Fear of the unknown can lead to a variety of unfortunate paths: Isolation, ridicule and embarrassment are the first three that come to mind. But it can also eventually lead to a path of understanding and knowledge. It is the latter path that Luis Elizondo, a former counterintelligence officer for the U.S. Department of Defense, has chosen to embark on, which is followed in Unidentified: Inside America’s UFO Investigation.
The new series, which airs on History Channel, interviews both military and civilian eyewitnesses, who describe their encounters with unidentified flying objects. Elizondo knows how to get to the truth, as he previously took over the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program investigating military encounters with UFOs while working at the Pentagon. After spending 10 years investigating military encounters with UFOs and dealing with layers of bureaucracy, regardless of the administration, he retired to go public with his findings rather than continue the military cover-up. His new purpose in life: to expose the truth about UFOs. This is not a show devoted to conspiracy theories. He seeks rational answers to explain the unexplained.
The series premiere, “The UFO Insiders,” introduced the cold case which Elizondo had personal experience working on, as well as his network of connected power players. A mysterious encounter with something not of this planet has haunted multiple U.S. Navy officers who were engaged in routine training operations in international waters not far from Southern California. The Tic Tac Incident, as it is commonly referred (because the flying ship was shaped like the popular breath mint), has led Elizondo to investigate a series of encounters surrounding a magnetic anomaly off the coast of Baja California. Is it possible these unusual flying objects of unknown origin are actually unidentified submersible objects, or USOs? Through three episodes, there’s been enough evidence gathered to surmise we are definitely not alone. But is the truth really out there?
Tom Delonge, the former Blink-182 musician who quit the rock band in order to find a legit, high-ranking group of officials to disclose the truth to the public, joins Elizondo on a similar mission. National security is important in this fact-finding campaign and no classified information is ever discussed. In fact, key eyewitnesses are blacked out in order to keep their identities secret, because they’re still employed by the military. The entire show is believable and engaging as a boots-on-the-ground type of reality show. With its event recreations, this show feels less bizarre than Ancient Aliens and more like an extension of Project Blue Book, although still unusual, real and controversial.
The hunt for getting more on-the-record accounts of the paranormal will hopefully lead the team to getting more information declassified, much like the actual U.S. Navy pilot videos from the 2004 incident taking place at 20,000 feet that were released to the public. After serving his country and dealing with possible extraterrestrial threats, only to be later called crazy keeps Luis going on his journey. I look forward to watching him and others fighting the future of ignoring clear-cut facts. The truth is out there, somewhere, and this Investigation is far from complete.