Al Clark (mercenary)
American businessman
Alfred Clark was a founder of the private security firm Blackwater, along with Erik Prince.
Military career
Clark joined the United States Navy in 1983. Clark received orders to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in 1986. After six months of training, Clark graduated with BUD/S Class 142 in May 1987. Following SEAL Tactical Training (STT) and completion of six-month probationary period, he received the NEC 5326 as a Combatant Swimmer (SEAL), entitled to wear the Special Warfare insignia also known as "SEAL Trident". Clark received assignment to SEAL Team FOUR and served there until 1994 when he volunteered for and completed a specialized selection and training course for assignment to Naval Special Warfare Development Group. As a Navy SEAL firearms instructor, Clark grew dissatisfied with the fact that the Navy did not own firing ranges and instead had to borrow time on Marine or Army ranges or rent facilities that were highly inadequate for serving the Navy's needs. With the idea of creating a “one-stop shopping” private training facility, Clark's concept lacked the financial backing, until he realized that one of his SEAL trainees (Erik Prince) was a man with similar ideas but far greater financial resources from his dad's automotive parts manufacturing business. They created Blackwater in 1997 as a business for assuming some of the roles once played by the public sector military, most notably providing security for American and British officials in the Iraq War.
He found a similar opportunity at Strategic Tactical Services, where an investor backed Clark's idea after he left Blackwater.
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