Former Members of Congress Ask President Obama About Classified USAF Medical Records [Bentwaters]

One of the most compelling parts of the recent Citizen Hearing on Disclosure was the testimony from Sergeants John Burroughs and Jim Penniston in regards to their inability to access their medical records from 1980 when they had encountered an unidentified flying object while on active duty at RAF Bentwaters. Many people are familiar with the Bentwaters UFO Incident, but it was only recently made public that both Burroughs and Penniston suffered from radiation exposure while they were in close proximity to the unknown object and have also suffered from anomalous physical injuries. In recent years they have tried to get medical attention and the Veterans Administration has discovered that their medical records from that time period while they were in service are classified and unavailable. Why would that be? Nobody knows whether their incident was of extraterrestrial origin or part of a covert operation, but the fact that their medical records are classified proves that something extraordinary did happen.

Congressman Merrill Cook was compelled to network with the other former members of Congress, who chaired the committee for the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure which took place April 30 - May 3 2013, to write a letter to President Obama and the head of the Veterans Administration to inquire about Burroughs' and Penniston's medical records. The retired United States Air Force Sergeants' lawyer, Patrick Frascogna, has recently announced this development on the 'Justice for the Bentwaters 81st Security Police at Rendlesham Forest 1980' Facebook page. This story was broke on May 24 2013 on Coast to Coast AM by George Knapp.

Segments dealing with this enigma regarding the medical records from the Citizen Hearing and the recent news piece on Coast to Coast AM are featured in this 11 minute YouTube video:

Here is the statement and some additional information released by Patrick Frascogna:

May 25, it is moving forward the way we wanted, the letters have now reached the President of the United States and the Head of the VA. This is the new press release which was presented on Coast-2-Coast last night.

FORMER CONGRESSIONAL PANEL EXPRESSES CONCERN TO OBAMA.

Write letter of support on behalf of USAF Veterans.

By Patrick Frascogna

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, May 24, 2013 – Six former members of congress have signed a letter to President Obama 'expressing concern' over lack of response by the Veterans Administration to requests for medical records pertinent to the medical treatment of two career United States Air Force veterans who suffer from medical disability stemming from contact with an object of unknown origin while on duty as base security at the U.S. airbase at RAF Bentwaters in December of 1980.

Retired Tech Sergeants John Burroughs and James Penniston claim the government is denying them proper treatment for injuries sustained in the line of duty as base security at the U.S. airbase at RAF Bentwaters in December of 1980. Penniston and Burroughs were the first on-scene responders to a potential base incursion by an object of unknown origin into one of the most sensitive United States Air Force installations at the height of the cold war. As such, the pair were momentarily on the front lines of the USAF defense establishment in Europe.

The most perplexing aspect of the case is the apparent classified status of the records in question by the Veterans Administration. The pair testified before the former congress members in April at the Citizens Hearing on Disclosure.

The former Congresspersons include former Senator Mike Gavel, Alaska and former House of Representatives members Merrill Cook, Utah; Roscoe Bartlett, Maryland; Darlene Hooley, Oregon; Carolyn Kirkpatrick, Michigan and Lynn Woolsey, California.

The letter, a copy of which was sent to both President Barack Obama and the Head of the Veterans Administration, said in part:

“As former members of Congress we are writing to express concern over the lack of response by our government to two of our retired servicemen who dutifully served our country during the cold war.” The letter went on to state the denial of access to records and requesting Presidential assistance in obtaining them.

To this day, there has been no public explanation of the events surrounding their exposure to the phenomenon. The incident in question has been denied by USAF representatives despite the release in 1983 of a memorandum by the then-Deputy Base Commander to the British M.O.D. confirming the incident.

The pair claim that formerly classified documents confirm that the Air Force was aware of dangers presented to the airmen, but failed to properly brief them for their mission.

Both Burroughs and Penniston have experienced medical issues in the years since their encounter at Rendlesham Forest. The VA has utterly denied benefits to the pair and further obfuscated any release of medical records on the incident without reason.

