Dr James T Lacatski, AAWSAP Program Manager's career "ruined"

Who is Dr James Thomas Lacatski?

In a blog post dated 1 May 2018, and titled  "AATIP or AAWSA" I wrote, in part, about those Defense Intelligence Reference Documents" (DIRDs) which had been circulating on the Internet since December 2017. Each of the three available DIRD's made mention of the fact that the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) Program Manager, at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was one James T Lacatski, D. Eng.

Research

I undertook some research into who James T Lacatski was, and wrote up my then findings in the 1 May 2018 blog. Since then I have been able to find out a little more about him. To recap, I found that his full name was James Thomas Lacatski with a date of birth of 9 January 1951.

Between 1984-1986 he was a joint author of a number of technical  papers about plasma engineering studies in Torsatron reactors. In 1986 he was an Engineer Assistant in the Nuclear Design Section of Duke Power Company, responsible for reactor core design, startup and operating predictions and plant support.

I failed to locate any publicly available information on him during the 1987-2003 period. In June 2004 a James Lacatski, Intelligence Officer, Missile Defense, Defense Intelligence Agency, attended a UK conference titled "Ballistic Missile Defence." In January 2005, James T Lacatski was promoted to GG-14 within the DIA.

In August 2008, Dr James T Lacatski was designated as the COR and government project leader in the DIA's AAWSAP solicitation number HHM402-08-R-0211.

In April 2009, the DIA's own internal magazine "Communique" showed him as celebrating 10 years Federal service. 

In August 2016 Lacatski attended an energy conference, and listed a DIA email address as his contact details.

I located details showing that his wife Wisal Abouo Lacatski had worked for NASA (at least around 1997.)

That then is a summary of publicly available information about James Thomas Lacatski. Using public data, I spent some time trying to contact Lacatski to ask him a number of questions about his involvement with the AAWSAP/AATIP. I was unsuccessful. Indeed, I know of no one who has successfully located and interviewed Lacatski about his knowledge in this area. He certainly has not publicly surfaced and given a widely reported interview. On a number of occasions, the former (second) AATIP manager, Luis Elizondo has referred to the former (first) manager of the program, without using his name.

A rare 1986 photograph of Lacatski

New information

On 1 November 2018, the To The Stars Academy (TTSA) website blog featured a blog post  by Luis Elizondo, titled "What We Know And What We Believe Are Not Always The Same Thing. How our perception of Fact Influences Our Worldview." Part of this blog post provides some new information about James T Lacatski (although Elizondo, again, does not name him.)

"UAP has even been associated with demons and anti-Judea Christian beliefs.

I experienced this first hand during my time working at the US Government's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), where certain senior government officials thought our collection of facts on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) was dangerous to their philosophical beliefs.

In fact, my AATIP predecessor's career was ruined because of misplaced fear by an elite few. Rather than accept the data as provided by a top-rank rocket scientist, they decided the data was a threat to their belief system and instead, destroyed his career because of it."

This is a very interesting statement by Elizondo, and goes a long way to explaining why Lacatski has not appeared in the public realm discussing his knowledge of the program and topic.

AATIP or AAWSA

Background:

The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) has been in the news since late last year, when the existence of this US government program was revealed. Three short videos, said to have been investigated by the program, have been released by the To the Stars Academy.

In a blog post dated 27 April 2018, and titled "The AATIP, Targeting Pod Videos and the DOPSR Process," Swedish researcher Roger Glassel, provided information relating to his search for how the AATIP targeting videos were released.

Introduction:

Part of Glassel's research led him to the 2010/2011 work of Dr Eric Davis.

Source: http://earthtech.org/pubs/

Davis prepared a number of theoretical studies for the US Defense Intelligence Agency's Defence Warning Office. Glassel located two of these reports. Davis had previously reported on his AATIP work for the DIA, preparing similar, if not the same reports.

On page 2 of both reports there is the note: "This product is one of a series of advanced technology reports produced in FY 2009 Under the Defense Intelligence Agency Defense Warning Office's Advanced Aerospace Weapon Systems Application (AAWSA) program." Glassel argues that "AAWSA, if not the same, would seem to be closely related to AATIP."

Isaac Koi

UK researcher Isaac Koi, in a message dated 30 April 2018, to the UFO-collective googlegroups discussion group, added some further information.

"On 20 March 2018, I send (sic) a copy of two DIRD paper to Eric Davis (which I found on several websites by searching the publications he had listed  on his EarthTech.org page) and asked him to confirm that those papers were part of the series of 38 DIRDs. Those papers include a statement that they are reports under the Defense Intelligence Agency's Defense Warning office's "Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications" (sic)  (AAWSA) Program. (A few days later, Roger Glassel independently found these DIRDs by doing similar searches).

On 13 April 2018, Eric kindly replied that "I don't know how you got two of my DIRD reports" and "Yes! All of my DIRD reports are in the set of 38 total."

Program manager:

One aspect of Glassel's blog which interests me is the fact that the note goes on to say: "Comments or questions pertaining to this document should be addressed to James T Lacatski, D. Eng., AAWSA Program Manager, Defense Intelligence Agency, ATTN: CLAR/DWO-3, Bldg 6000, Washington DC 20340 - 5100." Remember this was back in April 2010.

What do we already know about the AATIP program manager before Elizondo?

1. During the "Coast to Coast" George Knapp interview with Luis Elizondo, dated 25 February 2018, Elizondo stated that in 2008 he talked to the AATIP program manger, who was a PhD and a rocket scientist.

2. During the January 2018 interview between Elizondo and Giuliano Marinkovic, Elizondo stated that in 2010, the last AATIP manager moved on, and he (Elizondo) became the AATIP program manager.

Who was James T Lacatski?

A search of the Internet reveals:

1. A James Lacatski, Intelligence Officer, Missile defense, Defense Intelligence Agency was one of the experts at a 2004 conference  on Ballistic Missile Defence.

2.

In the January 2005 edition of the DIA's magazine "Communique" James T Lacatski is shown as promoted to GG-14.

3. I found a report on a 2015 "Modern topics in energy and power technical meeting" held at the US Army Research Laboratory between 14-16 July 2015. One of the attendees was a James Lacatski, Department of Defence, with a DIA email address given. Interestingly, one of the organisers was one Dr Eric Davis.

Back to Isaac Koi:

Isaac's 30 April 2018 message to the UFO-collective continued:

"In relation to a question about an individual named in those papers (Jim Lacatski), Dr Eric Davis stated in the same email that Dr Lacatski was the "program manager at the DWO-4 for the AATIP contract with Bigelow Aerospace Advanced  Space Studies. AAWSA is the specific program task force or division within DW0-4 that Jim specifically worked in."

Paul Dean:

Also, on 30 April 2018, Melbourne researcher Paul Dean published a blog post about the AAWSA, revealing what he knows about this. It is well worth a read.

Questions:

The questions to be asked, are, was James T Lacatski the first AAWSA/AATIP program manager? Did Luis Elizondo take over from him?

Additional information:

I searched the Linked In website for a James T Lacatski, but no-one by this name was located. I searched Face Book for James T Lacatski; found one James Lacatski and have sent a message to that individual. I also located a DIA email address for Lacatski and sent an email off to this address. Unfortunately, it bounced back, not known at this address.

If any blog readers have further information on the subject of this blog post I would appreciate hearing from them.

Skinwalker Ranch - 2010-2016

Background 1 - AAWSAP

The 16 December 2017 edition of the New York Times featured an article written by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean, which revealed the fact that the US Department of Defense had spent $M22.5 on a program titled the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program. One particular paragraph of the article caught my eye. There was mention of former Senator Harry Reid, and Las Vegas businessman Robert Bigelow.

"Mr Reid said his interest in U.F.O.s came from Mr Bigelow. In 2007 Mr Reid said in the interview, Mr Bigelow told him that an official with the Defense Intelligence Agency [DIA -KB] had approached him wanting to visit Mr Bigelow's ranch in Utah, where he conducted research."

