Department of Defense Releases AOIMSG-Related Documents

Department of Defense Releases AOIMSG-Related Documents, released on May 16, 2023, is a significant declassified document from the Department of Defense. This document is available on The Black Vault's website and can be found at https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/department-of-defense-releases-aoimsg-related-documents/. The canonical PDF is available at https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/osd/22-F-0224.pdf. The document was released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, case number 22-F-0224, submitted by The Black Vault's John Greenewald, Jr. on November 24, 2021. The Department of Defense's Freedom of Information Division processed the request and provided a final response on September 20, 2022. The document is a letter from Stephanie L. Carr, Chief of the Freedom of Information Division, to John Greenewald, Jr. The letter explains that the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security conducted a search of their records systems and located 50 pages of responsive records. However, 23 pages were withheld in their entirety due to national security concerns, and portions of the remaining 27 pages were exempt from release due to inter- and intra-agency memoranda and personal privacy concerns. The letter also provides information on how to appeal the decision and contact the Action Officer assigned to the request. Additionally, it includes a copy of a memorandum from the Deputy Secretary of Defense, dated November 23, 2022, which establishes the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) to synchronize efforts across the Department and with other Federal departments and agencies to detect, identify, and attribute objects of interest in Special Use Airspace. The memorandum, signed by the Deputy Secretary of Defense, directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security to establish the AOIMSG and to provide oversight and direction to the group. It also establishes the Airborne Object Identification and Management Executive Council (AOIMEXEC) to provide guidance and direction to the AOIMSG. The document is a significant release of information related to the AOIMSG and provides insight into the Department of Defense's efforts to address the presence of unidentified aerial phenomena in Special Use Airspace. This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. The document is available at https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/osd/22-F-0224.pdf.