Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick served as director of AARO from July 2022 – December 2023. In that time he has had one congressional hearing, a few off-camera media roundtables (open only to journalists), drafted a scientific paper with Dr. Avi Loeb of the Galileo Project which speculated about extraterrestrial motherships and probes in March 20231]), one panel open to the public a few weeks before his resignation was effective, and released two annual reports on UAP. He wrote an opinion article2]) in Scientific American that was published on January 19, 2024 and comes across as a disinformation piece. List of references are available at the end.
Excerpts from the article and my rebuttal below:
Kirkpatrick: “As director of the Department of Defense’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), charged by Congress in 2022 to help bring science-based clarity and resolution to the long-standing mystery surrounding credible observations of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), also known as UFOs, I experienced this erosion [of evidence-based critical thinking] up close and personal. And it was one factor in my decision to step down from my position last December. After painstakingly assembling a team of highly talented and motivated personnel and working with them to develop a rational, systematic and science-based strategy to investigate these phenomena, our efforts were ultimately overwhelmed by sensational but unsupported claims that ignored contradictory evidence yet captured the attention of policy makers and the public, driving legislative battles and dominating the public narrative.”
If that was a reason he stepped down, it’s the first he’s mentioned it publicly. The exclusive interview in Politico that was linked in the article quoted him “I’m ready to move on. I have accomplished everything I said I was going to do.”
The law that set up AARO, the FY 2022 NDAA, has numerous duties for the office. Their annual report, for example, is tasked with “an update on any efforts underway on the ability to capture or exploit discovered [UAP]” and a science plan to “provide the foundation for potential future investments to replicate any such advanced characteristics [that exceed the known state of the art in science or technology] and performance.”[3] This was expanded in the FY 2023 NDAA to have a mechanism for authorized reporting of “any activity or program by a department or agency of the Federal Government or a contractor of such a department or agency relating to unidentified anomalous phenomena, including with respect to material retrieval, material analysis, reverse engineering, research and development, detection and tracking, developmental or operational testing, and security protections and enforcement.”4])
As for contradictory evidence, Kirkpatrick said they’ve been talking to some of the same people they think David Grusch did. In an off-camera media roundtable, Kirkpatrick said “We’re investigating each and every one of them. We’re cross-referencing those. There are some bits of information that are turning out to be things and events that really happened. A lot of it is still under review, and we’re putting all that together into our historical report.”5])
Kirkpatrick: “The result of this whirlwind of tall tales, fabrication and secondhand or thirdhand retellings of the same, was a social media frenzy and a significant amount of congressional and executive time and energy spent on investigating these so-called claims—as if we didn’t have anything better to do.”
In an interview with NewsNation, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chariman Marco Rubio said that there are individuals with “first-hand knowledge or first-hand claims” and that some of those coming forward “ still work in the government, and frankly, a lot of them are very fearful, fearful of their jobs, fearful of their clearances, fearful of their career, and, and, and some, frankly, are fearful of harm coming to them.”6]) If Kirkpatrick doesn’t have anything better to do than his job, it’s a good thing he is no longer director.
Kirkpatrick: “During a full-scale, year-long investigation of this story (which has been told and retold by a small group of interconnected believers and others with possibly less than honest intentions—none of whom have firsthand accounts of any of this), AARO discovered a few things, and none were about aliens.”
In an October 31, 2023 interview, Kirkpatrick said “we don’t have any information from him [David Grusch] so I can’t comment on anything he’s told other people.”7]) David Grusch provided the information to both the DoD and Intelligence Community Inspectors General and the House and Senate intelligence committees. Grusch gave his reason for not sharing information with AARO thus far by saying “On request of a Senator in late October 2023, I have been in communication via email with AARO staff and have been willing to work on an interview arrangement. AARO staff have been unwilling to address in writing the specific handling of classified compartmented information, such as the CIA Directorate of Operations’ compartmented data on human sources and non-UAP related but adjacent compartmented programs. I take my obligations to protect sources and methods extremely seriously.”8])
Kirkpatrick: “First, no record exists of any president or living DOD or intelligence community leader knowing about this alleged program, nor any congressional committee having such knowledge. This should speak volumes if this case were following typical procedure because it is inconceivable that a program of such import would not ever have been briefed to the 50 to 100 people at the top of the USG over the decades of its existence.”
