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List of John Giduck False Military Claims And Claims Left Uncorrected

OVERVIEW

John Giduck has a wide-ranging background. He is a lawyer, a consultant on school safety and

counter-terrorism, and the author of a number of books. These books include:

- The Terror at Beslan (2005)

- The Green Beret In You (2007)

- Shooter Down! (2011)

- When Terror Returns (2012)

John Giduck was romantically involved with cop-killer Donna Yaklich in the mid-1980s while

serving as her defense counsel. Mr. Giduck’s legal fees were paid from the police death

benefits of Ms. Yaklich’s murdered husband. Costs of a romantic vacation to Jamaica prior to

Ms. Yaklich being charged with the murder of her husband were also paid from this officer’s

death benefit.

John Giduck has made a number of false claims about his US military service and other

qualifying credentials. More importantly, Mr. Giduck leaves false claims by others uncorrected

about his background and US military service on his websites, in conference biographies, and

other materials.

- John Giduck has left false claims uncorrected about having served and often retired as a

member of the US Army Special Forces and the US Army Rangers.

- John Giduck’s actual US military experience spans a total of 58 days in the US Army. He

did not finish basic combat training. See Tab A of this document.

- John Giduck has significant relationships with high-level Russian intelligence officials

that might require US persons in sensitive positions to file contact reports. See Tab B for

more details.

- John Giduck is an honorary lifetime member of the Special Operations Association. John

Giduck mischaracterizes his membership to boost the belief that he is a former Special

Forces soldier.

- John Giduck claims to have up to 18 years working with Russian Spetsnaz and other

Russian military units. His actual time spent “training with Russian Special Forces” was a

series of one-week military-style adventure camps spanning several years

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QUESTIONS ABOUT JOHN GIDUCK’S CLAIMS STARTED IN 2005

The Penheaded blog started raising questions about John Giduck’s credentials and experience

in Nov 2005 in this article: http://penheaded.blogspot.com/2005/11/tactical-missionaries-spreadin-love.html

This organization has come up on the radar. John Giduck, president of Archangel, is pimping a

book and has a series of seminars that are surrounded by confusion about his history.

Additionally:

On the org’s site Giduck’s book is featured and he is listed as having the highest level

certification in homeland security. That certification is given by another organization where he

sits on an executive advisory board. The certification is listed in the credentials of a number of

members on that board.

John Giduck’s credentials, experience, and books have been criticized by respected authorities

and by investigative journalists.

Terror At Beslan: Ms. Meg Stalcup and Mr. Joshua Craze question Mr. Giduck’s Beslan school

siege conclusions as well as Mr. Giduck’s credentials in the Washington Monthly: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2011/1103.stalcup-craze.html

There is strong evidence that John Giduck was not at the Beslan School siege as claimed: http://thetruthaboutsocnetlies.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/john-giducks-improbable-timeline-for-travel-to-beslan-

russia/

Shooter Down! David Cariens questions Mr. Giduck’s conclusions about the Virginia Tech

shootings: http://aquestionofaccountability.blogspot.com/2011/11/more-shooter-down.html

REFUTATION OF JOHN GIDUCK’S CREDENTIALS AND EXPERIENCE

A complete timeline of John Giduck’s false claims can be found here:

http://www.socnet.com/showthread.php?t=108495

Aside from false military qualifications listed below, John Giduck’s biography boasts multiple

skillsets without explaining how they were obtained.

