Frank Cucci

**itsahak** · Posted On: 1/01/2007 9:34pm

Sasquatch,
I was actually one of the original partners that started RAM. I sold my interest a little over a year ago. I am currently in the process of opening my own place.

**sasquatch989** · Posted On: 1/01/2007 9:39pm

do you remeber my boy Kelly Ginley beatin the **** out of your boy at Kong of the Ring?=)
Maybe you had already split by that time

**OldernotBolder** · Posted On: 1/21/2007 7:32pm

Frank Cucci is the real deal. I trained at his first school, Functional Defensive Concepts in Virginia Beach (at a small outlet mall just east of the corner of Witchduck and Virginia Beach Blvd.) while finishing up school and waiting for a slot in flight school. At the time he was an active duty SEAL. Later he went into the Naval Reserves as a SEAL Chief Petty Officer; I've seen him in uniform wearing the Budweiser. As for teaching SEALs, that's an absolute fact. My training partner at the time was an active duty SEAL Senior Chief Petty Officer. There were quite a few SEALs in class and many more for the seminars. I haven't been back for years, but was active at FDC around 1993.

**gslack** · Posted On: 7/15/2011 9:25pm

Cucci was a seal from my understanding. I saw an interview with Paul Vunak a few years ago where if I am not mistaken he actually mentioned him by name. From the way Paul explains he works with agencies and such; he goes there and trains someone within the organization to take over for him when his contracts are up. Most likely those contracts were not renewed due to his knack for getting into trouble and ticking people in authority off at least that's what I hear about him. If we go by what Paul says, then Frank Cucci was a seal team member who showed either an already advanced knowledge or skill in his brand of FMA and JKD concepts (for all I know he may have already been a student at the FMA academy (Inosanto's). this would make him the prime candidate for the person paul claims he likes to leave behind to carry on when hes gone on to other people.

As I said this was a while ago and it is possible I got my information messed up, I am old so ...LOL.

**gslack** · Posted On: 7/18/2011 12:55am

Just a quick update to my earlier post...

I was wrong. It wasn't a interview I watched a long time ago but rather a interview I read about a year or two ago. It was on Pauls own website.

http://fighting.net/main.php?page=paulvunak

Its in the last part of the interview on that page when you see the interviewer ask about his time working with the SEALS, you are close to it. Anyway here's a brief from it.

"PFS: Why did they come to you?

PV: I have no idea. I was originally approached by a gentleman named Monty Trezise, who interviewed me extensively and then directed me to Frank Cucci. After an eye-to-eye meeting, Frank became very enthusiastic and spearheaded my relocation to Virginia."

So it would seem that Frank Cucci is in the very least trained as he claimed.

**DubhGhaill** · Posted On: 7/18/2011 5:36pm

Hey gslack, prepare to take some **** for digging up an ancient thread.

You're right, though. This...

PFS: When did you start teaching the Navy SEALS?
PV: They initially approached me in late '88.
PFS: Why did they come to you?
PV: I have no idea. I was originally approached by a gentleman named Monty Trezise, who interviewed me extensively and then directed me to Frank Cucci. After an eye-to-eye meeting, Frank became very enthusiastic and spearheaded my relocation to Virginia.

and this...

PFS: So how did you end up back in California?
PV: I actually had about six months left on my contract with the military, but I negotiated with the powers-that-be to delegate the rest of the teaching to three people. These guys had been my most persistent, talented, and dedicated students. They were Pat Bagley, Pat Tray, and Frank Cucci. I certified them as Full Instructors to carry on my art with my blessing.

...would seem to suggest that Mr Cucci was fairly involved in the organization of the program, if not necessarily "Cheif Instructor".

**gslack** · Posted On: 7/18/2011 10:46pm

LOL yeah I didn't notice the date on it till AFTER I posted. Found the interview and it really grated on me that I had it wrong so I had to fix it. LOL Oh well at least I can feel better now.. But yeah it would seem he may have been a SEAL team leader or perhaps a instructor in some aspect. heck maybe even an ONI op.. Who knows..

**Bentot56** · Posted On: 10/30/2011 12:17am

Originally Posted by VikingPower

Once I get the info from BUPERS we'll see.

No need for BUPERS, I worked with frank when I was with RED CELL and SEAL Team 4. It's easy enough to find out if any SEAL is legitimate just go to VERISEAL. Frank spent 10 years in SEAL Team at 2 and DEVGRU and he taught operators along with Pat Tray. He and Pat are both Full Instructors through Dan Inosanto in Kali and Full Instructors with Master Chai in Muay Thai. He is the one who brought in Paul Vunak.

**Sam Browning** · Posted On: 10/30/2011 9:04am

Hi Bentot,

If you would like to get a military tag here, and verify your SEAL credentials, you can contact Steve Robinson at shadek@tri-lakes.net and he can send an email to me. He now works for the POW network and has the database.