The primary document released is titled “Morning News of Note – 11 March 2018”, an unclassified briefing product forwarded to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and distributed within senior Department of Defense channels. The email itself is marked UNCLASSIFIED and appears to be part of a routine, standardized news aggregation prepared by OSD Public Affairs Research and Analysis.

The briefing is structured as a curated digest of major national security, defense, and geopolitical news, broken down into sections such as Top Stories, Defense Department, Air Force, Veterans, Asia/Pacific, and other regional or issue-based categories. The content is drawn almost entirely from mainstream media outlets including Reuters, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Military.com, and regional newspapers.

The document reflects what senior defense leadership was exposed to in near-real time, rather than internal assessments or classified reporting. Its value lies in showing what issues were prioritized for awareness, not how those issues were internally analyzed.

One of the more notable features of the document is a dedicated “Tweets of Note” section. This section compiles verbatim social media posts from President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, cabinet officials, and members of Congress.

Among the highlighted tweets are President Trump’s statements on:

• Diplomatic engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
• Trade tensions involving China, the European Union, steel, and aluminum tariffs
• Missile testing claims related to North Korea
• Communications with foreign leaders including China’s President Xi Jinping and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

These tweets are reproduced directly, complete with timestamps and Twitter handles, underscoring that presidential social media statements were treated as official signals warranting inclusion in senior-level defense briefings.

Within the Air Force section, the document includes reporting on operational and readiness issues, including articles detailing:

• An “unprecedented spike” in cockpit oxygen and hypoxia-like incidents affecting T-6A trainer aircraft
• Maintenance concerns related to On-Board Oxygen Generating Systems (OBOGS)
• Congressional testimony and internal reviews addressing pilot safety and aircraft readiness

These selections reflect ongoing concerns at the time about aviation safety and training pipeline disruptions, issues directly relevant to Air Force leadership.

While the FOIA request targeted UAP-related keywords, the release does not include internal correspondence or direct discussions by General Wilson regarding UAPs. However, the broader compilation does include media commentary touching on unidentified aerial phenomena.

Notably, the document includes a Washington Post opinion piece by Christopher Mellon titled “The Pentagon isn’t taking UFOs seriously enough.” The article references Navy encounters with unidentified aircraft, declassified videos, and calls for a more coordinated intelligence response. Its inclusion demonstrates that UAP-related coverage in mainstream media was being tracked and surfaced to senior defense officials as early as March 2018, even if no internal commentary accompanied it.

Although the contents are largely composed of publicly available reporting, the document provides insight into:

• The information environment presented to senior military leadership
• The role of media monitoring in shaping situational awareness at the highest levels
• The normalization of presidential tweets as briefing material alongside traditional news reporting
• The presence of UAP-related media coverage within official defense digests, even absent classified analysis

In that sense, the release serves as a small but illustrative window into how external narratives—ranging from global conflict and aircraft safety to UFO reporting and presidential social media—were compiled and elevated within the Department of Defense.

###

Document Archive

Document: Morning News of Note – 11 March 2018 (UNCLASSIFIED) [71 Pages, 15MB]
FOIA Case: 24-F-0835
Source: Office of the Secretary of Defense / OSD Public Affairs Research and Analysis

This page functions primarily as an archival reference, documenting the scope and nature of material surfaced to senior Air Force and Department of Defense leadership during this period.

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The post Department of Defense Morning News of Note – 11 March 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Abt’s analysis offers an examination of how evolving military technologies could threaten urban areas, primarily focusing on the implications of nuclear weaponry. The report assesses the potential for both active and passive defense systems to mitigate these threats and explores alternatives that could reduce casualties and physical damage in the event of war.

The document discusses various strategies that could potentially safeguard cities from the catastrophic effects of modern warfare. These include hardening of infrastructure, urban dispersal, and the implementation of active defenses. One notable quote from the document states: “The effects of modern strategic weapons on urban-industrial areas are considered from the aspects of weapon technology, military strategy, and arms control considerations.”

The insights provided by the report are not only historically significant but also bear relevance to current debates on urban planning and civil defense strategies. As modern warfare continues to evolve, the concepts discussed in the 1963 report remain pertinent, suggesting that urban centers may need to consider innovative defense strategies to protect against high-tech weaponry.

Document Archive

Military Technology and the Survival of Cities, January 1963 [77 Pages, 2.20MB]

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The post Newly Released 1963 Report Sheds Light on Nuclear Era Urban Defense Strategies first appeared on The Black Vault.

The Black Vault filed FOIA request 13-F-0376 back in the beginning of 2013, which was later amended to only include a small time frame due to fee reasons. Since then, it remained “processing.”  During the same time, the National Security Archive, which deserves the credit for the below release, had filed a FOIA lawsuit to get the “snowflake” records released, in full, from what appears to be all timeframes.

