Mutual UFO Network

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The Mutual UFO Network, or MUFON for short, is one of the world's largest private organizations relating to the topic of unidentified flying objects (UFO). It has local chapters in every state, as well as several international chapters located in 36 other countries. Founded in 1969 by Walt Andrus, a former member of APRO, MUFON has outlived many of its predecessors, and its membership has expanded into the thousands.

1 Organization
2 Procedure
3 Public Involvement
4 Government Affiliation
5 See Also
6 External Sources
7 ATS Discussion Threads

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Organization

Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the MUFON senior staff consists of an international director, a board of directors, an advisory board of consultants, and various administrative staff. The current director is John Schuessler, but he has expressed plans to step down and has named James Carrion of Bellvue, Colorado as his eventual successor. Kathy Schuessler, John Schuessler's wife, heads all office operations and is due to step down along with her husband, having named one Kristen Kinnington to continue the job.

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Procedure

MUFON chapters are always on the lookout for UFO sightings and receive information from various sources, such as law enforcement, media, private citizens, and from the MUFON HQ. The organization uses a standardized form to document sightings, which are then assigned to local MUFON personnel.

Investigators review all parties associated with an event, including witnesses, their neighbors, local law enforcement, local media, and air traffic control staff in an effort to determine the legitimacy of an event. Any recovered materials requiring technical analysis are sent to appropriate specialists, and a final case report is submitted to the local MUFON state/province director. In the end, all essential factors are added to a computer database for comparative analysis.

MUFON, unlike similar organizations, requires its trainees to undergo a comprehensive training matrix before becoming investigators. The cornerstone of their training is the Mufon Field Investigator's Manual, which can be purchased from the organization without becoming a member. The manual is broken up into twenty-four sections that together cover every aspect of professional UFO investigating. To become an investigator, trainees must pass a 100-question exam which covers a variety of topics, from information presented in the manual, naturally occuring phenomena, characteristics of the atmosphere, knowledge of military and commercial aircraft, and other knowledge relevant to investigation.

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Public Involvement

Every summer, MUFON hosts a conference known as the International UFO Symposium, a gathering of authors, scientists, and other experts from all over the world. The conference rotates throughout various states across North America and allows those interested in UFOs to share their stories, compare notes, and present exhibits for all attendees to discuss.

Additionally, the organization owns the MUFON UFO Journal, a monthly publication covering well-investigated UFO events and other related news.

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Government Affiliation

As a nonprofit scientific research organization, MUFON operates under a tax-exempt status. Excluding their requests to declassify UFO-related documents, the group is not otherwise affiliated with the federal government.

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