JONATHAN FAGAN, editor@murfreesboropost.com
Posted: Sunday, December 11, 2011 5:50 am

The Martian landscape shows signs of habitation, according to George Filer, keynote speaker at MUFON’s annual conference, which was held last weekend. The white arrows point to habitable spots. (Photos submitted)

Convinced of life on Mars, existence of UFOs, and ongoing alien abductions, the Mutual Unidentified Flying Object Network met for its annual conference last Sunday at Murfreesboro’s Baymont Inn.

In its third year, the conference brings together state and regional directors from across the nation for presentations from authors and activists concerning various aspects of outer space and the earthly presence of extra terrestrials.

According to Tennessee MUFON Director Eddie Middleton of Memphis, the number of UFO sightings in Tennessee has rapidly increased during the last year.

“We have to educate the public about the reality of UFO presence,” he said. “Why are so many people gripped by the mystery of this?”

When asked if the presence of UFOs has been hidden by the U.S. Government, Middleton could not be sure, but he and other attendees were convinced of their existence.

“Prince Phillip confirmed their existence and Gen. Douglas MacArthur claimed publicly that UFOs exist,” said attendee Maj. George Filer, who said he “chased UFOs in the Air Force.”

Some of those aliens could be from Mars if Filer, a featured speaker at the conference, is correct in his assertion that life exists on that planet.

Filer is director of New Jersey’s MUFON chapter, and was selling his most recent book at the conference after presenting “indisputable proof” of life on Mars, which riveted his audience.

“There is no doubt that based on the evidence that there is, or once was, an advanced civilization on the planet of Mars,” he said.

Filer operates four websites dealing with UFOs, life on Mars, and government cover ups of alien encounters at Rozwell, N.M.

One attendee, in fact, offered “physical evidence” of his family’s ongoing abductions by aliens.

Thomas M. Reed, of Knoxville, claimed to have been abducted along with his brother and other family members spanning generations.

He introduced himself as having discussed the case at the United Nations Symposium on Extraterrestrial Intelligence in 1992, and claims a National Geographic Channel Special concerning his case will air soon.

MUFON’s leaders expressed particular pride in their ability to quickly investigate sightings of UFOs across the nation.

Dave MacDonald, assistant director of the group’s investigative team, said he “read his first book on UFOs at the age of 10” and has been “hooked ever since.”

He said MUFON’s investigators, the Star Team, can be anywhere in the U.S. within 48 hours of a reported UFO sighting to properly investigate.

Attendee Fletcher Gray, Star Team member from Houston, handles category two and category three cases, defined as “close encounters” by MUFON.

“Fletcher is the elite investigator of our group,” MacDonald said. “He is charged with hopping on a plane and being anywhere in the country within 48 hours when a sighting is reported to our network.”

When this reporter asked to interview Fletcher Gray, he could not be found for comment.

Several phone calls were made to Gray and his hotel room was contacted by MUFON officials, but he could not be found.

“He could have been abducted,” MacDonald said.

To which a bystander responded, “No one would believe it anyway, even if he was.”