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NEWS ADVISORY

FUND FOR UFO RESEARCH, P.O. Box 277, Mt. Rainier, MD 20712

RELEASE DATE MARCH 23, 1999

For additional information, contact:

Don Berliner, 703/684-6032

Richard Hall, 301/779-8683

JOINT STATEMENT ON SOM-01-1 MANUAL PURPORTING TO CONFIRM MJ-12

The SOM-01-1 manual arrived in the mail to Don Berliner as a roll of film from an anonymous source. This immediately raises suspicions, since there is no identifiable source whose veracity and reputation can be checked and no original documents that can be subjected to forensic analysis. The manual has been carefully examined by the undersigned parties, whose collective experience includes military service in all three major branches; processing and handling of highly classified military documents; analysis and reporting on Government documents of various types; historical scholarship; and extensive knowledge of military, government, and UFO affairs. (See brief biographies, appended.)

We believe this to be a hoax document; a deliberate fake designed to mislead the public and to plant false information in the UFO research community by person or persons whose motives are unknown. Deliberately planted false information ("disinformation") such as this forces investigators to waste their time checking on its validity rather than on more productive efforts. Our general reasons for concluding that the manual is a hoax are outlined below (for more specific details, contact the individuals):

(1) Documents and materials with high classifications have special provisions attached to them to ensure the ability to trace them at all times and to verify their integrity, until they are destroyed or declassified. The security markings on the SOM 01-1 document do not conform to required security procedures established for all agencies by presidential executive orders. In some instances they are totally contrary to established security procedures. No internal evidence exists in the document to show that proper accountability was exercised by the document's custodians.

(2) The inclusion of some accurate information has been cited as proof of authenticity, whereas it could equally well be interpreted as a cut-and-paste job to lend an air of authenticity. Partially legitimate but altered UFO-related documents are already known to exist.

(3) The content of the manual is strikingly inappropriate for its stated purpose. A field manual for dealing with crashed craft and alien bodies would have no reason to include (a) information on UFO history, (b) a chart of UFO types, (c) information concerning radar detection of UFOs, (d) a list of natural and artificial aerial phenomena which can be mistaken for UFOs.

(4) Military manuals of this type establish standards and define tasks which must be performed to accomplish the mission. The manual fails to establish such standards and is completely silent on personnel qualifications and equipment requirements. Furthermore, the methods of recovery and site security described in the manual are inadequate and tactically unsound. Regulations, materials, and training publication references cited are grossly inadequate or completely missing.

The undersigned parties take UFO reports seriously and advocate thorough scientific investigation. However, when it comes to analysis of 2nd and 3rd and nth generation copies of documents, forensic analysis is almost impossible. Content analysis already has shown serious problems with MJ-12 related documents.

The only way SOM 01-1 and other alleged "documentary proof" of MJ-12 could conceivably be authenticated would be by locating a documentary paper trail of certifiably original documents in government archives, or in private papers of important people. Even then, allegedly authentic documents would need to be subjected to forensic examination to determine such things as the age of the paper. And document experts would need to examine them for internal accuracy and style. Given the track record of fake documents and shoddy scholarship, rigorous peer review is essential.

\signed\

Jan L. Aldrich, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, retired. Intelligence NCO (and Acting S-2) in European Theater; Security Manager, Top Secret Control Officer, Cosmic Top Secret Control Officer, Communications Security (COMSEC) Custodian, Classified Document Custodian, and Nuclear Release Authentication System. Familiar with protocols for establishing tactical bivouac areas with exclusion areas, operational security, and nuclear weapon accident/incident operations during field deployments. Fort Sill, Okla., Directorate of Training Development, analyzing and developing training manuals and materials.

Donald L. Berliner, aviation writer and historian. Chairman, Fund for UFO Research. Former U.S. Air Force communications specialist with "crypto" security clearance. Newspaper reporter-photographer, and Capitol Hill correspondent for group of scientific newsletters. Staff member, National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena, 1965-1968.

Thomas P. Deuley, Lt. Commander, U.S. Navy, retired. Served 14 years in the naval Nuclear Power and Naval Submarine Weapons program. Seven years as a Naval Cryptologic Officer. One year as a Communications Officer in charge of a 24-hour secure communications facility. Six years as a Communications Security (COMSEC) Custodian, Collections Officer, Analyst, and Auditor, and finally as a COMSEC electronics engineer.

Richard H. Hall, writer and editor. Former Chairman, Fund for UFO Research. Retired from Congressional Information Service; duties included analyzing and abstracting government documents and reports. Familiarity with Federal Government agencies and activities. Extensive knowledge of all aspects of UFO history. Former Acting Director, National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena.

Mark Rodeghier, PhD, sociology. Consultant in survey research, statistical analysis, and research design. Scientific Director, J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies. Extensive UFO research experience, including participation in investigation of the Roswellcase, and collection and analysis of government documents.

Note: Additional signers may be added at a later date.

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