The FOIA request targeted emails to and from Yasir Qureshi, identified through sources and publicly available LinkedIn information as a Navy Program Manager who was involved in the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF), led by Jay Stratton and later Brennan McKernan. As of December 2024, Qureshi now appears to be at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security (OUSD(I&S)) (this is solely using openly sourced information that is publicly available via LinkedIn), suggesting possible current involvement in the successor entity, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), though this has not been confirmed. It does state “Deputy Director H&SA” as his current position (also available publicly on LinkedIn), but it is unclear exactly what “H&SA” is in this context.

Although names were redacted throughout the release under FOIA Exemption (b)(6), the Navy mistakenly failed to apply those redactions correctly, inadvertently revealing email addresses, phone numbers, and also Qureshi’s identity in certain parts of the file upon release. The Black Vault chose to re-apply those redactions as originally intended by the Navy to protect privacy and as a courtesy to the U.S. Navy. Although The Black Vault was also going to withhold Qureshi’s name from publication once documents were released and published, a decision was made to publish Qureshi’s name in this, since it was used in the official FOIA response letter by the Navy, which becomes a matter of public record, and this case will be listed in the Navy’s FOIA case log.

FAA Sightings, ODNI Coordination

The 17-page release includes internal discussions and email threads from October through December 2021 between various Navy components and other government agencies, including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), addressing a civilian UAP sighting report submitted by an FAA employee.

“I’m thinking I’d probably want to get this to the UAPTF,” the FAA employee wrote in one email, providing dates and times of three separate UAP encounters observed “from the ground,” dating back to Christmas nights in 1991, 1992, and 1993. While noting hesitation in providing full detail, the sender emphasized they would feel more comfortable elaborating if historical radar data confirmed anomalous activity: “If there’s historical radar data that says there was something odd going on… I’d definitely feel a lot more comfortable describing what I saw.”

Emails show that the report was routed to ODNI Public Affairs before being passed along to Navy officials and ultimately to the UAPTF. “Thanks… much appreciated. I have actually spoken to him briefly, and he did pass me his report,” one Navy official wrote in a reply.

Five Eyes Briefings and AARO Transition

These newly released Navy emails also confirm high-level UAP coordination between the U.S. and its Five Eyes allies: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. On December 8, 2021, members of the UAP Task Force (UAPTF), including its director, were scheduled to meet with international counterparts for a classified discussion on unidentified aerial phenomena.

“Re tomorrow’s UAP briefing, I received confirmation from Australia and Canada they will be here … and of course UK,” one U.S. official wrote.

The meeting, however, was ultimately rescheduled due to a last-minute calendar conflict. That decision prompted frustration from officials within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (OUSD(I&S)). “I have to say, I’m a bit disappointed this did not happen,” wrote a U.S. official, who had encouraged partners to reserve time. A UAPTF counterpart responded, “The last thing we want to do is be dismissive of our allies and their time.”

But, later meetings between the Five Eyes did indeed take place, and were confirmed through U.S. documents also released under the FOIA to Australian researcher Grant Lavac, which listed a Five Eyes “caucus working group” with an explicit goal: “to cultivate shared awareness of allies’ UAP issues, detection, and mitigation activities and challenges.” The agenda included discussions of “networks to share Five Eyes UAP reporting”.

The newly released emails contradict multiple public statements previously made by Australia’s top military leadership. As recently highlighted by The Canberra Times, Air Marshal Robert Chipman — then Chief of Air Force and now Vice Chief of Defence — twice denied that Australia had been briefed by the United States on UAPs. “I’m not aware of any formal discussions that we’ve held with the US,” he told Parliament in 2022. When asked again in 2023 if any Australian defence attachés had received UAPTF briefings, Chipman replied flatly, “No.”

The Canberra Times article, authored by Jamieson Murphy, credited independent UAP researcher Lavac for identifying the significance of the emails and exposing the contradiction. Lavac called the lack of transparency “quite concerning,” adding, “The Chief of Air Force leads all discussions on UAP in Australia, so if there’s one person that needs to know what is happening on this topic in an Australian context and our discussions with allies, it’s him.”

According to Lavac, there are only three explanations: “He’s either uninformed because there is a complete lack of intelligence sharing, or there’s a degree of incompetence, or it’s something more sinister like plausible deniability. Any one of those three scenarios is concerning.”

The email release also occurred in the final weeks before the formal establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the successor to the UAPTF. On November 23, 2021, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks issued a directive for OUSD(I&S) to take over the UAPTF’s responsibilities and create a permanent structure. Her memorandum, included in the FOIA release, emphasized the need to synchronize UAP data collection and analysis across the military and intelligence community, and to collaborate with non-DoD partners, including foreign allies.

The documents confirm that international UAP cooperation was already underway, and they raise questions about why those efforts were denied in official forums. As The Canberra Times noted, the Department of Defence declined to answer when asked whether Australia had attended the Five Eyes briefing.

Contracting, Budget Questions, and Transition to OUSD(I&S)

Another thread includes internal Navy discussions about whether to proceed with onboarding a knowledge management specialist to support the Task Force — possibly using contractor support. However, with the imminent shift of the portfolio to OUSD(I&S), officials voiced concern over wasting resources if funding was rerouted.

“With OUSD(I&S) taking over the portfolio, this may be OBE [overcome by events],” one official wrote. “I don’t want the company to hire an individual if… there is no money due to a CR [Continuing Resolution].”

###

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DON-NAVY-2022-003198 Release Package [20 Pages, 1MB]

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The post Newly Released Navy Emails Reveal UAP Coordination, Five Eyes Briefings, and Forgotten Redactions first appeared on The Black Vault.

The U.S. Navy has recently released several Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) briefing documents through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), shedding new light on the U.S. government’s involvement investigating the phenomenon through the now disbanded UAP Task Force (UAPTF). Some of these briefings were tied to FOIA cases and subsequent appeals filed by The Black Vault, fighting for the release of these records that were originally denied in full or stonewalled due to excessive processing times that went on for years, despite “expedited processing” being granted after the initial filing.

These briefings, created through the 2020/2021 timeframe by the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and the UAPTF, were prepared for high-level defense committees and officials, including the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), U.S. Marine Corps, and the Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence (DDNI) and others. While the documents remain heavily redacted to protect national security, they reveal significant details about UAPs and how U.S. agencies view these unexplained aerial phenomena as potential threats.

