Quick Take
A former USAF tech sergeant named Dan Sherman says he worked with or at the NSA on Project Preserve Destiny (PPD), a Cold War era effort to train “intuitive communicators” for alien contact. The claim is back in the feed because Jesse Michels just interviewed Sherman on American Alchemy. There are books, interviews, FOIA breadcrumbs, and broader precedent for government psi research. There is not a declassified document that verifies PPD as described. Treat as a compelling claim that still sits in the unverified zone. YouTube+1
The spark: Michels’ new interview
Jesse Michels released a long interview with Dan Sherman titled “The NSA Hired Me To Speak To Aliens.” Sherman describes PPD as an NSA program that trained personnel to receive and relay messages from non-human intelligences. That episode is now circulating across YouTube and podcast platforms, which explains the sudden surge in attention. YouTube+2Apple Podcasts+2
The core claim
Sherman first laid out his story in 1997 in Above Black: Project Preserve Destiny, describing himself as a USAF member assigned to NSA work as an ELINT specialist who was later tasked as an “intuitive communicator” for alien contact. The book outlines training, classified work sites, and messages he says he received, along with references to a long-term plan involving human-alien interaction. Goodreads+2Amazon+2
What the public record does and does not show
What exists publicly
- Books and interviews that document Sherman’s account in detail. Goodreads
- FOIA trail items showing that requesters have asked NSA for PPD records. GovernmentAttic’s published NSA FOIA log contains an entry “UFO - Project Preserve Destiny,” which confirms the topic has been formally queried, not that records were found. Government Attic
- NSA FOIA portals with UFO and “paranormal” request pages. NSA’s site lists categories where “no responsive material has been located” for various search terms and maintains a general UFO page. This shows public interest and agency handling, not confirmation of PPD. National Security Agency+1
- Historical precedent for U.S. government exploration of psi. CIA’s STAR GATE collection details government research into remote viewing and anomalous cognition through the 70s to mid 90s. This is related context, not evidence for PPD. CIA+1
What is missing
- A declassified document that directly verifies a program named Project Preserve Destiny with the alien telepathy mission described by Sherman.
- Independent corroboration from other named participants or verifiable paper trails that survive classification review.
Why the claim persists
The story aligns with a familiar pattern in UFO history: secret program, special selection and training, extraordinary communications, limited paper evidence, and a single primary witness. It is also boosted by real precedent for classified psi research and by periodic waves of UAP interest, hearings, and FOIA attention. A recent compiled testimony packet even summarizes PPD claims while citing Sherman’s book, again reflecting interest rather than official confirmation. House Oversight Committee
Alleged program details at a glance (as told by Sherman)
- Mission: train “intuitive communicators” to receive non-human messages.
- Setting: NSA-linked facilities, multi-stage training, specialized equipment.
- Context: framed as a Cold War contingency plan focused on a future event.
These points are narrative claims from Sherman’s book and interviews, and they remain unverified by declassified records. Goodreads+1
Credibility meter
Witnesses: 3 of 5
- Primarily one insider on the record. No broad corroboration.
Documentation: 2 of 5
- Book, interviews, FOIA logs, and agency UFO pages exist. No authenticating PPD memo has surfaced. Government Attic+1
Expert review: 2.5 of 5
- STAR GATE shows psi research happened, but the jump to alien telepathy remains extraordinary with limited evidence. CIA
Overall: 2.7 of 5
- Significant cultural signal, low hard verification.
What would prove it
- A declassified PPD directive, funding line, or training syllabus.
- Independent participants who can be verified by service records and who provide consistent testimony.
- Cross-reference in FOIAable logs, taskers, or contract vehicles that survive redaction.
What if PPD were real
- National security shifts from radar tracks to message authentication and intent mapping.
- Science faces a forced merge of neuroscience, linguistics, signal processing, and consciousness studies.
- Ethics moves from secrecy vs transparency into species-level diplomacy norms.
- Culture reframes religion, origin stories, and our place in a populated cosmos.
- Policy would likely formalize a quiet, multi-agency framework for contact protocols.
How to investigate next
- File targeted FOIAs to NSA, USAF, and DIA for “Project Preserve Destiny,” “intuitive communicator,” “IC comms,” and units or managers named in Sherman’s book. Include broad date windows around 1990 to late 90s. Reference that prior FOIA logs show public interest in PPD to keep the request scoped but credible. Government Attic
- Scan NSA FOIA “frequently requested” UFO sections for new releases or changed language over time. National Security Agency
- Use CIA’s STAR GATE reading room to map how psi programs were structured, then mirror that structure when hunting for analogous PPD paperwork. CIA
Sources
- American Alchemy interview with Dan Sherman. Confirms the episode exists and the core claims as presented in 2025. YouTube+1
- Above Black: Project Preserve Destiny by Dan Sherman. Original narrative describing PPD and “intuitive communicator” work. Goodreads+1
- NSA FOIA pages for UFO and “Other Paranormal Information,” demonstrating agency handling and common “no records” outcomes for certain terms. National Security Agency+1
- NSA FOIA logs published by GovernmentAttic, showing requests that explicitly reference “UFO - Project Preserve Destiny.” Government Attic
- CIA STAR GATE collections, documenting historical government psi research that provides context but not proof of PPD. CIA+1
