Within Hearings
Public hearings can reduce UAP reporting stigma by changing how unidentified anomalous phenomena are framed. Instead of treating sightings as stories that invite ridicule, hearings place them within formal discussions of aviation safety, national security, and government oversight.
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Introduction
Public hearings can reduce UAP reporting stigma by changing how unidentified anomalous phenomena are framed. Instead of treating sightings as stories that invite ridicule, hearings place them within formal discussions of aviation safety, national security, and government oversight. The practical effect is not necessarily that more unusual objects appear in the sky. Rather, pilots, aircrew, and defence personnel may become more willing to report what they see because the institutional costs of speaking up appear lower and the potential value of reporting appears higher. Evidence from congressional testimony, NASA’s UAP study, and Pentagon reporting initiatives consistently points to stigma as a major barrier to collecting reliable data. Oversight Committee [NASA Science]science.nasa.govNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team Reportevidenced-based framework for is the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System… The negative st…
Understanding this mechanism is important when interpreting rising UAP report numbers. An increase in reports can reflect a healthier reporting culture as much as an increase in unexplained events themselves. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team Reportevidenced-based framework for is the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System… The negative st…
How stigma suppresses official sightings
For decades, many pilots and military personnel described UAP reporting as professionally risky. The concern was often not that a report would prove extraordinary, but that filing one could damage a reputation, invite jokes from colleagues, or raise questions about judgment and reliability. This dynamic is particularly important in aviation, where credibility and situational awareness are central to a career. Oversight Committee [FLYING Magazine]flyingmag.comFLYING MagazineWhy One State's UAP Legislation Could Reduce Pilot Stigma15 Jan 2026 — “The stigma hasn't changed much since my 2023 testi…
Former Navy pilot Ryan Graves made this issue a central theme of his July 2023 congressional testimony. He argued that stigma surrounding UAP reporting silences commercial pilots, discourages witnesses from coming forward, and contributes to substantial underreporting. According to Graves, the problem is not confined to a handful of unusual incidents; it affects the entire flow of information available to regulators and investigators. [Oversight Committee]oversight.house.govRyan HOC TestimonyOversight CommitteeRyan HOC Testimony25 Jul 2023 — 2. The stigma attached to UAP is real and powerful and challenges national security. I…
NASA’s Independent UAP Study Team reached a similar conclusion from a different direction. Its 2023 report stated that stigma negatively affects reporting rates and therefore limits the quality of available data. The report specifically recommended approaches that would normalise reporting and integrate it into established aviation safety systems. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team Reportevidenced-based framework for is the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System… The negative st…
The result is a feedback loop. When reports are rare, witnesses may assume they are alone. When witnesses remain silent, institutions collect less data. With less data, the topic appears less legitimate, reinforcing the reluctance to report. Public hearings can interrupt that cycle.
Why public oversight changes reporting incentives
Congressional hearings matter because they signal that reporting is not merely tolerated but relevant to official oversight.
When lawmakers question military officials, hear pilot testimony under oath, and discuss reporting procedures in public, they send several messages:
- Reports are considered worthy of investigation, even when explanations remain uncertain.
- Witnesses can describe encounters without automatically being portrayed as unreliable.
- Agencies may be expected to improve reporting channels and data collection.
- Failure to collect reports can become an oversight issue in its own right. [Oversight Committee]oversight.house.govRyan HOC TestimonyOversight CommitteeRyan HOC Testimony25 Jul 2023 — 2. The stigma attached to UAP is real and powerful and challenges national security. I… [PBS]pbs.orgAnalysis: Whistleblower testimonies did not change our…29 Jul 2023 — A congressional subcommittee met on June 26, 2023, to hear testim…
The mechanism resembles safety reporting in other fields. Aviation authorities generally encourage pilots to report hazards, anomalies, and near misses because even imperfect reports can reveal patterns. A hearing that treats UAP as a reporting and safety problem rather than a belief question encourages personnel to think in those terms. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team Reportevidenced-based framework for is the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System… The negative st…
This shift was visible in the language used by witnesses and officials after the modern UAP hearings began. Graves repeatedly framed the issue as one of airspace awareness and flight safety rather than proof of extraterrestrial technology. NASA similarly emphasised data collection, scientific methods, and aviation risk. Oversight Committee [Rev]rev.comthat although the argument for aviation safety is…Read more…
Public oversight also creates pressure for institutions to establish reporting pathways. The Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) now receives pilot-related reports through existing government channels and has publicly encouraged reporting while discussing efforts to reduce stigma. Pentagon officials have described education campaigns intended to improve reporting and reduce reluctance among witnesses. [AARO]aaro.milSubmit A ReportCivilian pilots are encouraged to promptly report UAP sightings to air traffic control. AARO receives UAP-related Pilo… [U.S. Department of War]war.govdr jon kosloski director aaro media roundtable on the fy24 consolidated annualDepartment of WarDr. Jon Kosloski, Director, AARO, Media Roundtable on the…Nov 14, 2024 — AARO has taken meaningful steps to improve d…
The safety framing is more important than the mystery framing
One of the most significant consequences of hearings is the replacement of a mystery narrative with a safety narrative.