The documents all have substantial redactions under exemption (b)(1), which conceals information critical to national security. Even the classification level itself is withheld, emphasizing the sensitivity of the briefings. The UAPTF, operating under ONI, led an interagency effort to collect, analyze, and share operational, scientific, and technical data on UAPs in a bid to understand their implications for aviation safety and U.S. national security. The focus on safety and security is evident, as multiple sections in the briefings underscore the frequency of UAP encounters near military training areas and sensitive airspace, where what they also refer to as “Range Foulers” interfere with air operations.

U.S. aircrews have described close and often unsettling encounters with these objects, which often display advanced, non-traditional flight characteristics and appear through multi-sensor detections, including radar and infrared. The UAPTF’s task, as detailed in the May 17, 2021, briefing, is to gather and centralize such data while removing stigma from reporting incidents, encouraging more aircrews to report sightings without fear of professional reprisal. According to these documents, the task force views these reports as critical for anticipating and addressing potential foreign technology and intelligence threats.

Throughout the briefings, several examples of UAP encounters are shared, though most remain heavily redacted. One example describes a UAP observed as a “spherical” object that moved toward the water’s surface before disappearing, with search efforts for wreckage yielding no results. Another incident notes the sighting of “triangular” objects through visual confirmation and sensors, which, like many other sightings, originated near U.S. training areas where both routine and intensive testing occurs. These briefings reveal that the UAPTF was actively working with partners across the Department of Defense, as well as with agencies like NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the intelligence community, to expand its data analysis capabilities. While a specific classification level was redacted, documents also reveal that a framework is in place to use these reports to “cue various other advanced means of tracking and analysis” across multiple agencies. This coordinated data-sharing approach points to the high priority given to understanding and mitigating the risks associated with UAP encounters.

Each document emphasizes the need to develop a comprehensive approach for analyzing UAP incidents, with experts across science, intelligence, and technology sectors contributing to the process. The UAPTF is tasked with preparing periodic assessments for Congress, with efforts directed toward enhancing data collection, analysis, and the establishment of more streamlined reporting standards.

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Briefing for the Deputy Director, Naval Intelligence Director, Naval Intelligence Activity – February 27, 2020 [20 Pages, 2.5MB]

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Briefing for the House Armed Services Committee – March 11, 2020 [17 Pages, 2.0MB]

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Briefing for the United States Marine Corps – Date Unknown [18 Pages, 2.0MB]

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Briefing for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) – May 17, 2021 [15 Pages, 2.5MB]

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Briefing and Emails With STRATCOM – July 2020 [23 Pages, 1.8MB]

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The post U.S. Navy Releases UAP Briefing Documents first appeared on The Black Vault.

A recent release of documents obtained through two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by The Black Vault in 2021 and 2022, has shed light on a briefing about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (now referred to as Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena [UAP]) by the UAP Task Force (UAPTF) for NASA.

The UAPTF was a U.S. Department of Defense program established to investigate UAP reports, running from 2020 until its transition to the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) in 2021.

The requests specifically asked for “all communications, emails or otherwise, between the UAP Task Force, and NASA,” after it was revealed in NASA FOIA Case 21-HQ-F-00507 that the UAPTF had requested NASA brief them on UAPs in September 2020. That case sought all communications between the task force and NASA. A second case was filed in 2022 to specifically request a “classified slide deck on Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP), created by Jay Stratton, that was shown to NASA and likely other agencies in October of 2020” also revealed by previously released documents.

These newly released records, sent by the U.S. Navy to The Black Vault, include a heavily redacted slide deck which provides a glimpse into that briefing.

Previously released documents confirm that International Space Station (ISS) Program Manager, Joel Montalbano; Director of the Export Control and Interagency Liaison Division, Margaret Kieffer; Former Associate Administrator for Legislative Affairs, Suzanne Gillen; and Former Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of International and Interagency Relations, Mike Gold; all attended the briefing.

While much of the material from that briefing remains classified, several important details can be discerned from the slides that were included in the release.

One of the main points of interest is the extensive redaction throughout the slide deck, particularly in sections that discuss photographic evidence of UAPs. Photographs were included, but nearly all of them remain classified, with the exception of one image.

Another notable section discusses the use of multiple sensors in detecting UAPs. According to the slide, the UAPTF employs a combination of technologies and reporting from operators to track and analyze UAPs. This multi-sensor approach is essential for corroborating sightings and gathering reliable data, which is then shared with other U.S. government partners for further analysis.

One of the slides also focuses on the November 14, 2004, “Tic Tac” incident involving the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11). The briefing describes the object as a “solid white, smooth” craft without any visible wings or pylons, measuring approximately 46 feet in length. Despite the event being validated by debriefs from aircrew and other personnel, the report notes that there was limited data available to conduct a thorough technical analysis at the time.

A slide titled “Potential Explanations” presents three possible explanations for UAPs, but two of these have been redacted. The only explanation visible suggests that some UAP sightings could be attributed to “unknown weather or other natural phenomena.” The redaction of the other two possibilities leaves their nature unclear.

As seen in the screenshots above, and the full document release below, the documents contain extensive redactions under two primary Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exemptions: Exemption (b)(1) and Exemption (b)(5).

Exemption (b)(1) is used to protect classified information that pertains to national defense or foreign policy, as established by an executive order. In this case, much of the redacted content, including UAP photographs and certain technical data, likely falls under this exemption due to its potential impact on national security.

Exemption (b)(5) covers privileged interagency or intra-agency communications that are part of the government’s deliberative process. This exemption allows the withholding of documents that reflect internal discussions, recommendations, and draft policies that are not finalized. In the context of the UAP briefing, sections regarding potential explanations for UAP sightings and internal assessments have been redacted under (b)(5), likely because they involve pre-decisional analysis or sensitive deliberations between agencies.

This release, while heavily redacted, provides a rare glimpse into the collaboration between the UAP Task Force and NASA. It highlights the efforts that were made to investigate and analyze UAP sightings during the time of the task force. The redactions, particularly in areas relating to photographic evidence and potential explanations, reflect the sensitive nature of the information involved.

As more documents become available, The Black Vault will continue to publish and highlight those revelations.

###

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Heavily Redacted UAP Briefing Between UAP Task Force and NASA Released [16 Pages, 2.3MB]

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The post Heavily Redacted UAP Briefing Between UAP Task Force and NASA Released first appeared on The Black Vault.

