30 May 2004

When Army Ranger and former Arizona Cardinals’ player Pat Tillman was killed while on patrol in Afghanistan, Tillman and his fellow soldiers were undoubtedly using their senses as they made their way through the terrain ahead. Eyes, ears, maybe sense of smell.

What if they would have had training in using a “sixth sense?”

The unusual human skill known as “remote viewing” could be an important asset for our armed forces and national intelligence resources, and maybe save lives. Training in the application of remote viewing could be expanded to benefit our military personnel and intelligence agencies in ongoing tactical and strategic operations.

We can no longer afford to ignore this very powerful asset.

Remote viewing has reportedly been used successfully in many intelligence and reconnaissance efforts but its use has been limited.

“Project Stargate” was the official remote viewing program variously under the control of the CIA, Army Intelligence and Security Command, DIA, Air Force and others in the ‘70s, 80s and early 90s. “Stargate” was only the last of a series of project code names for an effort also known as Scannate, GondolaWish, GrillFlame, CenterLane and SunStreak.

Remote viewing could just as easily be called “enhanced instincts and intuition” or maybe “unconventional internal perception.” Remote viewing is the ability to use and improve the “sixth sense” that most or all people reportedly have to some degree.

Remote viewing is a skill that seems impossible, beyond belief. However, remote viewing experts say years of research and practical application of remote viewing in real-life operational settings have proven that it works and works well. That which is not known can become known.

It might be very helpful if training in this skill was quickly expanded and existing experts in remote viewing (many are former Army intelligence officers) were more fully utilized. Many of these former officers have their own remote viewing training programs. Military and other intelligence training programs could add courses in remote viewing in a minimal amount of time.

Experts in this field claim that humans can develop these abilities with a moderate amount of training. They allege that successful application of these abilities in a wide range of endeavors, including intel and recon, has been proven beyond question. Significant scientific research has validated many aspects of remote viewing theory and practice.

Could an intelligence or security expert involved in U.S. homeland security remote view to perceive and understand a terrorist threat? Could a platoon leader remote view over the next hill to see an ambush? Could a convoy leader in Baghdad “see” where IEDs are planted? Could a U.S. interrogator “know” that the person in his custody has terrorist connections, or that he is innocent, or that he knows more?

Or, could those in the field use remote viewing operators sitting somewhere else? Could a convoy route map be sent to the remote viewer for a check for IEDs or ambushes? Could a map of a target area be examined by a remote viewer to locate an enemy base camp? There are unlimited potential applications that can save lives and help accomplish missions now, and the missions to come.

Maybe personnel with remote viewing training should be assigned organizationally in the way medics, communications specialists, intelligence specialists, supply officers or others are assigned. Remote viewing training could be made available to a wide range of personnel and the skill could be spread as widely as there were open minds.

Since 1995, when remote viewing was declassified for all practical purposes, the original Army intelligence officers and others who fine-tuned remote viewing at Ft. Meade, MD, have set up their own companies to teach the skill. They also offer various remote viewing services. A fundamental organization for remote viewers is the International Remote Viewing Association (IRVA). The IRVA Web site is at www.irva.org.

The original remote viewing unit at Ft. Meade consisted of between six and eight commissioned military intelligence officers. Although personnel changed over the years as different officers and NCOs rotated in and out of the program, some of the project participants are:

- Paul H. Smith, Remote Viewing Instructional Services, www.rviewer.com
- Joe McMoneagle, Intuitive Intelligence Applications, www.mceagle.com
- Lyn Buchanan, Problems Solutions Innovations www.crviewer.com
- Dale Graff, Baycliff Psi Seminars, www.dalegraff.com
- F. Holmes “Skip” Atwater, http://satwater.www9.50megs.com/skipatwater.htm

Below are some key timelines in the development of remote viewing:

- 71: Experiments in remote viewing at Stanford Research Institute (SRI). CIA conducts evaluations. CIA gives SRI $50K experimental contract.
- 71-73: Various experiments conducted.
- 74: Research article on remote viewing published in journal Nature.
- 75: CIA terminates funding and involvement, officially-overtly. Air Force Foreign Technology Division becomes primary funding source.
- 76-77: Research and operations continue.
- 77: Army intelligence command forms RV unit at Ft. Meade, MD, code-named Project GONDOLAWISH, then changed to Project GRILLFLAME.
- 78-79: Army intelligence selects RV candidates from within Army and civilians.
- 80: Air Force RV involvement terminated, officially, overtly.
- 80-82: Research and operations continue
- 82: Project name changed to CENTERLANE.
- 84: Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) takes temporary control of project.
- 86: DIA takes formal control of project. Project name changed to SUNSTREAK.
- 90: Project name changed to STARGATE.
- 91: Operations involving Stanford Research Institute are transferred to Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), headquartered in San Diego.
- 94: Project control is transferred from DIA to CIA.
- 95: CIA officially, overtly cancels STARGATE.


[Steve Hammons has worked as a journalist, editor, counselor and US Government researcher. Hammons trained with Army Special Forces as an officer trainee in college ROTC. He novels about a research team called the “Joint Reconnaissance Study Group ” are MISSION INTO LIGHT and the sequel LIGHT’S HAND. Visit his home page at: http://navyseals.com/community/members/ohio52/ ]