"Mr Reid said he met with agency officials shortly after his meeting with Mr Bigelow and learned that they wanted to start a research program on U.F.O.s."

This all led to the establishment of the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP.) You can read the DIA's solicitation for companies to work on the AAWSAP, here.

As far as I can determine, the main DIA official in all of this, was one James T Lacatski, who was the manger of the AAWSAP. This program ran from late 2008 to 2011.

Although not confirmed, as Lacatski has never been interviewed by any researcher on this matter, it seems reasonable to conclude that Lacatski was the DIA individual who wished to visit the Utah ranch.

Blackground 2 - Robert Bigelow

The so called "Skinwalker Ranch," in Utah, was purchased in 1996 by Las Vegas billionaire Robert Bigelow. In the book "Forbidden Science: Volume Four" researcher Jacques Vallee writes about his knowledge of the ranch and its activities, from Vallee's perspective as a member of the Science Advisory Board of the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS), established by Robert Bigelow, to look into both UFOs and aspects of the paranormal.

A number of  books have been written about the ranch, including one by Las Vegas journalist George Knapp, and NIDS scientist Colm Kelleher. Their book was titled "Hunt for the Skinwalker" (2005. Paraview Pocket Books.)  However, there has, until recently, been a lack of good information about the research activities at the ranch in the period of the AAWSAP contract [2008-2011] and beyond. Bigelow sold the ranch in 2016.

Chris J Marx

In July and August 2019, three episodes of the radio show "UFO Classified" hosted by Utah researcher Erica Lukes featured extensive interviews with an individual named Chris J Marx and his time at the ranch between 2010 and 2016.

Erica provided a summary of Marx's background. He was born in Germany and at 21 years of age moved to the USA to further his interest in music. He was, for 10 years, a deputy sheriff in New Mexico, then on a small protection team in Los Angeles. Then he undertook three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Chris revealed that he is still in the military and holds a secret DOD clearance.

He was a member of Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS), a company Robert Bigelow established in January 2008, which undertook the AAWSAP contract for the DIA. Chris was a BAASS member until 2016, then further employed by the parent company Bigelow Aerospace, until he resigned in February 2019 to again pursue a career in music. He states that he worked at the Skinwalker Ranch between 2010 and 2016.

How was he recruited by BAASS? He saw an email in the Nevada National Guard where BAASS was advertising for staff. He applied for a position and was interviewed in Las Vegas and subsequently hired by BAASS. 

Is he bound by a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA)? Erica pointed out to Marx that he had signed a non disclosure agreement with BAASS. Marx stated that the ranch was sold three years ago, and that the NDA no longer applied, and therefore he could talk about the topic.

Why is he speaking out now? Chris had recently seen a documentary on the topic of the Skinwalker Ranch and became dissatisfied with it for commercializing the ranch. He stated that this was the reason for getting in touch with Erica Lukes as he wished to "put the record straight."

One of the items mentioned in the interview with Chris was that he retains copies of some of the reports he prepared about his stay at the ranch, and a variety of unusual events which occurred while he was there. He said that one copy of the reports went to Bigelow and one copy to the Pentagon. He mentioned that the chief of security for Bigelow at the time was someone named Bob King. Another statement by Chris was that BAASS monitored the website of enthusiasts interested in the ranch.

Late, in the interviews he also mentioned the fact that when he was recruited for Bigelow he had the usual job related medical testing before being accepted for employment. However, he also periodically underwent more comprehensive medical tests in Reno, for which he was never given the results. These tests included urine, blood, ECG and EKG. These tests were conducted at random intervals, on him and others who served at the ranch.

Asked by Erica if he had ever experienced any negative medical conditions while at the ranch, his response was no. However, he went on to say, that in fact, he had experienced several medical episodes where he recovered more quickly than you would expect. In addition he didn't get the flu, headaches or other medical conditions.

His documentation

Marx wrote a number of reports while at the ranch, some as frequently as every day. There were also reports about specific incidences which occurred on the ranch. He said that when the government was sponsoring research, one copy of each report went to the sponsor out in the Pentagon, and one copy to Bigelow. Marx carbon copied some of the reports to himself. He still has these copies, which he has shown to Erica Lukes, who confirms their existence. He also retains hundreds of photographs which he took while at the ranch.

One of Chris' reports

Paranormal episodes while at the ranch

What kinds of unusual experiences did he report while at the ranch? 

1. On his first night at the ranch he placed his gear on a bunk bed in one of the bedrooms, then was taken for a tour of the ranch. After being shown around the ranch he returned to his bedroom to find that his gear had been tossed all over the place, yet there could not have been anyone who could have done that.

2. Electrical malfunctions - e.g. at Homestead two with a nuclear physicist present, they had eight laptops connected together and all their batteries drained in seconds.

3. Apparitions - e.g. they had game cameras on the property. One captured images of transparent type things, including images of a human shape in 1860's garb.

4. Unusual sensations - e.g. At 10 o'clock one night he was standing at a gate when his three dogs ran off. He then saw eyes in nearby trees which turned out to be squirrels. He noted that there was an unusual lack of sound. All natural noise was muted. He felt sick and left the area.

5. Unusual odors - e.g. often there was the smell of tobacco as if from a pipe or a cigarette, but there had been no one present smoking. At other times, there was smell of sulphur. In the early, BAASS days, he had a BAASS checklist for unusual experiences. One of the check boxes concerned the observation of a sulphur smell. Marx once spoke to Dr Eric Davis who had an experience of an unusual odor in the bedroom which Marx had occupied.

6. Unusual lights - e.g. Marx and a partner were at the east gate. It was snowing, and they saw a bright light in the canal area near homestead one. They ran there to investigate but found nothing to account for the light. At other times a super bright light would light up his bedroom. However, nothing was ever found to account for its origin.

7. Photographic images - e.g. At one stage he set up a camera and took maybe 1000 images over five days in black and white. In some photographs there were light spots which weren't caused by dust particles. In some images there was a transparent human like silhouette.

8. Ouija board experiment - e.g. Seven individuals sat around a ouija board. It was a BAASS approved experiment and was videoed and sound recorded. Before anyone touched the planchette, it lifted up and flew across and hit Chris int he chest. He changed chairs but the same thing happened again.

9. Unusual animals - e.g. during a jog, Chris and another individual named John, were opening irrigation canals whey they saw a very different type of frog which had the snout of a cayman.

10. The skinwalker? Once, when patrolling the west gate with his dogs, late one afternoon, and walking past homestead two, he had a strong sense of being watched. Up on the mesa he saw a person. It was just after sunset. The person was looking in Chris' direction, facing southwards. 

Chris thought it was a trespasser, and called out to the man, but the man did not respond. Chris could see that person's head, legs and arms, but not the face. The mesa runs east/west, and the person then turned eastwards, and started bending at the waist with arms straight out, and fell forward. As he touched the ground he turned into a wolf. This animal then walked behind a rock formation and was lost to view.

Due to an approaching electrical storm Marx returned to the ranch caretakers and reported the incident up the chain of command. He wrote it all up in detail, and still has a copy of that documentation.

Footprints left by the "man on the ridge"

Next day, he went up to the mesa and there in the mud, found human tracks then canine tracks that walked away. He took photographs, measured the tracks, took DNA scrapings off the tracks and collected soil samples in case there were hairs present. All these went off for analysis. Two vets responded that the tracks were most likely those of a wolf. Chris never do hear the results of any of the other tests.

Footprints left by the "man on the ridge"

Closing comments 

Firstly, I wish to thank both Erica Lukes and Chris J Marx for sharing his story, and for sharing three images from his collection from his time at the Skinwalker ranch between 2010-2016.

Secondly, as I mentioned in a recent interview on "UFO Classified" I think that the UFO phenomenon and what is termed "the paranormal" are intimately intertwined. My investigatory research over the years has found that many individuals who report experiencing a close encounter with the UFO phenomenon, also self report personal paranormal experiences at a higher rate than the general population.

