We did not out Mr. Samford, the guys over at SOCNET.com and Fakewarriors.org had already begun the investigation when he was brought to our attention, and they have concluded that not only was Mr. Samford never an elite Navy SEAL, but also never served in any branch of the U.S. Military.

Mr. Samford likes to tell people who listen or call in to his webhosted Radio show that he was a Navy Seal, who saw action in Grenada and Iran. Seems his plane crashed in Iran years ago and he had to fight his way out.

Here is a link to part of a radio show where he makes his SEAL Claims, saying he first saw action in Iran in the early 80′s when his plane crashed. Then in Grenada, this is were it got tough, he says.:  (Links are in MP3 format)

SammySamford Stolen Valor

 

Here is a clip where he is talking about the guys that exposed him as a fake, claims his records are classified. This is something we received from a real Navy SEAL, “Before any classified operations may be undertaken as a SEAL Operator, a man must first successfully complete the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Training program and then the follow-on secondary training program. The names of all those who successfully graduate from that training program sequence are compiled in the SEAL database. Later participation in classified operations has no impact on whether or not a person is listed as a graduate of the training program. There are records of every man who has qualified for the title of “SEAL”; there have been and will continue to be secret missions, but there are NO secret SEALs.”

Sammy VALOR THIEF

So Mr. Samford, your going to have to do better than that as missions are classified, not the SEALS themselves.

Here is another sound byte where he still tries to claim his records are inaccessable to anyone…again….Missions are Classified, not the SEAL or his basic Military records.

Sam continues to lie and decieve

As stated earlier this was investigated mainly by our comrades at SOCNET and fakewarriors.org. Our colleague at fakewarriors received this in reference to his SEAL Claims:

 

I greatly appreciate your interest in upholding the honor of the US Navy SEAL Teams, and your search for the TRUTH. Before answering your questions I must make clear that I am a private individual, not affiliated with the US Dept. of Defense or any other government organization. My efforts to expose SEAL imposters are performed as a service to the public, and in honor of my fallen SEAL Teammates… men who truly earned the right to the title “US NAVY SEAL” but who are no longer able to stand forward in defense of their honor, their reputations, and their TEAMs.

If the name you provided is spelled correctly, I do NOT find a listing in the SEAL Database (SEAL Teams and predecessor units from1943 to the Present Day) for anyone named SAMUEL SAMFORD. I have also examined possible alternate spellings, and names with similar pronunciations without finding any that appear to be applicable. The last name SAMFORD does not appear anywhere among the 17,900+ entries of the SEAL Database.

 

Unless he has undertaken the unlikely action of a legal name change (an action for which there would be evidence in the form of court documentation) since his claimed participation in SEAL training, and based upon the information you have provided, I can state conclusively that SAMUEL SAMFORD has NEVER COMPLETED SEAL training, and he is not now, nor was he ever a Navy SEAL, a Navy UDT “Frogman”, a member of any Naval Combat Demolition Unit (NCDU), or a member of the Naval Amphibious Scouts & Raiders (S&R).

 

When members of the Naval Special Warfare community meet others who claim similar service, but whom they do not recognize, there is a conversational exchange of information that establishes the bona fides of each to the other. There is no set formula for this exchange, nor for the information that is exchanged, but it ALWAYS takes place, and the REAL Naval Special Warfare members can ALWAYS spot an imposter as a result of this exchange. If Mr. SAMFORD persists in insisting that his SEAL claims are legitimate, I might suggest that you ask him these questions:

 

-Since there is no listing in the SEAL Database for the name you are currently using, WHAT NAME DID YOU USE during SEAL training?

 

-What was his Training Class Number? (No SEAL ever forgets his class number, and there have never been any secret classes)?

 

-When did he graduate from SEAL training? (i.e. a specific graduation DAY/DATE)?

 

-Which SEAL Team(s) did you serve on, and when?

 

The answers to those questions are totally UNCLASSIFIED, and every real SEAL will gladly provide that substantiating information upon request. Asking him these questions will make it very clear to him that you are not only informed on the subject of Navy SEALs, but that you are aware of the truth regarding his fraudulent claims.

 

Before any classified operations may be undertaken as a SEAL Operator, a man must first successfully complete the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Training program and then the follow-on secondary training program. The names of all those who successfully graduate from that training program sequence are compiled in the SEAL database. Later participation in classified operations has no impact on whether or not a person is listed as a graduate of the training program. There are records of every man who has qualified for the title of “SEAL”; there have been and will continue to be secret missions, but there are NO secret SEALs.

