-Caveat Lector- .............................................................. Forwarded from the New Paradigms Project [Not Necessarily Endorsed]: Subject: Soldier of Fortune Magazine GroupWatch was compiled by the Interhemispheric Resource Center, Box 4506, Albuquerque, NM 87196. http://www.irc-online.org/ GroupWatch files are available at http://www.pir.org/gw/ Group: Soldier of Fortune File Name: sof.txt Last Updated: 9/89 Principals: Robert Brown, ed/publisher; Brigadier General Harry "Heine" Aderholt, USAF (ret.), contrib ed; Peter Kokalis, tech ed; Alexander M.S. McColl, contrib ed; Jim Graves, mng ed; John Coleman, sr ed; Craig Nunn, art director; Contributing eds: Col. Chuck Allen, Bill Bagwell, William Brooks, William H. Northacker, James P. Monaghan, Maj. Robert MacKenzie, Barry Sadler, Duke Paris, Dr. John Peters, Jim Leatherwood, John Donovan, Dana Drenkowski, Evan Marshall, Al Venter, Galan Geer.(8) Omega Group, Ltd (parent group of SOF): Robert K. Brown, pres; Alexander M.S. McColl, dir, Special Projects; Zada L. Johnson, exec dept mgr.(5,8) Category: Paramilitary, Service Background: Soldier of Fortune magazine began production in 1975. Labeled as "The Journal of the Professional Adventurer" by the group itself, the magazine has grown from a small quarterly publication to a monthly magazine with a circulation of 180,000 (as of 1985).(1,7) SOF's parent organization is the Omega Group, Ltd. Robert K. Brown is also the president of Omega Group, Ltd.(8) In addition to publishing Soldier of Fortune, the Omega Group publishes two other gun magazines: Guns & Action and Combat Weapons.(1) Brown helped finance the start-up of Soldier of Fortune by selling "overseas employment opportunity packages." These packages contained enlistment information for the army of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), a country which at the time was run by a white minority government. Other possible sources of start-up money for the endeavor included sale of Brown's share in Paladin Press and/or a loan from his mother.(9) In the 1950s Brown claims to have been a Cuban activist wit pro- Castro feelings. He became an activist while working on a master's degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His activities included trying to sell guns to Cubans in Chicago. His "gunrunning" consisted of trying to sell one Sten gun to the Cubans in Chicago. He had obtained the gun from a member of the university's shooting team. Brown said that when he heard the idea, he thought, "Machine guns plus revolutionaries equals money for Brown." The Cubans couldn't raise the money for the gun and Brown went back to Colorado. In 1958 he went to Cuba and made contact with Castro people. He waited to hear back from them but did not. Once again he returned to Boulder.(9,20) Brown returned to Cuba soon after Castro deposed Batista, this time as a stringer for the Associated Press. It was then that--according to Brown--"he began to see that Castro had betrayed the revolution and had been a communist all along."(20) Although Brown had claimed to be initially pro-Castro, author Ward Churchill notes that in a 1962 letter to Marvin Liebman, a man linked to several CIA operations and front groups, Brown revealed that he had been a domestic undercover operative for the Chicago Police Subversive Squad, gaining entrance into the "Fair Play for Cuba Committee(s)."(9) Brown also trained pro-Batistagroups in Florida on how to conduct raids on Cuba, following his visit to Cuba as an AP stringer.(9) Countries: ES, NI, US. Funding: SOF's funding comes from the sale of its magazine. It is said to be "comfortably profitable."(10) The magazine boasts of a $6.9 million annual gross revenue.(1) Activities: Although the group's main activity is the publishing of Soldier of Fortune magazine, it is the group's mercenary activities which bring it criticism. Calling themselves "action journalists," many of SOF's reporters have come under fire for participating in the training of counterrevolutionary groups in El Salvador and Nicaragua. SOF claims to have sent over a dozen training teams to El Salvador in the early 1980's to train government troops in sniping, anti-guerrilla urban warfare, explosives and weapons maintenance.(10,11) The magazine's "Expanded Central America Edition" (Sept. 1983), which coincided with the group's training trip to El Salvador, showed a picture of a Salvadoran soldier and two members of the magazine's group crouching around the bodies of two dead guerrillas. Robert J. McCartney, author of an article about SOF, claims that "The picture clearly resembled photographs that hunters take after they have bagged a deer."