I look forward to seeing many more of Chris' Skinwalker Ranch documentation, the first available for the period 2010-2016, when he is ready to do so.

I also look forward to the day when James T Lacatski is ready to tell us what he knows of both the Skinwalker ranch and the AAWSAP/AATIP.

AAWSAP and Skinwalker ranch - Kit Green makes a statement

Introduction

In a previous post, I brought together a number of pieces of information concerning AAWSAP/AATIP; BAASS requested MRI brain scans; work by Dr. Kit Green; and former Skinwalker ranch BAASS employees.

In this post, I wish to go into more detail about what former BAASS employees, Chris J Marx, and Chris Bartel hypothesize may have occurred at the ranch. I do this in order to promote further discussion and debate on this topic, based on statements which have been publicly made by Marx and Bartel, and not second or third hand hearsay.

New York Times (NYT)

Ever since the NYT broke the story in December 2017, of a $22M "secret" US Department of Defense study named Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP,) there have been claims that some of the money was spent in studying Skinwalker ranch.

For example, documentary film maker Jeremy Corbell, who produced a recent documentary on the ranch, appeared on the Internet radio show "Phenomenon Radio" hosted by Linda Moulton Howe and John Burroughs. In the episode aired 27 September 2018, in part, Corbell stated:

"The New York Times absolutely got in wrong with their announcement in December of 2017. It may be not their fault, but I want to clarify that, the primary reason for the $22M allocated to what we have been told was to AATIP, which is not correct...The $22M was allocated because of, and primarily for, the study of Skinwalker ranch by the Defense Intelligence Agency under the Defense Warning Office in the name of AAWSAP."

How do we know that the DIA was even interested in Skinwalker ranch?

Image courtesy of Chris Bartel

1. The NYT article of 16 December 2017, in part, read:

"In 2007, Mr Reid said in the interview, Mr Bigelow told him that an official with the Defense Intelligence Agency had approached him wanting to visit Mr Bigelow's ranch in Utah, where he conducted research."

2. The New York Magazine, on 19 March 2018, cited Senator Harry Reid as being approached by Robert Bigelow, saying that he had received a letter from a federal national security agency employee who wanted to visit Bigelow's Utah ranch."

3. Chris J Marx, in an interview (Episode 46) on the Black Vault Internet radio show, stated that while at the ranch, he was aware that the studies there were sponsored by the US government, and that one copy of the daily ranch report went to the Pentagon. It was only in late 2019 that Marx became aware of the DIA's Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP,) and that therefore the ranch sponsor was the DIA.

4. During a late 2019 conversation with another former BAASS employee - a physicist- Marx states that the physicist was aware that a senior DIA employee, one Jame Lacatski "...was observed to be actually on the ranch." This was believed to be sometime in 2007/2008.

5. The 2008 DIA AAWSAP solicitation paperwork, located by this author on the Internet, shows that the DIA AAWSAP manager was one James T Lacatski.

In short, it can be demonstrated that at least one senior individual in the DIA was interested in the ranch.

Did BAASS study paranormal phenomena at the ranch?

According to Marx, the answer is both "yes" and "no." Yes, one of the stated intentions of BAASS employees working at the ranch was to study and document unusual experiences. However, the equipment supplied by BAASS to security guards at the ranch was sparse, not sophisticated.

If extensive money was being spent from the $22M budget at the ranch, to study the phenomenon, one might expect it to show up in one way, as the use of high-technology equipment.

Source: Erica Lukes Facebook page, 19 January 2020

Both Marx and Bartel say that the opposite was true, at least during the period 2010-2012, which is part of the time they were at the ranch. The AAWSAP contract ran from 2008-2012. Their investigatory equipment consisted of basic thermal imagery equipment, standard night-vision equipment; and cheap still cameras. In addition, Marx states that there were no working surveillance cameras on the property during the period 2010-2012.

In short, BAASS certainly did investigate paranormal phenomenon at the ranch to a degree; but not to the extent you would expect if large amounts of money were available.

What were the stated duties of the guards at the ranch?

The job description given by BAASS, according to both Marx and Bartel, was that they were hired to keep trespassers off the property; and research and document the phenomenon which occurred there. Some of the scientists employed by BAASS gave them tasks from time to time, which related to paranormal investigations.

What do Marx and Bartel hypothesize was actually going on at the ranch?

Based on the lack of sophisticated technology to conduct paranormal studies of the phenomenon; the lack of BAASS scientists visiting and staying at the ranch; the reason given by BAASS for their 2011 MRI brain scans, namely "It's to see if there was something in our brain which allowed us to have an experience ." (Bartel); the two former BAASS employees wonder if there was another purpose for their presence on the ranch?

To quote Marx; "I wondered if we were the hamsters, or the guys in the white coats." Later, in the same interview he said "We want to know if we were medically impacted by this..." and "I would like to know if I am coming down with MS or cancer five years from now."

Marx, has expressed a view that, perhaps part of the AAWSAP contract, included a study of any effects that might have happened, to security guards, such as himself? A kind of non-lethal weapons testing?

Both Marx and Bartel spoke publicly of the frequent experience of "the sense of being watched" when there was no-one else around; by someone or something. Bartel mentioned of hearing footsteps from some disembodied source. Both men related experiences involving seeing things that seemed to vanish in front of them. Of extremely bright lights, where you could see your bones of the hands, even through closed eyes. These lights went off leaving no clues as to their origin. Marx says experiences such as these led him to consider "cloaking" and "camouflage" experiments might have been conducted by someone or something.

Dr.  Kit Green and his study

While the following is not directly attributed to the study of security guards at Skinwalker ranch, it does appear relevant to this article to me.

In interviews with authors Annie Jacobsen (2018) and M. J. Banias (2019), Dr Christopher (Kit) Green has outlined some details of his studies of the medical effects on humans due to a close encounter with the phenomenon. Of interest here is a quote form page 398 of Jacobsen's book:

His original hypothesis was that a majority of his patients had "been exposed to technology from black programs,' he says, that is, advanced state-of-the-art, high-energy technologies developed in Special Access Programs. "Nonlethal weapons program. Holograms. Cloaking devices. Drones.Twenty-five percent of my patients die within five to seven years of my diagnosis and I have no idea of how any programs I knew about years ago can do these things," Green says.

I posed a number of questions, by email, to Dr. Green, who was kind enough to respond. He has given his permission for me to quote his responses in this article. My questions were:

Q1 Given the information contained in this article, have you any comment on the Marx/Bartel hypothesis that the underlying reason for the BAASS studies at the ranch, included a study of medical effects on security guards by the phenomenon? If so, what is your comment?

Q2 Have you any comment on the Marx/Bartel hypothesis that they were perhaps exposed to some kind of non-lethal weapons testing? If so, what is your comment?

Q3 Have you any comment on anything else contained in the article?

Q4 Noting your 2018 interview comment re your original hypothesis for the cause of the injuries to your own patients, what is your current working hypothesis about the cause of injuries to your patients?

Dr. Green responded:

"Your article and comments by Mr. Marx and Mr Bartel are really a very nice summary. I have no additional comments because I have no important disagreements with what you and they had said.

The reference to the fatality rate does not include any persons from the Ranch...but is a different and primarily military population. That earlier group has been discussed somewhat in books as you mentioned, and I have no further insight.

I am attempting to write a clinical case study of several of the more interesting cases, that touch on the issues of "non-lethal" weapons. I am baffled. I am certain that no injuries I have encountered in referred cases...or others for that matter, require paranormal or "off world" technologies to have caused harm.

This conclusion I have reached slowly, over the past 10 years, but it is data driven. Many of my colleagues I respect disagree. No physicians disagree. That is sadly a defeat for me. A forensic physician must seek to discern 'perpetrators' and criminal motive as well as unknown morbidity and mortality and etiology of illness and injury. I have no clue as to perpetrators and motives. But I don't require magic and aliens to characterize the injuries and pathologies."

