William Puckett named state director for Montana

PictureWilliam Puckett

The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) is pleased to announce that effective immediately William Puckett is State Director for Montana. Mr. Puckett holds his B.A. in biology and his M.S. in atmospheric science from Colorado State. He was employed as a meteorologist with the National Weather Service for three years and the Environmental Protection Agency for 27 years. He retired from government service in 2007. He is a professional member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS).

Mr. Puckett was formerly the MUFON State Director for Montana. He is a certified field investigator for MUFON and has written several technical articles for the MUFON Journal. He also spoke at the International MUFON Symposium in July of 2008 on his radar work on the Stephenville, TX “sighting wave” in January of 2008. He has been a guest on many talk show radio programs, interviewed for some TV programs, and was recently interviewed on an Arts and Entertainment channel “Paranormal State” program titled “First Contact.”

Mr. Puckett relocated to Montana in August 2011 and currently resides in Helena, MT.


August 15th, 2018

The Excellence in Ufology Award 2018 was given to Luis D. Elizondo, left, on stage here with Executive Director Jan C. Harzan.

The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) announced their annual Crystal and Appreciation Awards at the 2018 Symposium. 

Crystal Awards

1. Field Investigator of the Year – Robert Spearing
2. Volunteer of the Year – Linda Flechtner
3. Chapter of the Year – Washington State, (Maurene Morgan SD)
4. International Chapter of the Year – France
5. Excellence in Ufology –  Luis D. Elizondo

Appreciation Awards
 
1. David MacDonald – For Outstanding International Business Development and Growth of International Membership and Chapters.

2. Chuck Reever – For Outstanding Service on International Investigations.

3. John Gagnon – For Outstanding Service to Quality Field Investigations. Form 30 Education.

4. Katie Griboski – For Outstanding Service for the implementation of the MUFON Archive Research and Reporting System – MARRS.

 5. Tomas Karlsson –  For Outstanding Service for the implementation of the Mobile version of the MUFON Case Management System.

6. Roger Marsh – For Excellence in the Creation of the first MUFON Cases of Interest Book for Sale Worldwide.


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David MacDonald – For Outstanding International Business Development and Growth of International Membership and Chapters.

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Tomas Karlsson – For Outstanding Service for the implementation of the Mobile version of the MUFON Case Management System.

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Katie Griboski – For Outstanding Service for the implementation of the MUFON Archive Research and Reporting System – MARRS.

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John Gagnon – For Outstanding Service to Quality Field Investigations. Form 30 Education.

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Volunteer of the Year – Linda Flechtner

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Field Investigator of the Year – Robert Spearing

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Chapter of the Year – Washington State, (Maurene Morgan SD)

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International Chapter of the Year – France

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Roger Marsh – For Excellence in the Creation of the first MUFON Cases of Interest Book for Sale Worldwide.

MUFON lists top 13 cases from 2017

The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) released their Top 13 UFO reports from 2017 at their recent annual Symposium in July. The PDF of this publication can be downloaded here – or purchased in print form for $10.

MUFON also released its first edition of UFO Cases of Interest – which offers overviews on 241 reports from 2017 that are worthy of further study. The book also includes a 2017 statistics section – and a four-part index: Location, Object, Site and Witness.

Readers can search for their hometown, county, state or country – as well as hundreds of other ways. You may want to look at the Witness Index to see only pilots who reported, or police officers or someone from the military. Discover the best time to see a UFO. See which states are getting the best sightings. Read only about witnesses who were chased by UFOs. Or cases where the object was under 500 feet. 

If you wish to purchase the Top 13 UFO Reports in print copy for $10, please email HQ@mufon.com to place your order. 

​UFO Cases of Interest can be purchased at Amazon.com. 


MUFON MEMBERS: HELP WANTED

The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) Communications Group is looking for several volunteers in two different overlapping roles – see job descriptions below.

Director of Communications Roger Marsh is generating regional press releases for the recently-released book – UFO Cases of Interest – that include cases specific to one area/region in the U.S. In addition, the email package will include a PDF of part of the book – front and back covers, table of contents, preface, introduction, and sample pages from each section.

We will be working as a team to complete regional marketing – reaching out to print, radio, television and web media in defined areas and emailing out these packets. Each packet will be tailored to their region.

