Red Light Appears to Go Right Through Cockpit

I was on a Military helicopter flight returning from a round trip from Ft Rucker, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama and back.  I was attending the Air Traffic Controller, school at Ft Rucker and it was my birthday so I went for a requested a jump seat ride on a Huey.  
As we approached Ft Rucker near dusk (approximately ten miles out), the tower asked us to turn on our landing light so they could verify our position. This was done and the tower reported seeing our landing light and proceeding to give us altimeter and wind direction. Skies clear. 
Suddenly, cockpit covered in clouds and through the clouds a faint red light (blinking) about the size of an orange was approaching the craft.  The light as it approached became brighter and more distinct.  It broke out of the clouds and came directly at the cockpit. 
The pilots dove the helicopter down and to the left.  Pilot and copilot called tower to ask if any traffic was in our area and they said no.  
All of us, Pilot, Copilot and myself thought we were going to collide with something.  Pilot and Copilot both said they over the helmet mikes that they thought what the had encountered was a UFO.  
AS I was further back in the Huey, it appeared to me as if the light went right through the cockpit. 
I was Distinguished Graduate of the Air Traffic Control School and have seen many aircraft in my days but never anything as unusual as this.