Kind of odd to have that “living” qualifier, but you do have the former director of AAWSAP Dr. James T. Lacatski who went on the record in 2023 stating that it is true that, by 2011, “the United States government was in possession of a craft of unknown origin [UAP] and had successfully gained access to its interior. This craft had a streamlined configuration suitable for aerodynamic flight but no intakes, exhaust, wings, or control surfaces. In fact, it appeared to not have an engine, fuel tanks, or fuel.” 9]) Grusch said he “was informed, in the course of my official duties, of a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program to which I was denied access to those additional read-on’s” and that he reported this information to his superiors and multiple Inspectors General.10]) Thus, it isn’t following typical procedure.
Kirkpatrick: “Second, this narrative has been simmering for years and is largely an outgrowth of a former program at the DOD’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which was heavily influenced by a group of individuals associated with businessman and longtime ufologist Robert Bigelow, founder of Bigelow Aerospace. In 2009 then senator Harry Reid asked the secretary of defense (SECDEF) to set up a SAP (special access program) to protect the alleged UAP/UFO material that AATIP proponents believed the USG was hiding. The SECDEF declined to do so after a review by the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence (OUSDI), and DIA concluded that not only did no such material exist, but taxpayer money was being inappropriately spent on paranormal research at Skinwalker Ranch in Utah. This is well documented in open sources, particularly in records available on DIA’s electronic FOIA Reading Room. After the negative response by SECDEF, Senator Reid then enlisted the help of then senator Joseph Lieberman to request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) set up an SAP for the same purpose. The administrative SAP proposal package was informed by the same individuals who had been associated with AATIP. AARO’s archival research has located the administrative proposal for the DHS SAP, complete with the participants, which has been declassified and is being reviewed for public release.”
The DIA program was Advanced Aerospace Weapon Systems Applications Program (AAWSAP), though in June 2009 was given the unclassified nickname AATIP (which is also what the December 2017 New York Times article referred to it as).11]) Harry Reid asked the Deputy Secretary of Defense (DepSecDef) William Lynn III, not Secretary of Defense (SecDef) Robert Gates. This distinction is notable as it is the DepSecDef that is the chair of SAPOC (Special Access Project Oversight Committee)12]), announced creation of the UAPTF13]), AOIMSG14]), and AARO15]) as well as the FY 2023 NDAA having the AARO Director directly report to the DepSecDef (and Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence)4]).
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made a request in June 2009 for “establishing a Restricted Special-Access-Program (SAP) with a Bigoted Access List for specific portions of the AATIP” because to “study unconventional technology may require nuanced approaches that will undoubtedly be of significant interest if not a top priority for adversarial Foreign Intelligence Security Services (FISS)”, “the nuanced manner in which some of these technologies will be collected, engineered and applied by the U.S. may require senior level government approval. These decision makers must be afforded the necessary time to make strategic decisions by restricting access to the ‘big picture’ or overall intent of the program to those on a strict Bigoted List.”, and “Associated exotic technologies likely involve extremely sophisticated concepts within the world of quantum mechanics, nuclear science, electromagnetic theory, gravitics, and thermodynamics.” Such results “will not only benefit the U.S. Government but I believe will directly benefit DoD in ways not yet imagined. The technological insight and capability gained will provide the U.S. with a distinct advantage over any foreign threats and allow the U.S. to maintain its preeminence as a world leader.”11]) Thus, Reid certainly seemed to believe that there were UAP materials out there and wanted to prepare AATIP for that.
