Defense UAP Report Suggests Another Cover up

In March 2024, the Department of Defense's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) released a groundbreaking report that comprehensively reviews nearly eight decades of U.S. Government and military encounters with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), a term now preferred over the traditional "UFOs". The 63-page report represents an unprecedented effort by the U.S. military to address a topic that has long been shrouded in mystery, speculation, and, often, skepticism.

The report's release has caused more controversy, with accusations of another government cover-up in response to the recent UAP disclosure that indicates the opposite. The investigation has given no real credence to previous testimony. Whilst science is always looking to explain things with a body of evidence that is empirical in nature, the lack of empirical evidence seems to be the excuse to take the position claimed in the report.

Key Highlights from the Department of Defense UAP Report

An alien and a UFO in a dark forest.

AARO's report delves into historical records and U.S. Since 1945, the government has been diligently implementing programs specifically designed to delve into the realm of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). The primary aim of these initiatives is to meticulously investigate and gain comprehensive insights into our nation's intriguing encounters with these extraordinary phenomena.

In a statement released on March 8th 2024, the Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder stated the following in the release;

‘To date, AARO has found no verifiable evidence for claims that the U.S. Government and private companies have access to or have been reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology. Also, AARO has found no evidence that any U.S. Government investigation, academic-sponsored research, or official review panel has confirmed that any sighting of a UAP represented extraterrestrial technology. All investigative efforts, at all levels of classification, concluded that most sightings were ordinary objects and phenomena and the result of misidentification. AARO assesses that all of the named and described alleged hidden UAP reverse-engineering programs provided by interviewees either do not exist; are misidentified authentic national security programs that are not related to extraterrestrial technology exploitation; or resolve to a disestablished program. The report unequivocally states there is no verifiable evidence that any UAP sighting is linked to extraterrestrial technology or that the U.S. Government or private entities have ever accessed such technology. This finding challenges a core belief held by many in the UAP community about the government's possession of alien technology​​.’

What has caused further controversy is not only what is in the report but when you read the above statement you can quickly read between the lines. What is not being admitted to could be construed as not admitting it, but also not claiming it does not exist. The words are chosen carefully. As an example, “no verifiable evidence” can be understood in more than one way, and it does not seem to be a blatant denial. Yet the investigations in the report remain questionable.

Government UAP Programs

The investigation also looked into claims of secret government programs dealing with UAPs that were not reported to Congress. It concluded that such programs, if they ever existed, were likely misidentified projects unrelated to extraterrestrial technology​​.

Public Safety and Health Implications

Reflecting on the safety concerns, the report acknowledges the flight risks posed by UAPs but states that there have been no known collisions. It also notes the potential health implications of UAP encounters, though no direct adverse effects have been confirmed​​.

Increased UAP Reporting

The report notes an uptick in UAP reporting, attributing it to the reduction of stigma around the topic and the establishment of formalized reporting mechanisms by military personnel​​.

Controversies and Reactions

The report's release has not quelled the controversy but rather stoked the flames of an ongoing debate regarding the nature of UAPs and how the government handles their investigation. Critics argue that the report's dismissive tone towards the possibility of extraterrestrial origins for some UAP sightings does not align with numerous credible reports from military personnel and pilots. They also contend that the report's findings seem to preclude, without sufficient justification, the possibility of non-human technology being observed in our airspace.

Elizondo and Grusch's Stance Against the Pentagon

Prominent figures like Luis Elizondo, a former Pentagon official who ran the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), and David Grusch, a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, have been at the forefront of advocating for transparency and rigorous investigation into UAPs. Their united front against the Pentagon's handling of the UFO phenomenon underscores a significant rift between government bodies tasked with national security and those who have been part of the investigative process but seek more openness. Elizondo and Grusch argue that the government's approach to UAPs, as reflected in the report, lacks the comprehensive and open-minded investigation that the phenomenon warrants. Their contention is that the phenomenon's potential implications for technology, national security, and understanding of physics are too significant to dismiss or simplify as misidentifications or prosaic aerial objects​​​​.

