position is he was conducting cases studies, not
research. To that effect, he acknowledges there were no control groups
studied, review boards, or similar structure.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, I clarified, if this was personal research, then it did not involve an Institutional Review Board or the National Institutes of Health or anything like that?</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"No, no," Green replied, "because I didn't do research on these people. I did case studies."</span></p>
<p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green
explained he based the DIRD on field effects reported. Among the
sources used was a database compiled by John Schuessler, consisting
of some eight to ten databases, according to Green. Also relied upon
were databases compiled by MUFON and Jacques Vallee, as well as other databases.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For
about a year after the paper was completed, Green pursued his study.
"I had a contract from a client that gave me a grant, and I took
all the databases, and when there was enough medical language about
the reports – there were about 400 or 500 reports out of about 8 or
10,000 reports - where there was enough language about the injuries
that people got, that I was able to work for a year, and classify
them as to what kind of injury, and what kind of medical diagnosis
</span><i style="font-family: verdana;">could</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> it have been – </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">could it have been</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> – if what
was reported was actually true. If it was like if a physician said,
'Charred skin.'"</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Can he disclose the client that gave the grant?</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Oh,
of course not, absolutely not. Doctors don't do that. I'm not going
to do that. I mean, I'm not saying I didn't write a paper for a
client that was a government employee, or government organization,
because you have to remember, I was a CIA officer. I mean, I didn't
do this report when I was </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">in</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> the CIA, but I've been fully
cleared, Top Secret codeword, ever since 1970, and I am today."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So,
sometimes, Green stated, that's why he's not going to answer
questions. As a doctor, he added, he would not discuss anything that
would identify any of his patients.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I
explained I thought he stated a funding entity supplied him with a
grant.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I
did," he continued. "That's what I meant. I am a private
practicing physician, have been since I left the government." Green explained at one point he allocated a percentage of profit from his practice to funding his injury study.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I am a
forensic physician," he went on. "We ought to make that clear. A forensic doctor is
a doctor that studies two things."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Transitioning right into describing those two things, Green said he studies unexplained illness and unexplained
mortality. In the former, there is not enough medical data – yet –
to make a diagnosis as to cause of illness or injury. The latter
refers to finding the cause of death.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"That's
the medicine that I practice, and that's what I did when I was with
the CIA. I investigated assassinations. I did cases like <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/umbrella-assassin-interview-christopher-c-green/1557/" target="_blank">Georgi Markov</a>." (If you're not familiar with the Markov case, you might choose to brush up. It's a chapter of the Cold War involving the death of a Bulgarian dissident in which Green is credited with identifying cause of death as a poison injected when Markov was stuck with the end of an umbrella.)</span></p>
<p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After writing the DIRD, Green says he hoped he could develop a model out of other people's databases. He thought he found enough
information in those databases, like several hundred cases out of
several thousand where sometimes even a
doctor had looked at a person who got injured. So he tried to develop a program where he could define the kind of cases
he would like to forensically investigate. </span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"If somebody refers a case
to me," he continued, "and the person or entity or organization referring a
patient to me is a legitimate source, somebody in the government,
somebody in the aerospace industry, somebody that's a businessman
that's working on a big grant overseas for oil development or
something, if a legitimate person says, 'I'd like to refer a case to
you,' I would then look at that case if certain conditions apply."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Those
conditions, Green explained, demonstrated "that what I've been
investigating doesn't have anything to do with UFOs and it never did
in my mind, and I'll explain that. It actually, in terms of the
cases, never did. I didn't know that at the beginning, because here's
what I said I wanted to investigate. I wanted to investigate the
cases that the DIA – or the kind of cases – that the DIA was
interested in: advanced air forms, injuries from unknown objects,
injuries from things that were emitting new kinds of microwaves and
gamma radiation and things that were alleged to be causing these
injuries, many of which were being </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">called</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> by people UFOs. Even
at the time some called it UAP, way back then even."</span></p>
<p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green wanted cases with more than
two or three witnesses. Other conditions included the witnesses had seen an object that was a <i>thing</i>, not a
mirage, not smoke, not some ambiguous distant blur, and he wanted them to all describe seeing the same thing. It had to be daytime. The object had to be in the air, and within a certain range: no
further away than 500 meters, horizontally, and no further up
than 100 meters. </span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"In other words, close."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Readers might consider it would seem one might often be dependent on fallible witness testimony for cases to conform to such criteria. Nonetheless, Green reviewed cases he believed qualified and in which people were hurt, presumably from the encounter.</span></p>
<p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"There was acute injury that required hospitalization or medical
attention," he explained. Subsequently, there was subacute injury that developed
(over the next 96 hours) and then there was a lasting effect, such as illness or paralysis. As the study apparently picked up momentum, Green stipulated that referrals had to include giving him the opportunity to examine the person or persons for himself.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I had
to be given complete access to all their doctors and any other
doctors I wanted to bring in the case. I had to have HIPAA releases
signed by the patients so they knew that I would never ever disclose
their identity, and, in fact, I wouldn't even give their bosses - who
might have referred them to me - a medical report. Never. </span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"In other
words, this was not a research project. It was not done in the
medical school, it was not done in a hospital, it was not done in a
foundation that did medical research like DARPA or a family
foundation or an organization that was like an aerospace company. I would only give my reports to the patients themselves and
whatever doctors they had that were going to be talking to me under
HIPAA rules."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green
suggested there's been a lot of confusion around all that. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I could see why. These activities obviously span several years with different sources of cases feeding into the study.</span></p>
<p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"When people ask me about [alien] abductions," Green went on, "I say, 'Frankly, I don't think very much of them, because
I don't have any evidence that they occur.' And, I know, in fact,
that people think they do, but I'm not a person that finds that when
I look at the injuries of people who are in near space to a UAP, or
what some people call a UFO, or what some people call an unidentified
air form, I've never found injuries – even in that population where
death has occurred... I've never had to invent a technology that
wasn't a technology that I knew about that existed. Sometimes the
technologies that cause the injuries are </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">obviously</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> of systems
that years ago were very deeply classified, particularly
instrumentation that emits field effects."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The common denominator is various energy transmissions, such as radio frequency and microwaves, and the subsequent field effects, he says. </span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"So I'm stuck. I don't say there's
no aliens. I don't say that some of the things that people see are
not made of something that we easily understand. I'm not saying that,
I'm not saying that. I'm not even saying that I don't believe in
aliens, or I don't believe in extraterrestrials. All I'm saying is,
when I've spent my period of time that I have, I've got hundreds of
cases that I've examined where terrible injuries occurred, sometimes
death, sometimes illnesses – chronic. And I can explain it without
having to invent aliens from Zeta Reticuli or Mars or Venus with
space shape-shifting equipment with advanced technology."</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">It
seemed important to Green to comment further on logistics of working
with patients, which he indicated would be referred to him by somebody
else, and he always consulted with specialists. Green asserted he did
not want to be </span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">"the"</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;"> doctor, so to speak, but more of an
organizer that worked off the diagnoses arrived at by others.</span></p>
<p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I was
never the only physician on any case that was referred to me," Green stated. He would try to see the patient within the first week
since the event, and, if not, go talk to the doctor who saw them.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"To be
clear," I asked, "was this work you did in AAWSAP?"</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"No," Green responded, "that's not quite right. If I did this in the
AAWSAP I'd have had to been a contractor in AAWSAP, and I was
actually not part of BAASS, and I was not part of AAWSAP. I was a
consultant to them, and that's different. That's why I can tell you,
fairly clearly, the only other doctors that ever looked at any of my
patients were doctors that </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">I</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> retained from the grants that I
had."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green explained he is working closely with Garry Nolan and Colm
Kelleher, and that he is working with a team from medical schools at
Stanford and Harvard. They</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> are trying to get three research papers
published.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"It
became clear to me about four years ago that maybe this sort of hodgepodge of cases with very sporadic etiologies, which clearly were
related to either unintended consequences of technologies under test
and evaluation and deployment, or people that were building things to
do stuff that they shouldn't be doing that were from another
government, or, that were not, but were from a large foundation that
was kind of not doing the right thing, or testing equipment that they
could then sell to the military, or, or, or, or... The thing was that
the categories of injuries were pretty tightly narrowed to about 48
different diagnoses, and that probably was something that,
scientifically, in forensic medicine, needed to become publicized."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green said all of his work was retrospective, none of
it was ever prospective. There continued to be no blind study groups, control
groups, or similar populations, such as might be included in grant-funded medical
studies. He and Nolan
studied the brain scans obtained.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"It
became clear to us," Green stated, "or to me, anyway, that I
didn't have a UFO population." Most UFO reports simply did not
qualify, given the standards Green developed. His cases of interest
represented a minuscule percentage of overall UFO cases.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I've
briefed every government organization that I've ever been affiliated
with on this, and it became clear to me, that my population was not a
UFO population. So I finally started to say, about four or five years
ago, that people shouldn't think that I am looking at people who are
injured by UFOs. They're not."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpus7iPJBS82Xj1BlGO5RX9ihrmjYql9TXNnwPiIHkKgbKWi0lrpAmbyLxtq79Ac9JlY7HT68GFQIeWMlUnfgxcVyWZbVVA5WxmbDQoMkDrPHNCjrhmzztMsBPwJtSX808zAwz2QqFKEHtW03H7lW-8173_zpHWpQGQPPMd_jJyWIVBLTCWrlN3sQhsg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="268" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpus7iPJBS82Xj1BlGO5RX9ihrmjYql9TXNnwPiIHkKgbKWi0lrpAmbyLxtq79Ac9JlY7HT68GFQIeWMlUnfgxcVyWZbVVA5WxmbDQoMkDrPHNCjrhmzztMsBPwJtSX808zAwz2QqFKEHtW03H7lW-8173_zpHWpQGQPPMd_jJyWIVBLTCWrlN3sQhsg=w200-h134" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Advanced Marine Corps<br />reconnaissance drone</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green
believes his patients have described very quiet, advanced drones.