A pilot does not need to know what an object is to justify reporting it. If an object appears unexpectedly in controlled airspace, affects flight operations, or cannot immediately be identified, the encounter may still have operational significance. Under a safety framework, uncertainty itself becomes a reason to report rather than a reason to stay silent. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team Reportevidenced-based framework for is the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System… The negative st…
NASA’s study explicitly linked better reporting to better safety outcomes. The report suggested leveraging existing aviation reporting systems because systematic collection of observations is necessary whether incidents ultimately turn out to involve balloons, drones, atmospheric effects, satellites, sensor artefacts, or genuinely unresolved cases. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team Reportevidenced-based framework for is the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System… The negative st…
This distinction is crucial. Destigmatising reports does not require accepting extraordinary explanations. It only requires accepting that unusual observations can be reported and analysed without reputational penalties.
What rising report numbers can and cannot mean
One of the most common misunderstandings is the assumption that more reports automatically mean more anomalous objects.
Public hearings can increase reporting volumes through cultural and institutional change alone. If personnel who previously remained silent begin submitting reports, databases grow even if the underlying rate of sightings stays constant. This is a familiar effect in many fields, from workplace safety reporting to public health surveillance. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team Reportevidenced-based framework for is the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System… The negative st…
Several developments support this interpretation. Government officials have linked efforts to reduce stigma with increased reporting activity. Pentagon representatives have noted both educational campaigns and broader reporting participation, including from commercial aviation. [U.S. Department of War]war.govdod examining unidentified anomalous phenomenaDepartment of WarDOD Examining Unidentified Anomalous PhenomenaNov 14, 2024 — There has been an education campaign to reduce reporting st…
At the same time, more reports do not necessarily imply that all reported events are mysterious. Better reporting systems often capture many incidents that later receive conventional explanations. Researchers have documented cases in which pilots reported apparently anomalous objects that were subsequently identified as satellite-related phenomena or other known causes. Improved reporting therefore increases both the number of unexplained cases and the number of explained cases entering the record. [arXiv]arxiv.orgEnhancing Space Situational Awareness to Mitigate Risk: A Single-Case Study in the Misidentification of a Recently-Launched Starlink…
The key point is that report counts measure reporting behaviour as well as whatever is being observed.
Why the stigma question remains contested
Public hearings can reduce stigma, but they do not eliminate it. Witnesses and advocacy groups continue to argue that professional concerns remain significant barriers, especially for commercial pilots and military personnel whose careers depend on perceptions of competence and judgment. [FLYING Magazine]flyingmag.comFLYING MagazineWhy One State's UAP Legislation Could Reduce Pilot Stigma15 Jan 2026 — “The stigma hasn't changed much since my 2023 testi…
Even supporters of greater transparency disagree about how much progress has been made. Some contend that hearings have normalised reporting and encouraged new witnesses to come forward. Others argue that cultural resistance within institutions remains strong and that many encounters still go unreported. Graves has continued to describe professional risk, institutional dismissal, and uncertainty about reporting procedures as persistent obstacles. [FLYING Magazine]flyingmag.comFLYING MagazineWhy One State's UAP Legislation Could Reduce Pilot Stigma15 Jan 2026 — “The stigma hasn't changed much since my 2023 testi…
What is less disputed is the underlying mechanism. When Congress, NASA, and defence agencies publicly discuss reporting barriers, create reporting pathways, and frame UAP as a legitimate oversight and safety issue, they reduce some of the social costs associated with filing a report. Whether or not any specific UAP case has an extraordinary explanation, that shift makes witnesses more likely to contribute information that otherwise might never reach official channels. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team Reportevidenced-based framework for is the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System… The negative st… [Oversight Committee]oversight.house.govRyan HOC TestimonyOversight CommitteeRyan HOC Testimony25 Jul 2023 — 2. The stigma attached to UAP is real and powerful and challenges national security. I…
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Endnotes
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Source: science.nasa.gov
Link: https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/uap-independent-study-team-final-report.pdfSource snippet
NASA ScienceIndependent Study Team Reportevidenced-based framework for is the NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System... The negative st...
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Source: war.gov
Title: dr jon kosloski director aaro [media]({{ ‘media/’ | relative_url }}) roundtable on the fy24 consolidated annual
Link: https://www.war.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3965734/dr-jon-kosloski-director-aaro-media-roundtable-on-the-fy24-consolidated-annual/Source snippet
Department of WarDr. Jon Kosloski, Director, AARO, Media Roundtable on the...Nov 14, 2024 — AARO has taken meaningful steps to improve d...
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Source: pbs.org
Link: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/analysis-whistleblower-testimonies-did-not-change-our-basic-understanding-of-ufosSource snippet
Analysis: Whistleblower testimonies did not change our...29 Jul 2023 — A congressional subcommittee met on June 26, 2023, to hear testim...