Giduck has special training in many Homeland Security-related tactics, including hostage rescue,

kidnapping negotiations, small unit tactics, surveillance, improvised explosives, interrogation

and interrogation resistance, evasive driving, undercover protection techniques, and threat

analysis. He regularly teaches in a wide variety of areas, including small unit tactics, CQB and

hand-to-hand combat, improvised weapons, tactical underwater operations, emergency first

responder tactics, cultural awareness and personal security for foreign operations, terrorism

concerns in executive protection, first responder safety and tactics, kidnapping and ransom

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negotiations, special anti-terrorism survival training, mail and package delivery safety,

surveillance/counter-surveillance, anti-terrorism and flight operations, global organized crime

and terrorism, U.S. law and constitution in the war on terrorism, criminal law and procedure in

anti-terrorist actions, U.S. immigration law in the war on terrorism, organized crime and global

terrorism, and fundamentals of militant Islam and terrorism.

http://www.abchs.com/xsecure/chs/files/Section1.pdf

There is no evidence that Mr. Giduck received any formal military or police training, or has any

verifiable real-world experience in any of the listed specialties. Indeed, the sole areas where

Mr. Giduck may have any expertise are in academic and legal arenas.

FAKE CLAIMS TO BE A US ARMY RANGER

Featured Topics/Speakers:

“Terror at Beslan School: A Russian Tragedy with Lessons from America”

John Giduck MBA, JD, former Army Ranger and Yuri Ferdigalov, former Russian Special Forces

veteran were called to Beslan, as consultants, days after the terrorists occupied the school and

before the counter assault began. They have a compelling story for American schools and safety

forces.

http://www.notasingledrop.org/node/2281

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Presented by: John Giduck, MA, JD, former Army Ranger, and president of the Archangel Anti-Terror

Group, is a recognized international terrorism expert

http://hcpaohio.org/training/2006-0523%20Registration%20Terror%20at%20Beslan%20School.doc

FALSE CLAIMS TO BE A VETERAN OF THE US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES

Uncorrected Special Forces Claims on John Giduck’s Own Website

John Giduck’s own website has maintained a comment that John Giduck is a former member of

the US Army Special Forces for years. The comment was only recently addressed due to

uncomfortable questions. The specific comment left on John Giduck’s website is as follows:

“This is the story of an event almost too horrible to imagine. John Giduck has the credentials to

write this book – he is not only a former Special forces soldier and expert on Russian history

and culture, but he was on the ground in Beslan within hours of the assault.

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John Giduck’s Uncorrected Speaker Bios

The above biographical statement refers to John Giduck as a “retired Green Beret”.

EVIDENCE THAT JOHN GIDUCK LEAVES THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT

HE IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL FORCES

FEMA

Giduck believes that every person should be part of a nationwide intelligence network, and that

the end result is that we can utilize our resources and people to better prevent, or at least

respond, to critical situations (Giduck, 2005). The advantages seen by department firefighters

mirror those of this former Special Forces soldier.

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/pdf/efop/efo42701.pdf (page 30)

City of Colorado Springs

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Mr. John Giduck, a former 10th Special Forces Group member and an international Anti-Terror

School instructor

http://permits.springsgov.com/NewsResults.asp?NewsID=2139&Print=True

Eugene, OR Police

http://www.eugene-

or.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_284424_0_0_18/2008,%203rd%20Quarter,%20Complete%20Quarte

rly%20Summary.pdf

JOHN GIDUCK’S SPECIAL OPERATIONS ASSOCIATION (SOA) CLAIMS

John Giduck has provided pro-bono legal, corporate, and tax assistance to the Special

Operations Association (SOA), as well as making over $10,000 in donations. In an apparent quid

pro quo, the SOA made John Giduck an honorary life member of the SOA. Mr. Giduck’s

honorary membership number is #2521-HL (HL signifying “honorary life membership).

Since the criteria to be an actual member of the SOA are stringent enough that many combat-

decorated Special Forces soldiers do not qualify, the SOA Bylaws are very clear about the status

of honorary members.

