FOIA 18-F-0324 release

OFFICE OF
THE
UNDER
SECRETARY
OF
DEFENSE
5000
OVENSr.
PUNTAGOi.:
WASHINGTON.
OC.
20331 5000
MEMORANDUM
FOR: RECORD
SUBJECT:
Letter
of
Resignation
&
Differed
Retirement
Mr.
Secretary:
It
has
been
my
sincere
honor
and
pleasure
to
have served
with
some
of
America's
finest men
and
women
in
both
peace
time
and
in
war.
For
over
22 years.
I
have
been blessed
to
learn
from.
and
work
with
world-class
leadership. you
catainl:..bin
among
the
very
best.
With
that
in
mind,
bureaucratic
challenges
and
inflexible
mindsets
continue
to
plague the
Department at
all
levels.
This is
particularly
true regarding
the
controversial topic
of
anomalous
aerospace
threats.
Despite ovenvhelming
evidence at
both
the
unclassified and classified
le
.%
els.
certain
individuals
in
the
Department remain
staunchly opposed
to further
research
on
what
could
be
a
tactical
threat
to
our
pilots,
sailors,
and soldiers.
and perhaps
even an
existential
threat
to our
national security.
In
many
instances.
there
seems
to
be
a
direct
correlation
the
phenomena
exhibits
with
respect
to our nuclear
and
military
capabilities.
The
Department
must
take
serious the
many
accounts
by
the
Navy
and other
Services
of
unusual aerial systems
interfering
with
military
weapon
platforms
and
displaying
beyond
next
.generation
capabilities.
t
liderestimatinz.
orignoring
these
potential
threats
is
not
in
the
best
interest
of
the Department
no
matter
the level
of
political
contention. There remains
a
vital
need
to ascertain
capability
and
intent
of
these
phenomena
for
the
benefit
ache
armed
&trees
and the
aatic.10.
For
this
reason.
effective
4
October
2017.
I
humbly submit
my
resignation
in
hopes
it
will
encourage
you
to
ask the
hard
questions:
-
who
else
knows?".
what are
their capabilities?".
and-
why aren't
we
spending more time
and
effort
on
the
issuer.
As
I
transition to
a
new
chapter
of
my
life,
please
know
it has been an honor
and privilege
of
a
lifetime to serve with you.
Rest
assure.
no
matter where the path
of
life
may
lead me.
I
will
always have the best
interest
of
the
Department and the
American
people
as
my
guiding principle.
Luis
D.
Elizondo
Director
National Programs Special Management
Staff
(AND(I)