Director's Message

WOW! What a year!

Now, I would be fibbing if I tried to tell you I am not glad to see 2020 end. So, here we are in 2021, and things are looking a lot brighter for our world, our nation and, of course, MUFON. MUFON has been tempered in the fires of disruption and sadness but not despair or chaos.

We have emerged stronger and sharper than ever. And, we are evolving! Our communications and marketing are becoming more focused. Our website is being over- hauled and our plans for a global translatable database continue to develop. Our corporate headquarters has been relocated to Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio, just a few hundred yards down the road from “Hangar
1.” (Hangar 1 is actually Hangar 3, but the series producers thought Hangar 1 sounded cooler.) Cincinnati is a more central location, being that 80% of the population of the US is within a six-hour drive.
 
Our Irvine office is now referred to as the West Coast Field Office and will remain open and operational until the termination of our current lease.

Our Field Investigator Manual and State Di- rector Handbook are being updated to reflect our global scope. Even our logos are being
redesigned to maintain standard branding worldwide. A lot of this is already completed and will be going out to our State and National Directors.
 
New publications are nearing completion and hopefully will be in production and on the shelves very soon.
 
Now I want to wish all of you the happiest New Year and try to tell you, all of you, how important you are to MUFON. We might not have come through 2020 without your continued support, hard work and under- standing. Back in July, I told you to hang in
there with us and we would overcome the obstacles. Well, you did and we have! There may be troubles ahead because that is the way of life, but just like we have for 52 years, we shall continue to endure, prosper and evolve.

So, I was sitting at my desk suffering a severe case of writer’s block, trying to determine a suitable topic for the December issue, which of course leads right to “the Holidays.” I was thinking about all the things that MUFON, the organization, has to be thankful for despite the difficulties we all have faced this year. This list can go on and on.  First and foremost, however, has got to be our members. From general membership to Board of Directors and everyone in between, this group is top-notch. That does not mean we don’t occasionally disagree with one another. We do, but with very few exceptions we can disagree without being disagreeable. Believe me, that means a lot to any organization. Then there is the fresh, bright atmosphere sweeping through MUFON, the growing interest on a global scale, the impressive membership growth, the increased stature, acceptance, and respect of our organization; as long as we “stay the current course,” MUFON has a wonderfully bright future. 
As I stated, this can go on and on, but then another thought popped into mind…right after Thanksgiving comes…CHRISTMAS!! Yep, that’s right, in just a few weeks it will be upon us. And if you’re like most of us, you dread trying to find just the right gift for special people. Well, we may have a solution. Take a look at the MUFON store. We have items of every price range and taste. At least for Mufonians! Take for example our Crossland jacket for both men and women. It’s attractive, travels well and is quite warm. Despite its light weight, if worn over a sweater it’s good for all but the harshest winter weather. The MUFON zippered portfolio and the shoe caddy are big hits as well. Both are emblazoned with the MUFON logo. The portfolio can hold those precious field investigation notes, the latest sighting reports; the caddy can hold not only your athletic shoes, but travel supplies, snacks, and electronic gear. We have ladies’ t-shirts with the MUFON logo made of Swarovski crystal. (These are HOT!) Additionally, we have a large selection of hats, masks and gaiters. Finally, don’t forget the enormous selection of books we have in the bookstore. And remember that if you want to order over the telephone, we will be most happy to work with you.
See there! We just made your shopping dilemma a little less stressful.  And that in itself is one more thing to be grateful for.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good Flight!