“However, the persons who have Honorary Membership status in this Association are not

Members of the Association and do not enjoy any privileges or rights of a Member.”

http://www.specialoperations.org/2009%20bylaws.pdf (pg 4)

The SOA Bylaws go on to state:

The advertising of Association Membership or Operational Associate status for either

commercial or political purposes is prohibited. (pg 7)

John Giduck has claimed numerous times that he is a “lifetime member of the Special

Operations Association” in an effort to leave the impression that he has met the stringent

requirements required to be a full member of the SOA. One example is here:

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http://www.cwfa.org/images/content/greenberetinyoubios.pdf

Another example is here:

http://www.wshna.com/files/Giduck_Bio.pdf

Another here:

http://cupic.gmu.edu/johngiduck.htm

And another here:

http://special-guests.com/guests/viewnews.cgi?id=EkElVyVZEkXbyayTbV&style=PrintFull&tmpl=print

JOHN GIDICK’S UNCORRECTED CLAIMS TO HOLD OUR NATION’S

HIGHEST SECURITY CLEARANCE

Here are the claims and the dates/locations of the claims:

SEPTEMBER, 2005

09/24/2005 By : Chapulina R

John Giduck, the author of “Terror at Beslan,” is president of the Archangel Corporation, a US

501 (c)(3) non-profit NGO. Archangel provides anti-terrorism consulting and training to law-

enforcement, military, and other government agencies. Mr. Giduck himself is a US Army Special

Forces hand-to-hand combat and firearms instructor, tactical scuba and skydiving instructor,

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weightlifting champion, and has been inducted into several international martial arts halls of

fame. He holds Masters Degrees in Russian Studies and International Affairs.

And he holds our nation’s highest level of security clearance.

http://www.thriftbooks.com/CustomerReview.aspx?ASIN=0976775301

FEBRUARY, 2007

Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:17 pm

Terror at Beslan: A Russian Tragedy with Lessons for America’s Schools by John Giduck

John Giduck, the author of “Terror at Beslan,” is president of the Archangel Corporation, a US

501 (c)(3) non-profit NGO. Archangel provides anti-terrorism consulting and training to law-

enforcement, military, and other government agencies. Mr. Giduck himself is a US Army Special

Forces hand-to-hand combat and firearms instructor, tactical scuba and skydiving instructor,

weightlifting champion, and has been inducted into several international martial arts halls of

fame. He holds Masters Degrees in Russian Studies and International Affairs.

And he holds our nation’s highest level of security clearance.

http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?=&p=262827

NOVEMBER, 2011

Just finished reading Terror at Beslan by John Giduck.

“John Giduck, the author of “Terror at Beslan,” is president of the Archangel Corporation, a

US 501 (c)(3) non-profit NGO. Archangel provides anti-terrorism consulting and training to

law-enforcement, military, and other government agencies. Mr. Giduck himself is a US Army

Special Forces hand-to-hand combat and firearms instructor, tactical scuba and skydiving

instructor, weightlifting champion, and has been inducted into several international martial arts

halls of fame. He holds Masters Degrees in Russian Studies and International Affairs.

And he holds our nation’s highest level of security clearance.

http://theindependentant.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-review-terror-at-beslan.html

John Giduck HAD to have seen the claim on Amazon.com that has been published there since

September 24, 2005 and left it uncorrected.

John Giduck, the author of “Terror at Beslan,” is president of the Archangel Corporation, a US

501 (c)(3) non-profit NGO. Archangel provides anti-terrorism consulting and training to law-

enforcement, military, and other government agencies. Mr. Giduck himself is a US Army Special

Forces hand-to-hand combat and firearms instructor, tactical scuba and skydiving instructor,

weightlifting champion, and has been inducted into several international martial arts halls of

fame. He holds Masters Degrees in Russian Studies and International Affairs. And he holds our

nation’s highest level of security clearance.

http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Beslan-Russian-Tragedy-Americas/dp/0976775301

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JOHN GIDUCK – RUSSIAN SPECIAL FORCES CLAIMS

John Giduck claims to have spent enormous amounts of time in Russia training with Russian

Special Forces, even though the timeframes conflict with his court cases as an attorney, his

seminar appearances, and his book development periods.

