Dr. Ralph Abraham; SF poser politician

| December 3, 2014

Ralph Abramson

The folks at Professional Soldiers sent us their work on this fellow Ralph Abraham, running for office in Louisiana’s Fifth Congressional District;

Ralph Abramson Claims

At his website, he says that he was a 1st Lieutenant in Co C 2/20th Special Forces April 1986 — June 1989. The truth is is that he was appointed a second lieutenant in April 1986, and he didn’t report to the 2/20th until April, 1987 and he served there until February 1988 when his military service effectively ended and he went into the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). He never attended the Special Forces Qualification Course. In fact, during that period, there were very few infantry officers without a Ranger Tab, and Ralph, here, was one of them.

Ralph Abraham 2-1

Ralph Abramson FOIA

So, our buddy, Sergeant Major Snaquebite had a conversation with Mr. Abramson’s campaign manager and he tried the Flemron Dickey excuse;

Abraham issued a green beret1

Abrhamam was issued a green beret so he was one. The closest he got to Special Forces training was he did complete jump school, so I guess there are a whole bunch of five-jump chumps who can claim they’re special forces by his standard.

Yeah, I know that he served in a SFG, but so did Flemron. Besides, those guys at Professional Soldiers are all special forces, so I guess they’re the experts on who can call themselves special forces and who can’t. I mean, I depend on the state bar associations to tell me who is a real lawyer.

I can count on one hand the number of LTs I knew who were in the infantry and not Ranger qualified, so Ralph, here, wasn’t on the fast track and serving only two years on his Reserve commitment (it was supposed to be eight years back then, like it is now), I’m guessing that the Reserves weren’t especially keen on keeping him around. Although, his campaign manager tells JD that Abrahamm went to the IRR because he got accepted into veterinary medical school.

Category: Phony soldiers

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rb325th

They try and pull a “Flemron”, while knowing who he was and what happened to him… ID-10-T Errors everywhere.

Lurker Curt

Hell, I’m one of those 5-jump chumps, and I walked by the SF barracks a couple times while I was at Bragg…guess what I’m not claiming? That’s right! I’M NOT SPECIAL FORCES!!! I don’t get these people…

Dumbass…

Cowpill

So ……part of my squadron was attached to the 1st of the 1st in Okinawa, Does that mean I get a green beret?

Beretverde

Another “Qualification via bursting radius.”

Nope…not qualified.
He should have used the “assigned to Spec Ops” claim.

Screw him…he was there, they were hiring and he bailed…and now makes the claim he was one.

POSER!

Hondo

Yep. Or “served with SF”.

ArmyATC

Why even make the SF claim at all? He could have said he was a 1LT in the US Army without saying anything about SF. He definitely did a “Flemron”. And like are favorite SF cook, he’s dancing now.

Hondo

I won’t hold going into the IRR to attend vet school against the guy. And yeah – this tool’s scenario is different from ol’ Phlemron’s scenario. But not by too much.

He served on a USAR SF ODA, but without having been to the Q course. He had less than a year’s service in said assignment. He had no operational deployments (no active duty time). And since he doesn’t have the ARCOTR, he probably never left CONUS or did anything more than attend drills and one AT with 20th SFGA – if he even did those.

That’s not exactly what the public thinks when they hear “former Green Beret”. This guy’s IMO indeed trying to “pull a Phlemron”.

I’ll defer to the folks at Professional Soldiers on this one – and I think they got it right.

Tinman

I was the battalion commander’s driver at 1st of the 1st out of Okinawa (93-95). My civilian dive instructor was a SF officer. I may have even jumped out of an airplane with a SF guy as the Jump Master. Nope, I’m not SF, I’m HR.

trapperfrank

The good doctor was at the time a veterinarian. He was accepted into med school, the people kind. In his defense, at that time, you had to really have your $hit wired tight to go to Ranger school and be a National Guard infantry officer. Most states simply would not pay for it. All of that said, he had an unremarkable career in the Mississippi Army National Guard and left to go to medical school. He is not trying to play on the fact that he served a total of 11 months in an SF unit. What disturbs me even more is if you go to his web site, it shows him in a flight suit with Captains bars. To the average, uninformed voter, it looks like he is a pilot in some form of the US Air Force, either ANG or USAFR. The doctor is in the Civil Air Patrol. He seems to skirt the line with just enough truth not to seem like embellishment. For what it is worth, the unit he was in, C Co. 2nd Bn. 20th SFG(A) is where I started my military career, and yes I did pass the SF Q course, so his actions do pi$$ me off.