Impact and Future Directions

The Department of Defense report, despite its detailed analysis and conclusions, has opened new avenues for debate and inquiry. It highlights a growing need for transparency and collaboration between the military, government bodies, and the scientific community in investigating UAPs. The report's call for improved data collection and analysis methods points towards an ongoing effort to understand the phenomena better.

Moreover, the report has implications for national security, aviation safety, and scientific inquiry. It emphasizes the importance of developing sophisticated sensors and data analysis tools to enhance the identification and understanding of UAPs. Additionally, the inclusion of provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, aimed at improving government transparency on UAPs and providing protections for whistleblowers, signifies a legislative acknowledgement of the importance of the UAP issue​​.

Final Considerations

While the 2024 Department of Defense UAP report has provided valuable insights into the government's understanding and handling of UAPs, it also highlights the complexities and challenges inherent in studying phenomena that defy easy explanation. It is not about empirical evidence and this goes way beyond scientific analysis. It is important to tackle the UAP issue with balanced research that spans personal experience and personal testimony. These should be approached from an evidential perspective and considered experiential in nature. This is very reminiscent of William James who posits a ‘Pragmatic Theory of truth’ which asserts that truth can be understood from an experiential approach. This means that weight should be given to relevant experience as potential evidence.

The controversies and discussions it has spurred are indicative of a broader societal and governmental grappling with the unknown, underscoring the need for continued investigation, open dialogue, and a willingness to confront the mysteries that lie at the fringes of our scientific understanding and aerospace defense capabilities.

“Just because you can’t see the air that you breathe, does not mean it does not exist” Jock Brocas

My personal opinion is that it is not cut and dried, and there’s no definitive stance from the department of defense. The way that it is portrayed leaves it open to interpretation. One particular interpretation falls into the realm of skeptical belief and the DOD has perhaps fed that animal. However, the other interpretation whilst not founded on empirical evidence will be weighed against experience and evidential patterns as found in Near-Death Experience research.

References:

Statement From The Department Of Defense

All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)

AARO Report

James, William, 1907 [1975], Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking, New York and London: Longmans, Green & Co.; reprinted Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1975.

Two new paranormal TV shows are changing the landscape of ghost-hunting shows

A few months ago, I joined a team of paranormal investigators, visiting haunted locations for the first season of a brand-new indie ghost-hunting show called Inhuman Beings. This month, we launched a Kickstarter to finish Inhuman Beings and a paranormal documentary series called New Blood. The two shows aim to present a new outlook on the supernatural, showcasing the esteemed specialist in the occult, Michelle Belanger. Her expertise has been previously displayed on several publications such as Paranormal State, Portals to Hell, Conjuring Kesha, among others. Locations have been chosen for the first season of a brand-new indie ghost-hunting show called Inhuman Beings. This month, we launched a Kickstarter to finish Inhuman Beings and a paranormal documentary series called New Blood.

Inhuman Beings

Each episode of Inhuman Beings features a different location with a reputation for high strangeness. Rather than trying to banish ghosts or uncover demons, we approach the unknown with a sense of curiosity, keeping an open mind and looking into ghosts, UFOs, cryptids, the fae, and more.

We use some traditional paranormal investigation techniques, experimenting with REM pods, spirit boxes, a Kinect SLS camera, and an Ovilus. But we also get weird, trying out remote viewing experiments, using dream sigils to communicate with entities, and following our curiosity as far down the rabbit hole as we can go.

That led us to some strange places. During production, we found ourselves crossing a remote river to visit land ruled by the fae, exploring a strange castle with a mysterious past, and investigating the most haunted building in a small town.

As the team’s paranormal researcher, I dug into the locations before filming and was floored by how many anomalies had been reported in each spot.

In one episode, we venture to the area of the original Loveland frogman sightings, along the banks of Ohio’s Little Miami River. While doing preliminary research, I couldn’t believe how much lore was concentrated in one small area and how interconnected the different paranormal phenomena were there.

I had heard the famous 1950s story about a man encountering strange, frog-like humanoids—one of whom carried a wand emitting sparks—but the more research I did, the more reports I found about local sightings of UFOs, cryptids, aliens, and ghosts.

That was my first hint that things were going to get a lot stranger than I had expected. However, I was not fully prepared for the firsthand experiences we had when we arrived at the site and engaged in conversations with the locals, conducted our own experiments, and gained a true understanding of what the place was truly like.