(11) An SOF employee in El Salvador said "We don't hide the fact that we support one side and follow them into combat. What we don't draw attention to is that we kill people."(3) The magazine also solicited funds for the anti-government forces in Afghanistan.(12) Two of SOF's staff members have been killed while involved in "active journalism." George W. Bacon III, an underwater combat editor, was killed in an ambush in 1976 while fighting for the CIA-sponsored FNLA in Angola. Michael Echanis, martial arts director, was killed in a bomb blast aboard a plane while serving as a military adviser to former Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza.(9) Robert Brown was the source of approximately 10,000 flyers distributed at the Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana, August 8, 1987. The flyers offered $25,000 in gold to the first Cuban or Nicaraguan security operative or intelligence agent who defected during the Games. In order to collect, the defector would have to be a member of the Cuban or Nicaraguan Pan American Games delegation, "including the DGI, DSE, Americas Department, military personnel and athlete/agents."(4) The leaflets were Spanish on one side and English on the other. The flyers resulted in no known defection.(4) In 1986, Jim Graves, SOF Managing Editor, went along with pilots Ed Dearborn and Mike Timpani on their mission to deliver a UH-1B helicopter (named the Lady Ellen after the woman who paid for the helicopter, Ellen Garwood) to the contras in Honduras.(6) Dearborn and Timpani were employed by the U.S. Council for World Freedom, the organization that procured the aircraft for the contras.(3) SOF journalists have also reported about and traveled with the Guatemalan Special Forces. According to SOF, the special forces have been working in Guatemala "to win the confidence of rural indians..." In Guatemala, the army is working along with Civil Affairs in a multi-faceted military and psychological operation to subdue the Highland Indians who had previously been supporters of the Guatemalan guerrilla movement.(13) SOF has also offered $1,000,000 to any Sandinista who defected with an intact and functional Soviet Mi-24 helicopter. Alexander McColl a contributing editor to Soldier of Fortune said "The whole plan, you know, is you buy the helicopter for $1 million and then you turn around and sell it to U.S. or other free-world intelligence for about $2 million, and then you've got $1 million left over to buy beans and rice for the troops. That's how it works. You know, we may be dumb, but we're not stupid. The more profit we make, the more fun and games we can play in Central America."(14) SOF also has an annnual convention. It generally draws between 700-1000 people. Major military figures have spoken at these conventions, including John K. Singlaub and former top contra leader Edgar Chamorro.(17) Israeli officers in the U.S. for training have also spoken at these conventions.(7) SOF organized the El Salvador/Nicaragua Defense Fund. With the help of the Air Commando Association (of which Heine Aderholt is the president), SOF sent combat boots, military uniforms and other non-lethal supplies to the contras. Some $5.2 million dollars of medical aid has been provided to the contras and the Salvadoran Army.(15) Brown paid for reprints of the CIA's manual on guerrilla warfare and distributed them to the contras inside Nicaragua.(16) SOF's parent group Omega Group, Ltd. is also involved in other support activities for "anticommunist" groups. The Afghan Freedom Fighters Fund is one of these projects. It is administered by SOF and has been in operation since December 1979. Since that time SOF readers have donated $150,000. Donations to this group are not tax deductible according to Alexander McColl because "we have not convinced the IRS that killing Communists is an `educational or charitable' activity..."(5) Another group that Omega Group, Ltd. has backed is the El Salvador/ Nicaragua Defense Fund. Described above, this group provides "non-lethal" items to the Salvadoran military and the contras.(5) The group Refugee Relief International Inc.(RRII) was created by SOF. Tom Reisinger is the president and is also associated with SOF.(1) The group has sent $4.5 million to the Salvadoran Military forces.(15) It provides medical training and supplies to the contras and El Salvador.(1) Its stated purpose is to supply private medical aid to countries such as El Salvador thereby freeing U.S. foreign aid to be re-allocated for military aid and other assistance.