Hondo

trapperfrank: he never completed Ranger school, either.

Mustang1LT

A poser using a CAP uniform to further his claims? Who could imagine such a thing!

*blob blob*

nap3309

I wish I would’ve found this out sooner. Unfortunately I just voted for the POS when I went home on leave Thanksgiving. The day before I voted I was eating breakfast at a restaurant and he came up to our table and spoke to us. When he asked me what I did and I told him that I was in the military, he told me he was a proud veteran himself and just started going on and on. I don’t recall him specifically saying he was in special forces, but he kept rambling on about them, and definitely implied it more than once. Fucking weasel. Fortunately though, most of my family hasn’t voted yet, so I’m going to be sending this to as many people as I can back in Louisiana.

3E9

I was attached to the 118th MP Co (ABN) during DS/DS. Guess what that makes me? A leg who was attached to an Airborne unit. Based on this guy’s logic I should have jump wings.
DIPSHIT

Green Thumb

Just another loser come lately.

John Miska

I worked for Group at Devens when I was a casual waiting for my School to start. I picked up mail, laundry, kids, wives, ran errands and washed cars for the SF Guys. Using the “Good Doctor’s Standard” I am qualified and I want my Green Beret! NOT

Steadfast&Loyal

Hell while we are giving out long tabs, I hooked up with a female Captain that dated a guy in the Special Forces.

Don’t I qualify? The things I had to do.

whew…it was an ordeal.

FatCircles0311

Was sh a good lay at least?

Slaying officer tang is on my bucket list.

Poetrooper

In 1966 I was attached to a small special forces detachment at An Khe on TDY to field test a chemical ambush detector called the Manpack Portable Detection Device, which we promptly dubbed the “peoplesniffer.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_sniffer

It didn’t work worth a damn and we soon called the field trials to a halt before the damned thing got some of us killed in a genuine ambush.

But I certainly served with that SF Detachment for a couple of weeks in a combat zone so I guess ol’ Poe is SF himself hmmm?

Anybody got a spare beret and a tab?

Hondo

Well, PT – if you’d served for 120 days and been awarded the CIB while attached to that ODA, you’d actually rate the “long tab”. (Para 8-49.e.(3), AR 600-8-22 – Vietnam War exception to normal SF qualification requirements.) But since your attachment it was only for a couple of weeks vice 17+, you’re SOL. (smile)

Patrick Harris

I’m sorry….I’m having trouble seeing what the problem is.

A green beret wearing former member of a SF unit…claims to be a former SF member.

Is that not what he is/was?

Sure he did not have a SF MOS and was not an operator. But is he claiming to be an operator?

Yes…his dates on his web page are screwy….they list is final rank and his last unit served…but the inclusive dates cover his entire “career”.

I’m not sure this really reaches the level of “poser”….unless he is claiming to have been more then a training officer.

I spent my 22 years in the USAF as a comm guy. My last unit was was an AFSOC SOS unit. So I’m a former AFSOC member. I was just a comm maintainer….but If you thought I was a PJ or STS member….that is does not make me a poser.

I’m all for nailing posers to the wall by their tongues……but there are posers and then there are just situations where the audience may be making assumptions not intended by the sender.

Sure the good doctor is trying to make himself look good. So a “Former SF member” reads better then “Non-SF Training Officer in an SF Unit”….but it is not a lie….and any misconceptions are the readers and not the writers.

[/rant]

3/17 Air Cav

Big problem, he was not a special forces member, as he leads people to believe. He was assigned to a special forces unit.

I’m a 11B infantry guy who served with a leg unit with the 1st Cav. So according to you if I was assigned to a Ranger unit in Vietnam, that makes me a ranger? Even though, I’m not Ranger qualified? I don’t think so!

Patrick Harris

I don’t know….to me as an USAF guy…yes. If you were assigned to a ranger unit….you were a ranger.

I think…that is my problem here. From the outside looking in…..I don’t see the distinction.

If I walk away thinking the Doctor was hard core SF operator Delta Killer….that’s my problem….because all he said was he was a former SF member.

Green Thumb

But Ralph should know better.

Patrick Harris

So….how should he had described his military career is on sentence or less that explained to the average reader what his status and qualifications were?

Like I said before…I’m all for nailing posers to the wall. But I don’t get the distinction between being a former SF member and being a former member of a SF unit.

