On November 9, 2023, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks issued the following statement about the departure of All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) Director Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick: All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) Director Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick announced that he will retire from federal service in December. During his distinguished 27-year career of public service in the Department of Defense and the United States Intelligence Community, and since assuming leadership of AARO, Dr. Kirkpatrick has served the American people with honesty and integrity, tackling an incredibly difficult mission to explain the unknown. During his tenure, Dr. Kirkpatrick stood up the office…
Author: John Greenewald
Welcome to the FBI Files on American Military Personnel archive at The Black Vault. This section of the website is a repository of documents related to various members of the United States military. Within these files, you’ll find a wealth of information that offers a deeper understanding of the lives, careers, and sometimes the controversies surrounding these individuals who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The documents provide an intriguing look into the FBI’s interactions with military personnel, ranging from high-ranking officers to enlisted service members, across different branches of the military. As you explore this archive, you will…
In May of 2017, a FOIA request was filed by The Black Vault, seeking all emails sent to and from Andrew G. McCabe containing the keyword “Comey” (referring to James Comey) from May 1, 2017, until the date of the request’s processing. That date has not been confirmed, as of yet, but is likely the beginning of 2018. The timeframe of May 2017 stands as a particularly significant period in both FBI history and the broader narrative of American politics, marked by President Trump’s dismissal of James Comey as FBI Director on May 9, 2017. The letter from President Trump…
Background Operation Highjump, officially known as The United States Navy Antarctic Developments Program, 1946–1947, was a significant United States Navy mission initiated shortly after World War II. The primary objective was to establish the Antarctic research base Little America IV. This operation, also referred to as Task Force 68, commenced on August 26, 1946, and concluded in late February 1947. The expedition was a monumental effort involving 4,700 personnel, 13 ships, and a fleet of aircraft which included 33 planes. It was overseen by Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd and represented the largest sea and air operation in Antarctica up…
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office; Susan Gough, Defense Press Operations SUSAN GOUGH: All right. Good afternoon. I’m Sue Gough, for those who don’t know me, from Defense Press Operations. Thank you for coming today to talk about AARO and its website and the launch of the new secure reporting mechanism on the website. When I call on you, please identify yourself and your outlet, because Dr. Kirkpatrick does not know you like we do. For those who are dialed in, please make sure that you mute your phone. We’re going to go for about 30 minutes or so.…