Here is what John Giduck claims:

The vast majority of time I ever spent in a military uniform in my life, I spent in Russia in

Russian uniforms with Russian Special Forces and I did ultimately end up spending about 18

years there…good periods of time every single year up to 6 month a year going to school there,

living there, doing a lot of training with their units.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/claydouglas/2008/05/12/the-free-american-hour

Evidence and extended discussion disputing that John Giduck’s claimed time in Russia with

Russian Forces was anything other than one to two week commercial military style adventure

camps in Russia can be found here:

Part 1: http://thetruthaboutsocnetlies.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/john-giduck-and-paid-russian-

adventure-camps/

Part 2: http://thetruthaboutsocnetlies.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/john-giduck-and-paid-russian-

adventure-camps-part-2/

Part 3: http://thetruthaboutsocnetlies.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/john-giduck-and-paid-russian-

adventure-camps-part-3/

Part 4: http://thetruthaboutsocnetlies.wordpress.com/2012/03/03/john-giduck-and-paid-russian-

adventure-camps-part-4/

Evidence linking John Giduck’s Spetsnaz training photos on his website to the same photos taken at a

commercial military style adventure camp:

http://thetruthaboutsocnetlies.wordpress.com/2012/03/03/proof-that-john-giducks-spetsnatz-training-

occurred-at-adventure-camp/

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TAB A - JOHN GIDUCK’S US ARMY SERVICE RECORD

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TAB B – JOHN GIDUCK’S HIGH-LEVEL TIES WITH RUSSIAN FSB INTELLIGENCE (FORMERLY KGB)

John Giduck brags about his ongoing personal relationships with high-level Russian FSB

(formerly KGB) officials.

Particularly troubling is that others describe Mr. Giduck’s initial meetings with Russian

intelligence officials in a manner that is consistent with recruitment of foreigners. Here is how

Mr. Giduck’s friend, Police Commissioner Joe Bail of the Chester PA Police describes those early

meetings:

John Giduck] explained that years before he had known the former director of the KGB for the

St. Petersburg region while working on his master’s degree at the university there. You see, the

wife of that man — KGB Lt. Gen. and Director Anatoli Kurkov — was one of the professors in

charge of the foreign students. Through her, John met Gen. Kurkov. This is something that John

typically does not talk about in public or during trainings, unless specifically asked.

The photo above shows John Giduck at a friend’s house in the US with KGB Director Kurkov.

John Guduck maintains ongoing friendships with a number of such foreign intelligence officials.

Russian President Vladimir Putin apparently worked for General Kurkov, at one point.

John Giduck was a practicing lawyer in the 1980s. Then, he says, during the late Gorbachev era,

the American Bar Foundation dispatched him to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), where he met

the head of the KGB for Leningrad. (“Putin’s boss,” he says.) They became fast friends, and

Giduck began traveling frequently to Russia. He claims to have trained with multiple Russian

special forces units, and to be certified by the “Vityaz Special Forces Anti-Terror School.”

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2011/1103.stalcup-craze.html

John Giduck has never held a US Government security clearance. However, he has been given

access to groups of people and to facilities that are surely of great interest to Russian

intelligence.

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1) Through his seminars and training, John Giduck regularly acquires biographical details

about participants as well as information about their agencies.

2) John Giduck has surrounded himself with people that have high-level security clearances

and access to sensitive facilities.

3) As of January 2012, John Giduck claims to be working as a consultant for an

“International Intelligence section” of the Chester, PA Police Department even though

Mr. Giduck has no verifiable intelligence experience or expertise. One has to wonder

how Mr. Giduck will gain access to classified information in that position without a

current clearance, and in light of his well-documented friendships with foreign

intelligence officials.

4) Persons that hold US Government clearances should be forewarned that they may need

to file contact reports if they attend Mr. Giduck’s training, seminars, or otherwise come

into contact with him.