The report from June of 2021 on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) introduced a new term to many: Range Fouler. According to the footnote:

Beyond this footnote, not much is found. The Black Vault did uncover a U.S. Marine Corps Order, listed as MCIEAST-MCB CAMLEJO 3570.1B, which offers little more on “Range Foulers” – but seems to indicate a broader definition than the UAP report:

Not much else is found defining “range foulers” or explaining what they are, however, in January of 2022, The Black Vault filed a FOIA request to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) for reports from the K-NET database that had the phrase “range fouler”, and one report came up. However, due to national security reasons, the records were withheld in full and denied under FOIA exemption (b)(1).

Beyond the NCIS denial, the U.S. Navy has begun releasing “Range Fouler Debrief Forms” which are archived below.

These reports are heavily redacted, and are done so due to the UAP Security Classification Guide (SCG).

This guide is what sets forth the security levels (if any) when detailing the UAP issue. It has resulted in immense secrecy, and one that will be a hurdle in future attempts to extract UAP related information. This is all indicated by this, which appears on the released Range Fouler Debrief forms:

As of September of 2022, The U.S. Navy told The Black Vault that they will be adding ALL “Range Fouler” reports to their online reading room, while processing FOIA Case DON-NAVY-2022-012146 filed by The Black in August 2022. However, an open appeal is pending due to some circumstances that have become an ongoing issue with the U.S. Navy and FOIA. Updates will be posted when available.

Document Archive

U.S. Navy Range Fouler Releases

FOIA Release Letter, September 6, 2022

Range Fouler Reports, 2019 [27 Pages, 3.34MB]

Range Fouler Reports, 2020 [66 Pages, 8.74MB]

In January of 2023, the U.S. Navy dumped another batch of Range Fouler reports out. These are found here, but many dates are redacted making it difficult to figure out the timeframe of reports within the release.

Range Fouler Reports, Unknown timeframe (Includes November 2004 “Tic Tac Incident”, Released January 2023 [90 Pages, 8.0MB]

Range Fouler Reports, Unknown timeframe, Released December 2023 [110 Pages, 24MB] – Despite the file name the U.S. Navy chose for this release “(202306)” indicating a June 2023 release, it does not appear these were released to anyone in June. The original request The Black Vault filed in November of 2020 was denied with a “no records.” A new request was filed in July of 2022, both cases referencing the original NY Times article where Ryan Graves first was interviewed.

The FOIA cases asked for UFO/UAP related events in or around the USS Roosevelt, though part of the wording may have been construed as ALL cases, with an emphasis on the Roosevelt. No message has been returned to clarify, but given the number of cases, it likes is not specific to the Roosevelt.

These new Range Fouler reports appear to have been2m in feet added to the Navy’s FOIA online reading room shortly before I got my FOIA release letter. I have tried to call the Navy to verify when they were released. Until then, here is the entire batch.

U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS)

In 2022, NCIS has new investigations regarding “Range Foulers”.

That said, they found 8 closed investigative files.

They denied releasing those files as they are ALL classified and exempt.

On September 26, 2022, the day the above letter was received, The Black Vault attempted to verify with NCIS the number of pages / photos / videos that were being withheld. Their response later in the day stated:

“Our office cannot confirm the number of pages/photos/videos contained within a classified investigation.”
— NCIS FOIA Team

Prior to the above NCIS denial, The Black Vault had filed a request on January 3, 2022, for all “Range Fouler” reports. At that time, searching their investigative database through January 3, 2022, they had only found 1 investigative file, which was also denied, in full:

The post Range Fouler Debrief Forms and Reports first appeared on The Black Vault.

Background

Operation Highjump, officially known as The United States Navy Antarctic Developments Program, 1946–1947, was a significant United States Navy mission initiated shortly after World War II. The primary objective was to establish the Antarctic research base Little America IV. This operation, also referred to as Task Force 68, commenced on August 26, 1946, and concluded in late February 1947​​​.

The expedition was a monumental effort involving 4,700 personnel, 13 ships, and a fleet of aircraft which included 33 planes. It was overseen by Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd and represented the largest sea and air operation in Antarctica up to that time​​​. The mission’s scope was vast and included mapping and exploring Antarctica from the air. Aircraft from the operation returned with an impressive 49,000 photographs which provided invaluable data for cartographic and scientific purposes​​.

Beyond exploration and mapping, Operation Highjump played a crucial role in testing personnel, equipment, and techniques for establishing and operating bases in polar conditions. It provided the U.S. Navy with experience that would prove essential in understanding the feasibility of operating in such a harsh environment and the potential for future Antarctic bases​​.

The following are documents related to, or mentioning, Operation Highjump:

Report Bibliography: Operation Highjump [8 Pages, 4.57 MB] – Report Bibliography of documents from the Defense Technical Information Center

Document Archive

America on the Ice. Antarctic Policy Issues, 1990 [364 Pages, 13.70 MB] – Partial contents include: (1) Antarctica Before the Treaty, rival territorial claims–cold war dimension–international geophysical year– conference on antarctica; (2) The Antarctic Treaty System, duration–scope–an arms control agreement–a claims settlement-a science compact–an administrative framework–recommendations–convention for the conservation of antarctic seals– convention on the conservation of antarctic marine living resources; (3) Challenges to the antarctic Treaty System; antarctic resources–participation in antarctic policymaking–The sovereignty time bomb; (4) U.S. Interests in the Antarctic and Current U.S. Policy, and the U.S. Antarctic Program, scientific activities–antarctic stations–logistics support-managing the logistics program–maintaining and influential american presence in the years ahead.

Cold-Weather Engineering, Chapters 1 to 5, 1949 [122 Pages, 41.30 MB]

COMPACTED-SNOW RUNWAYS IN ANTARCTICA, DEEP FREEZE 61-64 TRIALS, Feb 1966 [51 Pages, 13.70 MB] – In Deep Freeze 61, NCEL provided technical guidance to a Navy snow- compaction team investigating the practicability of building roads on snow- covered sea ice over McMurdo Sound and runways on the deep snow cover of the Ross Ice Shelf adjacent to McMurdo Station. These investigations and trials continued through Deep Freeze 64. This work was directed toward the development of a layered, compacted-snow runway on deep snow which would support aircraft weighing up to 155,000 pounds with tires on the main wheels inflated to 135 psi; it was only partially successful. During the trials, there were intermittent areas of compacted snow capable of supporting aircraft weighing up to 100,000 pounds with main tires inflated to 90 psi, but low-strength areas prevented takeoffs and landings with aircraft weighing over 25,000 pounds with main tires inflated to 60 psi. New processing and elevating equipment introduced in the Deep Freeze 64 trials showed considerable promise of producing dense, uniform, high -strength, elevated areas of compacted snow. It was concluded that the trials should continue in Deep Freeze 65 to explore the capabilities of this equipment.

