Document · D-OC-10
AARO's rules for receiving information covered by nondisclosure agreements, including the contacts with Grusch in November 2023
AARO authorized-disclosure memorandum and «Verbal Legal Advisement» (FOIA 24-F-0266 and 24-F-1138)
All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), Department of Defense · Nov 2023 · USA · FOIA release
Documented provenance
Passages quoted by The Black Vault (article of September 14, 2026) with the FOIA file numbers; the original PDFs were not downloaded in this session.
- What it contains
- According to the passages quoted by The Black Vault: a memorandum establishes that anyone holding UAP information covered by nondisclosure agreements is authorized to provide it to AARO representatives; on November 19, 2023 AARO offered Grusch an interview in a SCIF under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, regardless of the agreements signed; the legal warning read to witnesses specifies that the agreements remain in force after the interview; in an email of November 13, 2023 Grusch argued that talking about UAP activities would also expose conventional SAP missions covered by other classification guides.
- What it shows and what it does not
- It shows that a protected channel for reporting information covered by nondisclosure agreements existed for AARO as early as 2023, before the directive of July 21, 2026 (T-113) and the PURSUE waiver of September 14, 2026 (T-125), and documents the reason Grusch stated for not attending the meeting of November 14, 2023 (S-029, G-049, I-G-02). It does not authorize anyone to speak in public and does not address the merits of the allegations: it is useful for evaluating Grusch's request to waive the agreements and grant immunity (G-065). Omega Click reported on it correctly, citing The Black Vault.
- How it came to light
- Obtained by The Black Vault via FOIA (24-F-0266, published in April 2024; 24-F-1138, released in 2025) and summarized by The Black Vault on September 14, 2026 in comparison with the PURSUE waiver. Omega Click used that article for its own piece of October 14, 2026 on the waiver of nondisclosure agreements.
- The document
- Open the document (theblackvault.com)
Sources
- The Black Vault, “Department of War Issues New UAP Disclosure Waiver, But Similar Protections Already Existed” (September 14, 2026) (analysis)
- The Black Vault, AARO's attempts to hear from Grusch (FOIA documents, April 18, 2024) (analysis)
- Omega Click Insights, “Deroga NDA sugli UAP: il governo apre un canale e ne controlla l'uscita” (October 14, 2026) (other, pro-disclosure)
On this site
People 2
Claims 2
- David Grusch: Calls for releasing from nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) those who have information on UAP and for granting… Hypothesis or opinion
- David Grusch: Claims that AARO contacted him officially only in November 2023, that his email of January 8, 2024 with… Disputed
Inconsistencies 1
Official positions 1
Timeline 3
- Apr 18, 2024: FOIA documents: AARO tried several times to hear from Grusch
- Jul 21, 2026: Presidential directive: confidentiality restrictions lifted for those who speak with AARO
- Sep 14, 2026: The Pentagon relieves from confidentiality restrictions those who report on UAP to PURSUE
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