Retired Navy fighter pilot who witnessed a 2004 UAP incident and later spoke publicly about it. Lieutenant Commander Alex Dietrich is a retired U.S. Navy fighter pilot who became a prominent public figure in UAP discussions after breaking her silence about a 2004 encounter off the California coast. Commissioned in May 2001, she served as one of the nation's first female strike-fighter aviators, flying F/A-18s from 2001 to 2020 and logging more than 1,250 hours and 375 carrier-arrested landings. She has since advocated for treating UAP reports as legitimate aviation safety and national security concerns. On November 14, 2004, Dietrich was flying as wingman to Commander David Fravor off the coast of Southern California when she witnessed an anomalous white, oblong object that exhibited flight characteristics defying conventional aerodynamics. A total of four people, including two pilots and two weapons systems officers, witnessed the object for about 5 minutes. Dietrich maintained silence about the encounter for nearly 17 years before breaking her public silence in a 2021 60 Minutes interview, becoming one of the first military witnesses to speak openly about UAP encounters. She stated she decided to appear on camera "because I was in a government aircraft, because I was on the clock. And so I feel a responsibility to share what I can, and it is unclassified." Dietrich served in Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41 and completed two combat deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. She was awarded a Bronze Star and Air Combat Medal for her service. Dietrich has taught leadership, ethics, and critical thinking at the George Washington University, the U.S. Naval Academy, and now serves on the faculty of the University of Colorado School of Engineering in Boulder. She continues to advocate for treating UAP reports as legitimate concerns worthy of serious scientific study. • 60 Minutes interview (2021) Q: What did Dietrich witness in 2004? A: On November 14, 2004, Dietrich was flying as wingman to Commander David Fravor off the coast of Southern California when she witnessed an anomalous white, oblong object that exhibited flight characteristics defying conventional aerodynamics. Four military personnel total, including two pilots and two weapons systems officers, witnessed the object for about 5 minutes. Q: Why did she decide to speak publicly about the incident? A: Dietrich stated that she decided to appear on camera publicly about the incident because she was in a government aircraft and on the clock at the time, which made her feel a responsibility to share what she could about the unclassified encounter. Q: What are her military credentials? A: Dietrich was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in May 2001 and served as one of the nation's first female strike-fighter aviators, flying F/A-18s from 2001 to 2020. She logged more than 1,250 hours and performed 375 carrier-arrested landings, and completed two combat deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, earning a Bronze Star and Air Combat Medal. Role: Former Navy Pilot Rank: Lieutenant Commander (former) Affiliation: U.S. Navy (former) Verified: Yes Related Cases: Tic Tac UAP (USS Nimitz Encounter) Related People: David Fravor