Notes on Antarctic Aviation, Aug 1993 [156 Pages, 8.92 MB] – Antarctic aviation has been evolving for the best part of a century, with regular air operations developing over the past three or four decades. Antarctica is the last continent where aviation still depends almost entirely on expeditionary airfields and ‘bush flying,’ but change seems imminent. This report describes the history of aviation in Antarctica, the types and characteristics of existing and proposed airfield facilities, and the characteristics of aircraft suitable for Antarctic use. It now seems possible for Antarctic aviation to become an extension of mainstream international aviation. The basic requirement is a well-distributed network of hard-surface airfields that can be used safely by conventional aircraft, together with good international collaboration. The technical capabilities already exist.

 Observations of Radar Propagation and Influencing Meteorological Factors during the 1946-47 Antarctic Expedition, 10 June 1947 [18 Pages, 1.42 MB] – Admiral Byrd’s antarctic expedition of 1946-47 offered an excellent opportunity to study radar wave propagation and low-level meteorological conditions which exist about the Antarctic Continent. Although a great deal has been reported concerning the general meteorology of the antarctic, the conditions which affect the ranges of radar have never been stressed due to the relatively recent development of radar and use of the radio frequencies concerned. This report deals with the radar and meteorological measurements that were made during the cruise of the Western Task Group of Operation HIGHJUMP. Most of the measurements reported were made aboard the seaplane tender USS CURRITUCK. This tender made available the convenient use of PBM and helicopter aircraft. The antarctic portion of the cruise was made during the antarctic summer months, between 22 December 1946 and 4 March 1947. The ship kept a close proximity at all times to the continental ice pack which extends about 50 to 150 miles from the continent in most regions. The area covered lay between 180 degrees east longitude and 34 degrees east longitude during the above-mentioned period.

The Polar Submarine and Navigation of the Arctic Ocean, 21 May 1959 [91 Pages, 4.94 MB] – This is a reissue of the original report without any changes (except for the inclusion of an addendum written in May 1950). The report evaluates observations made on polar voyages up to and including 1948, and discusses the equipment and modifications needed to make a Fleet-type submarine suitable for under-ice research.Th

Protecting United States Interests in Antarctica, April 1988 [124 Pages, 4.94 MB] – This thesis begins by presenting a geographic overview of the physical features and resources in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. Next, it details the history of claims and interests over Antarctic territory, with particular emphasis on United States activities. Aspects of the U.S.-initiated Antarctic Treaty regime are then explored, including management of living resources and potential exploration and exploitation of nonliving hydrocarbon and mineral resources. The thesis points out past weaknesses in U.S.-Antarctic policy making, and recommends a broader role for the Department of Defense in such areas as safety and security. The thesis also recommends that the Antarctic Treaty consultative parties resolve the issue of criminal jurisdiction over offenses committed in Antarctica before the theoretical problem arises in practice, suggesting a model fashioned somewhat after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Status of Forces Agreement. Finally, the thesis highlights the recent influence of the United Nations over Antarctic affairs, and proposes that the governing Antarctic Treaty consultative parties should cooperate more with the United Nations to avoid confrontation over the impending minerals regime. Suspension of South Africa from consultative status is recommended as a means of dampening United Nations’ opposition to the minerals regime, and of preventing eventual dissolution of the regime over these and other issues.

SNOW-COMPACTION EQUIPMENT–VIBRATORY FINISHERS [34 Pages, 1.24 MB] – To investigate the feasibility of surface-hardening compacted snow by vibrationand, if feasible, to develop vibratory finishers for this work.

 Some Oceanographic Observations on Operation HIGHJUMP, 07 July 1948 [103 Pages, 10.11 MB] – *CONTENTS* INTRODUCTION; PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS IN THE ANTARCTIC: Thermal Structure of the Surface Layers, Sea Surface Temperatures, Antarctic Convergence, Depth of the Surface Layer as an Indication of Currents, Internal Waves, Temperature and Salinity, Sea Water Transparency Measurements, Antarctic ‘Seeing’, and Icebergs and Sea Ice; GEOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS: Antarctic Sea Floor Sediments, Some Pacific and Antarctic Sea Floor Features, and Ice-Free Areas in Antarctica; BIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS: Biota, Marine Plankton Diatoms on Operation HlGHJUMP, Natural Slicks in the Pacific and Antarctic Oceans, and Deep Scattering Layer in the Pacific and Antarctic Oceans; and BIBLIOGRAPHY.

U.S. Navy Antarctic Development Project 1947: Report of Operation Highjump, 10 June 1947 [538 Pages, 14.68 MB]

The post Operation Highjump first appeared on The Black Vault.

Edward Gallagher was a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy SEALs with a decorated career. He faced allegations of war crimes, which led to a high-profile court-martial. The charges against him included the murder of a wounded ISIS prisoner, shooting unarmed civilians, and threatening fellow SEALs if they reported his actions. In July 2019, Gallagher was acquitted of most of the charges but was found guilty of posing with a corpse, resulting in a demotion.

In November 2019, President Donald Trump intervened and restored Gallagher’s rank, a decision that sparked controversy and drew mixed reactions. Some praised the president for standing up for a military service member, while others criticized the move as undermining military justice and eroding discipline within the ranks.

This is where then-Secretary of the Navy, Richard Spencer, became involved. He disagreed with Trump’s decision and pushed for a review of Gallagher’s case, seeking to determine if Gallagher should maintain his status as a Navy SEAL and retain his Trident pin—a symbol of membership in the elite SEAL community. Publicly, Spencer appeared to support Trump’s decision, but he was reportedly working behind the scenes to ensure that the review process would proceed.

Ultimately, the situation escalated, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper asked for Spencer’s resignation, citing a loss of trust and confidence due to his handling of the Gallagher case. According to Esper, Spencer had gone around him and proposed a secret agreement with the White House to allow Gallagher to retire as a SEAL with his Trident pin, which contradicted the public position he had taken.