Some seem to be black triangles.</span><p></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Some
of them appear to be blobs – round, oblong, weird looking, white.
People say, 'Hey, that sounds like those tic tacs!', and I say, 'Yep,
exactly.'"</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I pointed out Dr.
Nolan appears to be much more of the opinion anomalous activity is
involved. Would Dr. Green say they disagree?</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"No, I
think Garry looks at those things in a completely different
perspective from me, a different vector, and we work together. We
looked at some of the same cases together, particularly early on. We
haven't been doing anything together with any new cases for about
four years, but Garry tends to look at things that are clearly more
mysterious than me. I only focus on the clinical medical stuff that
you get when you talk to the doctors and you get the records and
blood tests, xrays, and brain scans."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green
said he has followed Nolan's public statements, and he doesn't feel
he has the credentials to challenge Nolan's positions in his areas of
study. Green indicated Nolan says similar about Green's
forensic studies. </span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green
and Nolan have been working together and trying to get a couple papers
published. While Nolan is looking at what he seems to consider
mysterious cases, Green acknowledges he's no stranger to the subject
matter. It's well known he's been on the UFO fringe for some 40
years. But as far as injury studies, and what Green terms the
morbidity of those cases, he does not believe the cases are
mysterious, but he says he thinks the perpetrators are.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"I
believe the perpetrators are incredibly mysterious, and I spend a lot
of time trying to figure out who they are."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Was any
of the work Green did on injury studies ever under the guidance of
BAASS or any Bigelow corporations?</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"No," Green replied, "well, now wait a minute. I'm not going to talk
about who was or wasn't giving me grants, but I will tell you that
nobody – and I've been involved with Bob Bigelow's organization for
30 years, I've been on many of his boards of directors, I've been a
consultant to him, he's a close colleague and a dear friend, I mean,
I want to give him credit where credit is due."</span></p>
<p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The
direct answer to my question was no, Green stated, adding the UFO
subject never comprised more than 15 percent of his career, and the
injury study even less, about five percent. Green acknowledged he's
worked for Robert Bigelow and been paid to be on his boards – been
paid to be a founding member on his boards – so, "in that
context," he proceeded to explain, it was Bigelow who first
suggested he collect cases of people who think they've been on UFOs.
That should include cases of people who think they've been injured by
aliens. </span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bigelow suggested, according to Green, he should collect
cases, and he should brain scan those people. If those things are
real, Bigelow reportedly continued, he'd suspect there would be a
clue in their brain, because, if they've been abducted, maybe they've
been changed. Maybe their brain is changed. If they've been next to a
UFO, maybe those propulsion systems are radiation machines and
gravity machines, using all kinds of advanced isotopes and energy.
Bigelow apparently thought maybe the people had gotten zapped, and
injured, so Green should check for it, and Green says he told Bigelow
that was a very good idea.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">About
what year was that?</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"It
had to have been 15 or 20 years ago."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green
then referenced some of the first brain scans he did: the first "several hundred." Some of this was covered by Annie Jacobs,
Green said, and he thought he was seeing possible injuries. These
included Navy Seals and others in the military that Green described
as highly intelligent and very skilled. He suspected the "particular
attribute" in the brain results from some type of encounter, but
Green says not. In fact, it was not "UFO abductees or anything like
that, it was just highly skilled, highly trained professional people
that had a particular biomarker."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"For a
while," he continued, "I was actually thinking that maybe this thing that we were
seeing was not necessarily pathological, but had to do with the fact
that they were people who'd been confronted by one of these objects
that were very strange, and it turned out not to be the case."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Green
suggested material to that effect "has been written up," but publishing has inherent
challenges. Case studies involving limited numbers of people and
limited populations do not impress review panels. They're having trouble getting things published that they
wanted published.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"It's
not a study where you start out with a hypothesis, and you test it,
and then you develop another variant of that hypothesis, and then you
test that. What we have is what's called hypothesis generation, not
hypothesis testing."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So
you're running into challenges getting published?</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Yes,
and they're reasonable, and that's why I don't talk about this as if
we had scientific data. I've got clinical data for each individual.
They're not bundled together into a large, single hypothesis."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In
closing, Green emphasized a lot of his work is not about this. He added that things
he may be aware of are not classified, but they may be adjacent to
classified material.</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Was I
understanding correctly that it's Green's position he can discuss
some grant circumstances, but not some other funding entities or
specific work, because of non-disclosure agreements and security
classification?</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"You've
got two things you're saying there. Both of them are correct. I don't
have anything we've talked about that is classified, but I do have
things about related subjects that are very highly classified. So,
for example, I don't know anything classified anymore about anything
concerning UFOs or my research, but it's all medically private."</span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Closing Thoughts</b></span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: verdana;"><span> A salient point here is whether any investigators have important observations that can make it to publication. Such material should be definitive and advance scientific understanding of UFOs, paranormal phenomena, or advanced technology as applicable. </span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: verdana;">Challenges for a curious public to navigate - and there are many in this saga - include conflicting statements from so many involved parties about funding, whether something took place within AAWSAP or not, and so on. Grant recipients typically identify funding entities in resulting papers for a variety of reasons. Among those reasons is dispelling potential conflicts of interest that may result from how the work was funded. When that doesn't happen, obvious concerns arise, particularly when investigators are hesitant to fully address funding channels and their roles and levels of participation in one agency, organization, or project or other.</span></span></p><p style="color: #1d2228; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: verdana;">I don't think there is anyone who would object to scientists attempting to quantify circumstances surrounding UFO reports, claims of alien abduction, and related alleged paranormal circumstances. The same would of course be the case for events suspected to involve injuries resulting from exposure to manmade aircraft. An issue becomes the validity of the methodologies. Guarding against the danger of subjective interpretations of ambiguous circumstances follows suit, as do concerns about whose money is footing the bill. Suffice it to say taxpayers might be much less concerned about the interests of people who use metal detectors to search for UFO debris in the desert if they're confident federal money is not paying for those people's chosen directions of research. </span></p></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Regarding alleged saucer debris, it is my understanding the Vallee, Nolan, and Pasulka camp suggest a non-human intelligence might manifest material objects that serve more abstract purposes than literal and physical. This is to say, for instance, alleged saucer debris may exist, yet not conform to the structure of scientific testing, for reasons including it's not really a crashed saucer, it's just an artifact of the unknown for humanity to study. </span>The implications overlap with injuries potentially sustained by people exposed to such phenomena. Such saucer debris, hypothetically, might serve as a communication or an interaction of sorts. I understand that to be one of the core positions held by those who otherwise do not account for why there is so much ambiguity surrounding debris retrieval and related analysis. Others might call it rationalizing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirA3i9VlEGdv_1YuTYJpamOZPK0WhlKpZCZyaBMIvA487VuIsOohSZW-i9jYI3xWuT4S4wjzdJb0cHNiQwU81n9TSEwk6aLkqDaqDJKuTrFszix_vptUjYvBWY1rnuRCwG1ouaFG6MTqlm_RUg8L1aWoiFSZLLNIuD-K3URfGszupf1m7i0ekJEy_8OQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="543" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirA3i9VlEGdv_1YuTYJpamOZPK0WhlKpZCZyaBMIvA487VuIsOohSZW-i9jYI3xWuT4S4wjzdJb0cHNiQwU81n9TSEwk6aLkqDaqDJKuTrFszix_vptUjYvBWY1rnuRCwG1ouaFG6MTqlm_RUg8L1aWoiFSZLLNIuD-K3URfGszupf1m7i0ekJEy_8OQ=w320-h160" width="320" /></a></div><br />There are some obvious problems with validating the 'real but not real' concept in scientific circles. This is not to say humanity may not eventually evolve to vastly more advanced understandings of its universe and its place in it. That almost certainly will be the case. But that evolution of understanding will have to take place in a methodical, systematic manner to be meaningfully distinguished from gibberish. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The possibility always exists, as well, of disguising covert operations of varying degrees of benefit or malice behind such gibberish. How well we collectively either enable or competently investigate such undertakings is at issue.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">To those who would argue "science can't prove everything," I would remind them this isn't my hill to die on. Defending their argument is the responsibility of Team Bigelow, To The Stars, the federally funded AAWSAP, and everyone else who brought metaphysical beliefs to a scientific debate. If they don't want their assertions subjected to scientific standards of evidence and the related protocols, don't call it science. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps forthcoming papers will eliminate all doubts and conclusively reveal paradigm-shifting information through systematic, professional research. Time always tells.</span></div>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-695439660276925112022-03-25T23:25:00.009-04:002022-03-26T10:57:29.896-04:00DIA Releases More AAWSAP Files<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span> The Defense Intelligence Agency filled three more FOIA requests Friday, bringing to five the number of final responses issued this week on requests pertaining to AAWSAP-related material. The Advanced Aerospace Weapon Systems Application Program has been confused with a variety of project names, and even the purpose and scope of the program are matters of debate. Ongoing FOIA requests have been used to clarify matters, and among the items emerging as most significant may be the absence of select records and terms. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2UK1E4ZYJXqwTkd3dDz0NaTpGCPyyJV16eSs6ChJKdfM9EZSQPUumVuZ2ztHGtHM6wikjTsizexLXeM3MgpzCntGL4JK-P39nSfJZEStf2EtOUNOi8heC3ew-l2V8ca9Y8-6KsN-Esi7SGk6_roU6y1XNOz-hfeTpw7yzd4fNwh-E4Iwaork1SD8cuw" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="236" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2UK1E4ZYJXqwTkd3dDz0NaTpGCPyyJV16eSs6ChJKdfM9EZSQPUumVuZ2ztHGtHM6wikjTsizexLXeM3MgpzCntGL4JK-P39nSfJZEStf2EtOUNOi8heC3ew-l2V8ca9Y8-6KsN-Esi7SGk6_roU6y1XNOz-hfeTpw7yzd4fNwh-E4Iwaork1SD8cuw" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The latest three FOIA releases include a response consisting of eight files </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">containing 52 pages, along with the DIA letter of response. The material is uploaded to a </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ht7YvMddP6kd3tiX6MFukCm04mR1LWId?usp=sharing" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">folder for viewing</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was issued in response to a May 2018 request for documents pertaining to the AAWSAP Solicitation HHM402-08-R-0211, including proposals funded, project updates, reports submitted, contractual records, a list of funding recipients, amounts of funds awarded, budgets, and related documents. The majority of requested records are absent, in spite of references to detailed reports in "briefing" documents, the purposes of which might be interpreted more as sales pitches than objective assessments. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Perhaps most noteworthy are memos referencing Sen. Harry Reid, in which a lack of shared vision is expressed. In one particular <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kLHe3C-b11yOi5p-8E9wCoNTCz_3Vpa9/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">November 2009 memo</a> it is entirely unclear if the DIA understands what AAWSAP personnel are doing or why the Senator might request Special Access Program status, which was not granted:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgafsOf0-CyJK1Fn1y4Eb8YTQ6SUM0c6UTg7kMwOLG5Z6CL7K4LO1RW_YzaAinkI50N9N_RWSrzXcVYPKUHyUP60IIjbQGE1bQ6Fj44RlPEsA3EtLOgHkrDezsA1MYAO6n9gungt4i5NXEkIjd9Qmhd7BBLWwqPXm8IvAuCjr5fbALUF2l4_SR6A2AZSQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="606" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgafsOf0-CyJK1Fn1y4Eb8YTQ6SUM0c6UTg7kMwOLG5Z6CL7K4LO1RW_YzaAinkI50N9N_RWSrzXcVYPKUHyUP60IIjbQGE1bQ6Fj44RlPEsA3EtLOgHkrDezsA1MYAO6n9gungt4i5NXEkIjd9Qmhd7BBLWwqPXm8IvAuCjr5fbALUF2l4_SR6A2AZSQ=w400-h350" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">DIA likewise <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F2Z9fRvLE71_eWEItgkAtfMhWziOGFF_?usp=sharing" target="_blank">issued a response</a> on Friday of several files to an April 2018 request for similar AAWSAP material, as well as some <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FislVjYwj8vM_8iHZlRTj0G4GKxay9Ul?usp=sharing" target="_blank">files in response</a> to a December 2017 request for AATIP records. Some of the material is repetitive, while a lack of budgets, project reports, expenses, and similar principal records, although specifically requested, is a recurring theme. Various types of project reports are mentioned in the material provided, but no such specific reports are included in the documents, perhaps raising questions about their whereabouts and value. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It should be noted the DIA continues to advise that it is reviewing all of its AATIP holdings. The material is estimated to be released in approximately December 2022, but it is not clear how that might differ from what has been requested and provided. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The two DIA responses as <a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2022/03/dia-further-verifies-aawsap-award-to.html" target="_blank">described in a blogpost</a> earlier this week are <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UnvVwKDOmyaYmoIdqog4J9XBvhtjdCAY?usp=sharing" target="_blank">uploaded to a folder</a>, containing two response letters and five files. All contracts undertaken with and funding provided to Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies were requested, resulting in one of the final responses and the five files. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The other was in regards to an October 2021 request for a 360-page report, "Utah Ranch Investigation: August 2009-February 2010". The document was referenced by former DIA man James Lacatski and co-authors in the purportedly nonfiction book Skinwalkers at the Pentagon, and said to have been delivered to DIA in 2010.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Based on the information contained in your request, DIA searched its systems of records for responsive documents," <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jjg4b172U7WX4ujfqwIQQkKWsveriKIy/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">the DIA explained</a>. "Despite a thorough search, no documents responsive to your request were found." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The AAWSAP Trail</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>Below are previous blogposts depicting additional FOIA responses and items of note obtained in recent years and related to circumstances surrounding the AAWSAP. As information continues to become available, perhaps the overall picture comes more into focus.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2018/05/dia-no-docs-on-nids.html" target="_blank">DIA: No Docs on NIDS</a> was a 2018 post explaining the Defense Intelligence Agency reported no documents responsive to contracts undertaken with and funding provided to Robert Bigelow's National Institute for Discovery Science. The nonprofit organization was known for controversial UFO investigations, including purported research conducted at what became known as the Skinwalker Ranch. NIDS operated from approximately 1995 to 2004, at which time it was dissolved.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a <a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2019/08/dia-withheld-aawsap-contract-awarded-to.html" target="_blank">2019 post</a> we explored a 2011 FOIA response provided to an independent researcher and pertaining to the AAWSAP. A subsequent <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kc1aKHABmJCK_YGzzVzDW_ueYH1VhXLQ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">DIA response</a> to a FOIA request for the records released in 2011 resulted in confirmation that Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies was awarded an AAWSAP contract. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kc1aKHABmJCK_YGzzVzDW_ueYH1VhXLQ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">June of 2021 the DIA responded</a> it found no correspondence, such as emails or memos, exchanged between Luis Elizondo and the DIA pertaining to the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program. Pentagon spokesperson Susan Gough emphasized the DIA managed the AATIP and that Luis Elizondo was not assigned to the DIA. Elizondo did not respond to an opportunity to provide comment for potential inclusion in the blogpost. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Soon afterward, in July 2021, Government Information Specialist Raymond Hartwick indicated the Office of the Secretary of Defense had no records pertaining to the AATIP in response to a request for same. He recommended records be sought from DIA. When advised Elizondo and his associates asserted Elizondo ran the AATIP after it was transferred from DIA to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Hartwick checked with his "components" before reiterating requests should be directed to DIA. "The AATIP was managed by DIA from 2008 until it ended in 2012," <a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2021/07/office-of-secretary-of-defense-dia-ran.html" target="_blank">he wrote</a>. </span></p></div>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-26494014866664404542022-03-21T15:21:00.005-04:002022-03-26T10:44:49.491-04:00DIA Further Verifies AAWSAP Award to BAASS, Fails to Locate Skinwalker Report<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) issued final responses to a pair of FOIA requests by email today, one of which further substantiates Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies was awarded a contract in the Advanced Aerospace Weapon Systems Application Program (<a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UnvVwKDOmyaYmoIdqog4J9XBvhtjdCAY?usp=sharing" target="_blank">view the documents</a>). The contract award <a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2019/08/dia-withheld-aawsap-contract-awarded-to.html" target="_blank">was previously established</a> in 2019 at The UFO Trail through the FOIA after acting on a lead uncovered by researcher Keith Basterfield.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The most recent documents provided by the DIA consist of five files totaling 36 pages, issued in response to a 2018 request for all contracts undertaken with and funding provided to BAASS. The documents include a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H7V6q6MyPLnq0Kea9d2QSn94ikr8MZfV/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">file containing</a> a 2008 contract and a 2009 amended contract. The contract number is HHM402-06-C-0072, issued in response to <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V3ykF336g5NWK-4Fm7idIVZ548IsDuN2/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">AAWSAP Solicitation Number: HHM40208R0211</a>, numbers of potential significance to select researchers who have closely followed the winding saga. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The 2008 contract indicates some 10 million dollars was allocated to be paid to BAASS from the National Security Agency:</span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0L7_n5rCNIlUI0FE9nJ13PqJcQxcecFuM3DrGXOvor6skjcijP7vCVOh5_4-zRy7Xgzy4o409Q4OtKylNlSlmYA730s25Ywt8WN_-A1b9x7yOAzacWRUDpt6jWtwMauvTKjHCyD3lsA_0dStYpXfV-chNh0iadJwc_LvoMOoeFWU6_X8JGb62S9yW0w"><img alt="" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="676" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0L7_n5rCNIlUI0FE9nJ13PqJcQxcecFuM3DrGXOvor6skjcijP7vCVOh5_4-zRy7Xgzy4o409Q4OtKylNlSlmYA730s25Ywt8WN_-A1b9x7yOAzacWRUDpt6jWtwMauvTKjHCyD3lsA_0dStYpXfV-chNh0iadJwc_LvoMOoeFWU6_X8JGb62S9yW0w=w400-h203" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Also included in the most recent FOIA response is a 2009 apparent DIA memo, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x2vS_z2mZm-5BqZg5_l6YqTYOuL988En/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">"SUBJECT: (U) Review of Advanced Aerospace Contract Deliverables"</a>. The memo states, "The goal of the contract is to identify key technologies and physics concepts that would support revolutionary aerospace vehicle research and development. Contracted studies were designed to provide a prioritized list of technologies/concepts that then would drive detailed, focused searches into foreign aerospace research and development.":</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5MJQbytyKlqL875PrjVn8HL0VESR6ZoIdCWYgz33rUhGQnLTgn7-0eir6OpAwcUMGmfd3sPqI_1Cs-6TxVXpa7W4x5Tp174bl5HVBe1QYBa9UIh4yyJwRLMMBIyiSqROt-_8hj5PocVodDb4zmqnID7OfXCMWN71Lu2flcUnkyowZH2gGAQMKQi20lg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="725" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5MJQbytyKlqL875PrjVn8HL0VESR6ZoIdCWYgz33rUhGQnLTgn7-0eir6OpAwcUMGmfd3sPqI_1Cs-6TxVXpa7W4x5Tp174bl5HVBe1QYBa9UIh4yyJwRLMMBIyiSqROt-_8hj5PocVodDb4zmqnID7OfXCMWN71Lu2flcUnkyowZH2gGAQMKQi20lg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The 2009 "Info Memo" goes on to state reviews of technical reports were performed by three research staff members at Sandia National Laboratories. It is suggested reviews were favorable and the evolving work might be useful to Defense Department agencies, circumstances we might question given the apparent discontinuation of the project and shuttering of BAASS.