What do you think about the claims of official US government interactions with NHI (non-human/alien) technology and even contact with 'off world' races?
Recently there has been a resurgence in one of the most enduring mysteries of UFO lore: a shadowy group allegedly known as Majestic 12 (MJ-12) and the incredible documents said to be their operational handbook.
For myself, I treat these topics with skepticism and as entertaimment, but I have to admit part of me hopes we are not alone in the universe.
If any of it is true, though, these documents could change our understanding of history and our place in the universe.
What is Majestic 12?
Majestic 12 was supposedly a top-secret committee of high-ranking military officials, scientists, and intelligence experts. It's claimed that this group was established by a secret executive order from U.S. President Harry S. Truman in September 1947.
The story goes that following the famous alleged UFO crash near Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947, the U.S. government needed a way to manage and investigate UFO phenomena and any potential extraterrestrial contact, all while keeping it strictly hidden from the public and even other parts of the government.
Majestic 12 controlled classified projects on alien communication and UFO research. The Daily Mail, reporting on this group, even claims they reported to the CIA that they'd succeeded in finding alien life.
The article states that on April 25th, 1964, a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer met with two aliens in the New Mexico desert, following up on communications established five years earlier in 1959 using a 'binary code' sent by radio.
The Mysterious Arrival of the "MJ-12 Documents"
If Majestic 12 was so secret, how do we even know about it, or these alleged documents? The story of their emergence is as intriguing as their content.
- The First Leak (1984): UFO researcher and television producer Jaime Shandera reportedly received an anonymous package in December 1984. It contained a roll of 35mm film. When developed, the film revealed what appeared to be classified documents, including a briefing memo for President Eisenhower dated September 18, 1947, detailing President Truman's formation of Majestic 12 to handle UFO-related activities after Roswell.
- Going Public (1987): Shandera shared these documents with fellow UFO researchers Bill Moore and Stanton Friedman. After years of analysis, Moore and Friedman released them publicly at a UFO conference in 1987.
- The Operations Manual Surfaces (1994): A crucial document, and the focus of much discussion, is the "SOM1-01: Majestic 12 Group Special Operations Manual for Extraterrestrial Entities and Technology, Recovery and Disposal." This manual allegedly surfaced in 1994, again via an anonymous package of 35mm film, this time mailed to UFO researcher Don Berliner. Dated April 1954, this document appeared to be a detailed field guide for MJ-12 operatives.
Are These Documents Real?
Before we look at what this manual supposedly contains, it's important to ask: how legitimate is this? The way these documents appeared raises a LOT of red flags, or at least, questions.
Even folks who find the content fascinating, agree this could be a very sophisticated disinformation campaign.
Governments are well known to create and leak false information to confuse adversaries or mislead the public.
Project Blue Book, a real U.S. Air Force study of UFOs, did exist, so the idea of government interest isn't far-fetched. However, disinformation often works by mixing genuine information with falsehoods. So, even if parts are fabricated, other parts might hold some truth.
Why would a super-secret group of only 12 (or so) individuals need such a detailed, written manual?
Let's look at what is inside the "Majestic 12 Special Operations Manual."
Chapter 1: Project Purpose and Goals
This section reportedly outlines the core mission:
- Handle "unidentified flying objects, extraterrestrial technology and entities."
- "very highest national security" classification, supposedly two levels above Top Secret, termed "Magic Eyes Only."
- The potential impact on the public
- danger of advanced recovered technology falling into the hands of unfriendly foreign powers.
- official government position is that no special group like MJ-12 exists, and no information is to be released to the public press.
- allegedly established by special classified presidential order on September 24, 1947, recommended by Secretary of Defense James Forrestal and Dr. Vannevar Bush.
- responsible only to the President of the United States.
- Goals:
- Recover all materials and devices of foreign or extraterrestrial origin for scientific study, using "any and all means deemed necessary."
- Recover all non-terrestrial entities or their remains.
- Establish special teams and secure secret facilities within the U.S. for processing, analysis, and study of these materials and entities.
- Conduct covert operations with the CIA to recover extraterrestrial technology or entities that might fall into foreign hands.
- Maintain "absolute top secrecy" concerning all operations.
"Current Situation" in 1954
Threat Assessment: ET technology "far surpasses anything known to modern science," yet their presence seemed "benign," and they appeared to be "avoiding contact with our species."
