4D Chess On DOPSR
"4D Chess on DOPSR" is the term used by an anonymous insider (who contacted whistleblower Michael Herrera) to describe a strategic game of disclosure being played against the Defense Office of Pre-publication and Security Review (DOPSR). The strategy involves intentionally embedding classified or deep black program information within a fictional manuscript, then observing how DOPSR responds during pre-publication review to gain intelligence about what the government will and will not acknowledge.
The Strategy
Manuscript: Sentinels of Ether
The insider is reportedly writing a book titled "Sentinels of Ether" through a ghost writer. The book is described as mixing truth and fiction — similar to Tom DeLonge's "Secret Machines" series — with an event set in Mexico in 2004 involving a paramilitary black program team wiping out a JSOC team during an operation. The insider provided Michael Herrera with a two-chapter manuscript currently under DOPSR review.
The Gambit
The insider stated: "Our intention is to put the DOD in a pickle by creating dilemmas. We are strategically taking advantage of the fact they must respond. They don't have a choice. No poker face. Any response will provide us with information/intelligence and inverse intelligence."
The mechanism works as follows:
- Include deep black information: Embed details about programs that should not be publicly acknowledged but are based on insider knowledge
- DOPSR must review: By law, DOPSR must review all manuscripts from individuals with security clearances or insider access
- Response reveals information:
- If DOPSR flags content, it confirms the material is classified and the programs exist
- If DOPSR allows content, it either means the programs don't exist OR they are so deep that acknowledging them for redaction would itself be revealing
- Inverse intelligence gained: Any response pattern reveals the government's classification boundaries and what they consider too sensitive to acknowledge
Stated Goal
The insider claims to be playing this game because "deep black projects that shouldn't be acknowledged" are embedded in the manuscript, and forcing DOPSR to engage reveals whether they will "catch it" or let it through — both outcomes providing intelligence value.
Concerns and Red Flags
Investigator Joey Is Not My Name expressed significant skepticism about this strategy:
Questionable Evidence Value: Joey noted that the book was initially framed as corroborating evidence to support Michael Herrera's testimony, yet "how is a fictional book supposed to corroborate anything?" The book describes a completely different event in Mexico in 2004, not Herrera's 2009 Indonesia encounter.
Complexity vs. Utility: The elaborate 4D chess strategy raises questions about whether a genuine disclosure advocate would pursue such convoluted methods rather than direct testimony, documentation, or whistleblowing through established channels.
Disinformation Parallels: The mixing of truth and fiction is a classic disinformation technique, making it impossible to separate genuine classified information from fabrication. This mirrors the Paul Benowitz disinformation campaign conducted by the CIA in 1989.
DOPSR Process Context
DOPSR (Defense Office of Pre-publication and Security Review) is the DOD entity that reviews all books, articles, speeches, and other materials written by current or former DOD personnel to ensure no classified information is disclosed. David Grusch is currently navigating DOPSR review for an op-ed. The process is mandatory for individuals with clearances and can involve:
- Redaction of classified material
- Complete denial of publication
- Lengthy delays (sometimes years)
- Legal penalties for publishing without authorization
Assessment
The "4D Chess on DOPSR" strategy could represent:
- Genuine disclosure gaming: An insider with classified knowledge testing boundaries to reveal information indirectly
- Disinformation operation: A psychological operation to inject false information into the UAP community while appearing credible
- Self-aggrandizement: An individual with limited knowledge creating elaborate narratives to appear more important
No independent verification of the Sentinels of Ether manuscript content, DOPSR submission, or the results of the "4D chess" strategy has emerged. The concept remains firmly in the realm of unverified insider claims.