Department of the Air Force Committee to Review Project Bluebook, 1966-1967

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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON, D.C.
REPLY TO
2
ATTN OF:
1 January 1966
suaJEcr: Some SAFOI Thoughts for the SAB Ad Hoc Connnittee on UFOs
TO:
RECORD
1.
On 21 January, I visited SAF0I and discussed the Air
Force's concern over the UF0 preblem with Lt Col John P.
Spaulding and Mrs. Sarah Hunt (4a 120 - 79079).
2.
SAFOI gets many inquiries concerning the UFG problem.
Last year they received and answered more than 3300 letters
on UFOs including many from the President and the Congress.
The problem essentially boils down to ene that is typified
by the questien, "When did yau stop beating your wife?"
Any answer the Air Force gives tends to incriminate the
Air Force as a concealer of information and at the very
least detracts from its image.
SAFOI has to cope with this
public relations problem and wants som~thing done about it.
Therefore they have turned to the SAB.
3. The last time that a group of scientists looked into the
scientific aspects of the UFO problem was in 1953.
Attachment 1
is a copy of that report.
4. Basically the question is this--is there any such thing as
a UFO?
When the Air Force receives information on a UFO
sighting they have several options open to them.
First, they
can categorically deny that there is anything such as a UFO.
Second, they can cast reflections on the sighters mental
ability or claim that he is trying to perpetrate a hoax on
the country. Third, they can investigate the si ting as
well as possible with their limited resources (3 men at FTD)
and admit that the AF is looki.ng into the matter.
Obviously,
options one and two offer no solution. Thus, SAFOI has to
rely on option three, and go through the normal si ting in­
vestigation (Attachment 2) that leads to admissions that
there are a certain percentage of UFO sightings that the Air
Force cannot identify. This a
ke
le like Fuller
see Saturda Review ar
ion
and the AF has no rejoiner.
Undtrwn'te Your Country's
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