In summary, the controversy around Edward Gallagher and Richard Spencer’s involvement stemmed from Gallagher’s alleged war crimes, the intervention of President Trump, and the subsequent handling of the case by Navy leadership. The situation led to both public debate over the role of the president in military justice decisions and the resignation of Richard Spencer as Secretary of the Navy.

In November of 2019, The Black Vault requested all documents that had the keyword “Gallagher” in the mailbox of Richard Spencer.

The below are the results:

Richard Spencer Emails: Gallagher [166 Pages, 2.2MB]

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The post Richard Spencer and the Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher Controversy first appeared on The Black Vault.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA  –  On April 15, 2020, a U.S. P-8A Poseidon aircraft flying in international airspace over the Mediterranean Sea was intercepted by a Russian SU-35. The interaction was determined to be unsafe due to the SU-35 conducting a high-speed, inverted maneuver, 25 ft. directly in front of the mission aircraft, which put our pilots and crew at risk. The crew of the P-8A reported wake turbulence following the interaction. The duration of the intercept was approximately 42 minutes.

While the Russian aircraft was operating in international airspace, this interaction was irresponsible. We expect them to behave within international standards set to ensure safety and to prevent incidents, including the 1972 Agreement for the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas (INCSEA). Unsafe actions‎ increase the risk of miscalculation and potential for midair collisions.

The U.S. aircraft was operating consistent with international law and did not provoke this Russian activity.

On April 16, 2020, The Black Vault filed a FOIA request with the Navy to received all records pertaining to the event.

The result was the release of 101 photographs, and a briefing slide of the event, released in May 2022. All of which are located below.

Document Archive

Russian Intercept over Mediterranean Sea of the U.S. Navy’s P-8A Poseidon aircraft [104 Pages, 5MB]

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The post Russian Intercept over Mediterranean Sea of the U.S. Navy’s P-8A Poseidon aircraft – April 15, 2020 first appeared on The Black Vault.

It did not.

The result of this case may resonate throughout future “disclosures” (in the FOIA sense) and decisions by military branches and government agencies, all citing the UAP Security Classification Guide.

This video breaks down the story, what happened, and what it may mean.

The post Navy JAG Denies Major FOIA Appeal Further Solidifying UFO/UAP Secrecy first appeared on The Black Vault.

After a nearly two and a half year effort, The Black Vault was denied under FOIA to get videos declassified depicting Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) citing a harm to national security, if released.

Since December of 2017, two videos that surfaced of alleged Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings captivated the world. Months later, a third was released that only increased public interest into the topic, but also strengthened their voice for transparency about the mysterious phenomena.

Even though the military said they were not cleared for public dissemination and considered leaked, the Navy later would officially release copies of the same in April of 2020 to satisfy public curiosity and calls for transparency. But, how many other videos were there?

At that moment, The Black Vault aimed to find out just that.

So, in April of 2020, The Black Vault began a pursuit to have the U.S. Navy release ALL of their videos that held a UAP designation. And after nearly two and a half years, the untold number of videos with that UAP designation have been fully denied due to national security concerns.

The Pursuit

This story begins on April 28, 2020, when The Black Vault filed FOIA case DON-NAVY-2020-007226 (later renumbered in November of 2020 after a bogus rejection and given new case number DON-NAVY-2021-001457) to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the same command that officially released the three UAP videos one day prior.

The request was simple. It asked for all videos that were designated “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena”, just like the FLIR1, Gimbal and GoFast videos that they had previously released and labeled as “UAP”. The FOIA case  filed sought ALL of them.

It seemed plausible if there were three, there were more at NAVAIR. However, in March of 2022, NAVAIR would deny that request stating that they found no additional videos. It seemed strange they had three, and only those three, but other requests had already been filed by The Black Vault to seek out more places UAP videos might be hiding.

On February 2, 2021, The Black Vault had also filed FOIA request DON-NAVY-2021-001456. Given that it was recognized by Congress, and stated in the media numerous times, this specific case was filed with the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) which was said to be the home for the UAP Task Force (UAPTF). Yet, it would take 17 months for ONI to inform The Black Vault that the videos, if any designation “UAP” should exist, would be housed at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (N2/N6), and a new case needed to be filed there. It appeared that the 17 month wait endured, was a complete waste of time.

A new case was filed DON-NAVY-2022-010360 to N2/N6, and only two months after that was filed on July 11, 2022, The Black Vault received the official denial.

“The UAP Task Force has responded back to DNS-36 and have stated that the requested videos contain sensitive information pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) and are classified and are exempt from disclosure in their entirety under exemption 5 U.S.C. § 552 (b)(1) in accordance with Executive Order 13526 and the UAP Security Classification Guide,” Gary Cason, Deputy Director, DON FOIA/PA Program Office, said in the response letter. “The release of this information will harm national security as it may provide adversaries valuable information regarding Department of Defense/Navy operations, vulnerabilities, and/or capabilities. No portions of the videos can be segregated for release.”

Potentially seeing a justification of an appeal, the U.S. Navy uncharacteristically gave additional details for their decision, which cited the previous release of three UAP videos.

“While three UAP videos were released in the past, the facts specific to those three videos are unique in that those videos were initially released via unofficial channels before official release,” Cason stated in the letter. “Those events were discussed extensively in the public domain; in fact, major news outlets conducted specials on these events. Given the amount of information in the public domain regarding these encounters, it was possible to release the files without further damage to national security.”

The Black Vault has filed an appeal seeking the release of the videos denied.

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The Denial Letter

DON-NAVY-2022-010360

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The post U.S. Navy Says ALL UAP/UFO Videos Are Classified And Exempt From Release first appeared on The Black Vault.

Below, you will find the results of FOIA requests submitted for searches on Captain Chesbrough’s email address. They are organized by FOIA case number, and what was specifically asked for.

There is currently one case, however, more have been filed, and the below will be updated when they are released.

Document Archive

Captain Scott Chesbrough, Chief of Staff, Office of Naval Intelligence UAP/UFO E-mails [22 Pages, 2.5MB]

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The post Captain Scott Chesbrough, Chief of Staff, Office of Naval Intelligence UAP/UFO E-mails first appeared on The Black Vault.

Document Archive

The Sentencing Process at Courts-Martial by Col. Richard L. Vogel, June 1987 [28MB, 78 Pages]

The post The Sentencing Process at Courts-Martial by Col. Richard L. Vogel, June 1987 first appeared on The Black Vault.