3E9

He could have simply stated he was an Infantry officer assigned to a SF unit. That is one sentence and does not inflate his service. He doesn’t even have to state he was assigned to an SF unit. The average citizen reads the statement “is a former U.S. Special Forces member” and assumes he was a card carrying qualified SF member. IMHO he deliberately phrased his service so the majority would think he was something he was not and still gave himself some wiggle room for the “it’s all a misunderstanding” defense. He’s a poser, plain and simple and he is trying to use false claims to make himself more appealing to some of his voters.

Hondo

The distinction is the guy isn’t SF qualified. He didn’t do the Q-course, and he didn’t deploy with any ODA on an operational mission.

In USAF terms, it would be essentially the same as someone who (1) was assigned for a few months as a 2d Lt to a fighter squadron while awaiting a flight school slot, then (2) who withdrew his request to attend flight school (and thus was non-rated his entire USAF career) later claiming to be a “USAF fighter pilot” because he’d served as their assistant supply officer.

MCPO NYC USN Ret.

So as a Navy guy, if I was assigned to an USAF base, because of a family hardship, and I swept the floors in a nuke weapons facility because that was my job, would you refer to me as being a Tactical Nuclear Deterrent Technician?

Nothing further!

ArmyATC

It sounds like you’re saying it’s okay to defraud people with lies of omission. If you gave me money because I lead you to believe, though I never said I was, the head of a charity, it would be okay with you because it’s your fault that you believed the lie of omission?

rgr1480

Sorry, but what he did was “lie by ommission and obfuscation.”

He’s as much saying that he established the “ambush” … If you misunderstood what he misrepresented …. then it’s YOUR fault.

Nope … he’s shooting a smoke screen for obfuscation. It’s time for us to recon by fire.

3E9

He is deliberately trying to present himself as a SF member when he was not SF. Like I said above I was assigned to an Airborne unit during DS/DS but I don’t claim Airborne status nor will I ever. He; however, is claiming he was SF when he was not. Also, why is he wearing a flight suit with Captain’s bars and what appears to be some type of AF patch?

Patrick Harris

That flight suit is a Civil Air Patrol uniform…which he is a member of and a Mission Pilot.

Again…I’m not defending him so much as challenging you all to defend your stance of what is the distinction between being former SF and being a member of a SF unit. And why should that distinction mean anything to me John Q. Public?

3E9

That distinction should mean something to everyone because he is pretending to be something he is not: a member of Special forces. Is he a member of the CG Auxiliary or the AF Auxiliary (CAP)?

Hondo

Patrick Harris: let me ‘splain this one to ya, buddy.

As a youngster, I was assigned to one of the SF Groups for 18+ months while serving on active duty – to one of their support units. I never went to the Q Course (medically ineligible). I didn’t deploy with any ODA on an operational mission (I deployed with the group on two extended exercises, one overseas, and supported other Group training).

I was assigned to an SF unit – and I did a helluva lot more with my SF unit than this tool ever did with his. But I’m NOT a former “Green Beret” or former “Special Forces”, and I don’t claim to be. That distinction is reserved for those who are fully qualified – e.g., who’ve “been there and done that”.

This guy hasn’t “been there and done that”. He’s leading people to falsely believe he has. For doing so, this guy is a LSoS.

Cowpill

I was assigned to the 320th STS in Okinawa. I worked directly with PJ’s and CCT’s. I was boat master certified, Helped the rigger pack chutes, Taught NVG driving, maintained the RATT’s, Zodiac motors and MK140’s and was certified to run a drop zone and do airfield surveys.I even took and passed the PAST test. I was still and maintain I was a support function. I just volunteered for stuff others weren’t willing to. I do not claim a beret or honor. I made the operators job a little easier so they could do what they do. I was proud to serve and finished with the “regular Air Force”. I do not claim PJ or CCT status, just where I was assigned, my job and the great bunch of guys that I served with. That is what a true patriot does.

Patrick harris

Yep….so just like me you say were a former AFSOC member.

It guess my problem is that the qualification and the name of the unit are the same.

PJs and CCTS are not assigned to PJ or CCT squadrons….they are assigned to Special Tactics, or Special operations squadrons.

Just like I was.

The confusion I have is…as an outsider. “A former special forces member”…..to me….means he was assigned to a “special forces” unit. Just like a member of a ranger regiment would be a “ranger”.

I know that you you guys…you real beret wearing and non beret wearing army types….there is a major distinction between the two…..I get that.