Recoveries: Several dead entities and substantial wreckage from downed craft were reportedly under study.
No Official, Direct Contact from E.T.s: even though one crash was "the result of direct military action." (!)
Priority Concern: The greatest threat was seen as foreign powers acquiring and studying this recovered technology.
Chapter 2: Scope
This part of the manual defines key terms:
- Extraterrestrial Technology:
- Aircraft not made in the U.S. or by any known foreign power, generally known as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). These might have various shapes and "extraordinary flight characteristics."
- Objects and devices of unknown origin or function, made with materials or processes beyond current science.
- Wreckage of aircraft thought to be extraterrestrial, possibly from accidents or "military action."
- Extraterrestrial Biological Entities (EBEs): "Creatures, humanoid or otherwise, whose evolutionary processes... are demonstrably different from those postulated or observed in Homo sapiens."
Alien Craft
Elliptical or Disc Shape:
- Metallic, dull aluminum color, like two pie pans pressed together, possibly with a raised dome.
- No visible seams, giving a one-piece construction look.
- Size: 50 to 300 feet in diameter.
- Equipped with lights on top, bottom, and rim, not visible when at rest.
- Landing gear: Three extendable legs with circular pads.
- A rectangular hatch on the equator or lower surface.
Fuselage or Cigar Shape:
- Extremely rare reports.
- Air Force radar indicated they are approximately 2,000 feet long and 95 feet thick. (For perspective, the World Trade Centers were about 1,300-1,400 feet tall).
- Do not operate in the lower atmosphere.
- Radar reports indicated speeds over 7,000 mph.
- Do not engage in the "violent and erratic maneuvers" of smaller types, suggesting they might be larger carrier-type craft.
Ovoid or Circular Shape (Ice Cream Cone):
- Shaped like an ice cream cone, rounded at the large end, tapering to a near point.
- 30 to 40 feet long.
- Extremely bright light at the pointed end; usually travels point down.
- Appearance can vary from round to cylindrical depending on the viewing angle. Is this shape might be the origin of the "weather balloon" cover story?
Airfoil or Triangular Shape:
- Believed to be "new technology" due to the rarity and recency of observations (in 1954).
- Radar indicates a triangular profile, with the longest side being nearly 300 feet.
- Capable of high speeds and abrupt maneuvers.
- Many in ufology believe triangular craft are human-made, seeing as we are usually decades behind knowing about the latest stealth aircraft.
Extraterrestrial Biological Entities (EBEs)
Recovered EBEs came in two types based on crash retreivals:
EBE Type 1:
- Humanoid, might be mistaken for humans of Asian descent from a distance.
- Height: 5 feet to 5 feet 4 inches. Weight: 80-100 lbs.
- Cranium somewhat larger and more rounded than humans.
- Skin: Pale, chalky yellow, thick, slightly "pebbled" in appearance.
- Eyes: Small, wide-set, almond-shaped, brownish-black irises, very large pupils. Whites of eyes have a pale gray cast.
- Ears: Small, set low. Nose: Thin and long. Mouth: Wider than humans, nearly lipless.
- No apparent facial hair; very little fine body hair (underarm and groin).
- Body: Thin, no apparent body fat, but well-developed muscles.
- Hands: Small, four long digits, no opposable thumb (but outside digit is "nearly opposable"). No webbing.
- Legs: Slightly bowed. Feet: Somewhat splayed and proportionally large.
EBE Type 2:
- Humanoid, but different from Type 1.
- Height: 3 feet 5 inches to 4 feet 2 inches. Weight: 25-50 lbs (much smaller).
- Head: Proportionally much larger than humans or Type 1, cranium larger and elongated.
- Eyes: Very large, slanted, nearly wrap around the side of the skull. Black with no white showing.
- No noticeable brow ridge; skull has a slight peak over the crown.
- Nose: Two small slits high above a slit-like mouth. No external ears.
- Skin: Pale bluish-gray, darker on the back, very smooth and fine-scaled.
- No hair on face or body. Do not appear to be mammalian.
- Arms: Long in proportion to legs.
- Hands: Three long tapering fingers and a thumb nearly as long as the fingers. Second finger thicker.
- Feet: Small, narrow; four toes joined by a membrane.
- The manual supposedly notes it's uncertain where either type originated, but they likely didn't evolve on Earth and may have come from different planets.