Not too many years ago HQ began receiving communications from one of our MUFON members in France. He was concerned over the lack of information being received by the various European UFO groups from MUFON. The Académie d'Ufologie is the leading UFO organization in France, if not most of Europe.  It has had communications with MUFON in the past but felt that as the years have gone by the flow of information fell silent. It contacted us to consider reestablishing our communications and reviving MUFON’s presence in Europe.
Shortly after that initial email, another communication was received concerning a gentleman in Germany who referred to himself as the Director of MUFON Central Europe or something like that.
Now some red flags were up and waving. We have had no such group, nor any such director. I was not the only one in management that was concerned. We have enough problems domestically with unauthorized use of our name, much less worldwide.
I contacted our French representative and inquired if he was familiar with this gentleman. Not only was he familiar with the gentleman but stated that he is one of Europe’s most well-known and highly respected ufologists, with a very large following. He further suggested that rather than confronting him, why not use the opportunity to extend our hand in friendship? Well, we really started investigating this matter and what we found was a real eye-opener.  The two gentlemen mentioned above were in fact MUFON National Directors offering official MUFON representation in Europe. They were appointed by Walt Andrus back in the 70s and have been loyal ever since.
In the years following those initial contacts, we have stepped up communication and interaction with outstanding results. The flow of information and the camaraderie are incredible. (Thank heavens for computer-based translators.) We quickly reaffirmed these gentlemen’s positions with MUFON, and their promotional efforts have been exciting, to say the least. Word spread fast and more groups began coming on board.
As of this writing, MUFON now has National Directors, complete with fully functional operating groups and fully trained Field Investigators, in 46 countries. And those groups are growing.
Now, with the advent of Project Aquarius and other recent research projects, MUFON continues to be a leader in global UFO research and study. Our database continues to grow on a daily basis as do our operations both foreign and domestic.
 
None of this would be possible without a network of Field Investigators, State and Provincial Section Directors, State and National Directors and all those who assist and support them.
So, I want to thank every one of our volunteers—both foreign and domestic—for the incredible dedication and hard work you contribute to our mission.
You are the greatest!

It was a month ago, almost to the day, that I sat on a flight from Cincinnati to Irvine and wrote my first “Director’s Message” in seven years. It just does not seem that long.
That was a very trying week, but rest assured that MUFON is stable, strong and running well. In the last month our membership has continued to grow. The number of new visitors to our website is up 50%. New followers are up 33% and post views are up a staggering 13,000%
In this month’s message, I want to impress on you that the board of directors and I are listening to your concerns and suggestions and are trying to make them happen.
Deciding to fund the expansion of the MUFON laboratory is one of the things we have done so far. Many of you may not know that MUFON has a Tier 1 lab. We do, and it is about to expand. Funding is in place for additional equipment and greater capabilities. There is even some consideration being given to a mobile response unit for “on site” investigations. Funds also have been earmarked for other research projects in the near future.
We are reaching out to other established UFO research groups to set up cooperative projects where ideas and data can be jointly evaluated and acted upon. We hope to host round table meetings and panel discussions encompassing participants from around the globe.
We are planning to take advantage of the knowledge of our member groups to develop protocols for dealing with issues such as harassment, sexual or otherwise, diversity and inclusion.
We owe so much of our success to volunteers that we have established a page in our monthly journal to give recognition to our state and national chapters and the people who drive them.
We are thankful for every one of you.

Heartache, uncertainty, tears, disappointment, war and strife: It seems like MUFON has been through it all. And, we have! After 51 years MUFON has been through a lot. We have seen the good, the bad, the ugly and just about everything in between.

Regarding the recent unfortunate developments, we need you to know that the MUFON Board of Directors and staff were totally blindsided by the events. Though in shock, they moved quickly to address the issue.

But through it all we have continued on our mission. We have emerged from the darkness, risen up from the valley of tears and survived the constant attacks of our detractors—we have deflected the slings and arrows of a multitude of malcontents. However, the mothership we call MUFON has held its course and become faster, stronger, more powerful than any of those who try so hard to disrupt our mission.

Why?

Because of you! Our membership, our supporters, our volunteers, our backbone!

MUFON shall emerge from its troubles because we are strong. We can overcome our difficulties through it all, we understand the power of WILL, pure unwavering WILL! The absolute belief that we will endure, and we will continue the mission. And with that applied WILL, HOPE shall emerge and guide us through the dark night.

This is not the first time I have been called on to step into the position of executive director under less than perfect conditions, and I am humbled to accept the mantle.

There will be changes ahead, as there must be if we are to continuously evolve, strengthen and grow.
So, hang with me MUFONians. I am good at this and I promise that we will come out more competent, stronger and respected than when we came in. MUFON is in good hands with a sound board of directors, staff and dedicated leaders. We will go further than we have ever gone before.

As MUFON Executive Director since 2013, I would like to welcome you to our site and organization that surpasses 50 years of scientific UFO research, this year.
 