My FOIA request has remained open for more than eight years, and only recently (July of 2021), the Department of Defense asked me to withdraw the request since the records released under this lawsuit may fulfill my request. What is unclear, is if it actually would. Although I respectfully declined to “withdraw” my request, but rather, asked that a final determination is issued since I waited this long for one; the below archive is a digital representation of what was released in the lawsuit initiated by the National Security Archive. Again, a sincere thanks to them for getting this material released.

The DoD, although has the material digitized, does not have it clearly linked (or linked at all) on their FOIA reading room. This was acknowledged by the DoD to The Black Vault, and will be fixed some time in the future.

For ease of downloading, a .zip file was created, and is offered along with the individual downloads of all the releases.

Document Archive

.zip File of Sixteen releases linked below [60,662, 5.51GB]

• First Release (2001) (PDF | 26,586 KB)
• Second Release (2001)  (PDF | 45,533 KB)
• Third Release Bates 2967-3678  (PDF | 140,854 KB)
• Third Release Bates 3679-4390 (PDF | 139,429 KB)
• Third Release Bates 4391-5028 (PDF | 27,794 KB)
• Third Release Bates 5092-5812 (PDF | 34,894 KB)
• Third Release Bates 5815-6505 (PDF | 113,103 KB)
• Third Release Bates 6506-7196 (PDF | 125,355 KB)
• Fourth Release Bates 7197-8012 (PDF | 27,656 KB)
• Fourth Release Bates 8013-8829 (PDF | 30,050 KB)
• Fourth Release Bates 8830-9499 (PDF | 25,188 KB)
• Fourth Release Bates 9500-10169 (PDF | 24,015 KB)
• Fourth Release Bates 10170-10839 (PDF | 27,865 KB)
• Fourth Release Bates 10840-11239 (PDF | 15,813 KB)
• Fifth Release Bates 11240-11511 (PDF | 16,914 KB)
• Fifth Release Bates 11512-12022 (PDF | 21,477 KB)
• Fifth Release Bates 12023-12533 (PDF | 20,991 KB)
• Fifth Release Bates 12534-13041 (PDF | 23,561 KB)
• Fifth Release Bates 13042-13549 (PDF | 18,084 KB)
• Fifth Release Bates 13550-14058 (PDF | 21,694 KB)
• Fifth Release Bates 14059-14702 (PDF | 29,921 KB)
• Fifth Release Bates 14703-15348 (PDF | 28,802 KB
• Sixth Release Bates 15349-15748 (PDF | 10,596 KB)
• Sixth Release Bates 15749-16172 (PDF | 13,443 KB)
• Sixth Release Bates 16173-16573 (PDF | 17,998 KB)
• Sixth Release Bates 16574-16974 (PDF | 13,295 KB)
• Sixth  Release Bates 16975-17375 (PDF | 12,034 KB)
• Sixth Release Bates 17376-17776 (PDF | 10,804 KB)
• Sixth Release Bates 17777-18176 (PDF | 9,459 KB)
• Sixth Release Bates 18177-18576 (PDF | 12,554 KB)
• Sixth Release Bates 18577-18976 (PDF | 9,969 KB)
• Sixth Release Bates 18977-19377 (PDF | 12,667 KB)
• Sixth Release Bates 19378-19491 (PDF | 2,851 KB)
• Seventh Release Bates 15378-20517 (PDF | 69,640 KB)
• Seventh Release Bates 20518-21519 (PDF | 75,826 KB)
• Seventh Release Bates 21520-22522 (PDF | 73,149 KB)
• Seventh Release Bates 22523-23522 (PDF | 88,177 KB)
• Seventh Release Bates 23523-23530 (PDF | 1,307 KB)
• Eighth Release Bates 23531-24530 (PDF | 80,100 KB)
• Eighth Release Bates 24531-25616 (PDF | 93,288 KB)
• Eighth Release Bates 25617-26616 (PDF | 77,408 KB)
• Eighth Release Bates 26617-27534 (PDF | 78,514 KB)
• Ninth Release Bates 27535-28534 (PDF | 95,834 KB)
• Ninth Release Bates 28535-29534 (PDF | 85,352 KB)
• Ninth Release Bates 29535-30534 (PDF | 80,286 KB)
• Ninth Release Bates 30535-31534 (PDF | 79,081 KB)
• Ninth Release Bates 31535-31910 (PDF | 27,331 KB)
• Tenth Release Bates 31911-32910 (PDF | 55,491 KB)
• Tenth Release Bates 32911-33910 (PDF | 46,643 KB)
• Tenth Release Bates 33911-34910 (PDF | 53,697 KB)
• Tenth Release Bates 34911-35910 (PDF | 52,896 KB)
• Tenth Release Bates 35911-36053 (PDF | 8,626 KB)
• Eleventh Release Bates 36054-36553 (PDF | 78,082 KB)
• Eleventh Release Bates 36554-37053 (PDF | 76,722 KB)
• Eleventh Release Bates 37054-37553 (PDF | 87,516 KB)
