Buchanan, Leonard (Lyn Buchanan)

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BUCHANAN, Leonard (Lyn Buchanan)

PERSONAL: Male; married. Education: Received bachelor's degree (psychology, linguistics); received M.A. (linguistic psychology).

ADDRESSES: Home—Alamogordo, NM. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Paraview, 191 Seventh Avenue, Suite 2F, New York, NY 10011.

CAREER: Computer consultant and author. U.S. Army Intelligence, 1984-92; retired. Problems, Solutions, Innovations (consulting firm), Washington, DC, founder and executive director. Member of board of directors, International Remote Viewers Association.

WRITINGS:

UNDER NAME LYN BUCHANAN

The Seventh Sense: The Secrets of Remote Viewing AsTold by a "Psychic Spy" for the U.S. Military, foreword by Jim Marrs, Paraview Pocket Books (New York, NY), 2003.

SIDELIGHTS: Leonard "Lyn" Buchanan is a former trainer of psychic spies for a secret U.S. Army intelligence group. In The Seventh Sense: The Secrets of Remote Viewing As Told by a "Psychic Spy for the U.S. Military", Buchanan reveals his experiences as a part of this group, claiming that during the late twentieth century the government secretly trained a select corps in the art of "remote viewing": the ability to perceive the thoughts and experiences of others. Buchanan maintains in his book that remote viewing was used as a way to collect data during the Iran hostage situation, the Chernobyl disaster, and the Gulf War.

Buchanan explains that an incident occurred in 1982 that brought his psychic abilities to the attention of General Albert N. Stubblebine, who was then commander of the U.S. Army's Intelligence and Security Command. Buchanan was drafted into the remote-viewing program, known today as "Star Gate," where he served from 1984 until 1992 as a viewer, database manager, property book officer, and trainer. Buchanan retired in 1992 and formed his own company, Problems, Solutions, Innovations, which helps corporations deal with intelligence-related data acquisitions. A nonprofit division of Buchanan's company, the Assigned Witness Program, helps officials locate missing children.

Several reviewers viewed Buchanan's claims in The Seventh Sense with skepticism. In Booklist, Ilene Cooper commented, "The more you read, the more you wonder if this exposé is really a put-on. But . . . the author, at least, seems to believe what he is saying." A contributor to Publishers Weekly commented, "Skeptics will vigorously debate Buchanan's claims for the efficacy of remote viewing, but true believers in search of government certification for their views will be greatly reassured by this odd and interesting book." "Whether it's the new frontier or simply far-fetched, there is no doubt that remote viewing is a hot topic in the making," concluded Cooper.