Chapter 3: Recovery
This section is particularly chilling, protocols for handling downed craft (!)
Extreme measures to protect material/craft from public discovery. A "total press blackout" is recommended. If not feasible, cover stories are suggested.
Official policy: UFOs do not exist.
- Option 1: Official Denial: State the government has no knowledge of the event to stop public press investigation. Basically, "gaslight the public."
- Option 2: Discredit Witnesses: Hold witnesses "incommunicado." Discourage them from talking, using "intimidation" if necessary. If they've already spoken to the press, discredit their stories by asserting misinterpretation, hysteria, hallucinations, or hoaxes.
- Option 3: Deceptive Statements: Issue false statements. Acceptable cover stories include meteors, downed satellites, weather balloons, or military aircraft (but not experimental ones, to avoid more curiosity). Toxic spills could also be used to keep people away.
Document the area with photos if possible.
- Check for radiation and toxins.
- Pack and transport material quickly to the nearest secure military facility via covered transport on little-traveled roads.
Complete or Functional Craft:
- Approach with extreme caution due to radiation/electrical discharge risks.
- Only specially trained "MJ-12 Red Team" personnel in protective clothing should approach functional craft.
- Disassemble large craft if possible; otherwise, camouflage them during transport.
Extraterrestrial Biological Entities (EBEs):
- Remove to a top-security facility quickly.
- Prevent contamination by alien biological agents.
- Package dead EBEs in ice to preserve tissues.
- Take live EBEs into custody, remove by ambulance, and make every effort to ensure their survival.
- Minimize personal involvement.
- A contingency plan, "MJ 1949 OP04P78," is mentioned for readiness if public disclosure becomes unavoidable (e.g., a landing in a major city).
- Destination of Recovered Items:
- Aircraft, devices, power plants, fragments, weapons: Area 51 at S4.
- Living Entities: OPNAC BBS01.
- Non-Living Entities: Blue Lab WP61.
- Encounters with Living EBEs:
- Falls under the jurisdiction of MJ-12 OPNAC BBS01 and its special unit.
- Official policy: Such creatures do not exist. No deviation allowed.
- Encounters might be initiated by EBEs (expected at military or obscure locations by mutual agreement) or result from downed craft.
- If EBEs land publicly, the OPNAC team would formulate cover stories.
- Civilian witnesses to be detained and debriefed by MJ-12.
- EBEs to be detained by "whatever means are necessary."
- Medical aid for injured EBEs: Stop bleeding, bandage, splint. No terrestrial medications due to unknown effects.
- Security is paramount: "The loss of EBE life is considered acceptable if conditions or delays to preserve that life in any ways compromise the security of the operation." This means they are authorized to kill an alien if its survival risks exposing the operation.
- The OPNAC team has top priority and authority, by special direction of the President.
Does Any of This Matter?
I guess that depends on how much validity you think these documents have.
Even as someone who enjoys getting elbow deep in this stuff, most of what the community gets excited about does have rational explanations or outright debunking eventually.
That said, if these documents are even partially true, the implications are enormous:
- Government Secrecy: It would mean a level of government secrecy and deception far beyond what most people imagine.
- Advanced Technology: It suggests the government might possess and study technology vastly superior to our own.
- Alien Contact: It would confirm that we are not alone and that interactions have occurred.
- Ethical Questions: The described methods for dealing with witnesses and even EBEs raise serious ethical concerns. Why would such extreme measures be deemed necessary? What could be so "big, so crazy, so important" to justify them?
The fact that a mainstream newspaper, albeit a notorious tabloid, even reported on such files suggests a shift, perhaps a greater willingness to discuss topics previously confined to the fringes.
What do you think?
I don't think we have ever been more cynical and mistrustful of government, even compared to the anti-war 1960s, which is perhaps why this topic is so alluring.
The Majestic 12 documents, and particularly the SOM1-01 Special Operations Manual, are a fascinating and controversial part of UFO lore that just won't go away.
Are they genuine top-secret files accidentally or intentionally leaked? Or are they an elaborate hoax, a piece of clever disinformation designed to mislead or distract?
There's a lot of detail, and some of it aligns with other stories and alleged events in UFO history. However, there are also parts that beg for skepticism.
Whether truth, fiction, or a mix of both, the stubbornly persistent story of Majestic 12 forces us to think about what might be happening behind closed doors and to question the reality we think we know.