Here is a 2009 local Hampton Roads, Virginia, news segment that was done on my personal UFO sighting, as well as a file of UFO reports I obtained from the Virginia Beach Police Department under the FOIA. I later published the reports in 2014 via Amazon and Create Space. wvec/news/local/67620302.html Interesting back story to the segment, the hardest part for me was being succinct with my answers to what is a very complex sighting experience, as well as a very complex topic of ufology in general and to surmise it all in a sound byte. The reporter, a very nice guy, had to go through the description with me several times at the sighting location. He compared my mindset to answers that they usually get from military personnel when recording interviews, in terms of being more long and drawn out in speaking on a subject. Also, the media had to go through the Public Information Officer at the Virginia Beach Police, who was not in the same office as the Custodian of Records who I obtained the files from. So, when the reporter asked the PIO about the reports, he did some research and called back saying the reporting system had been a rumor for years and that they had no UFO files. I found it hilarious, because in another media inquiry for a local newspaper article in 2009 on me and my newly founded UFO club, they talked directly to someone in the Emergency Communications Dispatch Center and they were able to confirm the existence of the files. But, the TV news reporter did tell me that when someone has documents and proof of something as I did, he usually gives them the benefit of the doubt. I suppose being in the media, he gets a lot of people trying to deny something, even in the face of damning evidence and is used to it, but in this case, it was just a hilarious lack of knowledge on the part of the Police PIO. Funny tidbit about the location of the office where we filmed the indoor interview at, it was actually the managers office at the Golds Gym that was right at the edge of the neighborhood where I had my sighting. The reporter knew the manager and he let him use it for the filming. You can actually just barely see some of the gym patrons walking around in the window, all unaware of what topic was being discussed inside and probably for the best I suppose. And on a personal note, this interview was at the beginning of my professional journey into the UFO field. The original air date was in April 2009, although the post date says August on the site. A month later, I became certified as a MUFON Field Investigator and worked some of the backlogged cases in Virginia. About a year later, I became the Assistant State Director for MUFON Virginia and worked to get the state back on the map in completing case investigations. I kept going til spring of 2013, then retired from MUFON to focus on more personal matters. Additionally in June of 2009, I founded the UFO Club of Virginia Beach, as a free and open forum where I could bring in guest speakers to lecture and also allow members to share their experiences each month. The group was a positive success and got media attention in the local newspaper on two occasions. The club was up and running until June of 2013, when again, I decided to retire and focus on more personal matters. I also hosted two UFO conferences here in Virginia Beach in 2010 and 2011 that were a lot of fun. Additionally, I worked with Susan Swiatek, the MUFON Virginia State Director on her conferences at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. Being a one-man show, as well as the other half of a conference, I can say there is a lot of time and effort that goes into the creation of one single event, such as a conference or a recurring event, such as a monthly meeting and I have a lot of respect for individuals who host such events. Also, it is amazing for me to have seen and worked with individuals who conducted volunteer research, investigation and administrative work, on top of having a paid career, family, spouse and personal life.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 12:46:03 +0000
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