OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – A future presenter at Johnson County Community College is raising some eyebrows with his credentials, some wondering if the speaker is misrepresenting himself.
JoCo resident and special armed forces veteran, Jeff Forker, wants the school to do some checking before bringing the international terrorism speaker to town.
John Giduck has been the target of multiple internet websites or blogs. Forker said as a resident of the county, he questions Giduck’s scheduled August 16, full-day appearance at JCCC.
“If a small portion of these accusations made by my special forces brothers are true, then public safety is at risk, tax dollars are at risk, and honor of course,” Forker said.
Those online accusations, many from the special operations community, is that Giduck is essentially a fraud. One blog said he flaunts his Special Operations Association Membership, even though it is just “honorary.” Others said there’s no proof Giduck spent nearly 20 years in Russia, as his bio on his website reads.
“Then you have to ask the question, ‘Does he have the skills and the background and experience to be offering this training?’ If he doesn’t, then that training means people are at risk,” Forker said.
Forker said he wants JCCC to offer an explanation when they make a decision as to why they will or won’t keep Giduck as a presenter.
Dr. Jerry Wolfskill is the Associate Vice President of Public Safety at the college. Wolfskill said it was surrounding police chiefs and others who’ve attended Giduck’s sessions, that recommended him.
“As of now, I don’t have any information that would prevent us from having him speak,” Wolfskill said.
Wolfskill said Giduck has been a speaker twice before at the school. (He said Giduck was invited a thrid time, but didn’t have enough people to continue with the session.) Wolfskill said that means they never found any red flags with Giduck’s background then either. Wolfskill also said Giduck’s reviews were good overall.
Wolfskill said there were some concerns about Giduck’s past before, so he had a colleague sit in on the previous sessions.
“In fact, he [Giduck] made if very clear that he was a writer, he was a researcher and he was a speaker and he represented Archangel,” Wolfskill said.
Giduck is head of The Archangel Group that provides security and anti-terror training according to the website.
Wolfskill said they will continue investigating these allegations. He said they have until July 16, one month before Giduck’s appearance, to make a decision whether to go through with that appearance.
FOX 4 contacted Giduck by phone Tuesday. He was unsure about making any comment because of ongoing threats to his family.
Giduck said through email Wednesday, his attorney was to try to get a hold of us, but was uncertain whether it would happen before the Fourth of July holiday Thursday. FOX 4 did not heard from Giduck’s attorney when this story aired.