Media Contact Editor – Would follow Roger’s regional market list (35 to 50) and generate an email list of the best print, radio, television and web media contacts. Each contact would include a Media Outlet Name, Media person name, Mailing address, email address, and a telephone number. Roger will create the individual packages going out – and this editor will create the email contact list. Hoping to do about three markets weekly. 

Media Follow-Up Editor – Would watch Roger’s emailed market list – and follow up within 7 days with each person to ask if they received it; and if they require additional information or personal interviews with (a) Executive Director Jan Harzan; (b) Director of Investigations Chase Kloetzke; or (c) State Director from their market area who can comment directly on the cases outlined.

All three team members would use a Google Shared Document – an Excel Sheet – that outlines the markets – allowing for the Follow-Up Editor to list follow-up comments; and providing links to where media published. 

This is an important media project for MUFON in 2018 that acts as a vital fundraiser. We can assign more than one person to the above job descriptions – where we assign you a specific marketing region. We are also looking for a national media contact list as well – as we have some interesting insight from the book that is not region-specific. This is an exciting opportunity to make a difference in MUFON. 

Please get in touch directly with Roger Marsh at editor@mufon.com. Must be a member of MUFON to participate. 

Past featured news generated from UFO Cases of Interest include:

  • Best time to see a UFO? Get your flashlights out
  • Statistically speaking: Iowa is a UFO hot spot
  • Indiana UFO witnesses observe low-flying crafts
  • Scary UFO stories: Objects chasing witnesses
  • UFO watch list: Objects ejecting smaller objects
  • Under 500 Feet: UFOs as big as football fields​

When Disaster Strikes

Natural Disasters in the United States

hurricane Katrina disaster

While the United States is one of the most sought-after places in the world to live, one of the major drawbacks to living here is the number of natural disasters. While the U.S. has some of the most beautiful weather, Mother Nature has played some nasty tricks over the years. From hurricanes to tornadoes to blizzards, the U. S. has run the gamut with weather and extraterrestrials.

There have been so many natural disasters over the years that it is difficult to pinpoint the “worst of the worst”. Some of these natural occurrences claimed many lives; some destroyed numerous homes and buildings that displaced thousands of people. And when comparing them, it is challenging to definitively state that one was worse than another; back when some of these disasters occurred, the same safety regulations were not in effect. Technology and time have given us the tools to prepare for these natural disasters in ways our ancestors never could. Not to mention that amount of alien sightings that have happened from California to New York.

While the United States is one of the richest nations in the world, there are still limited measures we can take when faced with a storm or catastrophe. What is unusual about the U.S., as well, is that we have experienced every kind of natural disaster known to man; not all countries share in that alarming distinction but thankfully, as a nation, we are able to help one another in times of distress, and we band together to rebuild. But what if there were aliens living among us, what role would they play in all of this? Could they be so intelligent and powerful that they could manipulate the weather system from beyond our skies? Could these be coordinated attacks internally from extraterr-terrorists?

storm and survival shelter2017 was one of the most horrific years in record for storms in the United States. Not only did we endure the wrath of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, but we lost over a million acres to wildfires in California. We also saw a major snow and ice storm that affected even the Southern states. Overall, not a good year from a meteorological standpoint. The tornadoes that ripped through the midwest left many without homes and others stranded trying to take shelter from the storm. Could these shelters also double as survival bunkers during an alien invasion? I think they could if stocked properly with the right food and equipment.

While the 2017 hurricanes brought destruction their way, the hurricane that stands out to most people when you mention the “worst” is Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina hit the Bahamas, then travelled up to Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee. Louisiana and Mississippi took the worst hits, and this storm was the costliest ever in financial terms. The surge of water flooded the low-lying areas, breaking the levees and flooding over 80 percent of New Orleans, stranding thousands and killing just as many. The aftereffect of the damage lingered, with many areas never recovering and people moving to other cities.

When people think of earthquakes, usually California springs to mind. Home of the San Andreas fault, California is situated in a precarious spot, with many predicting the “big one” to hit at any time. Back in 1906, the now-infamous San Francisco earthquake hit, registering 7.9 on the Richter scale. In some areas of town, the ground shifted as much as 20 feet, causing immense damage. Over 3000 people died in this earthquake, due to the destruction and the fire that started as a result of the earthquake.

