I never could understand this alleged fear about admitting to seeing something strange or odd. Heck, we are all fascinated by it.
A few years back when flying in an OH-58, the pilot and I saw “something.” We couldn't actually figure out what it was but we wasted no time in telling everyone about it when we landed. (Incident written up in Paul H. Smith's book, “Reading the Enemy's Mind.”)
Many of my fighter pilot peers have seen some strange things and we all talk about it in the bar. Not one holds back for fear of. . . what. . .I dunno. . .
My father was not a man of fear
After Korea he died in an act of self sacrifice by guiding his disabled jet into a swamp to save civilians on the ground
he just understood the reporting process of the wartime 1950’s, the debriefings, the agencies that would be involved, the time it it would take him from his duties and responsibilites, the official position on such sightings, the skepticism and the probable taint on him for the rest of his career. and for what?
In some contexts and political climates with some CO’s
career hindering stuff could get inserted in personnel files from such incidents.
Dreadful that was possible but happened more than a few times.
Three letters: PRP.