Published: June 26, 2023
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Source: rev.com
Link: https://www.rev.com/transcripts/unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-independent-study-report-from-nasa-transcriptSource snippet
that although the argument for aviation safety is...Read more...
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Source: aaro.mil
Link: https://www.aaro.mil/Submit-A-Report/Source snippet
Submit A ReportCivilian pilots are encouraged to promptly report UAP sightings to air traffic control. AARO receives UAP-related Pilo...
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Source: war.gov
Title: dod examining unidentified anomalous phenomena
Link: https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/3965403/dod-examining-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena/Source snippet
Department of WarDOD Examining Unidentified Anomalous PhenomenaNov 14, 2024 — There has been an education campaign to reduce reporting st...
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Source: arxiv.org
Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.08155Source snippet
Enhancing Space Situational Awareness to Mitigate Risk: A Single-Case Study in the Misidentification of a Recently-Launched Starlink...
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Source: aaro.mil
Link: https://www.aaro.mil/Source snippet
AARO HomeAARO receives UAP-related Pilot Reports (PIREPs) from the Federal Aviation Administration. AARO will announce when a reporting m...
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Source: aaro.mil
Link: https://www.aaro.mil/UAP-Cases/Official-UAP-Imagery/Source snippet
UAP ImageryThe United States European Command submitted a report of an unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolu...
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Source: pbs.org
Link: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/watch-nasa-report-says-more-science-and-less-stigma-are-needed-to-understand-ufo-sightingsSource snippet
WATCH: NASA report says more science and less stigma are...An independent team commissioned by NASA cautions that the negative perceptio...
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Source: oversight.house.gov
Title: Ryan HOC Testimony
Link: https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ryan-HOC-Testimony.pdfSource snippet
Oversight CommitteeRyan HOC Testimony25 Jul 2023 — 2. The stigma attached to UAP is real and powerful and challenges national security. I...
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Source: flyingmag.com
Link: https://www.flyingmag.com/new-jersey-uap-legislation-pilot-stigma/Source snippet
FLYING MagazineWhy One State's UAP Legislation Could Reduce Pilot Stigma15 Jan 2026 — “The stigma hasn't changed much since my 2023 testi...
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Source: oversight.house.gov
Title: hearing wrap up government must be more transparent about uaps
Link: https://oversight.house.gov/release/hearing-wrap-up-government-must-be-more-transparent-about-uaps/Source snippet
Must Be More Transparent About UAPs9 Sept 2025 — Sailors need to know that reporting UAP encounters will not harm their careers. Congress...
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Source: flyingmag.com
Title: unpacking pentagon latest uap release
Link: https://www.flyingmag.com/unpacking-pentagon-latest-uap-release/Source snippet
FLYING MagazineUnpacking the Pentagon's Latest UAP Release2 days ago — Graves during a 2023 Congressional hearing estimated that 95 perce...
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Source: space.com
Title: nasa ufo uap study team first results revealed
Link: https://www.space.com/nasa-ufo-uap-study-team-first-results-revealedSource snippet
NASA UFO report finds no evidence of 'extraterrestrial...14 Sept 2023 — NASA's UFO study team released its long-awaited first report tod...
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Source: space.com
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US hiding evidence of UFOs, alien intellligence...26 Jul 2023 — Three key witnesses testified at the hearing: Ryan Graves...
Additional References
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Source: aiaa.org
Link: https://aiaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AIAA-UAPIOC-Opinion-Paper-UAP-Occupational-Safety-Reporting_ForPublication_kb.pdfSource snippet
ADDRESSING THE UNKNOWN:This opinion paper uses existing aviation safety principles to present a framework organized around five key consi...
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Source: reddit.com
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NASA Shares Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena...I read the report. To summarize: we should reduce stigma for reporting this stuff. we nee...
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Source: safeaerospace.org
Link: https://www.safeaerospace.org/news/uaps-and-the-normalization-of-deviance-a-lingering-threat-to-aviation-safetySource snippet
UAPs and the Normalization of Deviance: A Lingering Threat to...[Bipartisan]({{ 'bipartisan/' | relative_url }}) legislation has been introduced to create a national reportin...
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(PDF) The COMETA Report, the Pilots, and the Silence14 May 2026 — The report concluded that insufficient data and stigma remain significant...
Published: May 2026
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Source: wired.com
Link: https://www.wired.com/story/nasa-ufos-aliens-report-2023Source snippet
The agency stressed the need to shift the conversation from sensationalism to science and eliminate the stigma associated with reporting...
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The Massachusetts Native Helping The Government Study...8 May 2025 — Ryan Graves, a Massachusetts native and Navy F-18 pilot, is helping...
Published: May 2025
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NASA's UAP Study: Combating Stigma | PDF13 Nov 2024 — By adapting ASRS to include UAP reports from civilian pilots, controllers, and othe...
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Title: unidentified anomalous phenomena uap nasa independent study draws reaction
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Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study ReportNASA commissioned an independent study team to examine unidentified anomalous ph...
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UAPs: Responding to Criticism and Embracing GrowthHaines and NARCAP recognized that pilots and air traffic controllers were often relucta...
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