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astonishing. As any journalist would, I have relied on official sources, documents released through the Freedom of Information Act, corroborated case reports, physical evidence, and numerous interviews with military and aviation witnesses and government investigators from around the world. I've come to know many of these official witnesses personally, and have no doubt as to the credibility of their accounts, which are almost always corroborated by others. Some have conveyed information, and showed me documents, that must remain off the record because of their sensitivity, and other such documents, provided by very trustworthy sources, cannot be verified or corroborated but are still valuable as background. I have also met, interviewed, and come to know numerous civilian witnesses over the years, regular people from all walks of life, who have impressed me with their sincere and clear accounts of amazing UFO incidents. They, too, have made essential contributions to the search for understanding about the 1 phenomenon. wr 1 My role here is to write as an objective observer, and as a guide. At the same time, I take a position in support of an effort to solve the many unresolved questions about UFOs, rather than ignoring them, and in support of the witnesses and experts who have come forward. In so doing, I'm directly and openly confronting irrational attitudes and misinformation. This means I'm practicing a form of "advocacy journalism," something that I've never objected to and that is the modus operandi for many 1 1 "and to investigative reporters who dig into a story to serve a greater cause. I'm not a "believer" in anything except respect for the facts, even when they don't conform to our established worldview. The UFO issue is so unorthodox that even a straightforward, rational approach can seem as though it's crossed a line into questionable territory. I've done my best to keep all this information clear, logical, and well-documented. That is why much of this book consists of personal accounts from expert investigators and witnesses who will address the UFO issue directly, some for the first time. Through their words, readers will be given firsthand access to the material, and can arrive at their own informed conclusions. These individuals from nine countries are highly trained men who were assigned the daunting job of confronting this phenomenon through intimate investigation, or who directly witnessed it, not by any choice of their own. Some of them have been given access to secret files, insider witnesses, and unfolding case investigations way beyond the reach of any journalist or anyone outside of their closed, privileged world. They are coming forward collectively here, to give all of us access, and to explain what they know about UFOs, in their professional capacity as pilots, government officials, and high-ranking military officers. On a personal level, each one has been transformed in one way or UFOs in America? The answers, on all counts, are nothing short of that is the modus operandi for many