One of the most devastating tornadoes ever to hit the U.S. was in 1925, the “Tri-State” tornado. The deadliest tornado in U.S. history, killing almost 700 people across three states, this tornado continued for over three hours, in a day and age that had no advance warning system in place. Its devastation was widespread and it completely destroyed several towns that day, some to never be rebuilt.

So what’s a little snow falling from the sky? Usually, it’s not a big deal, but when it dumps 40-50 inches of the stuff, it can become deadly. In 1888, the Eastern states were hit with a huge snowstorm that left over 400 people dead. The heat can be detrimental, too, and the U.S. has suffered through its fair share of heat waves. Just recently, in 2012, cities in the nation hit their highest recorded temperatures, with people suffering through 100-plus degree heat. Equally as devastating was the heat wave of 1936, which took 5000 lives and caused major crop damage. The high temperatures of this summer have only been surpassed by the record temperatures of 2012.

Not including flooding from hurricanes, one of the most massive floods ever experienced in the U.S. was the Mississippi River flood in 1927. After solid rains caused the Mississippi River to overflow, levees broke, 500 people lost their lives and part of Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana all suffered flooding. The result of this devastation was the U.S. government built an advanced system of floodways and levees.

Oftentimes, with torrential downpours, another natural disaster takes place. After weeks of intense rain, Washington state lost 43 people to an unexpected mudslide when a hill collapsed, destroying 49 homes. With limited vegetation to stop the mud, the hill came crashing down with such force it threw cars through homes, causing massive damage. Along those same lines, the U.S. has even lost people in an avalanche, not something you would associate with American weather disasters. In 1910, Washington state, again, lost 93 lives during a blizzard in Wellington. A foot of snow fell each hour, building and building on the side of Windy Mountain. A lightning strike hit a ten-foot chunk of snow, causing it to tumble down the mountain, smashing into the town below. After this tragedy, Wellington renamed its town to Tye.

mt st helens blows

Poor Washington State suffered another natural disaster in May 1980 when a volcano at Mt. Saint Helens erupted. Several small earthquakes on May 18, 1980 caused the volcano to erupt, spewing ash to over eleven states. Volcanic mudslides rolled down the mountain, killing 57 people, and causing widespread damage nearly fifty miles to the south of the mountain.

One of the deadly natural disasters to ever hit the U.S. was the Dust Bowl, otherwise known as the drought of “The Dirty Thirties”, which lasted an entire decade. After the Civil War, many new, inexperienced people tried their hand at farming and they plowed the natural grasslands down to plant wheat.  When the Great Depression hit, people plowed down more land hoping to grow crops; just the opposite happened. With no grasslands to keep the soil down, it started to blow away, causing a “dust bowl.” A drought followed, causing the dry soil to blow as far as the Eastern seaboard, and rendering the farmland useless.  Many people died breathing in the dust, called the “brown plague” or the moved to other regions of the country, as depicted in the Steinbeck book “The Grapes of Wrath”.

The United States has suffered through many types of natural disasters, but with new warning systems, and storm preparedness, the loss of life has been curtailed from the disasters of yesteryear. Since it is difficult to determine when Mother Nature will strike again, being prepared is the best defense.

Craig r. lang passing

Craig R. Lang

It is with shock and great sadness that we must report to you of Craig R. Lang passing on February 19, 2018, in Phoenix, Arizona. Many of us saw Craig recently at the IUFOC in Phoenix and he appeared to be in good health although suffering from a cold.

Jan Harzan spoke to his sister, Mary, and she informed him that he was apparently suffering from a streptococcus bacterial infection that turned septic extremely quickly. Craig went to the ER at 8:30 p.m. that day under his own power and was in a coma by morning. Now he is gone.

This is a big loss for all of us who knew and worked with Craig. Please send your positive thoughts and prayers to Craig’s family.

MUFON BIO

Craig R. Lang is a certified hypnotherapist with the National Guild of Hypnotists and the owner of Explore with Hypnosis. His hypnotherapy practice is located in Coon Rapids, MN (an inner-ring suburb of Minneapolis). In addition to hypnotherapy, he is the Minnesota assistant state director for the Mutual UFO Network, which researches UFO sightings, anomaly reports and close encounters worldwide.