(15) RRII medics and doctors travel with the Salvadoran Army treating wounded soldiers and peasants as part of the army's civic action program. Singlaub, Aderholt, and McColl all sit on the board of directors of this group. As a funding pitch the group states "For the price of a case of beer you can help save a life and get a blow in at communism at the same time."(1) Govt Connections: Most of the editors of Soldier of Fortune have served in the military. Lt. Col. Robert K. Brown (USAR, ret.) served as an officer in the counterintelligence corps of the U.S. Army in the mid-1950s. He left the Army in 1957 but returned in 1964 to receive training in the Army Reserve. In 1967 Brown was recalled as a captain and trained for the Special Forces at Fort Bragg. While in Vietnam, Brown worked with the CIA's Phoenix Program--a program of counterterror that executed as many as 40,000 South Vietnamese accused of being members or supporters of the Viet Cong. The CIA commended Brown for his "outstanding contribution to the Phoenix Program." Brown was also a commander of a Special Forces team that advised the CIA-formed army of Montagnard tribes people.(1) Gen. Aderholt (USAF, ret.) served for 34 years, of which 26 were spent in unconventional warfare operations. In Southeast Asia he oversaw special operations in Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. During part of his time in Southeast Asia, Aderholt served as a chief of covert air operations under Major General John K. Singlaub (ret.), the former director of the World Anti-Communist League.(1,16) Aderholt has been closely identified with U.S. clandestine operations.(19) George Bacon III was a Special Forces medic in Vietnam as well as a CIA case officer in Laos.(16) Bill Brooks was in the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne division. He was also a sergeant in the French Foreign Legion and has served as an urban warfare trainer in Central America on SOF's training missions.(16) John Donovan was a major in the Special Forces. He is the owner of Donovan Dynamiting of Danvers, Illinois and was a demolitions trainer in Central America and Afghanistan.(16) Dana Drenkowski is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Acedemy. He flew in more than 200 combat missions in Southeast Asia. He was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses.(16) Capt. Dale A. Dye (USMC, ret.), former executive editor of SOF, served in the Marine Corps for 21 years. He served in Vietnam where he received a Bronze Star, three Purple Hearts, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and the Vietnam Honor Medal. He also trained with the Royal Marines.(16) Michael Echanis was a Purple Heart winner in Vietnam. He was a trainer for the U.S. Army Special Forces and the U.S. Navy SEALs.(16) Galen Geer served in the USMC for eight years. He was in Vietnam from 1967-1969. He served for the U.S. Army from 1977-1979.(16) Peter G. Kokalis served in the U.S. Army with the technical intelligence branch. He is listed as being a weapons trainer and armorer in Central America.(1) Col. Alexander M.S. McColl (USAR) served 11 years of active duty including two tours of duty in Vietnam with the Special Forces. During his tours in Vietnam McColl served under John K. Singlaub and reportedly worked for the CIA and Air Force Intelligence. McColl has led one SOF team to El Salvador. He is also a graduate of the Army War College and Harvard Law School.(1,16) Craig Nunn was in the U.S. Army's 12th Special Forces group, airborne.(16) Harry Claflin, who has worked with SOF on training missions in Central America, was a USMC Force Recon NCO in Vietnam. After his military service, he was a weapons consultant for the U.S. Agency for International Development. He has also worked as a security consultant for the U.S. State Department.(16,18) Tom Reisinger was a Special Forces medic.(16) Alexander McColl maintains that SOF staff had close relationships with the members of the former Reagan administration. At the time, McColl said that the SOF editors "have access to various very senior people in Washington."(14) Various critics have claimed that Brown and SOF have ties to the CIA. Brown has labeled this "pure bullshit" and says that "We have never recieved money from the CIA, period..."(9,16) The critics point out that Brown was a member of the U.S. Army's Counter- intelligence Corps which reportedly has had extremely close ties to the CIA. Brown was also involved with the Phoenix Program and commended by the CIA.