Les Velez has a bachelor of science in Business Administration, served as a U.S. Army field officer, and was a field investigator and trainer for MUFON (Mutual UFO Network). He was also Chairman of AERC (Abductee Experiencer Research Committee) and a team leader for ART (Abduction Research Team). In 1994, he co-founded OPUS, the Organization for Paranormal Understanding and Support. Its mission is to reach out and support those who have encountered extraordinary paranormal experiences.