• Eleventh Release Bates 37554-38053 (PDF | 83,102 KB)
• Eleventh Release Bates 38054-38553 (PDF | 78,527 KB)
• Eleventh Release Bates 38554-39053 (PDF | 80,217 KB)
• Eleventh Release Bates 39054-39553 (PDF | 82,645 KB)
• Eleventh Release Bates 39554-40003 (PDF | 92,461 KB)
• Eleventh Release Bates 40004-40254 (PDF | 40,736 KB)
• Twelfth Release Bates 40255-40754 (PDF | 76,866 KB)
• Twelfth Release Bates 40755-41254 (PDF | 99,394 KB)
• Twelfth Release Bates 41255-41754 (PDF | 86,314 KB)
• Twelfth Release Bates 41755-42254 (PDF | 90,766 KB)
• Twelfth Release Bates 42255-42754 (PDF | 85,542 KB)
• Twelfth Release Bates 42755-43254 (PDF | 90,496 KB)
• Twelfth Release Bates 43255-43754 (PDF | 79,635 KB)
• Twelfth Release Bates 43755-44254 (PDF | 75,849 KB)
• Twelfth Release Bates 44255-44365 (PDF | 21,725 KB)
• Thirteenth Release Bates 44366-44865 (PDF | 80,916 KB)
• Thirteenth Release Bates 44866-45365 (PDF | 77,538 KB)
• Thirteenth Release Bates 45366-45865 (PDF | 77,866 KB)
• Thirteenth Release Bates 45866-46365 (PDF | 83,230 KB)
• Thirteenth Release Bates 46366-46865 (PDF | 80,181 KB)
• Thirteenth Release Bates 46866-47365 (PDF | 95,525 KB)
• Thirteenth Release Bates 47366-47865 (PDF | 83,993 KB)
• Thirteenth Release Bates 47866-48365 (PDF | 83,238 KB)
• Fourteenth Release Bates 48366-48865 (PDF | 74,673 KB)
• Fourteenth Release Bates 48866-49365 (PDF | 74,193 KB)
• Fourteenth Release Bates 49366-49865 (PDF | 81,603 KB)
• Fourteenth Release Bates 49866-50365 (PDF | 82,085 KB)
• Fourteenth Release Bates 50366-50865 (PDF | 79,838 KB)
• Fourteenth Release Bates 50866-51365 (PDF | 74,468 KB)
• Fourteenth Release Bates 51366-51865 (PDF | 74,421 KB)
• Fourteenth Release Bates 51866-52365 (PDF | 72,982 KB)
• Fourteenth Release Bates 52366-52409 (PDF | 7,577 KB)
• Fifteenth Release Bates 52410-52909 (PDF | 74,408 KB)
• Fifteenth Release Bates 52910-53409 (PDF | 86,831 KB)
• Fifteenth Release Bates 53410-53909 (PDF | 83,845 KB)
• Fifteenth Release Bates 53910-54409 (PDF | 77,625 KB)
• Fifteenth Release Bates 54410-54909 (PDF | 74,712 KB)
• Fifteenth Release Bates 54910-55409 (PDF | 78,735 KB)
• Fifteenth Release Bates 55410-55909 (PDF | 75,559 KB)
• Fifteenth Release Bates 55910-56412 (PDF | 84,302 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 56413-56912 (PDF | 76,882 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 56913-57412 (PDF | 74,657 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 57413-57912 (PDF | 81,960 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 57913-58412 (PDF | 84,057 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 58413-58912 (PDF | 77,324 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 58913-59412 (PDF | 87,287 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 59413-59912 (PDF | 78,384 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 59913-60412 (PDF | 68,660 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 60413-60912 (PDF | 82,597 KB)
• Sixteenth Release Bates 60913-61122 (PDF | 30,718 KB)

The post The Donald Rumsfeld “Snowflake” Collection first appeared on The Black Vault.

Here is FBI File 62-HQ-80750, entitled: Central Intelligence Agency.

There were a number of sections missing in my initial FOIA request to the FBI for this file.  Specifically, among the omitted sections are Sections 2 through 23, 25 through 31, 33, 35 through 46, 48 through 54, 57 through 59, 78, 91, 98, and 115.

In August of 2016, I received another batch of documents, which I have integrated into the index below. Although I maintained the same file naming algorithm as they were sent to me, the documents released in August of 2016 are differentiated by the “1343174-0” in the front of the name (my FOIA Case number).

On August 1, 2018, the FBI finally sent me the “Final” response to this batch of requests, and they released the documents sent to the CIA for review and release.

