Back in October of 2007 I decided to file a FOI request with the MoD here in the UK in an attempt to track down a copy of the NATO UFO document Bob Dean claims to have read at SHOC in 1964. The result was predictably disapointing, but I have to say that in this instance I found the MoD to be very helpful. Here is the MoD's response:

Mr Lee Nicholson
Our Reference:05-10-2007-070932-001 Nicholson
Date: 19th October 2007

Dear Lee,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 04 October 2007, on the subject of: “AN ASSESSMENT. An Evaluation of a Possible Military Threat to Allied Forces in Europe”

I do not believe that the Ministry of Defence holds any relevant information.

You will be aware that a significant amount of material dating from this time of the may be found at The National Archives (TNA). TNA’s on-line catalogue provides information not only of files that are available to researchers but also to records selected for permanent preservation that are still closed. On this latter point I have carried out a search of the title and can identify none relevant to your area of interest.

A search of MOD archived holdings has been made for any papers relating to TITLE; AN ASSESSMENT, An Evaluation of a Possible Military Threat to Allied Forces in Europe” I regret to advise you that no papers have been identified.

Therefore I can confirm:

1. That we cannot confirm the existence of the document.

2. The document will not come under review as part of the MOD’s current UFO information release.

I would caveat this by informing you that there any NATO documents in files transferred from MOD to the National Archives are removed and destroyed, as ownership and responsibility of those documents lie with NATO. You may wish to approach NATO headquarters (www.nato.int).

I am sorry to give what may be a disappointing reply.


If you are unhappy with this response or you wish to complain about any aspect of the handling of your request, then you should contact me in the first instance. If informal resolution is not possible and you are still dissatisfied then you may apply for an independent internal review by contacting the Director of Information Exploitation, 6th Floor, MOD Main Building, Whitehall, SW1A 2HB (e-mail Info-XD@mod.uk). Please note that any request for an internal review must be made within 40 working days of the date on which the attempt to reach informal resolution has come to an end.

If you remain unhappy following an internal review, you may take your complaint to the Information Commissioner under the provisions of Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act. Please note that the Information Commissioner will not investigate the case until the internal review process has been completed. Further details of the role and powers of the Information Commissioner can be found on the Commissioner’s website, http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.

Regards

Ray Nolan
Deputy Departmental Records Officer
Ministry of Defence