Navy SEAL Commander Advised to ‘Get the Hell Out of the Media’

[alright4u]

How darn tough would it be to merely state a unit whose men are trained for missions such as these did the job. I am not at liberty to tell you the unit or units nor their branch or branches of service.

The end.

[Eagle5US]

Merged with the thread of the same title for "Middle East"

Originally Posted by alright4u

If all the men in the unit/Detachment are all volunteers for that unit, and all had to volunteer to get to that SF code name outfit regardless of service, and; they all clearly know they are not allowed to tell another soul outside their outfit what their mission is and where they go- "Who or what gives any senior commander or even the CIC the authority to jack his jaws about that Detachment?"

I am sorry, but; I agreed to never run my mouth about classified OPS until told I could. Why can't our CIC and senior officers shut mouth just like the NCO's and officer's who do the damn dirty work are expected to do and do?

Yep. Loose lips sink ships.

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by alright4u

Why can't our CIC and senior officers shut mouth just like the NCO's and officer's who do the damn dirty work are expected to do and do?

Ego, whether in uniform or Capitol Hill. ("Behold how important I am because I know 'x'.")

That it happens is a simple failure of leadership; pick the level on which to pin that failure as you deem appropriate. Nothing new, and it was happening from the birth of CNN as well. (In Opns at puzzle palace I used to see stuff, get off mids, watch sun come up, crack a brew and see the same stuff on the fledgling Cable News Network... arghh.)

Personally, I always thought the admonition within fora at PS.COM was sufficient:

"OPSEC violators will be hanged." That should be workable for almost any situation.

[Guymullins]

From this side of the Atlantic, the idea of embedding journalists with fighting units was demented. This publicity seeking is an extension of that and one cant really blame the common soldier for thinking that if some publicity is good, then lots must be better.

[Richard]

Every time I read stuff like this, names like Eric Haney and 'Dalton Fury' are dredged up from the depths of my dust-filled memory bin...

And so it goes...

Richard

[afchic]

Originally Posted by Richard

Every time I read stuff like this, names like Eric Haney and 'Dalton Fury' are dredged up from the depths of my dust-filled memory bin...

And so it goes...

Richard

I thought I read somewhere recently that Dalton Fury has a new book coming out very soon. What a douche.

[grigori]

Originally Posted by afchic

I thought I read somewhere recently that Dalton Fury has a new book coming out very soon. What a douche.

The book released in Dec. 2011.The name of the book is "Black Site",the
character is named as "Kolt Raynor" a former Delta operator.

[Tweeder11]

Originally Posted by grigori

The book released in Dec. 2011.The name of the book is "Black Site",the
character is named as "Kolt Raynor" a former Delta operator.

But the most important thing to remember is that it's "Not about the money" it's about letting people know what really happened

Tweeder

[grigori]

Originally Posted by Tweeder11

But the most important thing to remember is that it's "Not about the money" it's about letting people know what really happened

Tweeder

Then very few will like it because readers in the public have a "terminator" kind of image when it comes to SF,they are puzzled when they hear that SF personnel need to be mentally strong,need the ability to think on their feet.

For example I was reading the comments on a book by Mark Urban "Task Force Black" about the SAS in Iraq and many were commenting that it was crap,dull stuff because they did not get to read the Call of Duty stuff they believe is what SF do.

Coming on to the part "letting people really know what happened" it is sometimes sad to read how people write stuff like "our taxes pay for your gear,we have a right to know what you do,where you go".If they want to know so much then they should spend a few days in A'stan they'll get the idea very well.

I am a nobody to comment on SF/SMU.I am not a BTDT,the best people to judge in such matters are the QP's on this forum.

[cbtengr]

McRaven is an admiral, a sr. officer, you do not attain that pay grade without playing some politics in your career. In watching the video I have to believe that he has gone Hollywood and that he truly enjoys the attention. We have no one other than the POTUS to thank for this, Obama is feeding off of the heroics of the Navy SEALS and anyone else that he can, it props him up for the next election. He is just so courageous for having these men risk their lives for us, and the job Panetta is doing, great job, fine job, who the hell is Panetta and other than living off the govt. teat all these years what has he done? The Army has had its own share of these 3 & 4 star larger than life types. They degrade all of us who ever wore the uniform honorably. McRaven talks about John Wayne, maybe he fancies himself as a modern John Wayne but I will promise you this he is no John Wayne. John Wayne knew who he was. There is a danger here in our country and it scares the living hell out of me.

[Geenie]

Originally Posted by cbtengr

McRaven is an admiral, a sr. officer, you do not attain that pay grade without playing some politics in your career. In watching the video I have to believe that he has gone Hollywood and that he truly enjoys the attention. We have no one other than the POTUS to thank for this, Obama is feeding off of the heroics of the Navy SEALS and anyone else that he can, it props him up for the next election. [...]

Sir, could you clarify how the fact that Admiral McRaven has supposedly "gone Hollywood" is President Obama's fault?

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Geenie

Sir, could you clarify how the fact that Admiral McRaven has supposedly "gone Hollywood" is President Obama's fault?

Command Climate.

[Sigaba]

The SEALs efforts to place themselves in the public consciousness "fits" within the broader context of American history. Battleships were not named after states by accident.

(That being said, I suspect that the current administration has an agenda that is more focused on its own political fortunes than a positive vision of civil-military relations.)

Originally Posted by grigori

It is sad to see that the media [do] not understand the true capabilities of SF and people aren't getting the clear picture.

How can the American public become educated about SOF in general and SF in particular? How clear should this picture be? Should other elements of the SOF community "fight fire with fire"? Are there ways to balance the public's interest without succumbing to the allure of the TMZ, and without compromising OPSEC? What happens if the public decides that it not only has a desire to know, but also the right to know? While BTDTs and SMEs point out the risks of stepping into the public eye, what might be the consequences of remaining too quiet while the Navy goes on a prolonged public relations rampage?

[Richard]

We'll know it's gotten out of hand when they start naming their Zodiac IBS's (Itty Bitty Ships) after congresscritters.

And so it goes...

Richard