Retired Army special forces operator Lieutenant Colonel Dr. John Blitch, PhD, joins us on The Good Trouble Show with Matt Ford in a two-part interview to discuss UAP / UFO whistleblower Jake Barber, who went public on a bombshell story by Ross Coulthart on News Nation. Dr. John Blitch discusses how David Grusch contacted him to vet Jake Barber, Jake's military credentials when he first met Jake and four other special operators who vouched for him Jake, special forces training, how the world of deep-cover or non-official cover works in the intelligence world and the crisis in military leadership.
00:00 Another Whistleblower Comes Forward 00:05 Ross Coulthart's Revelation 00:11 Jake Barber's Non-Official Cover Role 00:20 Special Operators and Crash Retrieval Missions 00:30 Skepticism and Validation 00:50 Introducing Dr. John Blitch 01:07 Background on Jake Barber and UAP Story 02:00 Dr. John Blitch’s Military Service Insights 05:00 Deep Covert Missions and Tier-One Operators 10:00 Ethical Dilemmas in Covert Operations 15:00 Addressing UAP Skepticism and Government Coverups 20:00 Allegations of 80-Year Coverup in UAP Recovery 25:00 Non-Official Cover Explained 30:00 Challenges Faced by Whistleblowers 35:00 Insights from David Grusch and Jake Barber 40:00 Importance of Consistency Among Whistleblowers 45:00 Dr. Blitch Reflects on Intelligence Work 50:00 Media Skepticism of Jake Barber's Background 55:00 The Role of Identification in UAP Operations 01:00:00 Preparing Whistleblowers for Public Disclosures 01:05:00 Stories of Risk and Sacrifice in UAP Investigations 01:10:00 Scientific Scrutiny and Remaining Questions 01:15:00 Closing Reflections on Disclosure and Risks 01:20:00 Final Words: Moving Toward Transparency 01:25:00 Thank You and Call to Action for Support
John Blitch’s military career is marked by distinguished service, innovation, and leadership in some of the most demanding and high-stakes environments. He began his career as a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and went on to serve in various leadership roles, including Missile Battery Commander, where he managed Pershing II operations, earning accolades for technical and operational excellence. As a Special Forces officer, he commanded multiple Operational Detachments Alpha (ODA) and specialized troops at Fort Devens and Fort Bragg, leading missions in counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, and special operations.
While assigned to U.S. Special Operations Command, he developed and executed the first Capstone Requirements Document for unmanned systems, setting the stage for advanced Tactical Mobile Robot (TMR) deployments. His operational contributions included overseeing the world’s first Special Operations Unmanned Systems Experiment (SOUSE) and collaborating with the Marine Corps’ Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) to integrate robots into WMD and pandemic mitigation efforts.
While at DARPA, he managed high-risk, multi-million-dollar research programs, pioneering advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics for tactical and operational applications. His groundbreaking work included leading NASA collaborations, such as the Haughton Mars Project, and deploying robots in denied and extreme environments. Notably, he directed the first combat deployment of tactical mobile robots in modern warfare during Operation Enduring Freedom.
His non-military career spans cognitive science, robotics, special operations, and emergency response. As a Special Forces Commander, DARPA leader, and founder of CRASAR and Blitz Solutions, he advanced unmanned systems and crisis response. He led the first combat deployment of tactical robots in Operation Enduring Freedom and pioneered neurophysiology research for human-robot teaming at the Air Force Research Laboratory. With advanced degrees in cognitive psychology and computer science, John has driven innovations in robotics for NASA, the Department of Defense, and others. Inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame, he remains a keynote speaker and advocate for unmanned systems ethics and trauma recovery.
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