The CUFON^SM Interview
of
Kevin D. Randle

16-October-1995

1. State of UFOlogy today/Goals today?

In the last year, we have seen the Air Force, the Congress, and various other branches of the government respond to our research. In September 1994, the Air Force released a report about the events near Roswell. It is interesting that the Air Force is taking note of what we are doing. The GAO report, another, or rather, longer version of the Air Force report, and other things suggest that we are getting the attention of those at the top. It means that we're doing something right. Unfortunately, we are so busy arguing amongst ourselves about who did what, who discovered what, and who was first to report what, we seem to overlook the progress we have made. The good work being done is being undermined by our fighting. Objective observers note that we can't get along because we all seem to be ego driven. To block our good work, those trying to stop us only have to stir the pot. We will then begin to tear each other apart and that destroys what we are trying to do. We should begin to eliminate the infighting. We should band together to learn the truth. We should follow that truth wherever it takes us and report, accurately, what we learn. Too often we attack the messengers because we don't like the message. We should be trying to get our message out rather than destroy the messenger we don't like. Our goals should be the same as those that have been chased from the very beginning. We should work together and tell the truth as we learn it. Our goal must be cooperation.

2. Future of UFOlogy? 

The future of Ufology is bleak, if we don't learn to work together. We will continue to chase lights in the night sky and not progress until we learn that lesson. The future is in the libraries and archives where documents are hidden. We must begin to search for those documents so that we can convince the others that there is something to the phenomenon. When we learn that, our future will brighten. 

3. What can a single individual do? 

Pay attention to the research, make sure the facts are right, stop believing what you want to believe, but only that which can be proven, and we will advance. We must use every tool at our disposal and use them to convince the media that we have the facts. Tell reporters everything you can, supply all the evidence you can, and be polite. Even if the reporter is the lowest, newest reporter at the station or newspaper, treat him or her as if he or she is the most important reporter. If we can't change the minds of the men and woman at the top, we can educate them from the bottom. 

4. Advice for newcomers? 

Read everything and analyze it all. Don't let anyone insult your intelligence. Just because someone has been around for a number of years, it doesn't mean he or she knows everything. Don't let anyone ride over your beliefs. Analyze and ask questions. If a question angers someone, that probably means you have discovered a weakness in the argument. The point, however, is to search out all you can, analyze it as best you can, and then go on. Even the worst book on UFOs can provide useful information if it is used as a learning tool. 

5. What do hard-core UFO sightings represent?

I don't think there is a single explanation. We will continue to find answers that we hadn't thought of before. However, I believe that some UFO sightings represent extraterrestrial spacecraft. I don't think there are nearly as many sightings of extraterrestrial spacecraft as we would like to think, but there are some. 

6. Meaning for mankind?

When we have some sort of evidence that everyone will accept, we'll see changes. At the moment, it means nothing because we keep arguing about the reality of it. Once that is established, we will realize that we can go to the stars and we'll sweep out into the galaxy. 

7. Government cover-up?

Of course there is a government cover up. The Condon Committee, if nothing else, proves that. We can look at the documentation and prove it. We can present documents from the CIA in which they claim they have no interest in UFOs, and then present other documents proving they do. Look at the letters sent to Cliff Stone denying the existence of Project Moon Dust. When documents were presented showing that Moon Dust was real, the government said, "We'd like to amend our last statement." That proves there is a cover up of some kind. I believe the government, at least higher levels of it, know the truth. UFOs are extraterrestrial, but for a variety of reasons, won't share the data. They've known the truth since the summer of 1947. 

8. Hardware/alien bodies in Government hands? 

Of course. There is an overwhelming amount of documentation and testimony to support the idea. It also explains why the Air Force is working so hard now to convince us that UFOs don't exist and the evidence is flimsy. Saying it doesn't make it so. 

9. Most important aspect of UFOlogy today? 

I think it is the archival research. Sure, abductions are sexy, and investigating sightings is exciting while shifting through mountains of paper is boring, but that's where we're going to nail them. We've already seem some interesting slip ups that give us clues. By building up the documentation, it will be impossible for them to deny the truth. When you can wave a document in their faces, you are so far ahead. As an example, we have said for years that there was a secret UFO investigation that wasn't part of Blue Book. It was speculation. Now it's fact. Air Force Regulation 200-2 tells us that UFO sighting reports will be investigated by the 4602d AISS. When they complete their investigation, the results will be forwarded to ATIC at Wright-Patterson. Nowhere does it say that Blue Book will receive those reports. We have the documentation to prove, prove to anyone who will look at the documents, that we are right. As we build files with more of this type of material, we will convince reporters and scientists that we are not loony. We have the evidence. It is the sort of hard evidence that will be impossible to ignore. 

