Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but you folk seem to have a lot of expertise between you.

I'm writing a science fiction book where aliens come to Earth, hoping to open diplomatic relations. Does anyone know if the military have any standing orders for what to do if aliens do come to Earth?

Based on your experience, what is likely to happen, shoot first and ask questions later, or see what would happen if you allowed them to land in the center of Washington?

Based on your experience, what is likely to happen, shoot first and ask questions later, or see what would happen if you allowed them to land in the center of Washington?Hello E:

We're shooters - not talkers... Didja see the movie, The Day The Earth Stood Still?? I mean the original one, starring Reginald Denny or maybe it was Michael Renny... I think THAT'S exactly how it would happen if a ship landed in the center of Washington.

excon

Even if it came in speaking English? My aliens have learned major languages.

Hello again, E:

In the movie, Duane Eddy, or maybe it was Roland Penny, looked human, and spoke perfect English... They STILL shot him.

Yes, he DID bring along a real mean robot, but he didn't come out till Jerrold Benny got shot.

excon

Well, I was kind of hoping for current military response, not the Hollywood version.

Here is a link that you may find useful.
Project Blue Book - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Blue_Book)

Interesting, and I'll probably incorporate part of it.

I was recently talking to a Marine, who reckoned that they would probably be ordered to proceed with caution, let them land and have lots of guns ready if they do anything hostile.

There's no AR(Army Regulation) on "handling" aliens. What you can incorporate however, and I can't believe I'm actually helping you on this, is Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Militarty Justice(UCMJ) which states that punishment will ensue if a subordinate disobeys a LAWFUL order from a superior. But honestly, I hope you realize how long of a shot you were lookin' at for getting an actual, substantial SOP for handling ET. By the way, AR 1234 states if ET shows up, we give him one phone call

By the way, AR 1234 states if ET shows up, we give him one phone callHello ranger:

That's a good un!

excon

Well, my take is that they would be ordered to come out with hand or other appendages up, and to have their documents ready for inspection.

They would come in and be invading air space, not have any immigration papers and more