It is a “briefing card” utilized by Navy’s Chief of Information and the Office of Information (CHINFO) for assistance on responding to UAP related requests.

Document Archive

Navy CHINFO Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) Briefing Card, 24 July 2020 [3 Pages, 0.5MB]

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The post Navy CHINFO Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) Briefing Card, 24 July 2020 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The FOIA request was originally filed by Alex Garcia, a Los Angeles based self described “Disclosure Activist and Advocate” who also serves as the Media Manager for UAPx. In the release sent to him by the U.S. Navy, they primarily cited exemption (b)(1), which translates to “national security” related information, for redacting nearly the entire release.

The Navy also cited (b)(5), which also according to the Navy, was due to the fact the document contained “deliberative process privileged material, is predecisional in nature, and contains working versions of documents.”

Garcia is appealing the decision, and will keep The Black Vault informed of further releases, if any.

Although nothing is gleaned about UAP from the document itself, it serves as yet another example of the extreme nature of secrecy that surrounds the UAP issue. As some argue that the world is seeing a new era of transparency coming from the American government, releases like this prove that the discussion has a long way to go before it can truly say it is seeing “transparency.”

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Document Archive

Navy ‘Releases’ 2020 Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon “Information Memo” [19 Pages, 0.6MB]

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The post Navy ‘Releases’ 2020 Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon “Information Memo” first appeared on The Black Vault.

In December of 2017, the “Gimbal” video was published by the NY Times. Since then, it has captivated believers and has become a target by the debunkers. Yet, despite the drastic difference in regards to interpretations by both sides, one fact remains: the video is intriguing. Now, new documents released to The Black Vault may reveal that the Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) who encounter the craft, and took the video, appeared before Senate staffers in 2019 to brief them on the event.

The Black Vault sought records over the course of three years, and followed a paper trail that led to the below release of formerly SECRET e-mails. Although redacted, there are some new details revealed, and the likelihood that the encounter, along with the WSO, were all connected to the 2015 “Gimbal” encounter.

The documents are below.

Document Archive

DON-NAVY-2022-001613 [7 Pages, 1MB]

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The post New Details Emerge About “Gimbal” UAP Encounter; Briefing Breakdown first appeared on The Black Vault.

On January 13, 2018, a false ballistic missile alert was issued via the Emergency Alert System and Commercial Mobile Alert System over television, radio, and cellphones in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The alert stated that there was an incoming ballistic missile threat to Hawaii, advised residents to seek shelter, and concluded “This is not a drill”.

The message was sent at 8:07 a.m. local time. However, no civil defense outdoor warning sirens were authorized or sounded by the state.

A second message, sent 38 minutes later, described the first as a “false alarm”. State officials blamed a miscommunication during a drill at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency for the first message. Governor David Ige publicly apologized for the erroneous alert, which caused panic and disruption throughout the state.

The Federal Communications Commission and the Hawaii House of Representatives launched investigations into the incident, leading to the resignation of the state’s emergency management administrator.

Below you will find documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regarding this incident.

Currently, there are multiple FOIA requests still pending throughout multiple agencies. More updates will be posted soon!

Document Archive

 Navy Region Hawaii, Pearl Harbor Documents [3 Pages, 1MB] – This document found was the only document located at Pearl Harbor.

 U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) Documents [57 Pages, 1MB]

The post Hawaii false missile alert – January 13, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The below is a FLASH story, wherein documents have JUST been released. In lieu of crafting a lengthier story, The Black Vault has decided to unveil part of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) release. There is much more to come throughout the results of numerous FOIA requests and appeals.

The following document is part of a larger Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) release. The Black Vault, for years, has had numerous FOIA requests open for various aspects of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) material and has undergone long waits for the material to arrive.

It appears that during this FOIA process, the Navy has created a different, but extremely disorganized, process for releasing material. Many times, they are combining numerous requests into one resulting in various documents to sift through. The Navy is also attempting to add material to their online reading room, which also has caused much confusion and frustration along the way, since material is appearing there long before requesters are notified – if they are notified at all.

To make matters worse, the Department of Defense is requiring the Pentagon review all UAP related material set to be released via the FOIA. This is causing longer delays.

For now, The Black Vault is profiling a 2019 heavily redacted release of a Congressional briefing on UAPs and the UAP Task Force (UAPTF).

There are more documents that have been released, and will be highlighted in the coming days.

Document Archive

U.S. Navy Releases Heavily Redacted UAP/UFO Briefing Given To Congress in October 2019 [20 Pages, 2MB]

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The post U.S. Navy Releases Heavily Redacted UAP/UFO Briefing Given To Congress in October 2019 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Background

Here is, according to Wikipedia, what is believed to have happened to the Kursk:

The Kursk submarine disaster occurred during a major Russian naval exercise in the Barents Sea on Saturday, 12 August 2000. The Kursk, an Oscar-class submarine (Russian: Project 949A Антей), was preparing to load a dummy 65-76 “Kit” torpedo when a fire, followed by a large explosion, caused the ship to sink. Nearby ships registered the explosion but did not know what to make of it. A second, much larger, explosion took place two minutes and 15 seconds later, and was powerful enough to register on seismographs as far away as Alaska.

The Russian Navy did not recognise that the vessel had sunk for more than six hours and because the emergency rescue buoy had been intentionally disabled, it took more than 16 hours for them to locate the sunken ship. Over four days they used four different diving bells and submersibles to try to attach to the escape hatch without success. The navy’s response was criticized as slow and inept. The government initially misled the public and media about the timing of the accident, stating that communication had been established and that a rescue effort was under way, and refused help from other governments. The Russian Navy offered a variety of reasons for the sub’s sinking, including blaming the accident on a collision with a NATO vessel. On the fifth day, the Russians accepted British and Norwegian offers of assistance. Seven days after the submarine went down, Norwegian divers finally opened a hatch to the rescue tube in the ship’s ninth compartment, hoping to locate survivors, but found it flooded.

