Observations placeholder

From Psychic Warfare (Threat or Illusion) By Martin Ebon

The Military Review, (October 1980), professional journal of the U.S. Army, provided an analysis of this subject under the title "The New Mental Battlefield," by Lieutenant Colonel John B. Alexander.

The author, a staff member of the Army's Inspector General Agency stationed in Washington, had served in Thailand and Vietnam with the Special Forces and had been chief of the Human Resources Division, a section of the Organizational Effectiveness Staff Office at Fort McPherson, Georgia.

Lt. Col. Alexander specifically dealt with "Psychotronics" or "bioenergetics," which he equated with the interaction of mind and matter. He noted that while these concepts "may stretch the magination of many readers, research in this area has been underway for years, and the possibility for employment as weaponry has been explored." He said that there exist "weapons systems that operate on the power of the mind and whose lethal capacity has already been demonstrated.

"Mind-altering techniques designed to have an impact on an opponent" are "well-advanced," Alexander wrote. He added that "the procedures employed include manipulation of human behavior through use of psychological weapons affecting sight, sound, smell, temperature, electromagnetic energy or sensory deprivation." In addition, he listed as potential military tools such parapsychological phenomena as out-of-the-body experiences (OOBE), remote- viewing, extrasensory perception, and bio-information. "

The article stated that "available unclassified data" yield the conclusion that it "has been demonstrated that certain persons appear to have the ability to mentally retrieve data from afar while physically remaining in a secure location," adding that the Soviet Union and its allies were "generally believed" to be "well in the lead in parapsychological research." He also wrote:

"The reality of paranormal events has been accepted by Soviet researchers, and theories have been developed to explain and study those events. The Soviets have further developed techniques to control and actively employ their knowledge of parapsychology. Included in the research has been investigation into areas such as telepathy (the mental awareness of information over distance), precognition (the knowledge of future events), telekinesis (movement of matter with the mind) and the transfer of bioenergy from one body to another."

As an example of potential uses of bioenergy, the author cited "the ability to heal or cause disease," which can be "transmitted over distance, thus inducing illness or death for no apparent cause," although "the present capacity for human death is still debated." In the category of telepathic behavior modification, he included "the ability to induce hypnotic states up to distances of 1,000 kilometers."

Research in the Soviet Union and the United States, Alexander said, suggests that mentally generated electromagnetic forces are "capable of distorting or rupturing the target object." He pointed to the "intelligence gathering capability" of remote-viewing and out-of-the-body travel. Describing "the strategic and tactical applications" of such techniques as "unlimited," he added: "When finally developed, this capability could ultimately allow an operator to enter an enemy headquarters at will to observe plans and dispositions. On the battlefield, one could reconnoiter an area from the physical safety of his own chosen location.

"The use of telepathic hypnosis also holds great potential. This capability could allow agents to be deeply planted, with no conscious knowledge of their programming," the author stated. And:

"Other mind-to-mind thought induction techniques are also being considered. If perfected, this ability could allow the direct transference of thought via telepathy from one mind, or group of minds, to a selected target audience. The unique factor is that the recipient will not be aware that thoughts have been implanted from an external source. He or she will believe that thoughts are original."

Lt. Col. Alexander emphasized "the need for more coordinated research in the realm of the paranormal." He called for trained personnel "at all levels," who would develop "a basic understanding of weapons systems they may encounter in the not too distant future."