The head of the Pentagon’s office investigating unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), or UFOs as they are more commonly known, plans to step down from his post in December, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced on Nov. 8.
After nearly a year on the job Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, director of the DoD’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), plans to retire from public service. Kirkpatrick has had a 27-year career in Federal service that spans time at DoD and agencies in the larger U.S. intelligence community.
Kirkpatrick assumed leadership of the AARO in July 2022, when the office was initially established. During his tenure, Kirkpatrick led the office’s operations in investigating more than 800 UAP cases, the office’s extensive search for government and contractor programs associated with UAPs, and establishing the department’s first public-facing website to bring greater transparency to the office’s work.
His tenure as AARO director was also marked by an increased interest in UAPs and possible extraterrestrial life from the public and leaders on Capitol Hill. The most prominent and controversial testimony came from retired Maj. David Grusch, a former Air Force intelligence official. In July 2023, Grusch testified at a House Oversight subcommittee hearing about the existence of “a decades-long program to retrieve and reverse-engineer alien craft.”
Following that testimony, Kirkpatrick adamantly said that AARO had not uncovered any evidence to support Grusch’s claim. Kirkpatrick and his team, however, continued to receive criticism from lawmakers on the “lack of transparency” into UAP reports and sightings.
As a response to the criticism, Kirkpatrick and his team at the AARO undertook several efforts, including launching a long-anticipated online tool for former and current service members and government employees to report UFO incidents.
“His commitment to transparency with the United States Congress and the American public on UAP leaves a legacy the department will carry forward as AARO continues its mission,” DoD said in a statement. “Our department is stronger and better prepared for future scientific and national security challenges because of Sean’s distinguished service to our country.”
DoD, in coordination with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, is in the process of searching for the next AARO director.
In other news, the Pentagon announced that Tim Phillips has been appointed the deputy director of AARO. Phillips will lead the office in an acting role until the Pentagon hires a permanent for Kirkpatrick’s role.
“Phillips brings to AARO his extensive experience in geospatial intelligence collection and mission management, expertise that is critical to enabling DoD and intelligence community components to successfully identify, characterize, and resolve [UAPs],” the department announced in a separate statement.
