A Talk with Ryan Sprague About all Things UAP
In 2020, I had the privilege of interviewing UAP investigator and podcaster Ryan Sprague, known for his podcast Somewhere in the Skies, in my Podcast Review series. If you haven’t listened to his podcast, I highly recommend it. Ryan is excellent at what he does. He has also written two books on the subject, both of which are fascinating reads. With the congressional hearing in July of this year and an increase in UAP activity, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to reach out to Ryan again. He graciously agreed, and this is what he had to say.
David: How do you feel about the current state of the UAP phenomenon?
Ryan: The same I’ve always felt. Full of wonder and possibilities. Yet no closer to an answer. But that’s completely fine with me. Chasing the mystery has always given me hope and inspiration that the world is far bigger, and stranger than ever imagined. And UAP continue to prove that with each report sent to me.
David: The big story is the congressional hearing held in July featuring whistleblower David Grusch. How do you feel the hearing went?
Ryan: The hearing was very interesting. Solid testimony brought forward by two former Navy pilots, and very bold claims made by a highly credentialed former intelligence official. I was actually much more impressed with the congressional members involved than I was with the actual witnesses who testified under oath. I personally spoke to both Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Robert Garcia (D-CA) who took part, and they found the entire hearing very compelling. So much so, that Rep. Moskowitz is pursuing further investigations into the claims of David Grusch, and I will be following the progress on this diligently.
David: Do you think the hearing was a step in the right direction?
Ryan: Absolutely. Now that Congress has heard what the Inspector General for Intelligence deemed as “credible and urgent” information brought forward by Grusch, proper investigation will be done to see if there is any truth behind the claims of UFO crash-retrieval programs working illegally with no government oversight.
David: Where do we go from here? What do you see happening next?
Ryan: In response to claims like that of Grusch and other whistleblowers who have come forward in a classified setting, Sen. Chuck Schumer has proposed ground-breaking legislation that will see any documents, concerning UFOs, declassified and released to the public. It will also oversee the acquisition of any UFO craft or materials currently being held in black-budget programs or in private corporations. It will be a long and bumpy road, but nobody ever said “disclosure” would be easy or swift. The door has been opened, and it can’t be easily shut.
David: Do you think other whistleblowers will come forward?
Ryan: I think they will. But it won’t be as easy road ahead, as we’ve seen dramatic push-back against David Grusch, for coming forward, including a complete “hit piece” published by The Intercept. If other whistleblowers do come forward, they will suffer the slings and arrows of being discredited in any way possible.
David: How do you feel this “hit peace” affects his claims?
Ryan: I think it actually strengthens his claims and makes him more human. He was able to continue his work even after evaluations by his superiors.
David: Why do you think that news coverage of this hearing was so lacking? You would think that this would’ve been covered in all mainstream media.
Ryan: I think the mainstream media is waiting for the evidence to all come in at once. Which is not how any of this works or will play out. It will be it fragmented pieces of a puzzle that eventually form a larger picture. This is when mainstream media will swoop in and try to take responsibility for breaking the stories.
David: What are your biggest hopes and fears concerning the future of UAP, given the testimonials of David Grusch?
Ryan: I hope this makes the stigma shed when it comes to UFO reporting. But I also think the topic will become more and more politicized. This could lead to even more over-classification on any information pertaining to the UFO issue.
David: How do you feel about the increase in UAP sightings since the congressional hearing? Coincidence?
Ryan: I think it’s empowering people to actually come forward and report UFOs. So, I don’t necessarily think we’re seeing an increase in UAP activity per say, but definitely an increase in reporting. Which I think is more important. The more reporting, the more data we can analyze and the more qualitative determinations we can come to with these various types of phenomena.
David: You mentioned on your podcast that there is more to the story of the UAP that was shot down over Alaska. The cover story was that it was a balloon, but you feel differently. Can you elaborate on this more?
Ryan: To this day, we have been told the identity of only one object shot down by the United States in February of 2023. 3 other objects were also shot down. NONE have been adequately or publicly explained. The President of the United States told the world that the search and recovery of the wreckage of the Alaska object was called off. But weeks after that event, I was reached out to by various residents in that area who claim differently. They believe they have proof that the object was recovered and flown out of the area. I am currently investigating these claims and will even head to Deadhorse Alaska to attempt to locate the recovery location to investigate further. The residents there, and several sources I’ve spoken to, do not believe the object to have been a conventional balloon of any sort. These claims will be investigated as well.
David: On September 1 and 2, you are hosting Anomacon. What can you tell us about this free convention?
Ryan: ANOMACON is a FREE virtual conference that will take place on September 1 & 2 on YouTube and Twitter(X). Over 3 dozen speakers from around the world will be brought together in a virtual space to present their research, insights, and have discussions on all-things anomalous. From UFOs and the paranormal to the cryptozoological and supernatural. The world continues to prove it is a mysterious place. ANOMACON attempts to get to the heart of those mysteries, one virtual discussion at a time. You can subscribe to the Ryan Sprague YouTube channel to watch or learn more about our speakers and topics of discussion at: www.anomacon.com
David: Are there any upcoming projects that you can share?
Ryan: I can be seen on the current season of Ancient Aliens on the History Channel and in the upcoming season of Mysteries Decoded on the CW Network. Other than that, I am working on a new book which should be out in late 2024. My current book, “Stories from Somewhere in the Skies,” was recently released. It covers the Top 50 UFO stories submitted to the Somewhere in the Skies podcast throughout the years. All of my projects and work can be found at: www.somewhereintheskies.com.
Knowing how busy Ryan is, I cannot thank him enough for taking the time to be a part of this interview.
~David Albaugh
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