New York Times Bestselling author, Enrique “Ric” Prado is a paramilitary, counterterrorism, and special/clandestine operations specialist,with a focus on international training operations and programs. Mr. Prado is a twenty-four-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency where he served as an Operations Officer in six overseas posts. He was Deputy Chief of Station and “Plank Owner” of the original Bin Ladin Task Force/Issues Station under Senior Analyst, Michael Scheuer, as well as Chief of Station in a hostile Muslim country. He also served as Chief of Operations in the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center (CTC) during the September 11th attacks, where Mr. Prado coordinated CIA/CTC’s special operations (SPECOPS) activities with the National Security Council and FBI, as well as with elite U.S. military representatives from Delta Force and SEAL-Team Six, then detailed to CTC/CIA.
Mr. Prado spent his first ten years at CIA as a paramilitary officer in Special Operations Group/Special Activities Division (SOG/SAD) which is CIA’s “special operations force,” including 36 months of service in Central America as the first CIA officer living in the anti-Sandinista “Contra” camps, running counter-terrorism operations in Peru and the Philippines. Other key positions included head of the CIA’s Korean Operations and Chief of CIA Liaison in Seoul. He is fluent in his native Spanish and once held a 2+ level in Japanese.
Post retirement, Mr. Prado became one of BlackWater’s VP for “Special US Government programs,” working directly under BW owner, Erik Prince. He ran those Top Secret programs for almost ten years.
His military training and qualifications include Airborne, SCUBA, Advance Combat Medical Rescue, S.E.R.E., Mountain Climbing, and Jungle Survival under the auspices of the US Air Force elite Pararescue Teams (1971-1976). He served for three years in the US National Guard Reserves with the 20th Special Forces; he did not/not attend their Qualification Course (he was recruited by the CIA prior to attending).
Mr. Prado is now semi-retired but enjoys serving the “SPECOPS” Community as Subject Matter Expert (SME) at the SWCS’ ASOTC (Advanced Special Operations and Techniques Course) and ASOT Managers Course, Dragon Warrior, Emerald Warrior, among others.