Former NGA Officer / UAPTF Representative
NGA / NRO / All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office
David Grusch is a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) official who became the most prominent UAP whistleblower in modern U.S. history when he alleged that the U.S. government is concealing a decades-long program to retrieve and reverse-engineer non-human technology.
Grusch served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel before retirement. He was subsequently detailed to the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and later served as the NGA's representative to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — the Pentagon body responsible for investigating UAP reports.
In that role, Grusch says he became aware of alleged Special Access Programs (SAPs) involving the retrieval and reverse-engineering of "non-human intelligence" craft and biological material. He filed an official whistleblower complaint in 2021 with the Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG), which was deemed "credible and urgent" — meaning the process was followed correctly, not that the underlying claims were verified.
He went public in June 2023 via journalist Leslie Kean and investigative reporter Ralph Blumenthal, then testified before the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security in July 2023 — the first UAP-focused congressional hearing to take witness testimony under oath.
The Department of Defense and AARO have denied the existence of any such programs and said they found no verifiable evidence to support Grusch's claims. Grusch has stated that his sources are current and former intelligence officials who fear retaliation.
Files whistleblower complaint with the Intelligence Community Inspector General
ICIG finds complaint "credible and urgent" — referred to congressional intelligence committees
Goes public via journalists Leslie Kean and Ralph Blumenthal in The Debrief
Testifies under oath before House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security
AARO formally denies the existence of crash retrieval programs
Continues to brief members of Congress and advocate for legislation protecting UAP whistleblowers
His Inspector General complaint was found "credible and urgent" in terms of process. The underlying claims of crash retrieval remain unverified and have been denied by AARO and DoD.
Editorial note: All profiles are compiled from public record, testimony, and published sources. Unverified claims are noted. Project Strange does not assert the truth or falsity of any individual's claims.