Tuesday, January 8th, 2019, marks the beginning of a new series on the History Channel that delves into recently declassified documents and uncovered activities surrounding the early U.S. Air Force UFO investigation program called Project Blue Book, in existence from 1948 to 1969.  Predecessor programs begun a few years earlier as Project Sign and Project Grudge later evolved into Project Blue Book, by far the most revealing and controversial of the three programs.
 
The official summary “finding” of Project Blue Book’s 12,618 reports left a staggering 701 reported sightings unexplained as the program was shuttered, while the government concluded that none of the reports represented a threat to national security or revealed any technological developments or principles beyond then present-day scientific knowledge…notions that were challenged by some key figures involved with uncovering the compelling evidence otherwise.
 
Dr. J. Allen Hynek, an Ohio State University Professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department, was the scientific advisor to UFO studies for the investigative programs.  Originally a UFO skeptic himself, he later became an outspoken critic to the program’s secrecy and what he felt were government cover-ups. 
 
Asked later what turned him around in his UFO beliefs, he explained that because the Air Force was dead set on putting an answer on every report, regardless of the scientific vetting or lack thereof, and after speaking with many credible witnesses such as military fighter pilots, he was ultimately unable to ignore the preponderance of scientific evidence leading him to believe that these objects were, in fact, real.
 
Click here to see our recent Facebook Live interview about the program:
 
MUFON, later established by independent researchers and enthusiasts in 1969, picks up where Project Blue Book left off, and for 50 years has remained the largest and most scientifically-based UFO investigative organization in the world, with thousands of members spanning the globe.   
 
Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for additional exciting information to follow throughout the year.

Travel to Philadelphia this summer and attend the 2018 MUFON Symposium at the Crowne Plaza Philadelphia – Cherry Hill New Jersey. This is destined to be the Symposium for the history books. Leading off with Luis Elizondo, the man who ran the Pentagon’s UFO program, live and in person, followed by a dozen UFO greats who will share their thoughts on “UFOs, Extraterrestrials and the Future of Humanity.”

The weekend begins Friday with Free Events designed by Jennifer Stein and her PA team to get the public involved and introduced to the subject of UFOs. These include presentations by Lynne Kitei, M.D. and Travis Walton. The evening kicks into high gear with our general reception at 6 p.m. followed by the banquet and keynote address by Lue. The excitement continues Saturday morning with a presentation by plasma physicist John Brandenburg, Ph.D., who will be sharing new revelations from our planetary neighbor Mars. Hint, it has to do with extraterrestrial life, and it’s NEW news. This is followed by Lynne Kitei, M.D., sharing ideas on how to engage our youth in this incredible sea change we are now witnessing. Then Nick Pope shares his view on what the year 2045 may look like. A futurist in his own right, come hear what Nick’s vision of the future holds for humanity. You can check out all the speakers and schedules at MUFONSymposium.com. Can’t be there in person? Join us for the Live Stream.

We also have Special Events beginning Friday with tours of the Battleship New Jersey. These take two and a half hours and are one of the many highlights of the Cherry Hill area. Then Saturday and Sunday morning come join us for an Experiencer Workshop led by ERT Directors Kathleen Marden and George Medich. Over the lunch hour on both days we’ll be holding speaker panels, beginning with John Brandenburg, Nick Pope, Lynne Kitei, Bob Wood, Ted Peters, and David Paulides focusing on “The Future of Humanity.” And later Saturday you will have the opportunity to go one-on-one with Luis Elizondo in a private reception. It’s limited seating, so book your place now. Saturday night we will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey.” We are honored to have Dan Richter, one of the actors from the original film, with us to kick off the evening and watch the movie that 50 years ago dared to suggest we are not alone in the universe.
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Finally, our Speaker Panel on Sunday includes Kathleen Marden, Don Donderi, Travis Walton, Randall Nickerson and Salma Siddick, an experiencer of the Zimbabwe UFO encounter. The topic for this panel will be “The Experiencer Experience.” There will be plenty to see, hear, and do, so make your reservations TODAY for the 2018 MUFON Symposium and come join the fun!

