The UFO Phenomenon

Head of Pentagon's UFO office is stepping down after just 18 months

By T.K. Randall
November 9, 2023

Image: The Pentagon
Credit: Touch Of Light / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) According to reports, Kirkpatrick, who took on the role as director of the Pentagon's fledgling UFO investigation office just 18 months ago, is now set to step down in December.

He will be temporarily replaced by his deputy, Tim Phillips, until a new permanent director is found.

"I'm ready to move on," he said. "I have accomplished everything I said I was going to do."

The move has certainly raised a few eyebrows and it is currently unclear exactly what prompted him to step down from the role so soon.

Earlier this year, Kirkpatrick had been at loggerheads with David Grusch - the whistleblower (and former top-level clearance holder at the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force) who made the startling claim that the US government had long been in possession of "intact and partially intact vehicles of non-human origin"."So, Mr. Grusch, since AARO has stood up and since I've been director, has not come to see us and provided any information," Kirkpatrick said.

"To be clear, AARO has yet to find any credible evidence to support the allegations of any reverse engineering program for non-human technology."

Whether or not Grusch had anything at all to do with Kirkpatrick's decision to stand down, however, remains unclear.

"Dr. Kirkpatrick has served the American people with honesty and integrity, tackling an incredibly difficult mission to explain the unknown," said Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks.

"His commitment to transparency with the United States Congress and the American public on UAP leaves a legacy the department will carry forward as AARO continues its mission."

Source: Politico

Tags: UFO, Sean Kirkpatrick