“We've been stonewalled”, Burroughs said. “None of the avenues have lead to proper support of our post-incident medical issues, nor to any viable explanation of why information useful to treatment of our condition is being withheld.”

“After almost two years of utterly futile attempts to obtain John Burroughs' and Jim Penniston's service medical records from the government, in addition to a failed attempt by former Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, it is becoming ever more apparent that someone, somewhere, does not want them released,” said Pat Frascogna, counsel for Burroughs and Penniston. “Key records from the timeframe in question seem to be considered classified by the VA. Consequently, if we cannot obtain them, all of them, without redaction, then we will have no recourse but to file suit against the federal government, perhaps as soon as by year's end.”

“We don't intend to be the last two casualties of the Cold War”, Burroughs said, “left hung out to dry by our chain of command and obsolete notions of national security. There is no reason at this late date to deny us the information that may extend our lives, the bulk of which we spent in service to our country.”

What reason could the Military and Government have for keeping these records
hidden if there is nothing to hide ?
Why are they being refused medical help by the VA ? They are Veterans.
It is very disturbing to find that anyone at all might not have acess to their own Medical Records

What about other troops that were in the area at the same time?
Were these two men the only ones to get up close to the UFO?

IF this goes mainstream, then one of three things will happen:

1. The medical records will turn out to no longer exist.
2. The records will be released, but they will have blacked out text all over them (for security reasons).
3. The veterans will be in a helicopter crash.

reply to post by corsair00


I really can't see this as anything other than "good news." At least they haven't dropped the bat and they're moving in a forward direction. I remember hearing this particular tactic discussed at length during the hearings and I'm glad to find out that the request has been sent. It's a start and I'm curious to see what kind of response this letter will generate.

Good find, F&S for the OP!

Ill be frikin dead and buried before this case moes much further...
These things take so inordinately long that well never hear the outcome...
Oh well maybe a future generation will find out the details hey?

reply to post by corsair00


seems as though their story gets bigger as years go by. just recently with the numbers(within the last 5 years) and now one of them being abducted and the other being given the message that they were time travellors. Either their story has been cut up (edited ) for the shows they have been on or they are making up new stiuff or just remembering all old stuff. They seem credible but it would be interesting to know how much money they have been getting from these shows etc...

They may just unseal the records and erase any evidence they were evee classified to bein with.

The response from the White House and the VA would sound something like, "we don't understand the concern. Those documents are not now, nor have they ever been, classified.

And the story stops right there.
But hey, here's to hoping! (we need an emoticon that conveys a dejected look). Haha

First, thank you OP for posting this news: I will be following this topic.

That these men can't get their medical records inclusive of that time frame that the encounter happened, is a smoking gun by itself.

What might be in those records that the powers that be would like to keep under wraps? Treatment for multiple radiation exposures perhaps, or at least a diagnosis, or two of exactly that.

Originally posted by corsair00
Both Burroughs and Penniston have experienced medical issues in the years since their encounter at Rendlesham Forest.

What are the medical issues?

Why was this never mentioned before?

reply to post by corsair00


As far as I know medical records are private and are not released to anyone but the person on whom they are kept. For example my medical records are available only to me and my doctor. Not even my husband can get my medical records without my consent. Thought this was the case everwhere.

reply to post by freelance_zenarchist


The medical issues were mentioned above. Radiation poisoning and other "anomalous injuries."

reply to post by JayinAR


Yeah, what are the "anomalous injuries"?

The letter posted above is very vague about the medical issues.

Do they show any signs of radiation poisoning?

Bentwater.

A curiosity of mine had me put a magnet next to my faucet one day...

it made the water bend.

reply to post by freelance_zenarchist


I should have tried to add the clip where they talk more specifically about the medical problems. I just located that part of the clip and will transcribe it as well.



Congresswoman Woolsey: So your current medical situations, both of you [John Burroughs & Jim Penniston], are you getting treated by the Veterans Administration for your illnesses?

Jim Penniston: Barely. We have addressed a few issues, like with the inner ear problems and balance issues. See, one of the problems was, initially we were supposed to treat it [Bentwaters incident] as top secret, in which we did, I follow orders. Then I had to go to the base hospital because I was having problems walking, within 3 weeks after the incident. So here I am with a dilemma, do I violate orders and tell them, because they asked me "Have you been exposed to radiation recently"? So I followed orders and said no. I mean it was obvious that it [UFO] was radioactive out there that night, because it was so warm to touch. That was probably the worst decision I made, touching that. After the initial contact with that and the explosion of light I didn't touch it again, I just walked around it and tried to take as many notes as I could. Getting back to the medical issues, I got out in 1993, I retired. In early 1994 I was having a terrible time sleeping, I was getting 2-3 hours a night of sleep. So I went to my doctor and she sent me to a psychiatrist because it could be some PTSD.

Woolsey: Was this a VA doctor?

Penniston: No, I had to pay for that myself. The VA said that I didn't receive a medal for combat - and that makes no sense. I told them I had an incident, it was classified and I can't tell you what it is but it's verifiable with the government and branches of the Air Force. But anyway, I went to my own M.D. and she referred me to a reasonably priced psychiatrist, which is impossible - there is no reasonable pricing on that. So I go in there after a couple visits, and she says "You know what I'd like to do..." I think she was thinking that maybe I was abused as a child, I don't know... who knows. She's like "I'd like to do some hypnosis with you and we'll try that."

The account of further interrogations involving the Office of Special Investigations using drugs is what came out of the hypnosis sessions and Penniston goes into that.

Same question to John Burroughs:

Burroughs: For me, shortly after the incident happened I started not feeling well. At one point my gums turned white. 3 months later, went home on leave I became very ill and went into the Emergency Room. OK, the doctor there listened to my chest and said "What does the Air Force say about heart murmurs"? I looked at him and said "I don't have a heart murmur. I just shortly joined the Air Force and my physical said I have a clean bill of health". And one of the other interesting things to know about a heart murmur is you are not allowed to enter the United States Air Force if you have a heart murmur. It's against regulations. So, at that point I wasn't sure how or why I got it and the other question was, later on when I had vision problems, was from another doctor who asked "Have you ever been exposed to radiation"?

Sergeant Burroughs goes on to say that as recently as 3 years ago he had congestive heart failure and was rushed to the hospital.

I really wish I had been able to append this video clip into the first one! haha Oh well...

Originally posted by azureskys
What reason could the Military and Government have for keeping these records
hidden if there is nothing to hide ?

The documentaries about this case commonly claim that nuclear weapons are believed to have been stored at that facility, and that this is something that they would want to hide because there were not supposed to be any nuclear weapons there.

Now whether this is true or has any link to medical records of Burroughs or Penniston I have no idea. I'm just answering your question about something to hide that deals with possible radiation, though I think the Geiger counter was likely mis-read in the instance where elevated radiation was reported in relation to the Burroughs-Penniston incident.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


Thank you
for the info Makes more sense now.

I really cant believe they wont release the records to them that's cruel the least they can do if they wont release the records is treat them their selves but then again I wouldn't trust them to treat me after they sent them out knowing it may have been a risk! reply to post by azureskys

Somewhat reflective of the Cash-Landrum encounter that saw radiation injuries sustained by eye witnesses.

It's really an amazing story of how these people were ignored and disregarded by the government...

ATS story link follows:

Cash-Landrum UFO Incident

reply to post by redoubt


That is interesting. My gut feeling tells me that it's all covert ops monkeying around. ET craft, if such things exist, probably wouldn't radiate people. There are hundreds of close contact reports worldwide and none of them mention being radiated. But these 2 stories do, and this one is associated with a top secret military base that stored nuclear weapons during the cold war...