--- description: The U.S. Air Force has responded to the 1.3 million people who have signed on to raid Area 51 in search of aliens. title: The Military Responded to Those Planning To Raid Area 51 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt85335a9cf4dc14f8/698a0006e76ad23c02636252/area-51-raid-air-force.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Military Has a Warning for Anyone Interested In Raiding Area 51 In An Attempt To Free Aliens by [Ashley Hoffman](/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 16, 2019 3:18 PM CUT  Photo of Pat Bailey of San Francisco December 04, 1995, who was attending a UFO convention earlier in the day, came into the Little A'Le'Inn located in Rachel, Nevada, near the Nellis Air Force Base and Area 51, wearing an alien mask. Looking on is bar owner Joe Travis, who believe it or not seemed a bit surprised. Photo of Pat Bailey of San Francisco December 04, 1995, who was attending a UFO convention earlier in the day, came into the Little A'Le'Inn located in Rachel, Nevada, near the Nellis Air Force Base and Area 51, wearing an alien mask. Looking on is bar owner Joe Travis, who believe it or not seemed a bit surprised.Ken Hively—Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag by [Ashley Hoffman](/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 16, 2019 3:18 PM CUT The U.S. Air Force has responded to the 1.3 million people who have signed on to [raid Area 51](https://time.com/5626450/storm-area-51-alien-memes/ "undefined") in [search of aliens](https://time.com/5625420/area-51-petition/ "undefined") as part of an internet joke that has gone viral. The fake plan to raid Area 51 started with a Facebook event and has inspired thousands of [alien-related memes](https://time.com/5626450/storm-area-51-alien-memes/ "undefined"). “Any attempt to illegally access the area is highly discouraged,” an Air Force spokesperson told [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2019/07/15/741938966/more-than-1-million-people-agree-to-storm-area-51-but-the-air-force-says-stay-ho "undefined") in a Monday statement, along with several other media outlets including [_USA Today_](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/16/area-51-air-force-responds-plans-storm-nevada-military-base/1741799001/ "undefined") and [The New York _Times_](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/15/us/area-51-raid.html "undefined"). The Air Force did not respond to a request for comment by TIME at the time of publication. The Facebook event “[Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All Of Us](https://www.facebook.com/events/448435052621047/?active%5Ftab=about "undefined"),” was started as an [internet joke to raid Area 51](https://time.com/5625420/area-51-petition/ "undefined") on September 20 in search of aliens. **Read More**: [Laughs, Masks and a ‘Sense of Community.’ Most People Came in Peace to the Area 51 Raid. Here’s What Actually Happened ](https://time.com/5681197/area-51-raid-aftermath/ "undefined") “If we naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets. Lets see them aliens,” the event description reads. 1.3 million people have signed on to attend so far, and the internet memes have taken over social feeds around the world. A pinned post on the event page describes the joke invasion strategy in detail, and adds: “Hello US government, this is a joke, and I do not actually intend to go ahead with this plan. I just thought it would be funny and get me some thumbsy uppies on the internet.” Area 51, a secretive military base north of Las Vegas, is home to what alien conspiracy theorists have claimed hides the secrets of extra terrestrial life in the universe. It has been the subject of science fiction films, TV shows and literature for decades. Anyone interested in actually _Naruto_\-running into Area 51 might be disappointed to know they just missed the Roswell, New Mexico [U.F.O. Festival](http://www.ufofestivalroswell.com/ "undefined") that happens every July and is welcoming of invaders. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5627283/area-51-invasion-military-free-aliens/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5627283/area-51-invasion-military-free-aliens/"},"headline":"The Military Has a Warning for Anyone Interested In Raiding Area 51 In An Attempt To Free Aliens","datePublished":"2019-07-16T15:18:09.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:59:31.778Z","description":"The U.S. Air Force has responded to the 1.3 million people who have signed on to raid Area 51 in search of aliens.","url":"https://time.com/5627283/area-51-invasion-military-free-aliens/","keywords":["Newsfeed","viral","onetime","apollo1150"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt85335a9cf4dc14f8/698a0006e76ad23c02636252/area-51-raid-air-force.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ashley Hoffman","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt85335a9cf4dc14f8/698a0006e76ad23c02636252/area-51-raid-air-force.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Story about Highway 375, which is known for its UFO sitings and the people who believe in them. 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