I am delighted to announce that Luis Elizondo will be our keynote speaker at the 2018 MUFON Symposium. As most of you know Luis was the man in charge of the Pentagon UFO program revealed December 16, 2017, in a front-page article in The New York Times. I have had the privilege to speak with Luis several times over the past many months and find him to be an exceptionally bright, compassionate, and articulate champion of the UFO cause—something we are all very much interested in. Late last year, Luis left his comfortable government employment to join To The Stars Academy (TTSA) as Director of Global Security and Special Programs, and has quickly become a worldwide sensation as the main spokesperson for the organization.

According to the TTSA website, Luis was a career intelligence officer whose experience includes working with the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense, the National Counterintelligence Executive, and the Director of National Intelligence. As a former special agent in charge, Luis conducted highly sensitive espionage and terrorism investigations around the world. As an intelligence case officer, he ran clandestine source operations throughout Latin America and the Middle East. Most recently, Luis managed the security for certain sensitive portfolios for the U.S. government as the Director for the National Programs Special Management Staff. For nearly the last decade, Luis also ran a sensitive aerospace threat identification program focusing on unidentified aerial technologies. Luis’s academic background includes microbiology, immunology and parasitology, with research in tropical diseases. Luis is also an inventor who holds several patents.

Chase Kloetzke, our recently announced Director of Investigations, had the opportunity to interview Luis on his role at AATIP and his plans going forward with TTSA, and you as MUFON members get to read all about it in the feature article of this month’s MUFON Journal. The mission of the new TTSA organization is to “Strive to be a powerful vehicle for change by creating a consortium among science, aerospace and entertainment that will work collectively to allow gifted researchers the freedom to explore exotic science and technologies with the infrastructure and resources to rapidly transition them to products that can change the world.” Sounds a lot like the MUFON mission statement, The Scientific Study of UFOs for the Benefit of Humanity, since this “exotic” science and technology are coming directly from the study of UFOs. This is what it is all about, and why we do what we do as an international organization investigating UFO sightings and doing UFO research. It is finally, after long last, all coming together.
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Come hear Luis firsthand at the 2018 MUFON Symposium. You’ll have a chance to meet and speak with him, and ask those burning questions you have on your mind. It will truly be a life-changing experience for you, I will promise you that.

I have recently returned from five days in Curitiba, Brazil, a city just a few hours west of Sao Paolo. My purpose in going there was to kick off a partnership with our good friend A.J. Gevaerd of Brazil, a longtime member of MUFON and to speak at his UFO Conference. The partnership includes a licensing agreement which was signed in late 2017 to allow the translation of the MUFON Field Investigators Manual into Portuguese and Field Investigator classes to be set up across Brazil. It’s a first of its kind agreement and one that will most likely be replicated around the world over the next several years. This not only includes the right to translate the FIM into Portuguese, but also the right to market it along with Field Investigator training courses. A.J. Gevaerd has been our long time National Director for Brazil and this agreement serves to reinforce that role and raise it to a whole new level. In addition, AJ has recently announced some changes within his organization naming Thiago Luiz Ticchetti as his Assistant National Director for MUFON Brazil and co-editor of UFO Magazine.

AJ Gevaerd is owner and editor for Brazil UFO Magazine which is part of the Brazilian Center for Flying Disc Research (CBPDV) which he also runs. It is one of the oldest publications on ufology in the world, being started with the CBPDV in 1983. CBPDV is the largest and most respected UFO research entity in Brazil, and now partnered with MUFON is on a course to do even greater things. This new initiative will offer face-to-face classes one weekend a month initially in Curitiba, and will soon be extended to other cities in Brazil. It is also planned that the course will have distance classes, and the classroom lessons will be followed by activities in the field, to train and perfect the students in this important part of the UFO research and investigation.
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The course is based on MUFON's Field Investigator Manual, considered the most complete UFO hunters guide in the world and will be published exclusively in Brazil by UFO Magazine. Students, upon completing the course, will receive a certificate of completion signed by CBPDV and MUFON, and will be considered a true ufologist. Our next step is to translate the FIM into Spanish which will expand this training even further into South America and much of the world. As an international organization, this is what we are all about, extending the reach and knowledge of ufology around the globe. This is a great start.