What was Dan Flood's exact service record and military rank in the Marines?
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Executive summary
Available sources identify a Dan(iel) Flood who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and describe roles including combat engineers with Marine Aircraft Group 41 and operational/operational-intelligence work; one profile says he left active duty in 2003 (Vet Advantage) and a professional profile ties his career start to Marine operational intelligence (ZoomInfo) [1] [2]. Obituary material references a different Daniel J. Flood who “served in the U.S. Marine Corp.” and lists specific medals (Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal) and a Rifle Qualification Badge (Sharpshooter) — but that obituary is for a Daniel J. Flood born 1989 and died 2011, a different person from the Turning Point–associated professional profiles [3].
1. Service roles reported in public profiles — engineers, MAG-41 and counter‑terrorism
One veterans-profile article reports that Dan Flood “served with combat engineers attached to the Marine Aircraft Group 41,” performing tasks such as setup, refueling and coordination with ground/air task forces, then later transitioning to a counter‑terrorism unit at Pearl Harbor; that profile also states he exited active duty in 2003 (Vet Advantage) [1]. A separate professional listing summarizes his Marine Corps service as in “Operational Intelligence,” which is consistent with the counter‑terrorism/behind‑the‑scenes description but does not repeat the MAG‑41 engineer detail (ZoomInfo) [2].
2. Rank and exact service record — available sources are vague
None of the provided sources list an exact rank (for example, private, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant) held by the Dan/ Daniel Flood connected to Turning Point USA or the Vet Advantage profile; ZoomInfo and the Vet Advantage piece describe roles and unit attachments but do not state a rank or detailed enlistment and discharge dates beyond “got out of active duty service in 2003” [1] [2]. Therefore, available sources do not mention his precise rank or a full, itemized service record.
3. Conflicting or conflated identities in the public record
The sources include an obituary for a Daniel J. Flood (born 1989, died 2011) that lists Marine Corps awards (Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Rifle Qualification Badge — Sharpshooter); that obituary refers to a young Marine who cannot be the same person described in the Vet Advantage professional profile that says the subject left active service in 2003 and later worked in business development/security [3] [1]. Social posts and profile aggregators also show multiple Daniel/Dan Flood names and images tied to security roles and to Turning Point USA, and one social thread explicitly warns “that’s not the same guy” when people confuse two similarly appearing men (threads posts) [4] [5]. Reporters and researchers should not conflate these separate records without independent verification.
4. What can and cannot be concluded from these sources
It is supported that at least one Dan/ Daniel Flood served in the Marine Corps and that public profiles attribute service with combat engineers attached to MAG‑41 and later counter‑terrorism/operational‑intelligence work, with active duty ending in 2003 [1] [2]. It is not supported by these sources what his exact rank was, what precise dates he enlisted/was promoted, or a complete service record with unit serials and discharge paperwork — those specifics are not found in current reporting and therefore cannot be asserted [1] [2].
5. How to verify rank and full service record reliably
Primary documentation (DD‑214 or equivalent discharge papers) or official service records released by the National Personnel Records Center or the Department of the Navy/Marine Corps are required to confirm exact rank, dates, and awards. The sources here are secondary profiles and an unrelated obituary; they provide useful leads but do not substitute for official military records [1] [2] [3].
6. Why this matters — agenda, reputation and the risk of mistaken identity
Public figures who trade on military service for credibility — including security executives or political organization staff — attract scrutiny; mixing together multiple individuals named Dan/ Daniel Flood risks amplifying false impressions. Social posts that identify a pictured man as “Dan Flood” while others insist “that’s not the same guy” show how identity confusion spreads in online discourse [4] [5]. Journalistic standards require corroboration from documents or official confirmation before publishing specific rank or decorations.
If you want, I can (a) assemble the precise lines from Vet Advantage and ZoomInfo that mention units and duties for direct quotation, or (b) draft a template Freedom of Information Act request/archives request seeking DD‑214 or service verification to confirm rank and dates — tell me which you prefer.