US Army sergeant claimed contact with mantis-like aliens before death

Overview

A former intelligence analyst, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has released a written account alleging that a U.S. Army sergeant experienced a telepathic link with a mantis‑shaped non‑human intelligence (NHI) shortly before the soldier’s death in 2021. The claim, posted on an online UFO‑research forum, has been widely circulated within the civilian “UFO disclosure” community and is now being referenced in broader discussions about possible government transparency on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). No official military or law‑enforcement agency has confirmed the story, and attempts to locate corroborating documentation have so far been unsuccessful.

Alleged Contact

According to the whistleblower’s memo, the sergeant—identified only as “Sgt. X” to protect his family—was part of a classified program that investigated anomalous aerial sightings. In late 2020, the soldier reportedly entered a remote training area in the southwestern United States where he encountered an entity described as “tall, slender, with elongated limbs and a mantis‑like head.” The document claims the creature communicated telepathically, imparting a series of cryptic messages about humanity’s future and warning of “an impending shift in consciousness.” The sergeant allegedly recorded his experience in a personal journal, which the whistleblower says he later obtained.

Source and Verification

The memo was first uploaded to the “UFO Truth” subreddit on May 22, 2026 and quickly attracted attention from several high‑profile UFO investigators. The author asserts that he obtained the sergeant’s journal from a deceased colleague who had been part of the same covert unit. However, no original journal, medical records, or official death certificate have been released, and the Department of Defense has not issued a statement confirming the existence of such a program or the incident. Independent fact‑checkers contacted by this outlet were unable to verify the whistleblower’s identity or to locate any public record of the sergeant’s service that matches the description.

Broader Context

The claim emerges amid a wave of renewed congressional interest in UAPs, following the Pentagon’s 2023 unclassified report and the 2024 establishment of the All‑Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). While the report documented dozens of unexplained aerial observations, it stopped short of acknowledging any extraterrestrial or non‑human intelligence involvement. The mantis‑type description echoes earlier anecdotal reports from pilots and astronauts who have described “insectoid” entities, but those accounts have historically been treated as anecdotal and lacking empirical evidence. Researchers caution that the proliferation of sensational claims can distract from the ongoing effort to obtain rigorous, scientifically vetted data on UAP encounters.

Reactions and Outlook

UFO advocacy groups have largely embraced the whistleblower’s narrative as “potentially groundbreaking,” urging the intelligence community to declassify any related files. Conversely, skeptics and mainstream scientists emphasize the need for corroborating evidence before drawing conclusions about telepathic communication or alien contact. The Pentagon’s spokesperson reiterated that “the Department remains committed to transparency where national security permits, but unverified personal testimonies do not constitute official evidence.” As the story continues to circulate, its impact will likely hinge on whether additional documentation surfaces—something that could either substantiate the claim or relegate it to the realm of speculative folklore.