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, OUSD(I) reviewed Reid’s request but seemed to think it was about the largely unclassified Defense Intelligence Reference Document (DIRD) technical reports. OUSD(I) stated “In reviewing the deliverables to date and looking ahead to planned production in fiscal year (FY) 2010, DIA cannot find adequate justification to establish a restricted SAP.”16]) DIA stated regarding “highly sensitive, unconventional aerospace-related findings” that will “require extraordinary protection” Reid was referring to, “DIA is unaware as to which ones the senator believes are sensitive.” “However, the concerns that Senator Reid raises seem to suggest that the security and counterintelligence issues are in regard to future phases of this program, and not necessarily the current contract effort. If this assumption is correct, then Senator Reid is looking ahead to a research, development and acquisition (RDA) effort that lies outside the DoD Intelligence Community’s purview. This in turn would argue that any future efforts beyond FY10, when the current contract ends, should be moved under the appropriate DoD entity.” USD(I) James Clapper wrote a memo to the DepSecDef in November 2009 stating “Based on the recommendation from DIA and my staff’s review of the technical reports, I recommend against establishing a Special Access Program at this time.”17])
Kirkpatrick’s notion that DIA concluded such material did not exist, taxpayer money was being inappropriately spent on paranormal research, and that this is well-documented in records available on DIA’s electronic FOIA Reading Room are demonstrably false. Did he not read these documents or is it the fault of his staff?
Kirkpatrick: “AARO thoroughly investigated these claims as part of its congressionally mandated mission to not only technically evaluate contemporary UAP observations but also review historical accounts going back to the 1940s. One of my last acts before retiring was to sign AARO’s Historical Record Report Volume 1, which is currently being prepared for delivery to Congress and the public. The report demonstrates that many of the circulating allegations described above derive from inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of legitimate U.S. programs or related R&D that have nothing to do with extraterrestrial issues or technology. Some are misrepresentations, and some derive from pure, unsupported beliefs. In many respects, the narrative is a textbook example of circular reporting, with each person relaying what they heard, but the information often ultimately being sourced to the same small group of individuals.”
Why does Kirkpatrick always use the term extraterrestrial instead of non-human intelligence? See above about first-hand witnesses that Senator Rubio spoke about to refute the circular reporting claim. The ICIG had a SCFI meeting in January 2024 with the House Oversight Committee and the congressmen coming out of that meeting said some of Grusch’s claims have merit and further investigation is needed for rest.18])
Kirkpatrick: “I can assure you as its former director that AARO is unwaveringly committed to harnessing science and technology to bring unprecedented clarity to these fascinating, important, and stubborn mysteries and to do so with maximum transparency. Its talented staff and team of supporting scientists are at this very moment striving in collaboration with the armed forces, intelligence community, government agencies, national laboratories, scientific community, academic community—and soon the general public—to collect and analyze hard, measurable data—i.e., extraordinary evidence—in this heretofore eyewitness-rich but data-poor field. The AARO team will go wherever the data takes it, without fail, and will not be swayed by any attempts to influence its findings otherwise. Science cannot be left on the side of the road in the mad dash to uncover some great conspiracy. Carl Sagan would expect no less, and neither should the American people.”
AARO has not been transparent: In the FY 2023 AARO report, it brought up the total number of UAP reports to 801 through the period ending April 30, 202319]). As it’s been almost 9 months since then, how many are there now? The public doesn’t know. How many of these are resolved? There are only three case resolution reports on the official AARO.mil website. Are they communicative with the public through other means? The Twitter account DoD_AARO has had no posts after July 20, 202220]), despite the Chairman Mark Warner and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio of Senate Intelligence Committee bringing this to the attention of the SecDef and DNI in April 202321]). Has Kirkpatrick made himself available to answer questions? Excluding a few very brief TV interviews, Kirkpatrick only answered questions publicly in an off-camera December 16, 2022 media roundtable22]), a Senate Armed Services congressional committee hearing April 19, 202323]), and the previously mentioned off-camera media roundtable October 31, 20235]), Hayden Center panel on November 16, 2023.6])
In the latter, Kirkpatrick shockingly demonstrated AARO’s depth of looking into some of the claims in the programs was to ask the various agencies if such a program belonged to them.