Jacques Vallee on the National Institute for Discovery Science

Background

Given the recent interest in the activities of Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) and its involvement in the Defense Intelligence Agency's Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) between 2007-2012,  some people are still unaware that Robert Bigelow, Las Vegas property developer, had previously operated a similar organization, interested in both the subjects of UAP, and the paranormal.

Bigelow's National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS) operated between 1995 and 2004. Via the Wayback Machine on the Internet it is still possible to explore some of the NIDS (now defunct) website.

With the January 2019 release of Jacques Vallee's latest book "Forbidden Science:Volume Four" there is an opportunity to gain some insights into the thinking of Robert Bigelow, and his NIDS, and hence into the BAASS operated AAWSAP. The following is a summary of the information contained in a number of Vallee's diary entries, which relate to the NIDS.

The formation of  the NIDS

Vallee records that Robert Bigelow rang him on 16 July 1995, and informed him that he, Bigelow was not going to continue with his funding of the "UFO Coalition" of the three major US UAP groups. Instead Bigelow intended to establish a new Institute.

"I want to work directly with the people who do research. New blood is desperately needed, there's no scientific discipline among ufologists. I'm forming an Institute and I want to attract world-class scientists to study UFOs and the paranormal including consciousness beyond death. I want you to think about it." (page 257.)

The next day Bigelow phoned again, to discuss his plans; outlining his need for 'a director who's good at administration but also understands the phenomenon.' Vallee writes 'There was a time when I would have jumped at such a job...'" (page 258.)

On 25 July 1995, Vallee and Bigelow met in person. Bigelow brought along a proposed organization chart. On 11 August 1995, Vallee advised Bigelow that he declined the position of the project's director, although he would consider a position on the NIDS science board.

Eight days later, Vallee and Hal Puthoff met the board of the NIDS. Initial members were Dean Radin and Diane Arcangel.

On 1 November 1995, Bigelow advised Vallee "of progress on our board of advisors" (page 294.) The chair was to be Dr Kit Green, Members would be Hal Puthoff, Marty Pilch, Dean Judd, General Jim Whinnery, John  Petersen, Emily Cook. Bigelow was trying to get Jessica Utts, Bruce Grayson, Senator Harrison Schmidt and Richard Deckart. Discussions between Green and Vallee, revealed that Green had laid down a number of conditions to Bigelow concerning the running of the Science Board, before accepting the position of Chair. At that point Vallee agreed to join the Science Board, as a member.

However, on 7 January 1996, Vallee writes that Bigelow on the phone had said "I applied the brakes because we didn't have the right management in place yet." (page 287.) Bigelow confirmed interviewing for three positions; namely two in the area of consciousness, and one in the area of aerial phenomena, Ron Blackburn, De Angelo of SAIC, Larry Lemke from Ames, were contacted. John Alexander spoke to Dr Robert Morris, and Dr Ken Ring.

First meeting

The NIDS Science Advisory Board (SAB) met once in December 1995 for an organizational meeting. Vallee was not present.

Second meeting

This was held in Las Vegas on 28 January 1996. There, Diane Arcangel was assembling a library; Air Force Lt Col Peter McDuff; Hal Puthoff; Dr Kenneth Klivington; Marty Pilch; John Petersen; Harrison Schmidt; JohnDale Solem; Dean Judd; were all present. Jessica Utts, Air Force Brigadier General Jim Whinnery; Emily Williams Cook; Ted Rockwell; John Alexander were also there. The meeting discussed NIDS' goals, visions and mission. Discussion ensued on Bigelow's dual focii for NIDS, to be on UAP, and survival after death. Las Vegas journalist George Knapp presented to the meeting about his research trip to the USSR.

At this meeting, Vallee learned that Bigelow became interested in survival researc "'after his 22-year old son died a few years ago in the desert. Bigelow became interested in UAP because he'd experienced unusual phenomenon as a child, with his grandparents." (page 296.)

Third meeting

The third NIDS SAB meeting occurred on 31 March 1996. Two new members attended, one of whom was Dr Ian Stevenson. Dean Jude was absent. NIDS had connected with Illebrand Von Ludwiger, (abduction researcher in Germany/Austria); Chad Deetken had been sent to Puerto Rico; and Peter McDuff, went to Mexico concerning UFO sightings. Puthoff and Alexander had visited Colonel P Corso. Dr Roger Leir and Derrel Sims presented on alien implants; and abduction researcher John Carpenter also presented to the SAB. Later Vallee, and Alexander met with Corso to obtain more details on Corso's claims.

Fourth meeting

On 1 June 1996, the fourth NIDS SAB meeting took place. There were three presentations by General Whinnery, re effects of g=forces on pilots and the relationship to consciousness. Former NASA astronaut Edgar Mitchell spoke about near-death experiences. On the question of implant analysis; the implants were found to contain common elements, and the SAB seemed to lean towards them being pieces of conventional metal, which had somehow, embedded in the human body.

Fifth meeting

The fifth meeting was on 3 August 1996. Senator Harry Reid attended the presentation which Vallee gave. The NIDS had hired three scientists as staff members,namely a biochemist; a molecular biologist, and a physicist (Dr Eric Davis.) By September 1996, the NIDS employed 11 people; 6 full time; and had purchased the Mount Wilson ranch in Nevada.

Present for part of the meeting were Ian Stevenson, and Bruce Grayson, plus Prof John Mack and associates. There was discussion on a possible partnership between PEER and NIDS. A mathematician Gian-Carlo Rota also joined the meeting.

Vallee writes "Administration issues threatened to bog down the discussion, starting with the changing definition of the Institute, no longer a granting agency. Bob wants to turn it into a working body that performs its own research and building relationships with centers of expertise, so, never delegating the analysis. Thus the SAB is elected as  working group rather than, merely a review and strategy board." (page 322.)

The biochemist was Dr Colm Kelleher; the microbiologist and veterinarian is George Onet, and the physicist was Dr Eric W Davis. The other permanent staff are John Alexander, a secretary and a receptionist. Also employed part time was George Knapp; Diane Arcangel; a Canadian studying cattle mutilations, and Shelley Wadsworth a local resident, in Nevada.

Sixth meeting

10 January 1997 saw the sixth NIDS SAB meeting take place. John Petersen presented on alternate futures; Bob Bigelow on the chronology of NIDS, and there was a summary of the NIDS budget.

"Bob outlined a new plan with two parts. Division I is devoted to 'survival of the human consciousness...Division II, 'Aerial Phenomena' continues surveillance of both properties, networking with ranchers, veterinarians and the police on mutilations and sample analysis.' (page 350.) John Dale Solem critiqued their work on implants. Jack Schmidt presented on lessons learned during hearings on mutilations in the 1970's. There was also, a brainstorming session about sensors and detection.

Vallee writes "it's clear the Board will not be consulted or even kept informed about grants funded by NIDS, such as John Mack's work." (page 352.)

My comment:

According to the above diary entry, both the Utah and the Nevada ranches were being surveilled. Details of the Utah ranch have been published in part; however, I can find no mention of the results of surveillance of the second, Wilson, Nevada, ranch.

Seventh meeting

This took place on 9 March 1997. Jessica Utts presented on the subject of statistics in parapsychology. George Onet reported on necropsy of a mutilated cow. Bigelow showed a TV documentary about near-death experiences.

Vallee found out that through the Institute, Bob Bigelow is channeling money to:

(1) A European book by Von Ludwiger.
(2) John Mack's exploration of multiple witness abduction cases.
(3) Immunology related to NDEs by Kelleher and Melvin Morse.
(4) Communication devices built by Putoff.
(5) John Petersen's "Day after" scenarios.
(6) An evaluation of mediums by Stevenson and Cook.
(7) A cattle mutilation survey by Onet.
(8) A seminar series on survival of consciousness led by Alexander.
(9) A crop circle study by Kit and Kristin (Green's life partner), with Kelleher and Deetken.
(10) A new Roper poll.

My comment:

On 7 June 1999, NIDS circulated a press release titled "How would humans react if ET landed" which provided the results of the (10) Roper poll on that particular "Day After" scenario.

Vallee writes "The hard truth is that the NIDS board is too busy trying to invent gadgets and feed their own projects to stop and think seriously about science fundamentals and the deeper nature of the phenomenon." (page 360.)

Eighth meeting

The eight meeting was on 2 May 1997. "Steve Trevino, who had just made a presentation to Kit and Bob, was there as well as Tommy Blann, an investigator from Texas, who now lives in Florida. An evening session was held to discuss cattle mutilations.

Vallee writes "Another aspect of the phenomenon that had become clear is its human origin. Carcasses have suffered injections and traction by clamps or other devices. It is common for the animals to be dropped, sometimes from considerable heights. Also common is the sight of helicopters." (page 365.)

"The Science Board spent most of the day discussing the Utah ranch in closed session. Three members were missing: Ian Stevenson, Melvin Morse and GianaCarlo. So there were thirteen of us with Bob..." (page 365.)

Edgard Mitchell gave a summary of the April 8-10 1997 Greer briefings.

'Most of the afternoon was spent discussing candidates for the position of consciousness at UNLV." (page 369.)

Ninth meeting

At the ninth meeting on 19 July 1997 "Ian Stevenson, Emily Cook and Bruce Grayson have sent abrasive letters criticizing the lack of research." (page 377.)

"We heard good staff reports about the Utah ranch." (page 378.)

Tenth meeting

17 October 1997 saw the tenth SAB meeting. "'What if two-way communication does happen?' Bob asked. He is convinced that one-way exchanges (from 'them' to Eric) have already taken place, in the form of telepathic messages and dreams." (page 391.)

"Chad Deetken gave an impassioned, but unscientific description of the English crop circle around Alton Barn and Silberry Hill. He discounted the hoax hypothesis." (page 392.)

"In the afternoon I said it was time to reinvent the Institute. We had lost sight of our constituency; I emphasized: do we work for the public good? The scientific community? Paranormal researchers? There was an urgent need to tighten up our procedures and to better protect our people in the field. I suggested using the Nevada (Wilson) ranch as a control site against the Utah property." (page 392.)

Eleventh meeting

The eleventh meeting took place on 11 January 1998. "Colm gave an excellent report on work at the ranch, then discussions centred on Bob's  plans to raise the visibility of 'aerial phenomena' to the national level. Against Kit''s protestations he led us through elaborate exercises designed to align us to his scheme. I stressed that the aspect of NIDS I most admired was precisely that we hadn't tried to grab headlines." (page 401.)

"The Utah ranch is quiet...There hasn't been a single new case of a physical UFO there." (page 401.)

Vallee missed part of this meeting so Bigelow filled him in on Bigelow's proposal to sponsor two new studies, "on the subject of the social effect of an announcement of (1) a major asteroid fall and (2) the reality of UFOs as extraterrestrial craft." (page 402.)

Vallee on Bigelow. "He has a deeper agenda, an inner certainty that a dramatic development (spectacular display by the phenomenon or striking announcement by the government) will happen 'soon.' When I pointed out that research at the ranch could lead to a statement about the reality of UFOs, however, he said he'd practically given up on this, the evidence would never be good enough...Yet Bob believes there is an MJ-12 and that the Phenomenon has done things that could have large impact, but the public was appraised as not being ready." (page 402.)

Twelfth meeting

The 12th meeting was on 25 April 1998.  "...is our Institute becoming 'just another Shirley Maclaine with lasers?' someone asked with humor."

"After the last session Bigelow spoke to Kit on the phone for a long time, trying to convince him that events at the ranch were real and couldn't be explained on psychological grounds." (page 409.)

Thirteenth meeting

Martin Pilch chaired the meeting on 11 July 1998. There was a review of the Sturrock/Rockefeller project. Colm Kelleher reported on the ranch.

Fourteenth meeting

At the 10 October 1998 meeting, "The group reviewed the first three years of NIDS." (page 420.)

"Today the Board...tackled the challenge posed by Bob Bigelow of engaging the scientific community. I said it didn't make sense to speak in the same sentence of getting visibility with the public AND with science (two radically different things,) impressing the media while gaining the confidence of secret sources (an obvious contradiction) taking an advocacy position while research is incomplete and crusading for the extraterrestrial visitation hypothesis while testing theories that may not involve ETH at all."

"Look at the data from the Utah ranch," I said, "where we have every paranormal phenomenon except for flying saucers." (page 426.)

Fifteenth meeting

Vallee noted about the 8 January 1999 meeting, "Bob Bigelow is still fascinated with 'Day After' scenarios...he went over the history of our efforts, from the initial interest to appeal to the military to the more recent idea of having our own contingency plan if it turned out, as he put it, that 'we are cohabiting on the Earth with non-human entities that controlled our destiny.'" (page 439.)

There was a lecture by Michael Lindemann, futurist. Puthoff put Lindemann in touch with Petersen, "which led to the idea of running 'First Contact' scenarios under the sponsorship of Firmage. For silly reasons were not supposed to know that Joe is involved. We ended up discussing Kairos. Al Harrison pointed out that 'After spending $2 million Firmage had failed to have any impact. The idea of going to the public is fundamentally flawed.' That took some wind out of Bob Bigelow's sails. Yet he remains convinced we are confronted with a 'scenario-selecting agent,' which implies that 'our state of acceptance will determine when and how confirmation occurs.' (pp439-440.)

"Bob got up to dictate our new role: to provide information on sightings and other events. Bob and Colm will contact us twice and each member will be expected to call with current information. With a group as busy as this, I don't think that's realistic. Bob' strengths as a visionary business manager (high demand for on-time results, quantifiable budgets with tight schedules) are not the best tools in fundamental research: one needs to pick extraordinary staff members and trust them: to give them the opportunity to fail." (page 440.)

"Bob...told me about changes planned around the Institute. I recommended a sober, quiet, non-flashy approach to the Congressional research Service as a reliable, low-key, respected gateway to senior legislators. " (page 441.)

The Utah ranch and UAP

Why was the Utah ranch selected? The answer lies on page 326, in a diary entry dated 15 August 1996. Vallee, speaking about a ranch in Nevada which was being looked at by Bigelow, with a view to purchase, writes "...another more interesting situation had popped up - a ranch in Utah where cattle mutilations, strange lights and bizarre objects were being reported 'almost daily.'"

However, as far as UAP went, Vallee points out, the volume of the UAP events at the Utah ranch was extremely low. On page 353 of his book, Vallee cites meeting with three NIDS staffers. "Expectations of frequent sightings of UFOs at the Utah ranch have not materialized." they said, "so what are we supposed to work on?"

By 11 January 1998, (page 401) "The Utah ranch is quiet, with no new incidents. There hasn't been a single new case of a physical UFO there."

And by 10 October 1998 (page 426) Vallee says "Look at the data from the Utah ranch" I said, "where we have every paranormal phenomena - except for flying saucers."

The NIDS mission

Initially, Robert Bigelow stated "I want to work directly with the people who do the research" as cited by Vallee on 16 July 1995. Vallee states (3 August 1996) "Bob wants to turn it into a working body that performs its own research." On 10 January 1997, "Bob outlined a new plan..." By 9 March 1997, the Institute was funding projects across the areas of abductions, near-death experiences; cattle mutilations; and crop circles. On 10 October 1998, Bigelow wished the SAB to see how best to engage the scientific community. On 9 January 1999, "Bob got up to dictate our new role, to provide information on sightings."

It seems to me, on reading the discussions on the mission of the NIDS, that it kept changing, and this was solely at Bigelow's instigation.

Parallels between the NIDS and BAASS

Some parallels can be drawn between the 1995-1999 NIDS era, and the later 2007 to 2012 AAWSAP BAASS contract era.

In a 19 March 2018 interview with former Senator Harry Reid, the New York Magazine revealed that Bigelow, around 2006/2007  received a letter from a senior employee of a federal national security agency. That employee told Bigelow "I want to go to your ranch in Utah." After which, the employee visited the ranch and was impressed enough that they assisted Reid by writing the AAWSAP Defense Intelligence Agency solicitation document. Although Reid does not provide the employee's name, the DIA documentation states that the AAWSAP manager was one James T Lacatski.

Journalist George Knapp, and film producer Jeremy Corbell, both insist that the Utah ranch was a focus of the BAASS investigation (BAASS received the AAWSAP contract.)

However, the DIA solicitation is silent about anything to do with  activities on any ranch. Hence, here is an obvious contradiction, which is impossible to unravel without direct input from James T Lacatski and Robert Bigelow. Neither of whom have ever spoken publicly about this.

Given Vallee's comments about the level of UAP activity, at the Utah ranch between 1995 and 1999, one can pose the question as to what was the level of UAP activity when Lacatski visited the ranch around 2006/2007? Was it the UAP activity or other paranormal activity which caught his attention? If it was the paranormal attention, then how come the DIA solicitation document doesn't mention this?

In summary

The diary entries in Vallee's latest book, allow us some deeper insights about the thinking of Robert Bigelow, and the work of the NIDS, than I had previously had.

Links to posts dealing with AATIP/AAWSAP plus BAASS and Bigelow

Introduction

Amazingly, since April 2018, when I began my initial research into the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), I have now produced a total of 61 blog posts on this, and related topics. Even I, have difficulty remembering where I can find information about, say the question " How did the Department of Defense acknowledge the existence of the AATIP?" or "What did the people at Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies do?" So, this blog post is aimed to provide the titles of these 61 blog posts, the date they were published, with a clickable link to that individual blog post. I hope you find it useful.

The posts

AATIP and that mysterious "metal" sample (metal alloys mentioned in the 16 Dec 2017 New York Time's piece.) 26 April 2018.

AATIP or AAWSA? (what was the name of the program?) 1 May 2018.

One scientist's work on the AAWSAP (details from his LinkedIn profile.) 3 May 2018.

Third Advanced AAWSAP document surfaces (Defense Intelligence Reference Document.) 6 May 2018.

The contract process for AAWSAP 7 May 2018.

The DIA's AAWSAP - I find the original calls for tender document 8 May 2018.

Bigelow Aerospace advert for AAWSAP jobs found 10 May 2018.

Fuller version of the DIA AAWSAP "solicitation" found 12 May 2018.

Dr Colm Kelleher and the AAWSAP 14 May 2018.

Did the AAWSAP/AATIP really start in 2007? 16 May 2018.

Federal Sources In may already have a copy of the DIA AAWSAP contract 17 May 2018.

The tale of three BAASS field investigations (The MUFON/BAASS relationship.) 18 May 2018.

The BAASS team -some of their roles and some of their names 24 May 2018.

When did BAASS start and where is the AAWSAP contract? 27 May 2018.

Those Defense Intelligence Reference Documents 2 Jun 2018.

Dr Hal Puthoff's speech at the Society for Scientific Exploration (program began Jun 2007; Soviet Union "Thread-3 document; bismuth/magnesium sample.) 14 Jun 2018.

Dr Hal Puthoff and the Soviet project "Thread-3" 17 Jun 2018.

AATIP and Project Prato (The Brazilian Air Force's study.) 22 Jun 2018.

New Congressional hearings on UFOs? 28 Jun 2018.

Unusual isotopic ratios in alleged UFO samples 29 Jun 2018.

The 2009 AATIP letter from the then US Senator Harry Reid 30 Jun 2018.

Another AATIP DIRD author? 22 Jul 2018.

The 2009 Senator Harry Reid letter revisited 29 Jul 2018.

An analysis of that list of AASWAP/AATIP DIRDs 1 Aug 2018.

A search for Congressional AAWSAP/AATIP documents 9 Aug 2018.

AATIP documents found on US website 9 Aug 2018.

A reference to the AATIP found in a 2018 issue of the "Congressional Record." 15 Aug 2018.

The To The Stars Academy and "Ed's" metal sample 19 Aug 2018.

"Patient died 2 weeks later" - EarthTech and Kit Green 25 Aug 2018.

A "...closed Congressional briefing in Washington" 28 Aug 2018.

Details of "contracts" between TTSA and EarthTech 30 Sep 2018.

When did AATIP/AAWSAP start? 4 Oct 2018.

Presentation before US Congressional sub-committee (By Chase Kloetzke.) 21 Oct 2018.

Some new information from the 27 Oct 2018 Centro Ufologico Nationale talk by Luis Elizondo 31 Oct 2018.

Dr James T Lacatski, AAWSAP Program manager's career "ruined" 3 Nov 2018.

BAASS and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Analysis of materials for BAASS - 2010.) 6 Nov 2018.

A catalogue of UAP related "fragments" which have been analyzed 17 Nov 2018.

The Bigelow Foundation and Angela Thompson Smith 22 Nov 2018.

The work of EarthTech International, Kit Green and Garry P Nolan 13 Dec 2018.

George D Hathaway - his work and research findings 16 Dec 2018.

AATIP/AAWSAP - the publicly available documentation on these programs 27 Dec 2018.

How the US Department of Defense acknowledged the existence of AATIP 29 Dec 2018.

More on how the US Department of Defense acknowledged the existence of AATIP 30 Dec 2018.

New information - the 2004 Nimitz encounters latest information from Dave Fravor (The fighterpilot podcast.) 3 Jan 2019.

Did someone remove data about the 2004 Nimitz encounter? 5 Jan 2019.

Two AATIP related conferences in March 8 Jan 2019.

"Antennas" and Dr Viola Petit Neal 13 Jan 2019.

Back to those 38 DIRDs 17 Jan 2019.

Images of briefing papers for the AATIP revisited 20 Jan 2019.

Implant to be analyzed by TTSA 24 Jan 2019.

Implants which have been analyzed 25 Jan 2019.

Hal Puthoff talked about AATIP at MIT on 23 Jan 2019 27 Jan 2019.

Robert Bigelow and "implant" research 8 Feb 2019.

Was there a US $5 million AATIP style DoD study group between 1983-1985? (Howard Blum's book 'Out There.' 9 Feb 2019.

The DIA and the AATIP (Roger Glassel's email exchange with the DIA.) 13 Feb 2019.

Douglas S Kurth and the BAASS/MUFON relationship 16 Feb 2019.

What did the people who worked at BAASS do? 18 Feb 2019.

Former Senator Harry Reid reveals more about the AAWSAP 28 Feb 2019.

The 2015 AATIP incidents 1 Mar 2019.

Further information on the 2019 plans of the TTSA 3 Mar 2019.

Robert Bigelow and research into consciousness 8 Mar 2019.

Robert Bigelow's other "UFO" ranch 12 Mar 2019.

The TTSA and "quantum communication" 18 Mar 2019.

When did AATIP/AAWSAP start?

Background

I have been going back through all of the available material I have on file, looking to answer what looks like simple enough questions. Those questions are, when did the program, that we have come to know as AATIP/AAWSAP, start, and what was its initial name?

Sources

During a January 2018 radio interview between journalist Giuliano Marinkovic and Luis Elizondo, Elizondo stated that the program commenced in 2007.

George Knapp, during a "Coast to Coast" radio interview with Hal Puthoff on 28 January 2018, stated that the start date was 2007, and Puthoff did not correct him on that date.

In a separate "Coast to Coast" radio interview on 28 February 2018, between Knapp and Elizondo, Elizondo said that his initial discussions about joining the program occurred sometime in 2008. There was no mention of a program start date.