He has published articles in the MUFON UFO Journal, the CUFOS International UFO Reporter, The Edge, and many other publications. He is the author of two books on UFOs, The Cosmic Bridge, Close Encounters and Human Destiny, and The Other Side of the Sky, The Cosmic Bridge Companion, exploring the enigma of UFOs, science and the paranormal. What is our relationship with our visitors from out there? How might that relationship be evolving over time?

His other interests are astronomy, parapsychology, creative writing, spirituality and meditation, plus various outdoor sports.


new Director of Field Investigator Training announced

Keeping with the international stature of MUFON, we are pleased to announce our new Director of Field Investigator Training, Ryan Stacey.

Ryan is a certified Private Investigator and President and C.E.O. of Black Light Investigative and Surveillance Services. He is also Provincial Director for Ontario, Canada; works on the International CAG, and is a STAR Team member. 

Ryan has been involved in the UFO/Paranormal field for a number of years and has been featured on television, lectured at a number of conferences (Alien Cosmic Expo, MUFON Canada Conference), and has been published in the MUFON Journal. Outside of MUFON, he served in the Canadian Armed Forces from 2015 to 2017 – Reserve Force Infantry. He brings a well rounded resume and set of skills to his new role in MUFON.

Ryan will be looking for your help as he continues the great work begun in moving our FI Training into the 21st Century and beyond. His first order of duty will be administering MUFON University, and overseeing FI Training at the 2018 MUFON Symposium. Please join us in welcoming Ryan to his new role.


New Director of Research Announced

Christopher Cogswell

The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) is pleased to announce Christopher Cogswell as Director of Research. 
 
Chris received his PhD in Chemical Engineering focusing on the study of nanomaterials for use as catalysts and adsorbents from Northeastern University. He has a bachelors degree in  chemical engineering and philosophy from the University of New Hampshire. He hosts a podcast on the history and philosophy of science and fringe science claims, and is interested in how technologies and sciences are accepted by societies. 
 
Chris hopes to bring a seriousness and strong research focus to this field, as well as look at the questions posed by these phenomena from angles previously not focused on by the UFO research community. He currently resides in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with his wife.
 
Please join MUFON in congratulating Chris on his appointment as MUFON Director of Research.


Storm Damage

Lighting Storm Strikes My Roof

lightning strikes my roofArizona didn’t experience a very active storm season. Monsoon season runs through the summer months for those of you out of state. There was little rainfall and no epic lighting storms. Well, the little storm that just rolled through here might have made up for the off season. In Arizona when lighting strikes it’s an amazing experience if you are near the point of contact. The entire sky lights up like an alien ship is depending upon you, the rumble from the thunder can sound as if a ship is hovering over head. That is what just happen to me as I dozed off in my lazy boy recliner. There was a massive crack that woke me, but the low rumble of thunder made me wonder if I was dreaming. The frequency level it was on truly made me feel like I was either dreaming or there was an alien ship hovering near in the Arizona sky. I sat up and looked around, the dogs were near and probably had been for the time I was sleeping through the storm. As I gathered my thoughts I heard another crack and the lighting appeared to have struck my rooftop, at least that is what I had thought. With solar panels and satellite dishes connected to the roof there were plenty of metal objects for the lightning to interact with. I thought for sure that I was going to have to hire a roofing contractor. As the storm passed though I made my way up to the roof to inspect the damage. There were some lose shingles from the heavy winds and rains but nothing had been struck by lighting as far as I could tell. I nailed down the lose shingles that were visible and made my way back down the ladder before another round of this storm rolled through. I remember in college I had caught an Arizona monsoon on my cell phone and was blown away by the vibrant and violent ways of an Arizona lightning storm. They are much different then what I are up with and seem to truly hover overhead. Had I been intoxicated, today’s storm would have definitely been an alien invasion! A few glasses of wine and my mind would have gone there. But instead, it took the boring route and concluded it was a thunderstorm. I’ll keep my eyes on the evening skies though just incase.

mufon executive director discusses secret ufo program

Please join MUFON’s Executive Director Jan C. Harzan at “The Infinite Fringe” radio show.  Jan discusses the recent revelations of a secret UFO program at the pentagon and the recent wave of UFO related news coverage by the main stream media. We also discuss Tom Delonge’s involvement as a spokes person of sorts for the government.Is this a step closer to disclosure? Or are there other agendas to be served. Stevie Richards of the Conspiracy Horsemen joins the panel to help us make sense of all the recent news. 

​Listen to the show here