(9) Ward Churchill, an author who successfully infiltrated the SOF inner circle, said in 1984 that Kokalis was "believed to be employed by the CIA."(9) George W. Bacon III (see activities) was a member of the CIA field station in Laos and received the country's highest clandestine award, the Intelligence Star. Michael Echanis (see activities) was a CIA contract employee during his time at SOF.(9) Private Connections: In Guatemala SOF works with the Air Commando Association (ACA).(1) The ACA is headed by Harry Aderholt (pres). The group is comprised of former or current members of the Special Operations Forces of the U.S. Air Force. Aderholt has boasted that ACA worked "hand in hand" with the U.S. Embassy and MilGroup (the embassy's military mission) in El Salvador. An ACA member has described ACA's activities as "counterinsurgency civic action." Aderholt has explained "We're helping the refugees to help them stay on our side. Anyone reading anything sinister into this has got to be a radical son-of-a-bitch." ACA has assisted SOF's El Salvador/Nicaragua Defense Fund in sending goods to the contras.(15) SOF is connected to World Medical Relief (WMR) through RRII. Through an agreement with the Air Commando Association, RRII distributed WMR supplies in El Salvador.(1) In the past quarter century WMR has distributed $100 million worth of donated supplies to CIA-directed programs in Asia and Latin America. Harry Aderholt (ACA) worked with the founder of WMR, Irene Auberlin (now retired), for over 20 years. While working in Panama in the 1960's for the Rand Corporation, a CIA-associated think tank, Aderholt contacted WMR. Because the U.S. Southern Command is based in Panama U.S. counterinsurgency efforts for Latin America are directed from that country. In 1972 the official newspaper of the Panamanian Southern Command, Southern Command News, stated that WMR's "distribution in Latin America is handled primarily by U.S. Southern Command, as part of its extensive medical civic action program throughout the area."(19) Misc: Robert Brown commented about the flyers at the Pan Am Games: "We're gonna let people know those commie bastards come here to spy on the United States."(4) A quote from Harry Aderholt: "They say I'm CIA--so what?"(19) Comments: Some feel that SOF's involvement in Central America is based more on a profit motive than patriotism, anticommunism, or any other "ism." Says Edgar Chamorro, "But their (SOF's) main interest was in making a business of the popularity of militarism. They used anticommunism to promote their own money making enterprises.... For the Soldier of Fortune organizations, perpetuating anticommunism became an end in itself. For them, it was best that the war in Nicaragua continue, to give them an excuse to go on fighting and promoting."(17) An American gunrunner in Central America says that Brown is "a viper playing on the lives of people here for his own gain."(14) An early example of Brown's penchant for making a profit can be witnessed in his "gunrunning" scheme. U.S. Address: Soldier of Fortune, P.O. Box 693, Boulder, CO 80306. Sources: 1. The Resource Center, The New Right Humanitarians, 1986. 2. "Mercenaries in El Salvador," People's World, June 9, 1984. 3. Scott Anderson and Jon Lee Anderson, Inside the League (New York: Dodd, Mead, and Co., 1986). 4. "SOF at Pan AM Games," Soldier of Fortune, November, 1987. 5. Letter from Alexander M.S. McColl, Omega Group, Ltd., June 22, 1989. 6. SOF, June, 1987. 7. Iver Peterson, "Soldiers Journal Eyes Respectability," New York Times, September 23, 1985. 8. SOF, March, 1989. 9. Ward Churchill, "Soldier of Fortune's Robert K. Brown," Covert Action Information Bulletin, Fall 1984. 10. Robert K. Brown, "A Word from the Publisher," SOF, August 1985. 11. Robert J. McCartney, "Soldiers of Fortune Lend a Hand in El Salvador," Washington Post, August 29, 1983. 12. Jim Clardy, "Soldier of Fortune Finds Way to Help," Washington Times, April 26, 1985. 13. Morgan Tanner, "Winning Hearts & Mayans," SOF, November 1988. 14. Jacqueline Sharkey, "Disturbing the Peace," Common Cause Magazine, September/October 1985. 15. Witness for Peace & Coalition for Nicaragua, "Private Funding of the Contra," April, 1985. 16. SOF, "SOF's Rogues' Gallery," SOF, August, 1985. 17. Edgar Chamorro, Packaging the Contras: A Case of CIA Disinformation (New York, NY: Institute for Media Analysis, 1987). 18. Harry Claflin, "Deep Recon: SOF Boosts Salvo Bush Beasts," SOF, April, 1985. 19. Russ Bellant, "The Politics of Giving," The Metro Times, October 9-15, 1985. 20. James L. Pate, "SOF Profiles RKB," SOF, August, 1985. 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