Video of Significant Congressional Hearing on UFOs and UAPs
In a recent hearing held by the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, the lack of transparency and proper reporting mechanisms within federal agencies for Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) encounters was discussed. The hearing shed light on the challenges faced by pilots who have reported UAP encounters, including harsh retaliation both professionally and personally. This has created a chilling effect, leading to a lack of desire to report UAP encounters and resulting in gaps in national security intelligence gathering.
One key takeaway from the hearing is that federal agencies have poor or non-functioning internal reporting processes for military and commercial air pilots who encounter UAP. This lack of transparency has fueled speculation and eroded public trust. Ryan Graves, Executive Director for Americans for Safe Aerospace, testified that there is a significant amount of UAP information that the government knows but has not shared publicly. Excessive classification practices keep crucial information hidden, hindering our understanding and fueling speculation and mistrust.
Another important point raised during the hearing was the severe retaliation faced by pilots who report UAP encounters. This retaliation has had damaging effects on their professional careers and personal lives. David Grusch, former National Reconnaissance Officer Representative of the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force at the Department of Defense, shared his own experience of facing brutal administrative attacks. This kind of retaliation not only discourages pilots from reporting UAP encounters but also creates a climate of fear and intimidation.
The lack of training and internal reporting systems for military service members and commercial pilots to report and assess UAP information was also highlighted during the hearing. There is a clear disconnect between the military and commercial aviation sectors when it comes to acknowledging the risk posed by UAP. While the military has recognized UAP as a critical aviation safety risk, the commercial markets have not taken similar steps. This poses a potential threat to the safety of commercial flights.
In order to improve pilots’ UAP reporting, it’s important to establish a system where pilots can report without fear of losing their jobs. The stigma associated with UAP encounters needs to be reduced, and a secure system should be put in place to protect the anonymity of pilots. Making this information available to the public will also help reduce concerns among air crew members.
The hearing also brought attention to the Department of Defense’s lack of transparency in sharing UAP findings with the public. Rep. Tim Burchett highlighted how the DOD fails audits and loses significant amounts of taxpayer dollars while withholding information on UAP encounters. This lack of accountability raises questions about the government’s handling of UAP-related issues.
The hearing concluded with discussions on the significant levels of underreporting of UAP encounters due to fear of retaliation. Rep. Nancy Mace pointed out that an estimated 95% of UAP sightings go unreported by pilots, leading to a loss of potentially valuable national security intelligence gathering.
Overall, the hearing shed light on the challenges faced by pilots in reporting UAP encounters and the lack of transparency within federal agencies. It highlighted the need for improved reporting mechanisms, reduced stigma, and increased public access to information on UAP encounters. Addressing these issues is important for both national security and public safety.