New Blood

Much of the cast and crew of Inhuman Beings are also in New Blood, a longform docu-series about modern-day vampires.

In New Blood, a series of synchronicities leads witch and host of paranormal podcast Follow the Woo Fen Alankus (she/they) to move from LA to the spooky Midwest. There, she conjures an investigative film crew to document a secret society of vampires.

They delve into the mysterious world of vampires while staying in a haunted Airbnb. The experience, which involves visiting sacred vampire ritual spaces, braving the creepy woods of Ohio, and performing out-of-the-box psychical experiments and spells, changes all of them. Season one was a wild ride, and the next phases of initiation have already begun for the team.

The Kickstarter and team

Michelle Belanger (he/she/they) and Fen Alankus (she/they) have gathered a top-notch crew of film professionals and paranormal investigators. That includes historian and medium Stephanie Bingham (she/her), who has been featured on the CW’s Mysteries Decoded, Destination America’s Paranormal Lockdown and SyFy Channel’s School Spirits; tarot/oracle reader Tigresse Bleu (they/she); filmmaker, forager, and hedgewitch Aubrey P. Archer (they/them); and photographer and skeptic-turned-believer Taylor Brown (she/they), and me.

More than 100 hours of footage have already been shot for these shows, and both shows are slated for release in Fall/Winter 2023.

With the Kickstarter funding, the team will finish up the first seasons of both shows, start pre-production on the next seasons, and more. Backers get rewards like magically imbued Ouija planchettes, Bigfoot and Pride Demon T-shirts, subtle-body portrait readings, bonus and behind-the-scenes content, executive producer credit, guest spots on their shows, and more. Spread the word and help bring this fresh paranormal project into the world!

The Re-Branding of UFOs

There is a rather large, behind the scenes PR campaign going on. You may not have noticed it yet, but you are being trained to accept a new name and more importantly a new brand for UFOs. The new name change from Unidentified Flying Objects to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, (UAP), by the U.S. Navy is an interesting addition to the soft disclosure that has been going on for the last several years. Why this new term? Is it all about ownership? Even though we have no idea what these things are flying through our skies at thousands of miles per hour and taunting our most advanced jets, is this the Navy's way of saying, "We got this"?

We know what re-branding is all about: repositioning and changing perceptions and it is no different in this case. Re-branding occurs in business when we want to make a strategic shift in the marketplace. In this case its a strategic shift in the perception of UFOs. When we look at how UFOs have been categorized in the past we see government denial, attacks on the character of witnesses, and societal schooling that maintains whoever sees this stuff is just plain crazy. You must agree with this position or be linked with the loonies who see strange crafts in the sky.

Photographer: Ambir Tolang | Source: Unsplash

Times have changed. Just about everyone has a cell phone with a camera and now when someone sees something unusual they can photograph it, take a video and send it out over the internet to millions worldwide before any government agency can even think of stopping it. Technology has given power back to the people in the case of UFOs. A retired FBI agent confirmed this for me and said, "They're not even going to try to deny it anymore."

Photographer: Cibi Chakravarthi | Source: Unsplash

Now, the Navy is slowly admitting it. Piece by piece, just a little at a time we are being shown that there are indeed unidentified crafts in our skies. This, of course, is something we in the field of the paranormal have known for many years. It is something new, however, to see Tucker on FOX News interviewing military about this and the military responding in the affirmative.

So where is this re-branding going to take us? An acceptance that we are not alone in the universe? Notice that they have not yet said that they know who or what is piloting these advanced crafts despite reports of alien encounters. Is that next?

From what I've seen, heard and experienced in this field we are dealing with phenomena that goes beyond aliens into the even stranger world of inter-dimensional. So if you think aliens from other planets are concerning just wait until the next piece drops.

Have no fear, however, the Navy will deliver this slowly and get you accustomed to your new neighbors who have been living down the street for years.

Patricia Baker is a paranormal researcher and author who has worked in the field of the supernatural for over 30 years. Her hit radio show, Supernatural Girlz can be heard LIVE every Wednesday night on Blogtalk Radio.