Origi nal Message Subject: RE: Media Query from Navy.mil website (CAPTCHA verified) Good Morning, Here is the updated statement on this "There have been a number of reports of unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft entering various militarycontrolled ranges and designated air space in recent years. For safety and security concerns, the Navy and the USAF take these reports very seriously and investigate each and every report. As part of this effort, the Navy is updating and formalizing the process by which reports of any such suspected incursions can be made to the cognizant authorities. A message to the fleet details the steps for reporting each incident. In response to requests for information from Congressional members and staff, Navy officials have provided a series of briefings by senior Naval Intelligence officials as well as aviators who reported hazards to aviation safety." Attributed to Joseph Gradisher, spokesperson for Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare. Original Message Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2019 8:10 PM Subject: Media Query from Navy.mil website (CAPTCHA verified) To whom it may concern, Today, Politico ran a story about new "UFO Regulations." For some background, I have produced (and am working on new) programs regarding this (and many other related) areas for networks such as History Channel, Discovery Channel, National Georgraphic Channel and more. For my credits, refer to: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1825298/ That said, I'd like to enquire on how much truth there is to this article? There was no named source, but Politico referenced a "Navy Statement" (but failed to publish the entire thing, as of the writing of this letter.) Can I get a copy of this "statement" as I assume it is public? Also, are there any documents / releases to support the reporting by Politico? Lastly, does the NAVY feel this story is best representing the reality behind these new "regulations" that Politico cites? I appreciate your time. Any response to can offer is much appreciated! Sincerely, Sent: Friday, April 26, 2019 3:03 PM Subject: RE: CBS National News Request <External Email> Not a problem! I will get back to you on times next week. Thanks! Original Message Sent: Friday, April 26, 2019 2:52 PM Subject: [NonDoD Source] Re: CBS National News Request Thank you for getting back to me. I can wait until next week to chat, if that is easier. Please let me know when would be a good time. Thank you! > <External Email> > Good Afternoon , > Our subject matter expert Mr. Joseph Gradisher is very busy today but > could speak with you on background about this topic for 5 minutes > around 4 pm. If you wanted to talk more in depth on background with > him we could schedule sometime for next week. Please let me know, thanks. > Original Message > Sent: Friday, April 26, 2019 6:46 AM > Subject: [NonDoD Source] CBS National News Request > Good afternoon, > here from CBS This Morning with Gayle King, Norah > O'Donnell, and John Dickerson. I hope you're doing well. > For an upcoming broadcast, we would like to take a closer look at the > new guidelines proposed by the Navy for unexplained aerial phenomena: > https://www.washingtonpost.com/nationalsecurity/2019/04/24/howangry > gotnavystopdismissingufosightings/?utm_term=.b9ce31bdabd2 > <https://www.washingtonpost.com/nationalsecurity/2019/04/24/howangry > sgotnavystopdismissingufosightings/?utm_term=.b9ce31bdabd2> > I am hoping to speak with a public affairs officer to learn a bit more > about what is being put in place and to see if anyone may be available > for a short interview to explain the importance and significance of > increased study on this matter. > Please let me know if you have any questions about this request. Thank > you for your help. > Sincerely, Sent: Friday, April 26, 2019 3:03 PM Subject: RE: CBS National News Request <External Email> Not a problem! I will get back to you on times next week. Thanks! Original Message Sent: Friday, April 26, 2019 2:52 PM Subject: [NonDoD Source] Re: CBS National News Request Thank you for getting back to me. I can wait until next week to chat, if that is easier. Please let me know when would be a good time. Thank you! > <External Email> > Good Afternoon , > Our subject matter expert Mr. Joseph Gradisher is very busy today but > could speak with you on background about this topic for 5 minutes > around 4 pm. If you wanted to talk more in depth on background with > him we could schedule sometime for next week. Please let me know, thanks. > Original Message > Sent: Friday, April 26, 2019 6:46 AM > Subject: [NonDoD Source] CBS National News Request > Good afternoon, > here from CBS This Morning with Gayle King, Norah > O'Donnell, and John Dickerson. I hope you're doing well. > For an upcoming broadcast, we would like to take a closer look at the > new guidelines proposed by the Navy for unexplained aerial phenomena: > https://www.washingtonpost.com/nationalsecurity/2019/04/24/howangry > gotnavystopdismissingufosightings/?utm_term=.b9ce31bdabd2 > <https://www.washingtonpost.com/nationalsecurity/2019/04/24/howangry > sgotnavystopdismissingufosightings/?utm_term=.b9ce31bdabd2> > I am hoping to speak with a public affairs officer to