During the 2018 MUFON Symposium talk by Elizondo, he mentioned that the start date was 2007. Indeed, one of his presentation slides showed:

"2007- Program originally created as a bipartisan effort (Stevens (R); Inoyoway (D-Hawaii) and Reid (D-Nevada) to better understand UAPs encountered by US Military and determine if they represented a national security threat

2007 - Congressional language establishing the "Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications program" aka AAWSAP

2007 - DIA solicits contract and BAASS is awarded the contract [KB - this 2007 date is clearly incorrect as the DIA solicitation is dated 18 Aug 2008.]

2008 - AAWSAP is formerly changed to AATIP by former program manager to focus more narrowly on the 5 observables and research of advanced physics application."

Part fact/part speculation

Does this time frame, i.e. a start date of 2007 fit in with other things we know?

February to June 2007

Fact: There was a discussion of the 2004 Nimitz encounter on the Above Top Secret website, in February 2007; where username "thefinaltheory" posted about what appears to be the November 2004 Nimitz encounter, and that this user eventually posted a video which appears to be the FLIR video released by TTSAS; and an "event log."

Fact: During his 8 June 2018 speech at the SSE/IRVA conference, when speaking about the AATIP, Hal Puthoff, stated that the program began in June 2007.

Speculation: Someone in officialdom took notice, post February 2007.

Post June 2007 - Prior January 2008

Fact: Discussions occurred between  Senator Reid, someone from a US intelligence agency  and Bob Bigelow. [Source: Reid's interview with the New York Magazine on 21 March 2018.]

Speculation: Senator Reid stated that he held discussions with Bob Bigelow about the topic after representations from a scientist in a US intelligence agency (without naming the DIA or any other agency) which is suggestive of this being Dr James T  Lacatski who became the program manager of the AASWAP as set out in the 18 August 2008 DIA solicitation.

Speculation: Bob Bigelow and others, commenced investigating the 2004 Nimitz incident and after discussions between Bigelow and Reid, Bigelow decided to start up BAASS to have an organization ready to go with whatever came next.

Fact: Bigelow employed Douglas Kurth, a marine pilot who was one of the participants in the November 2004 Nimitz encounter. [Source: Kurth's page on LinkedIn states he started with Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) in December 2007.]

January 2008

Fact: Bob Bigelow registered a company named Bigelow Aerospace Advance Space Studies LLC in Nevada. [Source: Nevada state records.]

Speculation: This was in preparation for any potential funding which might become available.

August 2008

Fact: DIA solicitation HHM402-R-08-0211 dated 18 August 2008 calls for bids for the AAWSAP contract. [Source: click here.]

September 2008

Fact: After the closing dates for bids of 5 September 2008, BAASS is awarded the contact. [Source: George Knapp on 4 May 2018, posted a partial shot of a document which appears to show that the successful tenderer was BAASS.)

Fact:  BAASS advertises vacant positions which line up well with details in the DIA AAWSAP solicitation.[Source: click here.]

In summary

It does indeed seem correct, that the program commenced in June 2007. However, I still do not know what name the initial program was given.

The 2009 Senator Reid AATIP letter revisited

Former Senator Reid advises how the program was funded

The New York Magazine dated 21 March 2018 published details of an interview between former Senator Harry Reid and reporter Eric Benson. Former Senator Reid told the following story about how the funding for the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) came about.

'I'm in Washington in the Senate and Bob Bigelow called me...and said "I got the strangest letter here. Could I have a courier bring it to you? I said, "Sure." ...The letter was from a federal national security agency...The letter said, "I am a senior, long-time member of the security agency, and have a PhD, "I can't remember in what, in Physics for sure, maybe math also." And the letter said, "I'm interested, I'm interested in talking with you, Mr Bigelow. I have an interest in what you've been working on. I want to go to your ranch in Utah."

"...I called Bigelow back and said, "Hey, I'll meet with the guy." I called the guy. He said, "I don't want to meet in my office. I don't want to meet at your office. Where can we meet?" I said, "Come to my home." The two of us met and I was terribly impressed with him. Very low key scientist. He told me of his interest. I called Bigelow and I said, "This guy, I've checked him out and he seems like a pretty nice guy and his credentials are as he says."

He went, met Bigelow, and after I don't know how much time went by, he came to me and said "Something should be done about this. Somebody should study it."

I was convinced he was right. I said, "Well if you were me, what would you say to people in power in the United States Senate who have huge control over the spending of defense money? And here's what he said "What I will do is prepare something for you that anyone can look at that that wants to, it's strictly science. He put it into scientific language - what the study should consist of.

"I at the time, was the leader of the Senate and I called two of my friends who for many, many years were like brothers...They controlled for quite a number of years the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. It was Stevens and Inouve.

"...what we decided to do - it would be black money, we wouldn't have a big debate on the Senate floor over it. They would put it in their Defense Appropriations Bill, 11 million bucks. The purpose of it was to study aerial phenomena. The money was given, a directive was given to the Pentagon, to put out this bid which they did."'

The AAWSAP

This then, is how the funding was obtained for the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program.

After extensive research, in April 2018, I located a digital copy of the August 2008 Defense Intelligence Agency solicitation which sought bids from private enterprise to undertake the AAWSAP work, and I then reported on the contractor who was the successful bidder.

The AAWSAP objectives - July 2008

I also, after reading a copy of one of Defense Intelligence Reference Documents, found that the first AAWSAP manager was one James T Lacatski, and posted the results of a search as to who he was.

Part of one of the DIRDs

The private industry contractor who won the bid to undertake part of the AAWSAP work, is known to be Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies LLC, as evidenced by their name on what appears to be a part of the DIA contract, which was shown on a KLAS-TV George Knapp and Matt Adams news report.

BAASS work on the AAWSAP is believed to have commenced by September 2008, as evidenced by BAASS advertising for personnel who's roles and jobs are compatible with that outlined in the DIA AAWSAP solicitation. How this ties in with Elizondo's statement that the AAWSAP commenced in 2007 is uncertain. It would appear logical that the AAWSAP program was up and running before BAASS received a contract to work on it.

From Nevada state records

The 2009 Reid letter

So, the AAWSAP work was well underway by 2009. How did it go?

KLAS-TV reporters George Knapp and Matt Adams, in a news report on 28 June 2018 revealed the existence of a 2009 dated letter, which Senator Reid sent to the Department of Defense about the program, which had by then been renamed the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP.) At this point, only part of the contents of the letter was revealed.

I therefore undertook a search for other avenues of obtaining a full copy of the letter, via an approach to the University of Nevada -Reno, which had acquired the entire series of the Senator's archives. However, I was advised by the University that the letter was under 10 years old, and that as part of the agreement for acquiring Senator Reid's archives they were not permitted to release paper material which was less than 10 years old.

Fortunately, in another KLAS-TV news report on 25 July 2018, reporters Knapp and Adams provide the entire letter for us all to read (with some small areas redacted.)

In the next segment of this blog, I will provide the entire text of the letter, together with some thoughts of mine, on its contents (in italics.)

The letter

The letter is dated June 24, 2009 and is addressed to 'Honorable William Lynn III, Deputy Secretary of Defense, 1010 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1010.'

The official military addresses of senior Defense officials are different, e.g.Secretary of Defense is 1000 Defense Pentagon; Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics) is 3010 Defense Pentagon; and the Deputy Secretary of Defense is 1010 Defense Pentagon.

The letter goes on:

'Dear Secretary Lynn,

Beginning this past September, the US Senate has mandated that the Defense Intelligence Agency assesses far-term foreign advanced aerospace threats to the United States. The scope of program interest covers from the present out to forty years and beyond. In order to further our effort in recognizing emerging disruptive aerospace technology, technical studies are being conducted in regard to advanced lift, propulsion, the use of unconventional materials and controls, signature reduction, weaponry, human interface and human effects.'