10. Message to CUFON's users?

I think that it is time for us to stop attacking one another. I often hear that my scenarios are imaginative but that's only because I write science fiction. Why is it that my "day job" disqualifies me from UFO research or reporting? Doesn't everyone, or nearly everyone in this field have some sort of day job? Isn't the quality of the research more important than what someone does for a living? During the Gerald Anderson investigations, some of the work done by Tom Carey was dismissed because he was only a "financial manager." That overlooked the fact that Carey had taught anthropology at the college level for a number of years and had done all the course work to receive a doctorate. He was missing only his dissertation. That made him the most qualified researcher delving into the archaeologists who had haunted the Roswell case for years. His work was flawless and his conclusions based on his research. Instead of saying, yeah, his findings are interesting, he was attacked because of his day job. Someone didn't like what he was saying. Instead of refuting Carey's evidence, his reputation was attacked. That isn't right. We must stop doing that. 

I have heard other examples. Joe Stefula and his New Jersey friends investigated an alleged abduction. Stefula concluded that the abduction was nothing more than a fantasy invented by the victim. He presented the evidence for this.  Instead of reading a rebuttal, I read an attack on Stefula, suggesting that he had been nothing more than a sergeant in the Army. Even if that was true, what difference does it make? Besides, Stefula was a warrant officer. When we complain that no one will listen to us, this is a big reason. Instead of defending our positions with facts, we attack each other with mud. This is what the outside world sees.

Now, I have no problem with intelligence, rational debate. Without it, stupid ideas are printed. These must be challenged. And, when we find a fraud in our ranks, we must expose him or her. Harley Byrd is a good example. Nothing the man says can be verified. He compounds misrepresentation on top of distortion. That harms us all. 

I'd like to see us clean our own house. Drive out the fakers and the liars and the hoaxers. Expose the frauds. But, let us argue the facts of the cases rather than the personalities of the researchers. When we learn to do that, then we'll find ourselves accepted in the proper academic arenas. 

Thanks for the opportunity....    KRandle 

 ==================================================================
Biographical information provided by Mr. Randle

KEVIN D. RANDLE
About the  Author

Kevin D. Randle is a professional, investigative journalist who, for more than twenty years, has been studying the UFO phenomenon. 

During that time he has traveled around the United States and interviewed hundreds of witnesses. Randle was one of the first to examine the infamous Project Blue Book files, the official U.S. Air Force investigation of UFOs. More recently, he investigated the alleged crash of an extraterrestrial ship in the Roswell, New Mexico area. 

Randle's credentials include journalism and military intelligence training. Randle, as a former member of the Aerial Phenomena Research Organization, and currently a special investigator for the 

J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies, is considered an expert in the field. For those organizations, he has researched abduction cases, landing trace reports, and occupant sightings. 

In 1977, for example, he spent weeks investigating the wave of sightings in Pineville, Missouri. In 1980, he interviewed James A. Van Allen (discoverer of the Van Allen Radiation Belts) about the Tunguska explosion. In 1989, he teamed with Donald R. Schmitt to investigate the report that a spacecraft had crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. 

Randle, a respected author, has published more than fifty magazine articles about UFOs. Further, he recently published THE OCTOBER SCENARIO and THE UFO CASEBOOK. His latest work, about the Roswell crash and co-authored with Donald Schmitt, has recently been published. Randle was featured on an episode of NBC's UNSOLVED MYSTERIES, and regularly appears on radio and TV shows. 

Kevin D. Randle
16-OCT-1995

 ==================================================================
The Published Works of Kevin D. Randle

THE SCORPION SQUAD  (by Eric Helm)

*with Robert Charles Cornett

VIETNAM: GROUND ZERO (by Eric Helm)

*with Robert Charles Cornett

SUPER VIETNAM: GROUND ZERO (by Eric Helm)

THE FIFTY MILLION YEARS WAR

*with Robert Charles Cornett

THE TIME MERCENARIES

*with Robert Charles Cornett

THE NAVY SEALS (by Steve MacKenzie)

WINGS OVER NAM (by Cat Branigan)

JEFFERSON'S WAR

GLOBAL WAR

STAR PRECINCT

*with Richard Driscoll

MILITARY INTELLIGENCE

MISC BOOKS

*with Robert Randisi

NONFICTION BOOKS

*with Donald R. Schmitt

SPECIAL EDITIONS

PUBLISHED ARTICLES

 INCLUDED IN BOOKS

=================================================================
=================================================================