learn a bit more > about what is being put in place and to see if anyone may be available > for a short interview to explain the importance and significance of > increased study on this matter. > Please let me know if you have any questions about this request. Thank > you for your help. > Sincerely, > Original Message > Sent: Friday, February 22, 2019 12:36 PM > Subject: FW: POLITICO query > Do you know anything about below? > Sent: Friday, February 22, 2019 11:25:15 AM > Subject: FW: POLITICO query > Did OLA give a brief on this? > Original Message > Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2019 12:22 PM >; Gradisher, Joseph F OPNAV, N2N6SE <> > Subject: FW: POLITICO query > Team Please see the below. Can you please check into it? I noticed on a previous OLA weekly there was a brief to some staffers on from a similar sounding program office. Happy to hand this over to whomever is best positioned to > Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2019 3:02 PM > Subject: [NonDoD Source] POLITICO query > Thanks for your help trying to catch this curve ball. > Here is my piece on the original Pentagon program established as a congressional earmark and subsequently wound > https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/12/16/pentagonufosearchharryreid216111 > The Times also covered it at the time: > https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/us/politics/pentagonprogramufoharryreid.html > What I am trying to chase down now are details regarding what I am told was a recent briefing by a twostar admiral to nine senators some members of armed services and some from intel on the these unexplained sightings by military pilots including more recent ones. > I am also told that there is now a formal Navy effort to assess these reports (since the Pentagon office we wrote about is no longer operating) as a part of the growing interest in Congress. > Again, appreciate any help or guidance you can provide. > Happy hunting. > Sent from Mail <> for Windows 10 "There have been a number of reports of unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft entering various military- controlled ranges and designated air space in recent years. For safety and security concerns, the Navy and the USAF take these reports very seriously and investigate each and every report. As part of this effort, the Navy is updating previous guidance and formalizing the process by which reports of any such suspected incursions can be made to the cognizant authorities. A message to the fleet details the steps for reporting each incident. In response to requests for information from Congressional members and staff, Navy officials have provided a series of briefings by senior Naval Intelligence officials as well as aviators who reported hazards to aviation Attributed to Joseph Gradisher, spokesperson for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Joe Gradisher Captain, U.S. Navy (ret) N2N6 Strategic Engagements Subject: CTV News -request for comment on Navy draft on UFO reporting by pilots My name is a reporter from CTV News in Canada and Im hoping to match the statement being given to outlets like Politico and The Washington Post about the U.S. Navy drafting a procedure to investigate and catalogue reports of unidentified flying objects coming in from its pilots. Im hoping to be connected with Joe Gradisher, a spokesman for the office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare. Please let me know who can help! Id like to know: Why was the program going to be put in place? Why is it important that these procedures are in place? Will the reports of the service be made available to the public? If not, why not? Couldnt the Navy theoretically release broad stats about sightings and the results of investigations without disclosing classified information. Former U.S. officials told the Washington Post that with a more formalized, way to investigate reports from pilots, there will be less of a stigma of armed forced of reporting such incidents. Why do you think there was a stigma in reporting it? My number is if its easier to respond by phone. Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2019 12:00 PM Cc: Hicks, Gregory L CAPT USN CHINFO WASHINGTON DC (USA) ; Subject: Queries about UFO Sighting A VT9 instructor pilot has been contacted by NYT and A&E about a potential UFO sighting which occurred in the Atlantic in 2015. He was flying with his WSO from THEODORE ROOSEVELT when they noticed a flying object that had a heat signature that was unlike any aircraft they had seen. The WSOwho now works at the Pentagonhas already spoken to A&E and NYT, and given our guy to them as a potential person who could corroborate his story. We will not to speak to the press...just wondering what guidance you have for us...as weve seen stories recently on this issue. He will not respond until he gets clearance from us. Please advise your thoughts on this query. From: Miller, DeWolfe H VADM USN COMNAVAIRPAC SAN CA (USA) Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 5:03 PM To: Wright, B Lynn SES USN DCNO N2N6 (USA) > Cc: Kohler, Matthew J VADM USN (USA) Gradisher, Joseph F CIV USN DCNO N2N6 (US) ; Reynol ds, Jason A SES USN Subject: RE: WASHINGTON POST followup Query on Politico story good timing. I will be in the building tomorrow and Friday. My Friday meetings end before noon, so Ill have my Aide see if we can align schedules to discuss, or at a minimum, provide me the opportunity to swing by and read the background paper. Thanks and VR Sent with BlackBerry Work (www.blackberry.com) From: Wright, B Lynn SES USN DCNO N2N6 (USA) Date: Wednesday, Apr 24, 2019, 3:34 PM To: Miller, DeWolfe H VADM USN COMNAVAIRPAC SAN CA (USA) Cc: Kohler, Matthew J VADM USN (USA) , Gradisher, Joseph F CIV USN DCNO N2 Subject: FW: WASHINGTO N POST followup Query on Politico story to make sure you are tracking an uptick in press interest in the range fouling activity for Oceana. Politico article came out last night, dealing with WASHPOST and potentially a NY Times article this afternoon. Potentially Fox News Network today as well. U.S. Navy drafting new guidelines for reporting UFOs The service says it has also "provided a series of briefings by senior Naval Intelligence officials as well as aviators who reported hazards to aviation safety." Read in POLITICO: https://apple.news/ARhbdnHIfR3aFQYaC0tevsw Below is our response to the followup questions from the Washington Post. We will send to Jason on JWICS the background paper for your information. B. Lynn Wright ADCNO for Information Warfare (Acting) OPNAV N2N6B From: Stratton, John F (Jay) SES USN NIMITZ OPINTELCEN DC (USA) Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 2:25 PM To: Wright, B Lynn SES USN DCNO N2N6 (USA) Subject: RE: WASHINGTON POST followup Query on Politico story Safety of aircrew is always a paramount concern to the US Navy and the Department of Defense. The wide proliferation and availability of inexpensive unmanned aerial systems (UAS) such as commercially available quadcopters has increasingly made airspace deconfliction an issue for our aviators. In this increasingly complex airspace including both military and civilian aviation environments, the US Navy is proactive in exercising due diligence in investigating any observation in training areas that could affect the safety of our aircrew. Based on this increased airspace complexity, US Navy aircrew were provided with reporting instructions in order to determine the frequency and location of any UAS operating in our training areas. In response to past reports, the US Navy issued guidelines for responses to observations. Based on continued reporting under those guidelines, the US Navy has decided to further develop ways to help better understand the source and nature of the observations. As an example, in 2012 there were a number of lasing events near Naval Air Station Oceana, the US Navy took these hazards to aviation very seriously and working with Law Enforcement identified and prosecuted the individual. While the US Navy acknowledges that these hazards to aviation may be inadvertent or unintended, just as with the lasing events, the US Navy remains vigilant in addressing any and all hazards to aviation. We are currently updating guidelines to be more aircraft specific in order to facilitate reports that support an objective data driven analysis while helping to remove any stigmas from reporting anything unknown in the airspace. Due to the operational and aircraft specific nature of these guidelines, security considerations preclude their disclosure. The US Navy is at the forefront of this effort but works across the Department of Defense to ensure other service partners maintain awareness for the safety of their aircrew. The US Navy is not working with any entities outside of the US government. Military and civilian aviation has always had channels for reporting airspace violations and hazards to aviation safety. However, based on the enhanced guidelines that were implemented reporting became more consistent which lead to our recognition that more specific guidelines were needed. The US Navy continues to operate and train safely throughout the world. From: Wright, B Lynn SES USN DCNO N2N6 (USA) Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 12:25 PM To: Gradisher, Joseph F CIV USN DCNO N2N6 (US) ; Stratton, John F (Jay) SES USN NIMITZ OPINTELCEN DC (USA) Cc: Kohler, Matthew J VADM USN (USA) ; OPNAV ALL N2N6 Front Office ; Hicks, Gregory L CAPT USN CHINFO WASHINGTON DC (USA) Subject: RE: WASHINGTON POST followup Query on Politico story Will have something in the next 90 minutes or so. Make sure the Post understands that we will have good answers that will be helpful for the article. Just need a little Thanks, lynn From: Gradisher, Joseph F CIV USN DCNO N2N6 (US) < Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 12:10 PM To: Wright, B Lynn SES USN DCNO N2N6 (USA) <>; Stratton, John F (Jay) SES USN NIMITZ OPINTELCEN DC (USA) Cc: Kohler, Matthew J VADM USN (USA) ; OPNAV ALL N2N6 Front Office >; Hicks, Gregory L CAPT USN CHINFO WASHINGTON DC (USA) Subject: WASHINGTON POST followup Query on Politico story Not surprisingly, in response to the Politico article, CHINFO has received queries from a number of other media outlets. In response, they provided the statement we used for politico (attached). In the email below to CHINFO, the Washington Post had some followup questions. Can we put together something to responds to the Post? Has the draft guidance been finalized/