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a second final response received today, the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jjg4b172U7WX4ujfqwIQQkKWsveriKIy/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">DIA stated</a> no report was located as described by James T. Lacatski and co-authors. The report, referenced in Skinwalkers at the Pentagon and said to be titled "Utah Ranch Investigation: August 2009-February 2010", was unable to be found after a search was conducted: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFLXhgct0DSt0aUJvw7VXliT4k62M8Cu_uy4LrCkRY9xnOeo8Ki8fy_7rZgRFi94fTklIr7Y_iyViMlbDLEUeQZmKkwejayXPr5WqB02RuL0JXH3HUaGk8T_Njjb0G8Tm8jw8aRwZPUkxyBfrC8NUuhc9elSaQDvYahBCj6-1irsHSQPmxBILLej5_zA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="636" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFLXhgct0DSt0aUJvw7VXliT4k62M8Cu_uy4LrCkRY9xnOeo8Ki8fy_7rZgRFi94fTklIr7Y_iyViMlbDLEUeQZmKkwejayXPr5WqB02RuL0JXH3HUaGk8T_Njjb0G8Tm8jw8aRwZPUkxyBfrC8NUuhc9elSaQDvYahBCj6-1irsHSQPmxBILLej5_zA=w400-h170" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Several FOIA requests remain open for records pertaining to AAWSAP and AATIP. The DIA continues to advise that it is conducting a review of all its AATIP holdings and preparing those documents for release. Upon release, the DIA explained, the documents will be available for viewing in its online FOIA Reading Room. The release is estimated to occur no sooner than December 2022.</span><p></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-55589853444298356272022-02-26T10:33:00.001-05:002022-02-26T10:33:55.654-05:00Copernicus Did Not Cite Esotericism<p><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> There is an argument that "the phenomenon" is ambiguous and fleeting. The elusive apparitions act with intent and even a sense of humor, or so say many of those who believe they have met the UFOs, Bigfoot, and similar oddities up close and personal.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4YYoW_8S2Ydev3tTaqT7eAjJsTRCf9-Q0MLXEMrbqcxYgi69F2kHFLFJyJUTbx9T4UqtR-0WAVVZM667XZcDwKYAdNvZr5A38IwHBxkA1VtdYWXbZa5H5FvsRid_hNHc0IQR3uNvf4MBw0nvPKVXotzPee2DMDzS800GHilYC74MF296wgKAZotIr5g" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="185" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4YYoW_8S2Ydev3tTaqT7eAjJsTRCf9-Q0MLXEMrbqcxYgi69F2kHFLFJyJUTbx9T4UqtR-0WAVVZM667XZcDwKYAdNvZr5A38IwHBxkA1VtdYWXbZa5H5FvsRid_hNHc0IQR3uNvf4MBw0nvPKVXotzPee2DMDzS800GHilYC74MF296wgKAZotIr5g" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">My friend tells me <i>if</i> there are such goings ons, the instigator simply refuses to be corralled. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">They say it's like a soap bubble drifting on the breeze, colorful and attracting our interest, yet disintegrating under the very grasp which tries to contain it. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The sights and events often interpreted to be related to UFOs and similar reported phenomena, some suggest, must surely all be from the same mold. This would account for its elusive nature and an overwhelming lack of confirmed physical evidence, even as cost effective technologies have advanced which would make the collection of hitherto absent evidence all the more feasible.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Such theories of an intelligence behind an overarching and elusive "phenomenon" teeter on the edge of subjectively assigning definitive characteristics to apparitions not yet shown to so much as exist, at least not "exist" in more commonly accepted definitions of the word. Some would argue therein lies the rub, and perhaps they are correct. Maybe further knowledge of UFOs and things that go bump in the night indeed lies in the realms of the esoteric and traditions passed down among indigenous populations. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If that is the case, however, they must also take responsibility for understanding they cannot expect those who prioritize evidence-based research to embrace their assertions on faith alone. They must effectively demonstrate a specific difference between their chosen endeavors and searching the snow on the television screen for patterns of intelligence. If there is a difference, it should be demonstrable.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If knowledge of the "phenomenon," "other," "visitors," or whatever labels one chooses to project upon it, is more likely found in monasteries than science labs, the scientist trying to simultaneously sell both ideas to the public - and funders - must come to terms with the dilemma. At the least, it is unreasonable to take the role of a persecuted Copernicus, suggesting those who argue alternative views will not accept your evidence, when your argument advantageously relies upon the notion your white whale leaves no evidence when convenient. It can't be both.</span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-1472886602337733172022-02-20T09:11:00.001-05:002022-02-20T09:19:02.104-05:00Value Those Who Know Fact From Opinion<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> We all disagree on many things, even with our closest friends and loved ones. Preferences in restaurants, football teams, and styles of music are likely to invoke wide ranges of comments from those around us.</span><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvco8QvHkBd7q4AanutYcT9ZNnP-epQDd-2Ptzi-el1TW2BuBzHeEb3Caoa3c9ixkpXwCbMi03veEnvxVq9lBYi3NlJAWOVh-RrAjtBQUcuSn0Xhg-5Oz_boVTmoiv_ehvGtCMw8sic6iCCV5fr6xHo6_akoxKciSX2-r6C7sbG7QhjG6CF6tH_xqHTA" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvco8QvHkBd7q4AanutYcT9ZNnP-epQDd-2Ptzi-el1TW2BuBzHeEb3Caoa3c9ixkpXwCbMi03veEnvxVq9lBYi3NlJAWOVh-RrAjtBQUcuSn0Xhg-5Oz_boVTmoiv_ehvGtCMw8sic6iCCV5fr6xHo6_akoxKciSX2-r6C7sbG7QhjG6CF6tH_xqHTA=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The more meaning we assign an issue - the more we <i>value</i> it - the less tolerant we tend to become of those who have different values. A friendly rivalry about a ballgame is one thing, falling on different sides of Roe v. Wade is another. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some of us lean towards treading softly into such issues. We've all heard the saying about not talking religion and politics at social gatherings, but what about social media? And what about groups where emotionally charged subject matter is the very focus of discussion?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Fact or Opinion</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> A challenge that typically arises is accurately differentiating between fact and opinion. We would be wise to recognize those who consistently show an ability to know the difference between what the facts <i>are</i> and what the facts <i>indicate</i>. The former should be universally recognized, while the latter may be matters of opinion and subject to debate.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is a fact I write this blog. Its value is subject to debate.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Likewise, it is a fact people report UFOs. What that fact indicates becomes a matter of debate, often interpreted through a variety of filters. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheztFv_1W94yeOPGlD0whrWD2qG158_cLjJgXYG0XkN_BJ9r8dxyY4-oIPR1tVI1PB9GYaA4YZ8zBGp6N1QC-Ta405Ezg9zC_xvewnkwm_Iypz0GDA9ItTM2STQ9U9h8wTR6lr7pCEqenbQ1yQ9cif-CteNbqsL4Lect_yb2bmcDvmkhW6xn5xmAFusw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="279" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheztFv_1W94yeOPGlD0whrWD2qG158_cLjJgXYG0XkN_BJ9r8dxyY4-oIPR1tVI1PB9GYaA4YZ8zBGp6N1QC-Ta405Ezg9zC_xvewnkwm_Iypz0GDA9ItTM2STQ9U9h8wTR6lr7pCEqenbQ1yQ9cif-CteNbqsL4Lect_yb2bmcDvmkhW6xn5xmAFusw=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">Fork in the Road</b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Recognizing someone's ability to appropriately differentiate between fact and opinion offers us opportunities to widen our horizons. It is at this fork in the road, separating those more skilled at it from those less skilled, we may be surprised to find valuable common ground where we might otherwise disagree. The key factor in this context is not the opinion one takes on any given issue, but their ability to recognize it as a personal preference and empathize with those in disagreement.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In practice, this means we might find worthy discussion among a group of socially diverse people; the antithesis of an echo chamber. The most important factor is not socioeconomic class, level of education, religious affiliation, or similar category, but their willingness to identify where facts end and beliefs begin. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This allows opportunities to exchange support and participate in shared learning. Our differences can be celebrated, encouraged, and valued, rather than hidden and unmentioned out of fear of inciting anger and wrath. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We should choose the people in our inner circles wisely. Empower those to express disagreement who have earned the right to your valuable time and attention. Demonstrate to them it is emotionally safe to challenge your position, and cultivate reciprocation. Doing so supports original thinking and individuality. There just have to be guidelines for it to be functional, and those guidelines involve accurately differentiating between fact and opinion. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">----------------------------------------</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Recommended reading:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2020/06/ufo-research-integrity.html" target="_blank">UFO Research Integrity</a></span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-1765254970908384342022-01-21T16:34:00.005-05:002022-01-22T14:49:56.187-05:00FOIA Process: Not All Good or Bad<span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> The Freedom of Information Act is a valuable resource. It can be employed for a wide variety of useful purposes. </span></span><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Readers of my offerings have become acquainted with ways I rely on the FOIA to shed light on circumstances of interest. I have a great deal of appreciation for FOIA personnel employed at government agencies, the online reading rooms maintained by those agencies, and the painstaking aspects of the entire process. The work is important, and I respect the stamina it takes. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">That stated, anyone remotely familiar with the FOIA process has heard it referred to as "broken." Practicality can be called into question, with requests infamously taking years to get final responses, which by no means ensures material will be forthcoming. Below are some adventures I've had with the FOIA process.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Doc's in the Mail</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFaZG3HMAmTPa174SVUddIgSuzf_X43PgkZsBz-TWsBoqS_lH7qU7d_EwqwbgfJhowk1WzGww7VcxA9OE04hD48WQA4U9hSAQPvcV85ui853oaRx_GPl6ToMpbXKHmPTyS1MNrgDAypFIO/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="185" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFaZG3HMAmTPa174SVUddIgSuzf_X43PgkZsBz-TWsBoqS_lH7qU7d_EwqwbgfJhowk1WzGww7VcxA9OE04hD48WQA4U9hSAQPvcV85ui853oaRx_GPl6ToMpbXKHmPTyS1MNrgDAypFIO/" width="170" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gen. Walter Bedell Smith,<br />Director of CIA 1950-1953</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span> </span>On Nov. 28 I requested records on the late lawyer and government official Gordon Gray from what I've come to feel is the typically FOIA-reliable FBI. Mr. Gray directed the Psychological Strategy Board under DCI Smith's Central Intelligence Agency in 1951 and 1952.