Inconsistency · I-E-10
“Secretly tasked by the Secretary of Defense”
Weight: Substantial
- First version
- Oct 5, 2017 · According to Garry Reid's memorandum, on the phone Elizondo says that for many years he had been secretly tasked by the Secretary of Defense as head of a program on UFOs and other aerial threats, of which no one at the OUSD(I) was aware. Memorandum for Record by Garry Reid (OUSD(I)), late December 2017 – FOIA 22-F-1322, released April 2, 2024
- Second version
- Dec 2017 · In the same memorandum Reid writes that he discussed the claim with senior officials who should have been aware of it, without finding confirmation, and that to his knowledge Elizondo had no duties tied to AATIP. Memorandum for Record by Garry Reid (OUSD(I)), late December 2017 – FOIA 22-F-1322, released April 2, 2024
- Analysis
- The memorandum is an internal document by an executive who regarded Elizondo as a security problem, and the lack of confirmation does not prove that the assignment did not exist: in a compartmented system, those who are asked may not be informed. The 2017 emails show real contacts with the Secretary's front office, but no public document attests to a multi-year assignment; moreover, in the book Imminent Elizondo recounts that his request to give a briefing to Mattis was rejected, which fits poorly with a direct assignment from the Secretary.
Sources
- Memorandum for Record by Garry Reid (OUSD(I)), late December 2017 – FOIA 22-F-1322, released April 2, 2024 (primary source)
- Memorandum for Record by Garry Reid (OUSD(I)), late December 2017 – FOIA 22-F-1322, released April 2, 2024 (primary source)
On this site
People 1
Claims 2
- Luis Elizondo: In the internal emails he claims to have laid the groundwork for the UAP work with the Secretary of… Partly verified
- Luis Elizondo: According to Reid's memorandum, Elizondo told him on the phone that for many years he had been secretly… Unverifiable
Documents 1
- Garry Reid's memorandum on AATIP and on Elizondo (December 2017) Original available
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UAPgrade's entries are compiled with artificial intelligence (three verifiers with opposing roles) and checked against the sources listed above: how we work. Have a document that changes this entry? Bring it to the Investigations Unit.