In 2011, I began writing a shooting and firearms-focused column for Guns & Patriots. It was the first time in 20 years that I openly discussed the Central America War, specifically my involvement in it as a paramilitary officer for the CIA.
I expected a number of my fellow veterans in the special operations community to chime in and comment, and even show their distaste at my admission. What I didn’t expect was that the people who touted themselves at experts would challenge me in such an inflammatory and inaccurate manner—it was disrespectful and so poorly researched.
It has taken me awhile to respond because, one, I have my own life to lead; and two, the comments were so ludicrous that I couldn’t take them seriously. What I began realizing, though was that there might be those unknowledgeable about Central America who might actually take these “experts” seriously.
There are thousands of former operators like me, who, after seeing what happened to me and were ready to finally talk, might clam up for another twenty years, and in the process would lose a special opportunity to further their healing process. As a nation, we would also have lost a monumental part and understanding of international history.
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ReplyDeleteOn Mar 8, 2017, at 9:50 AM, . . wrote:
Cork Graham is a fraud! He has a history of making exaggerated claims, trying to connect himself to situations and events that create persona in the hopes of promote himself as something that he is not.
Midshipman: He claims to have been a Navy Midshipman... To the layman, this sounds impressive, but in reality a Midshipman is nothing more than an ROTC college student in training to become a naval officer. The fact is that he is a dropout... His dropping out is excused from a claim of having PTSD.
"Mini"Tet Offensive: In 1968 Fredrick "Cork" Graham says that he was exposed to scenes of war that have caused him to suffer from PTSD as an adult. Cork being born in November 1964, would have been only three years old at the time of the "Mini" Tet offensive. He goes on to write a book as an adult about healing from the traumas of war, called "The Bamboo Chest" healing from the traumas of war.
Award winning Combat journalist: Cork then goes on to claim to be an award winning photojournalist, publishing multiple award winning photographs of the war in El Salvador. To this day, no awards or published photographs have been found. During this time he claims to go through a military training course for the El Salvadorian military "created by the US Navy Seals". He has a few adolescent looking pictures of himself dressed up like Rambo.
CIA paramilitary officer: He claims to be a CIA working in El Salvador also as a paramilitary officer, which is a complete impossibility due to his history. CIA officers are required to have backgrounds that are compatible with the positions they operate in.
For one, an officer requires a formal educational background, not an ROTC dropout that has failed his commitments.
Two, an extensive background in military operations, especially in paramilitary operations. Language is also a key part of operations, Cork Graham speaks terrible Spanish. ( Refer to his part of Treasure Quest Snake Island acting role.) A CIA paramilitary officer would not only be proficient, he would be fluid in the local language.
There is also an extreme vetting process that ensures its operators not only have the physical capabilities, but also the mental proficiency.
Are we to believe that the CIA would put an uneducated person with no military background, with broken Spanish, and PTSD into tactical situation as a paramilitary operator? This is not remotely a possibility!
The truth about Cork Graham is that he has inflated his persona by remotely and vaguely connecting himself to situations that real heroes find themselves in. He is nothing more than a story teller stealing valor from rap hero's, in hopes of selling a few self published books that are not on any best seller list beside Amazon. "Buy four of your own self published books in an hour and you can be a best seller too!"
Cork Graham AKA Fredrick Graham is a fake and a fraud, he is stealing valor from rail heros.
"Mini"Tet Offensive: In 1968 Fredrick "Cork" Graham says that he was exposed to scenes of war that have caused him to suffer from PTSD as an adult. Cork being born in November 1964, would have been only three years old at the time of the "Mini" Tet offensive.
DeleteThanks, he big one was in January/February and the mini one months later. Does he state where he was for the big one?