The below took more than 5 years to compile, and multiple FOIA requests seeking out specific questions and filling holes. As I am sure holes still exist (and were classified), this is as far as I can go to amassing this file. ENJOY!

Declassified Documents

Department of State Releases

 Department of State Release, Released March 2018 [32 Pages, 2.9MB]

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Releases

Current sections available:

The post FBI Files on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) first appeared on The Black Vault.

This Instruction:

1.1 . Reissues reference (a) to implement policy, assign responsibilities, and prescribe guidance on the classification methodology for Information Operations (10) programs and capabilities within the Department of Defense.

1.2. Establishes guidance for proper protection of 10 activities.

1.3. Identifies and provides classification guidance on categories of IO activities. While this Instruction identifies the classification or classification ·range for specific items of classified information, it is not intended to be used as an itemized guide for applying Special Access Program (SAP) prota;tive measures. If required, SAP protective measures shall be in addition to the protections that are cited in this Instruction. 1.4. Addresses the relationship between the protection level for 10 activities and the security classification for specific elements of information within these activities. It clarifies information and requirements from a number of sources to identify the appropriate protection architecture for IO activities.

1.5. Constitutes authority and, in the absence of an approved program classification guide that provides specific classification instructions, shall be cited as the basis for derivative classification about, or declassification of, DoD information and material involved in 10.

DoD Instruction 0-3600.02

As of October 2016, this version is the latest.

 DoD Instruction 0-3600.02 “Information Operations (IO) Security Classification Guidance, November 28, 2005 [22 Pages, 4.9MB]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/dod/14-F-1161.pdf

The post DoD Instruction 0-3600.02 “Information Operations (IO) Security Classification Guidance,” November 28, 2005 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The United States of America is for all practical purposes, an empire. It has territories separated by bodies of water that are under its control, has the world’s largest economy, and it has the ability to project its force with a large and powerful military. Like other empires, the U.S. is prone to follow the historical model of an imperial rise to power and a later fall from power.

I hypothesize that the United States is on the verge of a fall from preeminence. By comparing the United States with the Roman and British Empires, I intend to research the economic causes behind the collapse of these two empires and see if the United States is in a comparable situation. If the United States is falling from power, then it has two options, accept its fate, or like the Romans and British, change course and try to continue to hold onto power as long as possible. The United States can learn something by studying the successes and mistakes made by previous world powers.

By studying older world powers, this thesis will attempt to compare current problems the U.S. faces to those problems that Rome and Great Britain faced in their respective eras. This thesis will use these two historical case studies to find solutions to some of the problems that the U.S. faces today, and make a case for how new fiscal policy as a part of a larger National Strategic Narrative might change the fate of the empire of the United States of America.

Is Change Required? An Economic Case Study of the Rise and Fall of Empires, and Why a National Strategic Narrative Could Change, December 2011 [260 Pages, 2.15mb]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/financial/a556267.pdf

The post Naval Post Grad Thesis: Is Change Required? An Economic Case Study of the Rise and Fall of Empires first appeared on The Black Vault.

While writing his book Known and Unknown, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld got the Department of Defense to declassify records that supported factual statements in his book.

The below, are the records that Rumsfeld requested, and received, under FOIA and MDR.

Documents Released to Secretary Rumsfeld Under FOIA [95 Pages, 2.8mb]

Documents Released to Secretary Rumsfeld Under Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) [1,362 Pages, 47.2mb]

Index of documents Released to Secretary Rumsfeld Under Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) [7 Pages, 0.2mb]

The post Documents Released to Former Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for his book Known and Unknown first appeared on The Black Vault.

The following 18 CD-ROMs were created by the DoD, when they transferred their FOIA Reading Room to their online Reading Room — when the collections were digitized. The Black Vault has archived the entire 18 CD set below.

Please note: Some of the CD’s did NOT have indexes. This includes CD #7, #12, #16, #16A, and #17.

CD-ROM #1 (6,788 Pages)

CD-ROM #2 (6,941 Pages)

CD-ROM #3 (7,551 Pages)

CD-ROM #4 (270 Pages)

CD-ROM #5 (7,148 Pages)

CD-ROM #6 (8,575 Pages)

CD-ROM #7 (2,546 Pages)

CD-ROM #8 (6,915 Pages)

CD-ROM #9 (8,688 Pages)

CD-ROM #10 (13,613 Pages)

CD-ROM #11 (16,311 Pages)

CD-ROM #12 (13,523 Pages)

CD-ROM #13 (4,842 Pages)

CD-ROM #14 (14,981 Pages)

CD-ROM #15 (6,177 Pages)

CD-ROM #16 (8,709 Pages)

CD-ROM #16A (4,358 Pages)

CD-ROM #17 (13,873 Pages)

The post DoD Document Collections first appeared on The Black Vault.