An official investigation after most of the wreck was raised along with analysis of pieces of debris concluded that a faulty weld in the casing of the practice torpedo caused high-test peroxide (HTP) to leak, which caused the kerosene fuel to explode. The initial explosion destroyed the torpedo room, severely damaged the control room, incapacitated or killed the control room crew, and caused the submarine to sink. The fire resulting from this explosion in turn triggered the detonation of between five and seven torpedo warheads after the submarine had struck bottom. This second explosion was equivalent to between 2 to 3 tonnes (2.0 to 3.0 long tons; 2.2 to 3.3 short tons) of TNT. It collapsed the first three compartments and all the decks, and destroyed compartments four and five, killing everyone forward of the nuclear reactor compartment. An alternative explanation offered by critics suggested that the crew was not familiar with nor trained on firing HTP torpedoes and had unknowingly followed preparation and firing instructions intended for a very different type of torpedo. Combined with poor oversight and incomplete inspections, the sailors initiated a set of events that led to the explosion.

It was later determined that 23 sailors in the sixth through ninth compartments survived the two explosions and took refuge in the ninth compartment. They survived more than six hours before an oxygen cartridge contacted the oily sea water, triggering an explosion and flash fire that consumed the remaining oxygen. All 118 sailors and officers—111 crew members, five officers from 7th SSGN Division Headquarters, and two design engineers—aboard the Kursk died. The following year, a Dutch team was contracted by the Russians to raise the hull. Employing newly developed lifting technologies, they recovered all but the bow of the vessel, including the remains of 115 sailors, who were buried in Russia.

Despite the public story, it is not fully known what truly happened to the Kursk.  Many theorize that it could have been brought down by a collision with an American ship in the area, but of course, evidence to prove it is hard to come by.

Below, you will find the records uncovered via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Declassified Documents

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

 CIA Declassified KURSK Documents, Released June 2016 [17 Pages, 2.3MB]

 CIA Declassified KURSK Documents, Released February 2022 [15 Pages, 1.1MB] – In 2019, The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) case to get the above June 2016 released documents reviewed. Although some redactions were lifted – it is clear many secrets remain about the sinking of the Kursk.

 CIA Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Documents, Released March 2017 [9 Pages, 2.1MB]

Department of the Navy

 Department of the Navy Declassified Maritime Reports [16 Pages, 0.8MB] – This, according to the NAVY, is all the material they currently have about the sinking of the Kursk.  These records were declassified in January of 2015.

National Security Agency

 NSA MDR Denial, April 2019 [3 Pages, 0.8MB] – In October of 2014, I requested records from the NSA regarding the Kursk. They were fully denied and exempt from release. In November of 2018, I requested a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) on the records found, but were fully exempt. In April of 2019, they denied the MDR, and said the documents remained TOP SECRET and SECRET.

 NSA MDR APPEAL Denial, September 2019 [3 Pages, 0.8MB] – I did try to appeal the above denial, however, that too, was denied.

The post The Sinking of the K-141 “Kursk” Russian Submarine first appeared on The Black Vault.

That denial came in November, which I appealed: https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/every-ufo-case-sent-to-uap-task-force-considered-entirely-classified-and-exempt-from-disclosure/

I appealed – and I won.

Next week (week of January 3, 2022), the review of those responsive documents once denied in full… starts again!

That’s a huge win.

Here is a full video breakdown:

The post FOIA Appeal Win May Help UFO Transparency – Here’s the story… first appeared on The Black Vault.

According to the “Risk and Opportunity Assessment Report” for FYs 2014 and 2015,
DON’s Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Programs were identified by DNS as a
medium-risk area in FY 2014 and a high-risk area in FY 2015. Since the implementation
of FOIAonline, Navy commands have raised concerns regarding the completeness and
accuracy of FOIAonline data. This audit was requested by DNS.

Document Archive

United States Navy’s Freedom of Information Act Reporting Process, Navy Audit Service, 11 April 2017 [52 Pages, 2.5MB]

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The post United States Navy’s Freedom of Information Act Reporting Process, Navy Audit Service, 11 April 2017 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The objective was the “non-lethal weaponization of ultra-short pulse (pico-femtosecond) laser systems to produce extended high repetition rate laser induced plasma detonations (LIPD) in air or on material targets in close proximity to targeted humans and on targeted material with no civilian casualties and (scalable) non-lethal counter-personnel and counter-materiel effect with little to no collateral damage.”

Below are the results of a November 2020 request for, “ALL reports, status reports, updates on the Laser Induced Plasma Effect program which is part of the Joint Non-lethal Weapons Directorate program,” which included a request for, “all mission statements or stated objectives of the Laser Induced Plasma Effect program along with the Joint Non-lethal Weapons Directorate program.”

Below is what I received from the US Marine Corps, which includes the FOIA release letter, video, and documents.

FOIA Response Letter

Video Archive

Document Archive

The following is a copy of the DVD that came in with the files. They are dumped here for easy downloading, along with a .zip option.

[ .zip File – 62.7MB ]

      12OCT18_NewScientist_LIPE_USWantsLaserWpn.pdf                                618K  
      14NOV_PopMech_The Secret History of Plasma Weapons_Hambling.pdf              618K  
      20JUL19_PNTSciMakingPlasmaBalls_MilTimes_South_Law.pdf                       127K  
      AlsoRan_BullofAtomicScientists_25JUL19_the-pentagons-getting-closer-to.pdf   657K  
      AlsoRan_NavyTImes_talking-lasers-and-e.pdf                                   187K  
      AlsoRan_iHLS_PlasmaLaserBalls_JUL19.pdf                                      120K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_ADS_TheDrive_Trevithick_23Mar18_DefOneMilTimesrefs.pdf            1.8M  
      DE2DC_LIPE_DailyStar_Harper_DefOneref.pdf                                    606K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_DigitalTrends_Dormehl_DefOneref.pdf                               485K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Discover_Sigfusson_DefOneref.pdf                                  350K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Eng&Tech_StaffReport_DefOneref.pdf                                362K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Futurism_Houser_DefOneref.pdf                                     541K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_GovExec_DefOne_Tucker_reprint.pdf                                 785K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_IBTimes_Sharma_DefOneref.pdf                                      1.1M  
      DE2DC_LIPE_IntEngineering_Nicholson_DefOneref.pdf                            517K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Newsdotcom_Whigham_DefOneref.pdf                                  548K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Newsweek_Hignett.pdf                                              627K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_OuterPlaces_Kesh_DefOne_Tucker_reprint.pdf                        616K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_PopMechanics_Mizokami_DefOne_Tucker_reprint.pdf                   429K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_ScienceAlert_Futurismreprint_23Mar18.pdf                          393K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_SpecOpsMag_Myers_DefOneref.pdf                                    469K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_ThinkBig_Ratner_DefOneref.pdf                                     1.0M  
      DE2DC_LIPE_TrueNews_StaffReport_DefOneref.pdf                                346K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_i-hls_StaffReports_NewsAU_DefOnerefs_29Mar18.pdf                  359K  
      FOXNEWS_LIPE_pentagon-talking-lasers-that-beam_1AUG19.pdf                     84K  
      JNLWD BAA 14-008.pdf                                                         2.5M  
      LIPE 2018 DE2DC Poster _dl reference 3.pptx                                  875K  
      LIPE Article_DefenseOne_Tucker_21Mar18.pdf                                   417K  
      LIPE Article_MilTimes_South_22Mar18.pdf                                      849K  
      NYPost_TalkingLasers_5AUG19.pdf                                              131K  
      SyFyWire_MessagestoPplsHeads_2AUG19.pdf                                      140K  
      Table 8 New LIPE Video 2019 DE2DC Video Final.avi                             50M  
      UKSun_PentagonBeamsMsgs.pdf                                                  217K  
      USMC SBIR Topic N113_171_Long Range Laser Induced Plasma.docx                 15K  
      USMC SCUPLS SBIR Topic.docx                                                   16K

