Las Vegas: First NIDS Board Meeting

Event Details On 28 January 1996, the initial formal board session for NIDS convened in Las Vegas, Nevada. Key figures present included Air Force Lt. Col. Peter McDuff, Hal Puthoff, Kenneth Klivington, Marty Pilch, John L. Petersen, Harrison Schmitt, Johndale Solem, Dean Judd, Jessica Utts, Air Force Brig. Gen. James E. Whinnery, Emily Williams Cook, Ted Rockwell, and John B. Alexander. Dianne Arcangel worked on building a resource collection during the event.

Discussions and Presentations The group addressed NIDS aims, future plans, and core purpose. Conversations highlighted founder Robert Bigelow's parallel pursuits in anomalous aerial events and post-mortem existence studies. George Knapp, a local reporter, shared findings from his journey to the former USSR. Jacques Vallée noted Bigelow's motivations stemmed from personal losses, including his son's desert passing, and early-life odd occurrences with relatives.

Significance This gathering marked a pivotal step for NIDS, established by Bigelow to probe fringe topics scientifically, bridging military, scientific, and ufological expertise. It underscored expanding efforts into unexplained phenomena beyond aviation sightings.