The head of the Pentagon's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) decided to retire. The Department of Defense confirmed this and released a statement about the Director Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick's impending departure.
Pentagon's AARO Director Resigns
Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, the head of the Pentagon division investigating unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or unidentified anomalous phenomenon (UAP), is stepping away from his position next month after serving as AARO's head for nearly two years. He announced his resignation in a recent interview with Politico.
He put off his retirement last year to lead AARO. He resigned because he felt he had already achieved his goals, telling the publication that he was "ready to move on."
"I have accomplished everything I said I was going to do," he added.
Despite his impending exit, Kirkpatrick wanted to finish all the tasks. His wish was to wrap up the first volume of the UAP's historical review.
Kirkpatrick previously made headlines when a draft of an academic paper he co-authored with Harvard physicist Dr. Avi Loeb leaked. In the paper, he speculated that UAPs could be alien probes. He clarified that he didn't regret his involvement in the paper and stressed that the best thing that could come out of his job was proving the aliens' existence. He said it would be a better discovery than the alternative idea, which he believed was a bigger issue.
"If we don't prove it's aliens, then what we're finding is evidence of other people doing stuff in our backyard," he said. "And that's not good."
Kirkpatrick previously said that none of the UFO sightings were attributed to foreign activities. However, he expressed concern from a national perspective because indicators were reportedly attributed to foreign activity. There were concerns that the UAP mystery could be an advanced tech from a powerful foreign country as similar sightings were observed to predate the Cold War era.
Kirkpatrick's leadership was characterized by transparency. Lawmakers, witnesses, and UFO enthusiasts previously criticized the government for allegedly keeping things about these rare and controversial phenomena a secret from the public.
Department of Defense Reacts To Sean Kirkpatrick's Resignation
The Department of Defense released a statement related to Kirkpatrick's resignation. The agency supported the physicist and intelligence officer's retirement and acknowledged his 27-year public service career in the Department of Defense and the United States Intelligence Community.
Per the DoD, Kirkpatrick reportedly investigated over 800 unidentified anomalous phenomena cases and led an extensive search for the U.S. government and contractor programs associated with UFOs.
The agency acknowledged Kirkpatrick's dedication to transparency and how it would leave a legacy as AARRO continues its mission. DoD added that the department is well-prepared for future scientific and national security challenges while acknowledging his contributions to the nation.
DoD also expressed gratitude for the scientists' knowledge, determination, and dedication to the country's security and wished Kirkpatrick success in his future endeavors.
Kirkpatrick's deputy, Tim Phillips, will take over his position in the acting role until the Pentagon hires a permanent replacement. The agency is reportedly already searching for the next AARO Director and will publicly announce its decision and the selection once it is accomplished.
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