 

NOTE: Mr. SAMFORD’s Facebook page  indicates he graduated from High School in 1979 (presumably in/around MAY of that year). If he entered the US Navy the day he graduated and immediately reported for basic training (boot camp), then followed the normal stepwise process of attending a Navy “A School” (primary training for each skill the Navy uses) before engaging in any Naval Special Warfare training, he would not have even begun the most rudimentary SEAL Training until the first calendar quarter of 1980. The process of training a SEAL is longer now than it was in 1980 (due to the added technology being employed by the SEALs), but even if everything happened in precise order with no hitches or delays, and he successfully completed that training, he wouldn’t have been credentialed as a SEAL until early 1981. His claims of being a SEAL for 7 years, the first year of which coincides with his last full year of attendance at High School, is not only ludicrous, it is impossible!

 

The SEAL Database which I use for confirming SEAL credentials is HISTORICAL in nature, created by the Naval Special Warfare Archives and derived from official military records. It is the database used by unofficial, fraternal and historical UDT/SEAL organizations for verifying successful graduates of the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) training course, and it contains only the names and very (VERY!) abbreviated information regarding successful graduates of NSW training. The NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE COMMAND maintains an official master STUDENT database which not only includes the names and detailed information about every successful graduate, but also all of the names and data for all those who started the training program but did not successfully complete the course. While there is a complete overlap of graduates’ names between the HISTORICAL database I use and the official master STUDENT database maintained by NSWC, the amount of data appearing in the official NSWC Database is far more detailed and comprehensive.

 

I must stress that although I am a US Navy veteran, and a former SEAL, I am a civilian performing in an entirely unofficial role. I therefore strongly recommend that you obtain a formal/official US NAVY statement regarding Mr. SAMUEL SAMFORD’s claimed SEAL credentials. To do so you may contact the PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE at the NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE COMMAND in San Diego by calling (619) 522-2822, or you may contact the FOIA COORDINATOR at the NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE COMMAND in San Diego, California, and submit a formal FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT inquiry in writing addressed to:

 

Commander Naval Special Warfare Command FOIA Coordinator 2000 Trident Way San Diego, CA 92155

 

I will pass your letter of inquiry and this response to others who may wish to pursue this matter further. If you wish to confront Mr. SAMFORD, you may use this letter as you wish without limitations. Thank you again for your concern in this matter, and for your assistance in upholding the honor of the US Navy SEAL Teams. If I can be of any further assistance to you in this matter, please contact me at your convenience.

 

Respectfully,
Steve Robinson
RM2(SEAL) USN 1970-1978
SEAL Team ONE
Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE
Defense Analyst – Soviet Threat specialization 1981-1993
UDT-SEAL Association – Member
POW Network – Officer
Naval Special Warfare Archives – SOF Analyst/Contributing Journalist
Disabled American Veterans – Life Member
FORMER Special Investigator – SEAL Authentication Team
CyberSEALs.org – Webmaster
Author – “NO GUTS, NO GLORY – Unmasking Navy SEAL Imposters”

And here is the response under the Freedom Of Information Act pertaining to records for Mr. Sam Samford. And according to them, they can find no one by that name that has ever even served in any branch of the Armed Services.

So it would seem that not only was Mr. Samford never a SEAL, but has never served in the armed services period. As anyone can tell you, service is not classified, but missions may be. The NPRC houses all records for retired and discharged veterans from all service branches. So if he had even served in the Navy, they would have found something. But there conclusion is that they could not verify his service, and could not locate any records by that name and date of birth. So unless he changed his name since then, Mr. Samford is not a Navy SEAL, nor a veteran of the Military.

You can read the SOCNET thread on this guy here SOCNET SAMFORD THREAD

And see the write up on fakewarriors here FAKEWARRIORS SAMMY

And in case you would like to listen to one of his radio shows, here is the link Conservative Talk Radio

 

UPDATE 1- 

Thanks to a fan for bringing this to our attention:

This is courtesy of the Smoking Gun- Read their write up here SMOKING GUN ON SAMMY SAMFORD

 

UPDATE 20121111:

Seems Sammy has been investigated by a local Investigative Reporter. She contacted us awhile back to let us know she had begun the investigation. She contacted us today and her investigation will be airing tomorrow, Monday November 12th 2012. You can watch her bust him out between 10 and 1030 on fox in jax, Then  around 1110 on cbs in jax. It will also be available online.

We will post the link to the story once it is available.

UPDATE 20121112:

Here is the story posted on Jacksonville news sites, we are still awaiting a link to the video. Stolen Valor, Action News Investigates.

 

An excerpt from the story by action news:

“No, I was never a Navy Seal. I am tired of the death threats coming to my house and I apologize to all the awesome veterans out there that have served our country,” said Sam Samford by phone Monday night. Samford recently pulled his online radio show and all archives online.

Here is the Video: