Customer Reviews

Incident at Fort Benning

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

John Vasquez is a San Diego county resident and has spoken to both Orion and the San Diego UFO Society. I have not personally investigated this case but I have met John and believe he has had an experience. Although it is possible that he was part of an hallucinogenic experiment of some kind. It is also possible that there were real UFOs involved. As more evidence of water and/or life on Mars is discovered it is less controversial to suggest that there have been interactions with extraterrestrial intelligences. John remembers large groups of soldiers being transported instantly from one location to another. He remembers everyone falling asleep in formation when a bright light passes them. He remembers injuries from beams of light. The book contains a large amount of documentation suggesting something happened. There is no reason why this couldn't be explained as the confused memories of a victim of hallucinogens though and He is open to the possibility that there is a terrestrial explanation for all this, but will continue searching for the truth. His book is entertaining and though many of the actions taken by himself and the other soldiers are questionable, the circumstances are extraordinary. He also hopes that the book and any mention of his experience will trigger a memory in one of his buddies and that they will contact him with any additional information.

I have not read this book but know the story well. In 1997, while state director of MUFON of Georgia, I was contacted by John A. Vasquez to help investigate his claims of alien contact at Ft. Benning, Georgia. I found John A. Vasquez's account intriguing and his sincerity during several phone conversations over the next year sincere. In the course of MUFON's investigation a former drill instructor and Company Commander of his training unit were talked to by myself. The former Commanding General of Ft. Benning in 1977 was talked to by Tom Sheets, then a MUFON investigator in Fayetteville (now state director of MUFON of Georgia). All gentlemen, two still active Army, were cordial and interested in Vasquez's account. Unfortunately, none of them supported his claim of alien contact. His former drill instructor, however, on hearing of Vasquez's assertion that the Army said his training unit never existed at Ft. Benning in 1977, said flatly the Army was wrong as he was there and at the time Vasquez was there. Since Vasquez's claim, another Ft. Benning recruit says he was involved in a secret UFO incident in April of 1977. He also claims possible alien contact/abduction. What impressed me most about Vasquez was not his claims but his effort over many years to find out what happened at Ft. Benning. This at least suggests he believes what he thinks happened. I and others then in MUFON of Georgia wonder if, perhaps, some kind of secret Army psy ops took place with recruits that produced tramatic results. Please disregard my rating as my purpose was only tell of what I learned of the Ft. Benning incident and my thoughts on Vasquez's honesty.

In the hands of a competant writer, Incident At Ft. Benning may have been intriguing and downright eventful. However, this is not the case. What we have is a UFO scenario with a lot of Government Documentaion (Actually, if you read all the letters and 'official' documents, you'll see a pattern formed in the overall appearance of total disregard to any allegations whatsoever). Conspiracy? Coverup? Seems like someone barking up the wrong tree and being tounge-in-cheek humored as a crackpot to me, but who can say? All in all, the glaring issue here is craft, and there is none, save for that of the flying saucer variety. Taken as fiction or non, we cannot forgive the fact that it's badly written. Is it true? You can decide that for yourself. John Vasquez is an interesting character. He believes what he believes: based on experience or metal abberations, you be the judge. He is honest and sincere and that does count for something. Perhaps John Vasquez and his story would benefit from a better telling. The book reads like a taped interview jotted down quickly and set to print, which, in all respects, it is. Bland. Boring. UFO fanatics and Alien Abductees may sing songs to Vasquez's brilliance as a survivor and brother, but in the end, it is not he who tells the tale, but the tale itself that will be remembered...and this one could use some spit and polish.

This book is in many ways confusing and bewildering. The writing is not as clear as could be, and coupled with the extreme strangeness of the subject matter, it is hard to follow. I recommend this book highly to knowledgeable students of the UFO enigma, but it should not be your first book on UFOs.

I have rated this book very highly, because as documentation of a UFO incident, it is a primary resource. John Vasquez is a simple, honest person who got caught up in a series very strange events. He has presented documentation of his military records, and other correspondence concerning his attempt to find out what really happened to him and other members of his battalion.

Interesting, interesting and interesting. I like the fact that the author had quite a few documents to back up his story. It's amazing what can go on right under our noses. I believe this is just one of many 'incidents' the general public isn't aware of; like the testing of LSD in a small town in France in the 50's.