The post Laser Induced Plasma Effect Program, Released February 2021 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Photo Gallery

The post USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Completes First Full Ship Shock Trial Event – 18 June 2021 first appeared on The Black Vault.

This U.S. Navy video features a story about USS Abraham Lincoln Sailors experiencing spooky phenomena in the ship’s library. Hosted by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Gearhiser, it was recorded in 2010.

I love finding quirky, odd, things such as these within the U.S. military and government archives. Much of these types of things were seen by very few people at the time, then archived never to really be seen again.

Enjoy the ghost stories…

The post USS Abraham Lincoln Library Spooks Sailors – U.S. Navy 2010 Produced Video About Strange Encounters first appeared on The Black Vault.

The following documents have been released by the Department of the Navy.  They include all correspondence between members of Congress, and the Navy.

Document Archive

Congressional Correspondence Log, Department of the Navy, January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020 [364 Pages, 40MB]

Congressional Correspondence Log, Department of the Navy, January 1, 2020 – June 31, 2020 ARCHIVED VERSION – LOG SHOULD BE IN REQUEST ABOVE [219 Pages, 2MB]

Congressional Correspondence Log, Department of the Navy, July 28, 2019 – December 31, 2019 [249 Pages, 2.2MB]

Congressional Correspondence Log, Department of the Navy, January 1, 2019 – July 27, 2019 [96 Pages, 24MB]

Congressional Correspondence Log, Department of the Navy, January 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018 [185 Pages, 18MB]

The post Congressional Correspondence with the Department of the Navy first appeared on The Black Vault.

This week, multiple photographs and a video, was “leaked” to the general public by George Knapp at MysteryWire.com and Jeremy Corbell from ExtraordinaryBeliefs.com. The Pentagon has now confirmed to The Black Vault via e-mail, that the photos and videos leaked this week, all were taken by Navy personnel.

“I can confirm that the referenced photos and videos were taken by Navy personnel. The UAPTF has included these incidents in their ongoing examinations,” said Susan Gough, Pentagon Spokesperson. “As we have said before, to maintain operations security and to avoid disclosing information that may be useful to potential adversaries, DOD does not discuss publicly the details of either the observations or the examinations of reported incursions into our training ranges or designated airspace, including those incursions initially designated as UAP.”

However, Gough refused to confirm whether they remain “unidentified,” or are used as training material for identifiable objects, or remain unknowns. “I have nothing further for you beyond what I provided,” Gough stated. No additional information was provided.

The post Pentagon CONFIRMS Recent UAP / UFO Leaks as Genuine first appeared on The Black Vault.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). At the root, the FOIA truly is a remarkable thing. It gives the right to anyone the ability to request information from the United States government, and in many cases, actually receive what they requested. Although utilizing the act proves to be quite the challenge, and there is a lot of room for record requests to be denied, it allows the people to hold the U.S. government and military accountable. Above all else, it offers a window into a shadowed past marred by secrecy and deceit, and it allows every day people to reveal secrets that no one in the public realm has ever heard before. It’s a powerful tool, and one The Black Vault is built upon.

But should the FOIA process be “controlled” by those more concerned with optics, rather than Freedom of Information? Should the Public Affairs office of an agency invade the FOIA office of the same, in an attempt to control the release of information? Such a scenario may seem like a clear intrusion on the rights afforded to the public by the law, but a newly released document obtained via the FOIA reveals that at least with one topic, they are doing just that.

The topic? Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) or more commonly referred to as UFOs.

The record was obtained by Marc Cecotti, a FOIA researcher who blogs about his experience at his site called The Parallax. It was one e-mail out of a string released, as obtained from the Naval Safety Center (NAVSAFECEN) and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). The e-mail was sent on July 10, 2020, in response to internal banter about a media enquiry.

Written by retired Navy Captain Joseph Gradisher, who now serves as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare (OPNAV N2/N6), the e-mail reveals that the public affairs office of the Department of Defense (DOD) is operating as a last set of eyes to oversee FOIA releases about UAPs.

Gradisher writes:

“Also, generally speaking, we let the normal FOIA process work as it is supposed to but we have been requesting that FOIA offices coordinate with us on UAP-focused FOIA responses before they hit ‘reply’ so that new terms/language/etc. aren’t introduced that complicate the overall messaging efforts.”

The question then arises, what messaging effort is underway that needs to be controlled? If the true spirit of the FREEDOM OF INFORMATION Act is being upheld, wouldn’t the truth be the only only message that has an effort behind it?

The e-mail received by Cecotti reveals an interesting debate. On one hand, it’s not surprising, as the mere job of a public affairs office is to control a message. But on the other hand, it intrudes on the root of why the general public has a freedom of information. The truth in this process should be the only “messaging effort” any government employee should worry about.

After all, that is the true spirit of why the FOIA was enacted in the first place back on July 4, 1967. So why do UFOs get a seeming special treatment with public affairs oversight?

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Note: The other great revelation with the e-mail is the admission that a “Security Classification Guide” or SCG exists for the UAP topic. On a hunch, The Black Vault filed for this very document back in January of 2021, and requests for the SCG remain open to both the Navy and OSD. The Black Vault will publish those findings when the FOIA request is responded to.

The post When Freedom of Information and Public Affairs Collide On The UFO Issue first appeared on The Black Vault.