DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS NAVY PENTAGON ASHINGTON, DC 20350-2000 Ser DNS-36RM/22U113362 Sent via email to:
[email protected] Mr. John Greenewald The Black Vault 27305 W. Live Oak Rd. Suite #1203 Castaic, CA 91384 Dear Mr. Greenewald: This is in reference to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)/Privacy Act (PA) request dated November 17, 2021. Your request was received in our office on the same day and assigned case number DON-NAVY-2022-001613. In the course of processing your FOIA request this office contacted, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (AIRLANT) and the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) to conduct a search for applicable records. Accordingly, those offices searched their local files for records relating to I respectfully request a copy of records (which includes videos/photos), electronic or otherwise, of the following: ALL documents pertaining to a January 2019 briefing by an F-18 pilot from VFA-103, stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia. This briefing was revealed in FOIA Case DON-NAVY-2021-010546, and was referred to in the following way: "Anomalous Aerial Vehicle Encounter brief to SASC PSMs. On 16 Jan, an F/A-18 pilot from VFA-103, met with SASC PSMs. SASC PSMs have continuing interest in unidentified aerial vehicle intercepts that have occurred in the working airspace off the U.S. east coast, and gave a detailed brief on his personal encounter". I ask that you include all records that pertain to this briefing. This would include, but not be limited to, emails, reports, power point presentations, letters, memos, VIDEOS, PHOTOS, etc., that may pertain to this request. I ask that you use your best discretion on the officials searched for responsive emails. You can limit the scope of this request for documents dated January 1, 2018 through to the date of processing this request. OLA has identified 1 document totaling 4 pages that are responsive to your request. Portion of this record have been deemed classified and are partially exempt from disclosure in under exemption 5 U.S.C. 552 (b)(1) which protects national security information concerning the national defense or foreign policy from disclosure, provided that it has been properly classified in accordance with the substantive and procedural requirements of Executive Order 13526. Upon review of this record, it has been determined that they contain instances of deliberative process privileged material, are predecisional in nature, and/or contain working versions of documents, and are thus exempt from disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(5). These records were originated by or in concert with OLA containing drafts and/or proposals of documents not in their final form, and, therefore, are partially exempt from disclosure. It has also determined that they contain instances of personally identifiable information (PII), such as the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of individuals. These instances of PII are exempt from disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6), since release of this information would result in a clearly unwarranted invasion of their personal privacy. The remainder of the document is released to you. You have the right to an appeal. It must be received within 90 calendar days from the date of this letter. Please provide the appellate authority (see below) the following in an envelope marked FOIA appeal: a letter requesting an appeal that explains what you are appealing with any supporting arguments or reasons you think may be worthy of consideration; a copy of your initial request; a copy of the letter of denial. Also, please provide me a copy of your appeal letter at
[email protected] . There are two ways to file an appeal: through FOIA online or by mail. 1. Through FOIA online. This will work only if you set up an account on FOIA online before you make the request that you would like to appeal. To set up an account, go to FOIA online (this is a website that will appear as the top hit if you search the internet for FOIA online), click Create Account (a link located within the blue banner at the top in the upper right corner), enter your data into the field that subsequently appears, and click Save (at the bottom left of the screen). With your account thereby created, you will have the power to file an appeal on FOIA online to any request you file on FOIA online thereafter. To do so, locate your request (enter a keyword or the request tracking number in the Search for field on the Search tab), click on it, then the "Create Appeal" tab in the left-hand column. Complete the subsequent field, click Save, and FOIA online will submit your appeal. 2. By mail. Address your appeal to: Department of the Navy Office of the Judge Advocate General (Code 14) 1322 Patterson Avenue SE, Suite 3000 Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5066 For this determination, you have the right to seek dispute resolution services from either the DoD Navy Component FOIA Public Liaison, Mr. Chris Julka, at:
[email protected] contacting the Office of Government Information Services at: https://ogis.archives.gov/), (202) 741-5770,
[email protected]. Questions regarding the action this office has taken to process your request may be directed to our FOIA Service Center at (202) 685-0412 or via email at
[email protected]. Sincerely, Deputy Director, DON FOIA/PA Program Office T h e B lack Vault The Black Vault is the larges t o n l ine Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) document clearinghouse in the world. The research efforts here are responsible for the declassification of hundreds of thousands of pages released by the U.S. Government & Military. Discover the Truth a t : h t tp://www.theblackvault.com This document is made av a i l a b l e through the declassification efforts and research of John Greenewald, Jr., creator of: To;,,.,,,,, "/A' B Pilot bricfto SASC PSMs on Anomalous Aerial Vehicle Detection Event in Clas.sification:-5eeRET/INOFeRN- Proylded fo r your F/A18 pilot brief given to SASC detoction event ofT the roast of ~ ~ in the WQ/'fling Area is cuITCntly serving os Q The ovcroll Qtmosphere in this meeting was very professional, the "crtuincly inlC~tcd 10 hcur his occounl ofwhDt happened durin; his air vchicle dclCClion in., TIle)' continue to show interest in learning morc: about this types of detections, and they orc curious as 10 the way iliad the: Navy intends to 1m-c. i6-;';;;"", FlA) B Pilot bricfto SASC PSMs on Anomalous Aerial Vehicle: Detection Event in 2015 ClltSsirtclltion:-5ERETNUOFeRN- PrcJ,Ildcd roryour SA, fie FlA) I pilot bicfgiven to SASC C'Va'\t o1T1~ coast of anAAR fonhc: 16)311 unclusifKd IWCSQlvcd aerial vchidc This AM has ? _1 ~ the WllrTling Area is cum"I]), serving os " ~!;~:~5!:~ The ovcrull ii this meetina WQS VCf)' professional, the aCl1uincly inlcresicd to hCtlf his occounl ofwnal hllppened durin; his air vehicle cktcction in . They continue to show interest in Icoming more !boot this types of dctc:ctions. and they DR: CLrious as to the WI!)' ahcDd the Nov)' intends to Isc. In Dddition in lhcm hod been a part they offered no firsthand accounts or detecting DnOmDknlS aerilll ydlides,lhey wen: very lOmili .. with the CX:CUfTalCC:S and wen:quericd by the: PSMs a kw limes as 10 whal they had observed m'ld Ie:med. PSM Intc:n:st Arcos: SCfVing 11$ a Weapon Systcm5 The: stoITers asked irthe objcetssecmcd QWD~ orthe" or the ~Il. The stAITers also asked_ irtlC knew irthe observed the unldcltified aan via rndlr lIS he did. Staffers were interested in the shupe orthe W1idcnli(jed object lind how it COInplW'Cd ~ects klentirtcd by ~ots. -StaITm were inten::stcd in the lmOunt 0 r expcricna:~ had lind the moult or fHa,ht hours he hud. They were very respcctrulorhtS opinions tnd thoughls based on his 700 plus hours or experiena: al the taone. -StaITcnabo asked about theaelian the Navy took foIktwing_ rctum 10 the: ship 10 include his dctric:rby the intelligence porcssionab and actions taken by theCVW Staff. Commanderorthe Slrike Group ~d others tlW"Oughout the ODin orCommand. The staffers \W':fe disappointed by the lack oraction taken by the Navy. They abo wondered ~d 10 the video evidcnc:c orthe enccuntcr. The stalTcrsalso asked i~ wus rorced to take drug lest rollowing thc incidenl or was h:lrllSSed. -The: sllllTc1s also asked about the chain or cll5Iody orthc Yidco orthc encounter. The SlIIITm IlI"C gencrllly disappointed thDt the Nayy docs not .. ve IIlYWIo /'theo ........ fioaUy. The sscr.taffcrwanted eo bow the of5ciaJ Nny racti~ to tbcse IqXIds aodobservm:es. 'The &tafIin iDdicMcd dlat Sea Reed. Sen Durbin and SeD Mrnrndn: \WR III iDtaaled in this topic aDd wiJllikely desire to talk with piloIs ..... tIy who have ~ _unaploin<d aaft. -n. SASe ctafi:n iDdaled there is low possibility dial: this lopic wiD c:ome Upduria., the CNO's posture ~ scheduled for-Feb-Marl019. save uy video of tbesc I:DCOUIIIas aDd abe chain of cuslody is 1IcbJg.. Staffen asUd .0 fiaaUy. The SSCI IttJlirWlllted 10 know the oflia.J Nlivy tespmIe aM taetic:m 10 Ibcse RpOrts audobservm:es. Tbr: III.fin iadicated lllat Sea Reed. Sen Dwbin and Sea Menendez ~ aU int~in this topieaodwilllikelydesiretotllllk withpilols """tIy who have ~ _unapl_ aaft. n. SAse ~ iDdicIled tbae: is. low possitmly dud this loPe wiD comt upduriD., the CNO's posture b&winp Khcduled for-Feb Mul019. DetaiJee fur Sea. Tom COUc:m (R.AR) Aviation Portfolio CMsi&c.tioo: UNCLASSIFIEDfIF900 Classilication: UNCLASSIFIED Classification: SECRCF.IJNOF0RN CLASSIFIED BY: OSD DERIVED FROM: UAP SCG ID# 04-030 DECLASSIFY ON: 20461231 Classification: SliCR&t!