</span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>The Bureau promptly responded by email Dec. 3, providing several links to material responsive to my request. Per standard protocol, the material had been posted for me to download in pdf in the FBI FOIA portal. </span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Unfortunately, one of the links was dead because the corresponding file had not been posted. Compounding the complications was the fact the number of pages specified to be contained in the filled request indicated the missing pdf was the most substantial part of the haul, easily a three-digit number of pages.</span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>This began a series of email correspondence with the FBI. I was initially informed the links would be reposted. They weren't. </span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>I was later informed the material had been emailed to me. It wasn't.</span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>After continuing to stay on it and submit inquiries, I was then advised Jan. 6 (by then a full month into the saga) there were complications with sending the material electronically, so it would be delivered through standard mail. I informed the Bureau today, Jan. 21, I had still received no package. In their defense, I was promptly emailed an apology for the delay, and informed it was mailed yesterday.</span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Also in their defense, during the course of my attempts to get the full amount of material responsive to the request, FBI made me aware of a potentially responsive file at the National Archives. A request was subsequently submitted to NARA, which, like the Bureau, I have a lot more good things to say about its handling of FOIA requests than bad. </span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">NARA responded Dec. 15 it initially assessed Gordon Gray to indeed be the subject of the file sought, compiled by the FBI during investigation conducted between May 1961 and November 1975. The file consists of about 250 pages. It must be processed for release, which is projected to take until March 2025, a timeframe which is standard in my experience. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>Say Again</b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> On July 20, 2020, I submitted a request to the CIA for a Mandatory Declassification Review, or MDR. My hope was that a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U8WGvDgJfMFNBU4v2RMXIYdo0CStI6Fz/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">document I came across</a> in a CIA archive would be reviewed for further release. In practical terms, I was requesting they'd remove redactions from the document, which consisted of correspondence from 1959 and appeared to have been last reviewed in 2003. <br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jan. 14, 2022, I received an emailed final response from the CIA. The body of the response stated, “We completed a thorough search for records responsive to your request and located the enclosed document, which we can release in segregable form, with deletions as marked...”</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">However, there was no enclosed document as described. I immediately advised CIA by telephone.</span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOh7cZHpDFvduUBDkOD-Rql-JdWvqDw6Dfc8GLR4ibVrYJzJyexk6vMayLKJCYCQn_-RC6-4uBdVmj7o3cOeUPgZcroJGTMgagI5RroasTL4iB4KPx6qpQS_S_zcKpyLhHM1Of09rFKxEk/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="220" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOh7cZHpDFvduUBDkOD-Rql-JdWvqDw6Dfc8GLR4ibVrYJzJyexk6vMayLKJCYCQn_-RC6-4uBdVmj7o3cOeUPgZcroJGTMgagI5RroasTL4iB4KPx6qpQS_S_zcKpyLhHM1Of09rFKxEk/" width="192" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">William J. Burns,<br />Director of CIA since March 2021</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">I soon received a second Jan. 14 email from CIA, carrying a second final response. Perhaps you can imagine my disappointment and confusion when I read, “Please note that the document you requested is unclassified, and as such, is not subject to review under the [MDR] Order. Therefore, we must decline your request.”</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">They're not getting rid of me that easy!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">On Jan. 18 I submitted a request to CIA for an Administrative Appeal. I requested the circumstances be further considered, explaining I was hoping redacted sections on the document in question could be reviewed and released.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">Jan. 19 I received a response (that was quick!) from CIA to my request for Administrative Appeal. The response reiterated the document is unclassified and therefore not subject to review, adding that the Agency must decline to process the appeal. It was further stated I could find more about CIA regulations and appeal rights under subparts 1900.42(a) of title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (For those of you not as familiar as I with intricacies of big important intelligence agency speak, that means they promptly told me GTFO.)</span></p><div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">I was a bit curious what the cited subpart actually says. I soon discovered it states, “A right of administrative appeal exists whenever access to any requested record or any portion thereof is denied,” the very such circumstances I was seeking to pursue.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">Okay, now, in all seriousness, I could be way off with this. It's not like I really know what I'm doing. There could easily be circumstances I don't properly understand about the MDR process as it relates to CIA and the specific records in question. I got my degree at Google and all that, but there are a pretty limited number of ways to skate around the initial two email responses, which stated a document was enclosed, which was not actually enclosed, followed by informing me the request was denied. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">As of this writing, I continue to seek clarification and resolution, so Wednesday night I submitted a request for review of the circumstances to the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel. I'll let y'all know when nothing comes of it! </span></div></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Use Your FOIA</b> <br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> I sincerely strongly encourage researchers and interested parties to utilize the FOIA. The above examples are by far exceptions to the rule.</span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">A major reason I have come to particularly depend on the FBI is I have now filed dozens of requests to the Bureau on NICAP-related figures alone. I find the procedures to be reasonable on requesting records pertaining to deceased individuals, and the guidelines are not difficult to follow. The FBI might prove to be a productive resource on any number of historic topics; if the topic mattered, it is entirely likely Director Hoover had an agent on it, if not an entire series of field offices. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The FOIA takes time. It takes patience. It has some bumps and sometimes it's just plain impractical, but a lot of things are that are worth doing. Hang in there, or just get started. In the meantime, I gotta go check my mail! </span></span></div>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-29794674444116010822022-01-17T10:17:00.001-05:002022-01-17T15:52:28.353-05:00Cold War Cash, Politics and Saucer Stories<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibazxVeTZd6-N7e21-C8JlI_FcKZMHxlHhjJXohDKjFjnFJCG1xhKZag5gcrcAosbOvGXoat7g1CQSQ1UXmuRnQzofLxom6cJh7h5aPUHH7h9PXaGQP5GTVND-QNIE2AcgfV59_eLCz9GM/" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="146" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibazxVeTZd6-N7e21-C8JlI_FcKZMHxlHhjJXohDKjFjnFJCG1xhKZag5gcrcAosbOvGXoat7g1CQSQ1UXmuRnQzofLxom6cJh7h5aPUHH7h9PXaGQP5GTVND-QNIE2AcgfV59_eLCz9GM/" width="142" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;">Leo H. McCormick, as he appeared in<br />a 1948 edition of The Baltimore Sun</span> </td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> A <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EOOcwDMptRKClKbjYo0YvsE7mcCEQ8u-/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">two-page pdf</a> was recently obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) as the result of a FOIA request for records pertaining to Leo H. McCormick. The file contains copies of correspondence exchanged in 1956 between McCormick and the Eisenhower administration in which McCormick urged support for the Atlantic Convention Resolution. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Counsel Services co-founder was previously investigated by the FBI for employment with a CIA intelligence gathering asset, the Economic Cooperation Administration. The circumstances were explored in a <a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2021/12/ongoing-nicap-research-foia-request.html" target="_blank">recent blogpost</a> which described the contents of a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kxjNNyVU7CeaoOZW90og1XEiSY73oXuE/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">30-page file on McCormick</a> obtained from the FBI. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It should be noted the Bureau indicated additional records potentially responsive to requests on McCormick were destroyed and/or not in their expected locations.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The latest information from NARA was obtained after submitting a FOIA request citing the FBI file. S</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">erving as the basis of the request was </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a 1949 FBI report located in the file </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">which states personnel records for McCormick were maintained at the National Archives. The two-page pdf was subsequently located and provided by NARA. Potential additional responses from NARA are pending. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this post we will review and further explore related circumstances. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>NARA File</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>Two letters contained in the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EOOcwDMptRKClKbjYo0YvsE7mcCEQ8u-/view" target="_blank">pdf recently received from NARA</a> are pictured below. The image on the left depicts McCormick's June 1956 message to President Eisenhower, suggesting McCormick took great interest in what are termed Eisenhower's efforts to support NATO contributions to peace. McCormick then expressed his belief such peace could best be accomplished by the president urging Congress to pass the Atlantic Convention Resolution.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The image on the right appears to be a draft of a response to McCormick from the Public Services Division. The document suggests McCormick's letter was forwarded to the State Department from the White House. It further states that although the administration took a great deal of interest in all steps designed to increase the unity of the Atlantic community, it felt Congress alone had the responsibility to decide on the passage of the resolution. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AJCwOs5Q2QhMQ1IFbtU50AhoavcgDoTGvKzrkiaJWB17CTo8tiwrkkYLXINvp_DhOYiEupB_J1p3-SewNs8psCyS75_L-tKQrnDbp4aYE8cd-MYlinbkI3ov1uc5ao83BwD5pHuZJxYO/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="401" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AJCwOs5Q2QhMQ1IFbtU50AhoavcgDoTGvKzrkiaJWB17CTo8tiwrkkYLXINvp_DhOYiEupB_J1p3-SewNs8psCyS75_L-tKQrnDbp4aYE8cd-MYlinbkI3ov1uc5ao83BwD5pHuZJxYO/" width="182" /></a> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWm4PjauSy64Any1mfsSfGEQLqCwaJLdv3DRMZcmga3gAvSer1Bx9Q4dicOpRacZHxPM1tJ5qzg_oukEr_I4g8D-uBZzUDBdI1ln5_vHujypl-N1zKSXShyphenhyphenNufDrK4XFyGg9VVY9e6rxxV/" style="clear: left; font-family: verdana; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="399" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWm4PjauSy64Any1mfsSfGEQLqCwaJLdv3DRMZcmga3gAvSer1Bx9Q4dicOpRacZHxPM1tJ5qzg_oukEr_I4g8D-uBZzUDBdI1ln5_vHujypl-N1zKSXShyphenhyphenNufDrK4XFyGg9VVY9e6rxxV/" width="181" /></a></div><p><b style="font-family: verdana;">Atlantic Union</b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>Researchers Meyer and Luenen of the Global Policy Institute noted in a <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.434.7649&rep=rep1&type=pdf" target="_blank">2008 report</a> that the Atlantic Union Committee (AUC) was formed in 1949 and encouraged North Atlantic democracies to promote their shared values. The AUC </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">was chaired by former high-ranking U.S. officials, including Will Clayton, who, together with George Kennan, was the main author of the Marshall Plan. The Marshall Plan was a financial initiative to aid Western Europe. It came to also be known as the European Recovery Program. Its co-author Kennan relentlessly promoted the idea of an Atlantic Union in the United States.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The feasibility and practicality of the Union were debated throughout the 1950s. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">As reflected in Leo McCormick's 1956 letter to President Eisenhower, proponents took up the strategy of suggesting a convention be held to discuss the issues. A resolution for an Atlantic Exploratory Convention was sponsored in Congress, and, as one might expect of a political platform, drew both support and opposition. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Veterans of Foreign Wars opposed the effort. According to the </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=oeBJAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=atlantic+exploratory+convention&source=bl&ots=jiwVBiE5d9&sig=ACfU3U3qBELltizLdxtleCXIBswfS-1h8w&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi9s4e6jar1AhVlTt8KHXzUC9YQ6AF6BAgMEAM#v=onepage&q=atlantic%20exploratory%20convention&f=false" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Congressional record</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">, the VFW printed an article in its February 1955 magazine which encouraged its base to appeal to their elected officials to reject the resolution. Likewise, the American Legion, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in its May 1955 magazine,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> called the Atlantic Union a scheme for world government and a plan to sacrifice American sovereignty. Supporters of the initiative called the accusations unfounded to the point of not justifying serious response. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meyer and Luenen further reported that in 1959 the Atlantic Union Committee was a primary force in bringing together 700 citizens of NATO member-states in London. The Atlantic Institute was established as a result. Three years later, in January 1962, the AUC was instrumental again in organizing an Atlantic Convention in Paris, which concluded with the signing of the Declaration of Paris. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Declaration established a commission on Atlantic Unity; created a council; formed a court to address international legal disputes; and promoted measures to ensure more effective defense, which included further development of a unified command, among other items. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>McCormick and Counsel Services</b></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mB4nE5G6IfxHtWw5nWYOcYNXZ7jXjVCJ-pnv-G4HoEq51bz4GjONUTcooZT_PTnWcq5WcKUhDUWCr1rI4MDrjnYDtjyYxhFBtjyFB7MPRSfe3TBsAne0tEeOb0Wupi5Vbzw7zHv49emG/" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="250" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mB4nE5G6IfxHtWw5nWYOcYNXZ7jXjVCJ-pnv-G4HoEq51bz4GjONUTcooZT_PTnWcq5WcKUhDUWCr1rI4MDrjnYDtjyYxhFBtjyFB7MPRSfe3TBsAne0tEeOb0Wupi5Vbzw7zHv49emG/" width="165" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;">OPA promotional material</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> Leo </span>McCormick's 1947 Counsel Services went on to be instrumental in the 1956 incorporation and initial operation of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>As </span><a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2021/12/ongoing-nicap-research-foia-request.html" target="_blank">recently explored</a><span>, McCormick previously worked with another Counsel Services founder, Mary Vaughan King, at the Office of Price Administration (OPA). He was employed at the OPA from 1941-1946, serving as the Director for the State of Maryland. King worked under his supervision. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>In 1947, the two, </span><span>along with L.G. Shreve, </span><span>founded Counsel Services, outwardly a public relations firm. In 1948 McCormick vacated his position as secretary and treasurer of the corporation for reasons which included </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kJcmAaF3kdMIg_uX4hnzg2s6t0d5a286/view" target="_blank">launching an unsuccessful campaign</a><span> for the Democratic congressional </span><span>nomination</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> in Maryland's 4th District. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"After careful consideration I have decided to become a candidate and I have freed myself from all business obligations so as to devote my entire time to my candidacy and to the service of the public," <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ok2EGzvnYh_ZlV2_7w97GCnYH0MjPCxd/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">McCormick was quoted</a> in an article announcing his candidacy in the March 10, 1948, edition of The Baltimore Sun.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A 1949 FBI report which contributed to the investigation of McCormick states he sold his interest in Counsel Services to King and Shreve on February 17, 1948 (</span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kxjNNyVU7CeaoOZW90og1XEiSY73oXuE/view" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">see pages 23-24</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">)</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">. King had been acquainted with McCormick since 1942, while Shreve had known him for 15 years, according to the report. Both spoke very highly of McCormick and thoroughly recommended him for a position of trust and responsibility. </span></p><p><b style="font-family: verdana;">Hillenkoetter and the ECA</b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span>A <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/10nnqirFpHPMU2HuNA3JIkP06_Zv3oxr0/view" target="_blank">copy of a March 1949 letter</a> was obtained from the Central Intelligence Agency which establishes the Economic Cooperation Administration (ECA), a federal agency, as an ongoing CIA asset (The ECA was a forerunner to the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID). The letter is authored by future NICAP chairman of the board and then-DCI Adm. Roscoe Hillenkoetter. It is addressed to "Mr. Paul G. Hoffman, Administrator," of the Economic Cooperation Administration. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUXQMwCma_DrOOD21RX5mhdyhzzXQ714cZT5nfdDbErMwOaBLpxyT3zotfQByNAOgHKkn-qwsL3lvl-8km3aMnroNkGmtORdZVfsXFVza4N-bzvC6g1A4nyAYIfLXx43wJdDAiuwBaREe/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="197" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUXQMwCma_DrOOD21RX5mhdyhzzXQ714cZT5nfdDbErMwOaBLpxyT3zotfQByNAOgHKkn-qwsL3lvl-8km3aMnroNkGmtORdZVfsXFVza4N-bzvC6g1A4nyAYIfLXx43wJdDAiuwBaREe/w200-h183/image.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;">Adm. Roscoe Hillenkoetter,<br />CIA Director 1947-1950,<br />NICAP Chairman of the Board 1957-1962</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hillenkoetter stated in the letter the CIA had a continuing need for economic intelligence information. A great and valuable part of this need, the admiral added, could be satisfied by pertinent information that became available through the activities of the ECA. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Such information was already being furnished to the Agency from the ECA, Hillenkoetter qualified, but was confined to classification of SECRET or lower. The CIA director then requested the ECA put the Agency in the loop for communications and reports of all classifications, including TOP SECRET. Hillenkoetter closed the letter by thanking the administrator for cooperation given in the past.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Counsel Services Goes Abroad</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> A <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lQ_catxq1EgI20_P1syEsKPHO0ax7e6G/view" target="_blank">May 1949 newspaper clipping</a>, two months removed from Hillenkoetter's letter to the ECA, reported three members of Counsel Services were en route by air to China, working under ECA auspices. Mary Vaughan King was described as executive vice president of the firm and cited as the source. She indicated L.G. Shreve, president of Counsel Services, and others who became affiliated with Counsel Services specifically for the assignment, would be working in China. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The article additionally stated, "Shreve initiated the project last December when he was in China with headquarters in Canton. A veteran public relations man, he served with the Army in the China theater during the war as information and education officer."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fascinatingly, it was in August of that year, 1949, that Leo McCormick reportedly terminated his employment with a life insurance company to take a position with the Economic Cooperation Administration (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kxjNNyVU7CeaoOZW90og1XEiSY73oXuE/view" target="_blank">see page 25</a>). This resulted in an <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kxjNNyVU7CeaoOZW90og1XEiSY73oXuE/view" target="_blank">FBI investigation to clear McCormick</a> for involvement in the <a href="https://www.archives.gov/research/investigations/fbi/classifications/124-european-recovery.html#:~:text=Classification%20124%3A%20European%20Re%20This%20classification%20was%20established,its%20successor%2C%20the%20Agency%20for%20International%20Development%20%28AID%29." target="_blank">European Recovery Program</a>, a post-World War II economic project administered by the ECA. Readers will recall the European Recovery Program was also known as the Marshall Plan, authors of which strongly promoted the Atlantic Union as described above. By any name, the project was <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1227834/distribution-marshall-plan-by-country/" target="_blank">credited with distributing</a> some 13.3 billion U.S. dollars in aid to Western Europe from 1948-1952 (Readers of WAYWARD SONS will recognize this period as the same operating years</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, coincidentally or otherwise,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> of the influential CIA and State Department front, the Office of Policy Coordination). Adjusting for inflation, that's about 154 billion dollars dispersed, give or take a few annual budgets of third world countries. </span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmwgWEYUG5iAIGF6Cf6uIPlj_GvXUXXn5G-U6W_9XBgrNEOPaSCJH8kwGDbHbYfljoTCJjh0rsKHzKU8msMPCRCvCOawWQtgiEjw2F7JDFvEM_vO0nzXnKb3ROP7HG7BRtmvDQ-GVetQx/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="220" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmwgWEYUG5iAIGF6Cf6uIPlj_GvXUXXn5G-U6W_9XBgrNEOPaSCJH8kwGDbHbYfljoTCJjh0rsKHzKU8msMPCRCvCOawWQtgiEjw2F7JDFvEM_vO0nzXnKb3ROP7HG7BRtmvDQ-GVetQx/" width="175" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;">ECA poster used to promote<br />the Marshall Plan in Europe</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">The (by this time) well-connected McCormick was recommended for inclusion in the European Recovery Program by impressive references, including two sitting state governors who were each interviewed by the Bureau about their dealings with the applicant. The <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HrckS0BBrM1oKk-mb4-oucFoRwT4hWpR/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Baltimore Sun would later report</a> McCormick was involved in the administration of the Marshall Plan in 1950 and 1951.