INSPECTOR GENERAL
DEPARTMENT 01' D£1'ENSE
•oo ARMY NAVY l:lftiVE
ARUNcrtON. VIRCINIA 22202·2184
Analysis FEB 2 3 1994
an4 !'oll.owup
MEMORA.~UH FOR: SEE DISTRIBUTION
Genoral Ac:c:ounti.nq Offic:a (GAO) Latter Dated
February 9, 1994, •aeccrds Kanaqement Procedur..
Dea.linq with Weather Balloon, Unknown Aircratt, and
similar Crash Xnc:identc~ (GAO Code 701034)-
NQTIFICATlON OF GAO R#VIEW
The DoD Directive 7 650.2 desiqnatas this of'.fice as the
central DoD liaison tor tasking, contro11ing, and monitoring GAO
survey, review, and report activities. The enclosed Information
~heet,describes the specific DoD procedures for taskinq GAO
surveys/reviews and the DoD primary action office (PAO)
responsibilities.
on February 15, 1.994, we received the enclosed official GAO
notif'ication letter on the subject effort. The GAO National.
Secur~ty and Inter.nationa1 Affairs Division (National Security
Analysis) is doinq the work. The review is at tha request of
Repreaentative steven H. Schitt (R-NM) •
Representative Schiff requested the GAO review two issues of
concern {1) the DoD records management proc:edures for crash
incidents involvinq weather ba1loons and unknown airc~t, such
as UFOs and ~oreign aircraf:t, and (2) the facta r.qardinq the
reported crash of tPt UFO in 1949 at Roswell, lfew Maxico. Si.nco
the UFO story appeared in an episode of the television program
"Unsolved MYsteries," Representative Schiff baa received many
requests tor an investigation into the alleged "DoD cover-up.•
Apparently, reports on the inc£dent ware attributed to a weather
balloon crash.
The GAO is anxious to respond to Representative Schiff's
request and to dispel any concerns that the DoD is beinq
unresponsive. For that reason, it is important that we identily
the correct DoD representatives so that the GAO can beqin. its
work. since the enclosed GAO notification letter did not mention
the Roswell incid~t or specifically site unknown aircraft as the
area of: interest, we have been unable to determine the
appropriate DoD primary and collateral action o~fices.