The DoD Inspector General evaluation of the DoD’s actions regarding UAP was released in classified form August 15, 2023 and with an unclassified summary on January 25, 2024. It found that the DoD has not issued a comprehensive UAP response plan, that DoD components have largely excluded geographical combatant commands in UAP processes and have developed varying processes to detect and report UAP incidents. AARO is still not fully operational: “The Under Secretary [of Defense for Intelligence and Security Ronald Moultrie] stated that AARO will achieve full operational capability provide in the Future Year Defense Plan beginning in FY 2024.”24])
Abraham (Avi) Loeb, Sean M. Kirkpatrick, “Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena” [draft], 7 March 2023, https://lweb.cfa.harvard.edu/~loeb/LK1.pdf
Sean Kirkpatrick, “Here’s What I Learned as the U.S. Government’s UFO Hunter,” Scientific American, 19 January 2024, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-what-i-learned-as-the-u-s-governments-ufo-hunter/
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1605
James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7776
U.S. Department of Defense, Transcript “AARO Director Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Holds an Off-Camera Media Roundtable”, 31 October 2023, https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3575588/aaro-director-dr-sean-kirkpatrick-holds-an-off-camera-media-roundtable/
Joe Khalil, Liz Jassin, “Rubio: Recent UFO whistleblower isn’t the only one”, News Nation, 26 June 2023, https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/ufo/rubio-recent-ufo-whistleblower-isnt-the-only-one/Transcript: https://twitter.com/Disclosure202/status/1688979586166530049
The Hayden Center at George Mason University: “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: The Search for Clarity”, 16 November 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlihF-GL2Ck
Christopher Sharp, “Former UFO Office Director’s Opinions Draw Scrutiny on Impartiality and Investigation Handling” Liberation Times, 22 January 2024, https://www.liberationtimes.com/home/former-ufo-office-directors-opinions-draw-scrutiny-on-impartiality-and-investigation-handling
Jeremy Corbell, George Knapp, “Weaponized Ep #39: UFO Earthquake – Dr. Lacatski’s Bombshell & AARO’s Shaky Ground”, 24 October 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tab3igcWnuE
David Grusch, Opening Statement, House Oversight Committee, National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Hearing on “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency”, https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Dave_G_HOC_Speech_FINAL_For_Trans.pdf
Harry Reid, SAP Request Letter for AAWSAP, https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FileId/170016/https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/dia/AAWSAP/20090624_Reid_to_DEPSECDEF_ref_AAITP_in_SAP.pdf
Special Access Program Oversight Committee – Information Bulletin – November 1994, https://sgp.fas.org/othergov/sapoc.html
U.S. Department of Defense, “Establishment of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force”, 14 August 2020, https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2314065/establishment-of-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-task-force/
U.S. Department of Defense, “DoD Announces the Establishment of the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG)”, 23 November 2021, https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2853121/dod-announces-the-establishment-of-the-airborne-object-identification-and-manag/source/dod-announces-the-establishment-of-the-airborne-object-identification-and-manag/
U.S. Department of Defense, “DoD Announces the Establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office”, 20 July 2022, https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3100053/dod-announces-the-establishment-of-the-all-domain-anomaly-resolution-office/
Defense Intelligence Agency, Info Memo, 13 November 2009, https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FileId/170058/, https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/dia/AAWSAP/U-09-2660CE-IM-Review_of_Special_Access_Program_Request.pdf
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, 19 November 2009, https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FileId/170015/, https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/dia/AAWSAP/09117-Final_Packet_Presented_to_DepSecDef.pdf
UFOB_, Twitter, 13 January 2024, https://twitter.com/i/status/1746144076385132829
Office of the Director of National Intelligence, U.S. Department of Defense, “Fiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena”, October 2023, https://www.aaro.mil/Portals/136/PDFs/FY23_Consolidated_Annual_Report_on_UAP-Oct_2023.pdf
DoD_AARO, Twitter, https://twitter.com/DoD_AARO
Mark Warner, Marco Rubio, 27 April 2023, https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/132zpkg/new_letter_from_us_senators_mark_warner_and_marco/
U.S. Department of Defense, Transcript “USD(I&S) Ronald Moultrie and Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Media Roundtable on the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office”, 16 December 2022, https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3249303/usdis-ronald-moultrie-and-dr-sean-kirkpatrick-media-roundtable-on-the-all-domai/
U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, “To receive testimony on the mission, activities, oversight, and budget of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, 19 April 2023, https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-receive-testimony-on-the-mission-activities-oversight-and-budget-of-the-all-domain-anomaly-resolution-office
U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General, Unclassified Summary of Report No. DODIG-2023-109, “Evaluation of the DoD’s Actions Regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,” 15 August 2023, https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jan/25/2003381266/-1/-1/1/UNCLASSIFIED%20SUMMARY_UNIDENTIFIED%20ANOMALOUS%20PHENOMENA%20SECURE.PDF
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