The Pentagon's UFO Investigation Unit Makes Major Appeal to Veterans

Discussing UFOs and UAP has become a lot more mainstream in recent years, but for some people, sharing their personal experiences is still frightening or embarrassing. The U.S. government is trying to help overcome the stigma by actively soliciting information on government UFO research programs. According to a report by Vice, the head of the Pentagon's UFO investigation program held a press conference on Tuesday to explain the new tip line.

Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick is the head of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), and he says the program is hoping to get authentic reports of UFO and UAP research programs from military personnel and veterans. He referenced whistleblower David Grusch, who claimed that there are unregulated elements within the military with information or event assets related to UAP. He asked that any current or former government employees with information visit this new website and enter their information on this new website.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to strongly encourage any current or former U.S. government employees, military or civilian, or contractors who believe that they have firsthand knowledge of a U.S. government UAP program or activity to please come forward using this new secure reporting mechanism," he said. "We want to hear from you. As I've said, the information you submit in the form will be protected."

Kirkpatrick said that reports made through this site would only be seen by AARO staff and would be kept strictly confidential. For now, only government employees can make reports, and Kirkpatrick said that civilians should not expect to get access any time soon.

"We understand that members of the public are also interested in reporting UAP sightings to AARO," he said. "We are exploring methods for how the public can do so in the forthcoming third phase of the secure reporting mechanism, but I don't have anything to announce about that today."

To be clear, Kirkpatrick said that this is not a website for reporting UFO sightings, and asked users not to send those in. He said: "This form is to be used for official business with the Department of Defense. Knowing and willful false reporting can be punished by fine or imprisonment, or both (see 18 U.S.C. 1001). Additionally, falsifying information may have a negative effect on your security clearance, employment prospects, or job status, up to and including denial or revocation of your security clearance, or your removal and debarment from federal service, if applicable."

Reporters asked Kirkpatrick about Grusch directly near the end of the press conference. Kirkpatrick said that he is interested in speaking with Grusch personally, but so far the whistleblower has responded to AARO at all. However, he said: "I think we've interviewed most of the people that [Grusch] may have talked to, but we don't know that. And we have extended an invitation at least four or five times now for him to come in over the last eight months or so. [It] has been declined."

Kirkpatrick said that so far, he can't corroborate any of Grusch's claims. He said: "I currently have no evidence of any program having ever existed to do any sort of reverse engineering of any sort of extraterrestrial UAP program. We do have a requirement by law to bring those whistleblowers or other interviewees in who think that it does exist, and they may have information that pertains to that. We do not have any of that evidence right now."