BACKGROUND
Jose Fransico Cotto comes to us from Harrisburg, PA. He is originally from Puerto Rico.
Jose’s Facebook profile projects a strong claim of him being a Navy SEAL…
Under the ‘Life Events’ section of his Facebook profile, Jose says he was in the Navy from 1983-1998.
Under the ‘Work’ section of his profile, Jose claims that he was an Operations Specialist in the U.S. Navy from 1983 – 1998. Also says he was on ‘Team 3.’
SEALS are Special Operators (SO) which was a rate that was established in 2006. The Operations Specialist (OS) is also a rating in the U.S. Navy but is separate and distinct other than sounding the same. Since Jose Cotto claimed to have been in the Navy before the SO (SEAL) rate was established, this may have been what he meant. Or, he could have actually meant OS.
It is conceivable, however, that Operations Specialists had Teams, but there is a strong possibility that he meant SEAL Team 3.
Jose recently posted under the National Navy UDT Museum, Jose claimed that he was in Class 173 in 1982 – which in the lingo of SEALs talking to other SEALs, this means your Basic Underwater Demolition Team Class (BUD/S).
ACTIONS CONDUCTED BY THE MILITARY PHONY ORGANIZATION
After contacting the UDT/SEAL archives, the Naval Special Warfare Center and checking the UDT/SEAL database we found that there is NO record of Jose Francisco Cotto ever completing BUD/S Training or being assigned to a SEAL Team.
Jose Cotto’s records were requested through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
Due to the dates of service claimed – 1983-1998 – records were ordered from the Department of the Navy.
Since the Department of the Navy found no records for Jose, we checked with the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) which would hold records previous to 1995.
NPRC
. . . . .
DISCUSSION and SUMMARY
Jose Cotto’s summary sheet shows he was in the Navy for just under three years and was discharged as a Seaman Apprentice (E-2). He spent some time in the hospital in Newport, RI and was discharged soon after for perhaps medical reasons.
He did not serve from 1983-1998 as he claimed.
There was NO BUD/S training and NO SEAL Command.
Jose Francisco Cotto’s official military records do not support his claims.
PHOTOS and SOCIAL MEDIA