1. 'Beginning this past September' agrees well with the August 2008 date of the DIA solicitation; the closing date of the solicitation being 5 September 2008; and the September 2008 BAASS call for new employees.

2. The details of the DIA mandate, ie advanced lift etc.,  agrees perfectly with the AAWSAP aims etc., as set out in the August 2008 DIA solicitation for bids.

'Since the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program  (AATIP) and study were first commissioned much progress has been made with the identification of several highly sensitive, unconventional aerospace related findings.'

Note the reference to AATIP and not AAWSAP. In a recent 'Coast to Coast' radio interview between George Knapp and former ATTIP program manager Luis Elizondo, Elizondo stated that the program changed its name from AAWSAP to AATIP in 2008. (Elizondo maintains that AAWSAP was running in 2007 through to 2008 before the name change.)

'Given the current rate of success, the continued study of these subjects will likely lead to technological advancements that, in the immediate near-term will require extraordinary protection. Due to the sensitivities of the information surrounding aspects of this program, I require your assistance in establishing a Restricted Special-Access-Program (SAP) with Bigoted Access List for specific portions of the AATIP.'

1. My understanding of a Special Access Program (SAP) is that only a limited number of individuals are given access to that SAP information. This restricts the access to, and distribution of, information about the SAP. 

2. My understanding of a Bigoted Access List is that it is a list of specified individuals who can access details about a program. No one else can access that program.

3. What precisely do the words 'I require your assistance in establishing a Restricted Special-Access-Program (SAP) with Bigoted Access List for specific portions of the AATIP.' mean? Do they mean:

(a) 'I require your assistance in establishing a Restricted Special-Access-Program (SAP),  with Bigoted Access List for specific portions of the AATIP.' (Note the position of my added comma.) meaning that the whole AATIP becomes a SAP with an access list for some portions? Or

(b) 'I require your assistance in establishing a Restricted Special-Access-Program (SAP) with Bigoted Access List, for specific portions of the AATIP.' (Note the different position of my added comma) meaning that only some portions of AATIP become a SAP with Bigoted Access List? 

'In order to support this national effort, a small but highly specialized cadre of Department of Defense (DoD) and private sector individuals are necessary. These individuals must be specialized in the areas of advanced sciences, sensors, intelligence/counterintelligence, and advanced aerospace engineering. Given the likelihood that these technologies will be applied to future systems, involving spaceflight, weapons, communications and propulsion, the standard management and safeguarding procedures for classified information are not sufficient. Even the use of conventional SAP protocols will not adequately ensure that all aspects of the project are properly secured.

Although not every aspect of AATIP requires restricted SAP read-on, the following portions should be  maintained at the Restricted SAP level.'

This seems to indicate my option (b) above applies, that only some portions of AATIP become a SAP with Bigoted Access List.

''The methodology used to identify, acquire, study and engineer the advanced technologies associated with AATIP.

'Specific methodologies used 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).

Undue attention by government or private sector entities, not involved in AATIP or any international interest will directly or indirectly interfere with the daily AATIP mission and perhaps threaten the overall success of the program.'

This certainly fits in well with recent comments by the To The Stars Academy, about the  2015 East Coast battle group incidents and release of the 'Gimbal "video, plus the 'Go fast" video, where the To The Stars Academy says they cannot provide either specific dates or locations where the videos were taken, and suggests this is because the DoD hasn't given consent for these details to be revealed. 

'Allocation  of personnel, support and oversight.

Due to the highly specialized nature of the personnel involved with AATIP, the overt acknowledgement of their participation in the program will lead to an unnecessary security and counterintelligence risk.'

Why then did the publicly available DIA solicitation advise that one James T Lacatski was the AAWSAP manager if identifying personnel was an issue? Perhaps because the solicitation was pre this 2009 letter?

'Occasional assistance from specialized individuals within Dod, the scientific community, or academia may be necessary from time to time based on demonstrated subject matter expertise. Adequate protection of their identities and affiliation is critical to avoid unnecessary scrutiny.'

One wonders how much, the authors of the 38 Defense Intelligence Reference documents (DIRDs) were told, when they were tasked with preparing a DIRD? No DIRD authors' 'how to write a DIRD and why' have so far been located.

'Without the appropriate Restricted SAP protection, the cost associated with a compromise would be  significantly higher than the cost associated with a properly administered Restricted SAP.'

No financial figures were given to demonstrate the above statement was true,

'Protection of industry partners and participation is critical. Public awareness of an industry's AATIP affiliation may discourage that industry's further participation with the US Government in this program.'

The August 2008 solicitation was openly advertised on the Federal Business Opportunities website and BAASS openly advertised the relevant AAWSAP jobs. The fact that no one had yet (with the possible exception of George Knapp) located the public 'who got the contract' announcement, which should have been on the Federal Business Opportunities website, but isn't, may mean that the award announcement was never publicly made, contrary to the then current processes. All of this, of course, is prior to the Senator's 2009 call for a SAP.

'Applications and engineering

The nuanced manner in which some of these technologies will be collected, engineered and applied by the US 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.

The word 'nuanced' means 'characterized by subtle shades of meaning or expression.'

'Associated exotic technologies likely involve extremely sophisticated concepts within the worlds of quantum mechanics, nuclear science, electromagnetic theory, gravitics and thermodynamics. Given that all of these have the potential to be used for catastrophic effects by adversaries, an unusually high degree of operational security and read-on discretion is required.'

To me, none of the above paragraph makes sense in speaking of then 2009 foreign aircraft technology. It  makes better sense to me if Reid is thinking of 'off planet' objects. You will note that no where in the letter are the terms UFO or UAP ever used.

'Due to the expertise required to carry out the objectives of this program, we will require  a small, specialized group of Dod personnel, who are dedicated to performing the SAP-related functions and executing programmatic requirements within the program. It is essential that the Government & military personnel who are already involved with this program are assigned to further support this program in a Restricted SAP capacity (See Attachment 1). These individuals all currently possess the appropriate security clearances and are already providing unique support to AATIP.

Ultimately the results of AATIP will not only benefit the US Government but I believe will directly benefit Dod in ways not yet imagined. The technological insight and capability gained will provide the US with a distinct advantage over any foreign threats and allow the US to maintain its preeminence as a world leader.'

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration of this request. If you or your staff have any questions, please contact Bob Herbert of my staff at (202) 437-3162.'

'Attachment 1

Sponsoring agency: Undetermined (DEPSECDEF).
Component level SAP central office.
Unclassified nickname: Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP).
Program length: FY09-FY13 (Preliminary).
Program funding: FY09- O&M, FY10-FY13- TBD.
SAP category designation: Intelligence, Dod Acquisition.
FY10 Preliminary Bigot List of Government personnel:
1. Honorable William Lynn III, Dep Dir of defense (Govt)
2. Honorable Senator Harry Reid of Nevada (Govt)
3. Honorable Senator Daniel Inouve of Hawaii (Govt)
4-11 Redacted.

FY10 Preliminary Bigoted List of Contractor Personnel funded under the AATIP
1-3 Redacted.

This document contains information exempt from mandatory disclosure under the FOIA. Exemptions 1 and 5 apply.'

Some individuals have suggested that the 13 listed names were people who received a carbon copy of the letter. This appears incorrect.

Overall impressions

1. In this 2009 letter, which is dated about nine months from the commencement of the AAWSA funded program (as opposed to anything informal which may have been running since 2007) Senator Reid is very positive about results, by stating 'Since the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program  (AATIP) and study were first commissioned much progress has been made with the identification of several highly sensitive, unconventional aerospace related findings.'

2. We of course, at the moment, have not documented evidence that the program became a Restricted Special Access Program. However, one might deduce for the reasons given at various places above, that the program did indeed gain SAP status.

Acknowledgement

I wish to thank KLAS-TV reporters George Knapp and Matt Adams for releasing the copy of the 2009 Senator Reid letter for us all to be able to analyze.