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1362YFdWblRhQSFfV9ZjDlM8N-UU1rNVO/view" target="_blank">July 1950 newspaper article</a> reported Counsel Services was among nine firms making up a newly formed agricultural development association. "Specialists of Counsel Services," the story continued, "are now under contract to the Economic Cooperation Administration in connection with work in Europe after having worked in the ECA's audio-visual education operations in China."</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A later published <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kJcmAaF3kdMIg_uX4hnzg2s6t0d5a286/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">obituary for Leo McCormick</a> indicates in 1952 he was assistant to the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. McCormick served as secretary of the Democratic State Central Committee for Maryland and traveled with Illinois Gov. Adlai Stevenson as an aide during Stevenson's first campaign for president. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 1953 McCormick began a long association with the consulting and insurance firm of Poor, Bowen, Bartlett and Kennedy. He would later establish his own general insurance agency, Leo H. McCormick and Co.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>NICAP Founder Previously Retained Counsel Services</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> Prior to the 1956 formation of NICAP, Counsel Services was retained by future NICAP organizer T. Townsend Brown. The inaugural front man of the UFO org heavily implied that to be the case in a 1971 letter he wrote to then-NICAP executive director Stuart Nixon (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xgwdqpi4z_7iUK7tn6G_CsxqUHK6qHwG/view" target="_blank">see pages 22-24</a>). Brown suggested the public relations firm was first contracted to assist in securing funding from the Department of Defense for Brown's pet project, Winterhaven, which involved antigravity research and the purported weapons and communications applications. Brown began trying to secure funding for the project in 1951. The funds never materialized, but Counsel Services would go on to be a key component in launching NICAP.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAfQzGaNwrW99d4Pbwso_gAMuMPfxJzJmXu7Jg5_Z_THfsWnhKp-GH3qyiYSDLzxKRLSWqfA_brG49fEv8X_ASFlZQQc2j_a9gvasHJ8cVV7o8TpIzJidgnB8rcnn5Rop6xqE9J-lk0Wr/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="121" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAfQzGaNwrW99d4Pbwso_gAMuMPfxJzJmXu7Jg5_Z_THfsWnhKp-GH3qyiYSDLzxKRLSWqfA_brG49fEv8X_ASFlZQQc2j_a9gvasHJ8cVV7o8TpIzJidgnB8rcnn5Rop6xqE9J-lk0Wr/" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;">T. Townsend Brown</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>In the summer of 1956, Townsend Brown, Morris K. Jessup, Clara John, Donald Keyhoe, and other NICAP founding figures were meeting around the Washington, D.C. area. While that was taking place, Leo McCormick was lobbying for support for the Atlantic Convention Resolution.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>In August 1956 a NICAP certificate of incorporation was submitted to applicable authorities. Incorporators were Townsend Brown and Counsel Services officers Mary Vaughan King and Thomas D. O'Keefe, a former State Department Deputy Director. A contract was quickly drawn up between NICAP and Counsel Services, stipulating King and O'Keefe were empowered to hire and direct consultants at their discretion. NICAP was responsible for all related costs, along with inordinate fees to be paid to Counsel Services to handle organizational management, membership drives, and similar responsibilities. The incorporation of NICAP was formally completed October 24, 1956. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>The launch of NICAP, combined with the personalities involved both directly and indirectly, could be considered intriguing on the timeline of the Atlantic Union Committee and its efforts to solidify public support for stepping up NATO relations. NICAP rapidly assembled an impressive group of community leaders and military intelligence officers, many of which provided the media with an abundance of headline-making statements about air incursions executed by technology-defying craft. If the propaganda efforts of opponents of the AUC, such as the VFW and American Legion, were identified to consist of talking points asserted in bad faith, perhaps the Union and its allies took up similar strategies to manipulate the public. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>For whatever ultimate reasons, one of the consultants apparently enrolled by Counsel Services for help with NICAP was a psychological warfare expert with specific experience in creating a remarkably successful lobbying group. His history also seems more than a bit in step with the activities of Counsel Services and its clients.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>Nicholas de Rochefort</b></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1e7ZOEYcY-U_dqbyOazkNVr6qpT1obp2xYNS0lrqRvcR5eIGeeZNM97Yu-x3IuGCSMl6ZHctl8tl0a8UdqcIy_iSxI_j7elcbsmwbnMbgtDvG2Geul5VvRRb1VIoGGSb5jVLPyt9bHPn/" style="clear: right; display: inline; font-family: verdana; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="156" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1e7ZOEYcY-U_dqbyOazkNVr6qpT1obp2xYNS0lrqRvcR5eIGeeZNM97Yu-x3IuGCSMl6ZHctl8tl0a8UdqcIy_iSxI_j7elcbsmwbnMbgtDvG2Geul5VvRRb1VIoGGSb5jVLPyt9bHPn/" width="198" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://berlinnhhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/The_Brown_Bulletin_V2_No12_Jul_1954.pdf" target="_blank">Nicholas de Rochefort delivering</a> a 1954<br />pro-democracy speech broadcast by Voice of America</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1964/06/07/archives/nicholas-de-rochefort-62-dies-analyst-at-library-of-congress.html" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Nicholas de Rochefort</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> was a talented Russian-born Frenchman. Educated in France, he was already speaking and writing for Voice of America by the time he sought United States citizenship in 1954. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span>Rochefort was notably credited with founding the Committee of One Million in 1953. The group opposed the domestic and international acceptance of Communist China. It also became the most recognized aspect of the significant and wealthy China lobby. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Rochefort's Committee of One Million bore a striking resemblance to the Committee of Five Million, a 1949 political action committee chaired by New York attorney Desmond FitzGerald. By the time Rochefort made political waves with his group four years later, "Dez" <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Otxg-4ABkhJHdR4bVT-XYEk8l3qJ4hfU/view" target="_blank">FitzGerald was a rising CIA star</a>. </span></p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AnKJDpY0xhtXgnxxeTXNJ6bQcGjCEf9e/view" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">FBI records</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> obtained on Rochefort through the FOIA indicate he was an employee of the U.S. government at the time he organized the Committee of One Million in 1953, although he had not yet applied for citizenship. Researcher Stanley Bachrack strongly suspected Rochefort was working on behalf of the CIA, resulting in suing the Agency for records on the activist in 1975. Despite Rochefort having been deceased for over ten years by that time, a judge dismissed the suit in 1976 on the grounds an intelligence service could be greatly impaired by irresponsible disclosure (<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1haz-m3bYICQprL7oXek53XaXHSnT7DGX/view" target="_blank">see page 61</a>). A much more recent FOIA request submitted by your author to the CIA on Rochefort was met with a Glomar response, stating such records, which may or may not exist, would be classified and exempt from the FOIA. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span>FBI investigations on Rochefort, which took place during the summer of 1956 as NICAP was in its planning stages and McCormick helped push for the Atlantic Union, reveal he was quite well-connected. The Committee of One Million involved collaboration with influential politicians, and FBI agents followed Rochefort's trail all the way to the Joint Chiefs of Staff to obtain statements. He was repeatedly portrayed as loyal to democracy and upstanding in character. The psychological warfare expert was also described as a good propagandist, having worked on multiple such projects in a professional capacity. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span>Part of the FBI investigation on Rochefort included an intriguing November 1956 significantly redacted message to Director Hoover from the Washington Field Office. It explained the information contained therein was obtained from a confidential informant under the stipulation it was to be held in strict confidence and not disseminated outside the director's office. The message to Hoover, which indicates the confidential information on Rochefort was obtained by the FBI on November 2, 1956, just days after the October 24 formal incorporation of NICAP:</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldM6BJg7nVbOzbbf1SipAo8zGT3rL841ZJrgitjzVjBLvMgCUQMM64x_QX6YFC9OIvP6MRJ7E588dwHAYtl-W3tp-_GKutydYIYaufHPavpkyoWNnVspqY3ATRxT5qJX2LerdJMh3lM9G/"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="272" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldM6BJg7nVbOzbbf1SipAo8zGT3rL841ZJrgitjzVjBLvMgCUQMM64x_QX6YFC9OIvP6MRJ7E588dwHAYtl-W3tp-_GKutydYIYaufHPavpkyoWNnVspqY3ATRxT5qJX2LerdJMh3lM9G/w272-h320/image.png" width="272" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br />A request for a Mandatory Declassification Review of the above document was submitted. The FBI cited exemptions from the FOIA and declined to further declassify any portion of the redacted material.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span>Rochefort worked during the final quarter of 1956 on organizing and promoting NICAP. He is listed in NICAP literature as the Executive Vice Chairman. Related circumstances are covered rather lengthily in WAYWARD SONS.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span>A FOIA request was submitted to NARA after being advised by the FBI of the existence of a file in its possession. NARA replied in March 2020 that Nicholas de Rochefort is in fact the subject of the file. It is estimated to consist of some 200 pages, compiled as part of an internal security investigation conducted between 1955 and 1964. The file requires processing for release under the FOIA, which was estimated to take about 30 months, but one could reasonably suppose it may take a bit longer than initially projected, all circumstances considered. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span>The enigmatic Nicholas de Rochefort went on to reside in Georgetown until he passed away due to cancer in 1964. He was a professor at Georgetown University, which happened to be the alma mater of Leo McCormick. </span> </span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>Closing Thoughts</b> <br /></span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> One could debate the significance of circumstantial evidence as presented above. Perhaps a primary point is we should not avert from thorough examination of such evidence in lieu of embracing UFO hearsay and wishful thinking often promoted during the same era. An argument could be made that's like looking for proof of Santa Claus through skywatching and examining the chimney for forensic evidence, while refusing to acknowledge information found on the credit card receipts of select adults. </span></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Regardless of what legitimately unusual UFO-related phenomena may or may not have traversed the skies, it is simply intellectually negligent to ignore the significant social circumstances surrounding key figures of NICAP and the mid 20th century UFO subculture. The evidence of a variety of agendas is abundant, easily locatable through numerous historic archives and the Freedom of Information Act. Money, power, politics, and the inherent related intelligence agency games are prevalent in those agendas.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is not to suggest, however, involved parties were necessarily nefarious. Many of them quite likely believed they were acting in the best interest of the American people, or at least convinced one another that was the case. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">FBI records obtained, newspaper clippings, and similar resources repeatedly show men such as Nicholas de Rochefort, Leo McCormick, and Roscoe Hillenkoetter to have been respected by their communities and found to be highly reputable by the FBI and other intelligence agencies. Some readers might find this to be less impressive than other readers, given what is now known of projects such as COINTELPRO and MKULTRA. The fact will remain, however, many NICAP players and surrounding cast were decorated war heroes and on the right side of history, at least for their day. It is doubtful, in many instances, they considered themselves to be dishonest or disruptive, even if knowingly deceptive. They seem to have often had what they felt were justifiable reasons for their actions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a point that contradicts many beliefs held, both past and present, in UFO circles. It is much more typically believed that if assets of the intelligence community imbedded themselves in UFO groups, it was necessarily a bad thing. Reasons often include the belief disinformation is being cultivated and spread, usually of the variety that will obstruct facts from the public about an extraterrestrial or advanced intelligence adamantly believed to be here among us. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As more recent events should have shown us, such lines of reasoning are overly simplistic. Characters involved in the To The Stars Academy and related AATIP story have proven to be colorful, intriguing, and quite skilled at conducting public relations, yet also shown themselves to often be long on claims and short on accountability. The motives and agendas appear to be a mixed bag. Additionally of interest is the continuing shift of the concept that spooks necessarily lie about UFOs. It is no longer so etched in stone, but entirely negotiable, depending, it seems, on whether or not those spooks tell one what they want to hear.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The spooks surrounding the NICAP story were not altogether different than those in your Twitter feed today. Arguably most importantly, neglecting to examine their activities and connections to one another potentially - and quite likely - robs us of significant pieces of the overall puzzle. Its omission tends to promote pro-UFO belief systems which may very well be flawed and incorrect, and those very belief systems were poured into foundations long ago on which ideologies were built for generations to come.</span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">----------------------------</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Related reading:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2021/12/ongoing-nicap-research-foia-request.html" target="_blank">Ongoing NICAP Research: FOIA Request Lands FBI File on Counsel Services Co-Founder</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2021/10/nicap-plus-65.html" target="_blank">NICAP Plus 65</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://ufotrail.blogspot.com/2021/09/ufo-three-card-monty-menzel.html" target="_blank">UFO Three Card Monte: Menzel, Hillenkoetter & NICAP</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BLHQZXY/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tut02-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B09BLHQZXY&linkId=bb82a348e4ef55037a3dbbc8a2d73581" target="_blank">WAYWARD SONS: NICAP and the IC</a></span></p></div>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8297935984616304783.post-63827964834569414162022-01-05T13:40:00.009-05:002022-01-05T15:33:03.518-05:00The Wider UFO Picture<p> <span> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sometimes it can be difficult to stay aware of the forest as we closely examine the trees. Details matter, of course they do, but what is the "takeaway" from some of our deep dives into UFO World?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DcedGHbwIeo1gfrHXg2ZAL6JrkzGtZUki1pCrRt9YC0_nK1ueg_brKpPIyojBO_HhP3OqqatpJM6YxwwSnzb3zgMdfm5T_lQlsLuJ8JlKH2A2-VxdSti6C0vczNf2zUNbNUdGhq5eq-b/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="275" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DcedGHbwIeo1gfrHXg2ZAL6JrkzGtZUki1pCrRt9YC0_nK1ueg_brKpPIyojBO_HhP3OqqatpJM6YxwwSnzb3zgMdfm5T_lQlsLuJ8JlKH2A2-VxdSti6C0vczNf2zUNbNUdGhq5eq-b/" width="176" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;">The late Frank Wisner, who ran the<br />Office of Policy Coordination before<br />becoming Deputy Director of Plans</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">In <i>Wayward Sons</i>, I take extensive looks at some of the organizations involved in mid 20th century UFO shenanigans. They included NICAP, the FBI, the CIA, and some specific aspects of the Agency are explored, such as the Office of Policy Coordination and the Directorate of Plans. The actions of specific individuals are also examined, as compared to just suggesting the ever present "they" were up to something, because details matter. Indeed they do.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">That stated, a more overarching plotline might be considered as well. The intelligence community, along with a media consisting of "journalists" who are uninterested in accuracy for a variety of reasons, acted in ways that cultivated unsubstantiated UFO-related beliefs. That is the case regardless of what legitimately interesting and unexplained phenomena might lie at the heart of an extremely small percentage of UFO cases.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">UFO researchers, and the orgs they founded and represented, subsequently parroted and embellished the unsubstantiated tales of interplanetary visitors. While there are many different reasons for the credulous actions of UFO investigators, the fact will remain the cumulative effect was a poorly informed public. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In spite of all the sensationalism, hundreds of conferences, thousands of books, and countless hours of podcasts and online presentations, there is very little established as fact about UFOs. As one contact once put it, "Everything we know about UFOs would fit on a postcard." Unfortunately, many poorly informed people <i>think</i> they know a whole, whole lot.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Researchers such as Greg Bishop, Mark Pilkington, and Adam Gorightly, to their credit, extensively explored the story of Paul Bennewitz. The saga orbited around the actions of such figures as Richard Doty, William Moore, Leonard Stringfield, and Myrna Hansen.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkxn5nJTFdZ7hnmqOVkbWime6xTdgRNC9eG867IDqDTuD24IicM6JuqThiFXrPzDY0doSrpQ8yhIzHgJN6ugHlNqIVcRBF4HyxtFwEQgdp__v3xrOolcyITkrmqIuPM8aVf6radyIz9m1/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="115" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkxn5nJTFdZ7hnmqOVkbWime6xTdgRNC9eG867IDqDTuD24IicM6JuqThiFXrPzDY0doSrpQ8yhIzHgJN6ugHlNqIVcRBF4HyxtFwEQgdp__v3xrOolcyITkrmqIuPM8aVf6radyIz9m1/" width="153" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: x-small;">Greg Bishop's <i>Project Beta:<br />The Story of Paul Bennewitz,<br />National Security, and the<br />Creation of a Modern UFO Myth</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">As the referenced researchers demonstrated, there is virtually nothing in the saga that can be accepted as true. The entire account of aliens kidnapping people, abusing cattle, and inhabiting an underground base in Dulce grew out of regressive hypnosis sessions and fabricated stories released upon an eagerly receptive UFO community. In their individual works, Bishop, Pilkington, and Gorightly tracked this down because details matter. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What they also teach us, in addition to the details, is the saga contributed to the public becoming grossly misinformed about supposed UFO phenomena. Extremely important point: Many of the talking points first introduced during the Bennewitz Affair continue to be widely accepted today as truthful, as well as embellished upon, as if they were steps in a legitimate unfolding research process. Many people who subscribe to the beliefs simply could not tell you where the Dulce base legend, for instance, actually came from; they just unquestioningly accept "everybody" knows it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">James Carrion took deep dives into the UFO events of 1946-1947. His resulting research included extensive examination of official government documents, establishing such circumstances as the press being misinformed of R&D on a supposedly airborne weapon comparable to the atomic bomb. The referenced operation, Project Seal, was actually related to underwater explosives and had been discontinued before military officers promoted it as the latest and greatest flying weapon.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Similarly, Carrion documented how an intelligence analyst reported his assessment the "Ghost Rockets" story was a deception. The analyst, a Robert A. Winston, explained why he suspected the Swedes were aware of the origin of any such rockets. Winston further explained his reasons for concluding Swedish officers weren't worried about the rockets. Incidentally, Winston became a CIA officer and his story overlapped into my research of the 1960's scene surrounding NICAP as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Details matter, and we should indeed follow such lines of research as far as possible. A panoramic view of such circumstances, however, further reveals meddling in things UFO. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I contend that the wider story from one instance and well-researched saga to the next is that the circumstances exist at all. We have clear and documented evidence the UFO topic has been manipulated since the outset of the modern phenomenon, 1940's to present. That's the case completely independent of the motives and intentions of the players, and it subsequently impacts the public, their beliefs, and their abilities to think critically. While it matters who the involved parties were and what they did, a relevant point that should not be overlooked is the very basis for much of the popular beliefs is grounded in demonstrably unreliable information. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's been that way from the outset. We would be wise to act accordingly. </span></p>Jack Brewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05778028283888927074noreply@blogger.com12