Dan Sherman served twelve years in the U.S. Air Force from 1982 to 1995. He began as a security policeman and later cross-trained as an electronic intelligence specialist with assignments including Osan Air Base in Korea, Offutt AFB in Nebraska, San Vito in Italy, Buckley AFB in Colorado, and a station in the Netherlands.
Sherman claimed the NSA read him into Project Preserve Destiny during an ELINT course at Fort Meade in 1992. He said the program trained him as an intuitive communicator for telepathic contact with extraterrestrials as a backup system for future electromagnetic disruptions.
- Enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1982 and discharged honorably in 1995 as a staff sergeant.
- Cross-trained into electronic intelligence in 1990 and attended NSA continuation training at Fort Meade, Maryland, around 1992.
- Published the book Above Black: Project Preserve Destiny in 1997 through One Team Publishing.
- Has repeated the same core claims in interviews through at least October 2025 without alteration.
- Military service record including bases and training is documented and consistent with public statements.
- United StatesBorn and served
- U.S. Air ForceStaff Sergeant, 1982–1995
- National Security AgencyELINT training and claimed program
Background
Dan Sherman enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1982 shortly after high school. He began his service as a security policeman. Early assignments took him to Osan Air Base in Korea. He performed standard military police duties during the first several years of his enlistment.
In 1990 Sherman cross-trained into electronic intelligence. This new specialty provided access to higher security clearances. He attended technical training and received assignments that included Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Additional postings followed in San Vito, Italy, and Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado.
Sherman was stationed in the Netherlands for a period during his ELINT duties. He also completed temporary duty and training in other locations. His service included recognition for performance with awards such as the Air Force Commendation Medal and multiple Air Force Achievement Medals.
In 1992 Sherman attended an NSA electronic intelligence continuation course near Fort Meade, Maryland. During this period he stated he was separately briefed on Project Preserve Destiny. The briefing described a program to develop human communicators capable of telepathic contact with extraterrestrials.
Sherman said the program originated in the early 1960s following earlier government contact with nonhuman intelligences. He claimed his own ability stemmed from genetic procedures performed on his mother during reported abductions while she was pregnant with him. Training involved specialized equipment to activate and refine the skill.
Sherman performed these duties for nearly three years while maintaining his regular ELINT responsibilities. He described receiving and relaying messages in a compartmentalized setting. The stated purpose was to maintain communications capability during a future event that would disable electromagnetic systems.
Sherman left the Air Force in April 1995. He initially kept the account private. In 1996 he disclosed it to his fiancée and decided to publish the details. The book Above Black appeared in 1997 and outlined training protocols, message formats, and program background.
Sherman has given numerous radio, podcast, and lecture appearances since publication. He has maintained the identical core narrative across decades. No official records have confirmed the existence of Project Preserve Destiny. Researchers have verified the publicly available portions of his military service record through multiple interviews and documents.
Sherman has two children and has operated a business outside of public appearances. His account has circulated widely in UFO research circles. He has not added new elements or retracted prior statements in recent years.
Where They Are Now
Dan Sherman remains active in occasional interviews as of 2026. He participated in a long-form discussion in October 2025 that revisited his original claims.
He continues to maintain the website aboveblack.com and has not altered the details of his 1997 account.
Last updated 25 October 2026