There is a bipartisan push in Congress to find out once and for all: Are we alone? It isn’t a philosophical query, but a demand to disclose any information the U.S. government has been gathering on unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP), also popularly known as UFOs. Last December, as part of the omnibus spending and coronavirus-relief package, Congress stipulated a report conducted by multiple agencies must be handed over this month with detailed analysis of UAP sightings by U.S. military members. Luis “Lue” Elizondo is the former director of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), an unpublicized U.S. government program created in 2007 committed to the investigation of UAPs. Elizondo joins Jacqueline Alemany, author of the “Power Up” newsletter and congressional correspondent, on Tuesday, June 8 at 3:30pm ET.
Highlights
Luis “Lue” Elizondo
Provided by Luis Elizondo.
I’m the son of a Cuban immigrant father who was a dissident of the Castro regime. My father spent time as a political prisoner for his involvement in the Bay of Pigs. I grew up in South Florida and, as a young man, I was often exposed to my father’s efforts in helping change the political situation in Cuba.
Later, I attended the University of Miami, with double majors in Microbiology and Immunology and minors in Chemistry. I also gained advanced research experience in Parasitology and certain tropical diseases such as Malaria and Trypanosomiasis.
My goal with these degrees was to enter the medical field. During my research experience I was tangentially exposed to government agencies that were interested in biological research and intelligence. It was at this point I decided to pursue a career in intelligence and realized my true passion. I also decided to enlist in the U.S. Army.
During my short tenure in the U.S. Army, I had the honor and privilege to serve in various assignments. As a Counterintelligence Special Agent, I was assigned to the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and later, throughout America’s Southwest. As a young Agent, I conducted counterespionage investigations, provided technology protection of advanced aerospace systems and platforms, supported U.S./Russia Treaties (Open Skies & START-II), and conducted routine security background investigations.
Shortly thereafter, I was recruited into a Special Activities Program with the Department of the Army. This led me to new assignments throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. As an Intelligence Operations Officer, my responsibilities included oversight of sensitive source operations, counter-insurgency missions, and support to counter-narcotics.
Immediately following the aftermath of the attacks on September 11th, I spent the following years working alongside our brave men and women in uniform in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
In these environments, I worked with the full spectrum of U.S. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies, focusing our efforts along with Special Operations to identify and defeat terrorist organizations. In this environment I was able to work within a multi-national effort supporting the global war on terror.
After several assignments in the Middle East, I was assigned to Washington D.C. as the Overseas Investigations Desk Officer. There I had the responsibility of managing foreign intelligence and terrorist investigations worldwide. Over the next several years, I worked within a variety of intelligence agencies and organizations.
In 2008 I was asked to be part of the now-famous Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP). In 2010, as a Staff member for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), I assumed the lead role for this endeavor. Our mission was to conduct scientific-based, intelligence investigations of incursions by Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) into controlled U.S. airspace.
In 2017, with a heavy heart, I resigned from my position inside the Pentagon in an effort to raise awareness of the UAP issue. The decision to resign was based on my sense of loyalty to the Secretary and my beloved Department, in order to dismantle the bureaucratic silos and stovepipes hindering the conversation about this important topic.
In 2017, I joined a private company comprised of former intelligence officers, engineers, scientists, and an entertainer to advocate UFO/UAP transparency. This effort provided us a platform to engage U.S. Congressional leadership, Executive level policy makers, and the media.
In early 2018, I began working with A&E’s History Channel to help expose the truth about the phenomena on the television series UNIDENTIFIED: Inside America’s UFO Investigation. This collaboration allowed several of my colleagues and I to raise awareness of UFOs/UAPs while showcasing the investigative process and legitimizing the science behind our work. In this series, I was both a Host and Technical Producer.
In late 2020, I decided to focus on disclosure advocacy at the global level…and this is where our journey begins!
In my personal time, I enjoy spending time with my family and experiencing new cultures and the process of learning new perspectives on all aspects of society.
My passion involves anything having to do with science and trying to uncover the hidden language of the universe.
I spend much of my free time with my family and our two beloved German Shepherds, Paris and Hercules, and hiking the trails in the mountains.
I also enjoy stargazing with friends and family over a warm bonfire.
I am a staunch supporter of individual freedoms.
I’m an inventor holding multiple patents in marine transportation and I’m a classic car enthusiast.
My greatest accomplishments are my two daughters.
I’m also a champion of veteran groups and a supporter of animal rights.
My hope for the future is to engage more people and learn from each other, based on our varied backgrounds, unique experiences, and rich diversity