But I also am making a distinction between someone who is maybe….maybe intentionally or unintentionally allowing a misconception to pass uncorrected…for personal benefit or not…..is not really the same level of some of the d-bags we have running around out there.

That is all I am saying.

The benefit of the doubt. Also makes me question….was this post of “a former Special Forces Member” something he himself posted….or was it maybe one of his staffers did……trying to polish up resume for the campaign.

Eden

Patrick, I am, like you, a USAF veteran, so many of these distinctions would have slipped past me before. Now, with a family member in the Army, I know what it means to be a Ranger (yes, capitalized) and Special Forces. It isn’t based on a mere assignment–they go through the training from Hell to earn the right to claim those titles (and the washout rate is HUGE).

This @#$%^&* poser DID NOT EARN THAT RIGHT. And it’s VERY clear that he expected people like you to not know the difference, and he intentionally worded it so that he could weasel out by saying that you “misunderstood”. He DOES know what he’s doing, and he can’t blame it on his campaign manager. Remember, “I’m Ralph Abraham, and I approved this message.” NO benefit of the doubt for him!!

3E9

The flight suit patch he is wearing is the US Air Force Auxiliary patch. According to the caption of the picture he currently serves in the CG Auxiliary.

Joker

What a poser and a liar! He would make a good bottom-feeding politician.

2/17 Air Cav

Patrick Harris: “I entered Harvard University when I was 16 and grad school at MIT when I was 19.”

Of course, both times it was only to use the bathroom but what I said is 100% true. And that’s the game posers and valor thieves play. They make a statement knowing damn well John and Jane Q. Public will construe it one way but, if challenged, their ready defense is that John and Jane Q Public misconstrued their statement, that there was no intent to deceive, and that they are sorry for the misunderstanding. It’s formulaic. It’s also bullshit.

(BTW, I have never been on the grounds of either Harvard or MIT.)

MCPO NYC USN Ret.

Jonn,

I love the details in such articles … “I depend on the state bar associations to tell me who is a real lawyer”.

Oh and on this chump, my son has far more hazardous jumps.

FatCircles0311

Pfffffffft. Whatever.

You know how many Marines claim rifleman because they are issued a rifle went to school of infantry for POG wannabe grunt week? Who am I to claim otherwise!

Why the fuck do they issue the beret? I’ll never understand the U.S. army it’s like they do shit on purpose to fuel posers.

3/17 Air Cav

Hey, wait a minute, the Marines issue Berets too! Remember Bustamante he had a black one! (Smile)

Combat Historian

In my combat historian capacity, I spent two months on TDY at Bragg at the JFKSWC school house back in 1998 to reorganize and restart the JFKSWC SF archives/manuscript library. So where’s my SF patch and crossed-arrows, dammit! I can feel that 18 Alpha and Q-course studliness coursing through my veins !!! ///

Richard

Patrick Harris: “Sure he did not have a SF MOS and was not an operator. But is he claiming to be an operator?”

PH – notice how in his campaign bio he does not list his time with C 3/379th Logistical Support Battalion or his Branch (Infantry), he just lists his military time with Co C 2/20th Special Forces?

Although he doesn’t “claim” to have been SF (a fully qualified 18A ‘operator’), he is certainly “implying” that that is exactly what he was.

Why would somebody who apparently served honorably as an Airborne qualified Infantry Officer do something like that? Because people have an exceptionally high regard for those who are ‘qualified’ and who serve in SOF (Special Operations Forces – SF, Ranger, SEAL, STS/CCT/PJ, MARSOC), that’s why. And he wants to be thought of as being a ‘fully qualified’ member of that group and receiving that recognition, an honor he has no right to claim, either explicitly or implicitly (as he is doing).

Dr Abraham’s weasely word-smithing of his campaign bio and waffling responses to the SOF community’s queries over it says a lot about who Dr Abraham truly is – and IMO he is somebody I wouldn’t trust with either my vote or my life.

Bev

Simple He is using the ignorance of the people to make claims he knows are not true. You know if you go to selection and get selected. You know if you go tbru the Q course and graduate. You know if you stand at graduation and are allowed to wear the Green Beret that you earned. There is no confusion here other than what he and his campaign are spouting

propsguy

You know, in 06 my buddy Tony and I ordered 2 Ice coffees at the Cinnabon trailer at the Taji Px, The guy gave us three ? The person directly behind us in Line was a Special Forces Warrant Officer who happned to me from our home state, MA. We gave him the third one,

Does that make me a SPecial FOrces Barrista? 😀