The Man Who Killed Osama bin Laden... Is Screwed

[skyking]

Originally Posted by DaveSimmons

^ "that's the joke"

DucatiMonster696 passed on one urban legend as fact, so I answered with another

Sorry Dave, my meter is out of calibration.

[holden j caufield]

guy doesn't seem like he could mentally take it anymore. He deserves a special break from the gov. but he shouldn't get one because it's too much work to make a case to case exception for other people.

[dainthomas]

Originally Posted by Nebor

He quit 4 years short of retirement, when he could have had literally any job in the Navy. He didn't have to go back to war if he didn't want to, he could have chilled out in on an Admiral's staff, or at SOCOM, or training other people at Coronado.

Yeah, pretty sure the dude that capped Bin Laden could've landed a SEAL instructor job easily.

[Wreckem]

Originally Posted by benzylic

Heres an article that agrees with what most here were saying about the pension and VA benefits in the original article.

The author of the Esquire piece said that there wasnt enough room in the article to explain why he wasnt getting any benefits.

http://www.stripes.com/blogs/the-rup...hcare-1.207506

I call Esquires response total bullshit. And its bullshit he didnt know of his benefits. Every person retiring from the military goes through eleventybillion meetings/interviews when they are getting out. They go over everything about transitioning back to civilian life, from how to get a job to what their benefits are, how to apply/when to apply for said benefits, etc.

[werepossum]

Originally Posted by Theb

It seems reasonable to give these guys additional credit towards their retirement and to try hard to steer them into college so they can be moved into training positions and up the command structure so we continue to benefit from their knowledge. It also seems like people in positions that will never see combat don't need a pension in the 38 - 42 age range.

Agreed, although I suspect that this guy could have easily moved into a physical training position or even a recruiting position where he would never again pick up a gun, had he desired.

Originally Posted by eskimospy

20 years till retirement is already pretty short. Also, they get a lot of extra pay for what they do already. While we don't know the details here, generally he could have rotated back to different duty had he so chosen. I really can't figure out what would have happened that would leave him unable to re-enlist but wouldn't give him disability or medical benefits. I mean considering training time and deployment schedules, how long do you want to shorten it?

Again, this story is mighty fishy.

Well, the story is almost certainly to promote a book and gain public sympathy for getting that book published. He's going to want to publish things that the government isn't going to want published; maybe this is a pre-emptive strike in the war for public opinion? In any case, sixteen years as a SEAL isn't just a job, it's sixteen years of life-threatening, sphincter-tightening missions where death even of the whole team is a very real possibility. Very few members of our military are actually on the point of the spear, as infantry (and even including others such as armor combat units who go toe to toe with the enemy) are a small minority. SEALs are commonly BEYOND the point of the spear, a tiny minority within an already small minority who regularly intentionally become surrounded, often out of artillery range.

One other possibility - it could be that the author had pre-determined the story's slant and merely drove the conversation and took quotes to meet that requirement. Wouldn't be the first time.

Originally Posted by nextJin

You havent met many SEALs have you

Pretty much. SEALs get special treatment across the board, and you don't take four or five friends into a country/region where almost everyone wants to kill you unless you have a VERY high opinion of yourself. I don't know I'd say prima donna though. It's sorta like the old saying - it ain't bragging if you can do it.

[TallBill]

Originally Posted by eskimospy

Not to mention TAPS class that every separating enlisted member is required to take, which specifically tells you about VA benefits.

I never got mine Lol. Supposed to get 5 years. I applied and about a year later the VA sent me the initial application packet.

[Theb]

The commander of the Naval Special Warfare Command denies allegations made in an Esquire feature article that the SEAL team member who claims he first shot Osama bin Laden was left in the dark about what benefits were available to him after he left the service.

"This former SEAL made a deliberate and informed decision to leave the Navy several years short of retirement status," Rear Adm. Sean Pybus, commander of Naval Special Warfare Command, wrote in a statement. "Months ahead of his separation, he was counseled on status and benefits, and provided with options to continue his career until retirement eligible. Claims to the contrary in these matters are false."

Pybus said he is "very disappointed with the few people who use their SEAL cachet for self-serving purposes, particularly through falsehoods and certainly when the safety and security of themselves and their active-duty teammates and families are put at risk."

However, he said the Navy will help the former SEAL "address health or transition issues, as we would for other former members."

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...quire-article?

It's a good thing he stayed anonymous. His credibility is kind of shot. Nothing good came out of this article for him.

[EagleKeeper]

Originally Posted by Theb

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...quire-article?

It's a good thing he stayed anonymous. His credibility is kind of shot. Nothing good came out of this article for him.

Article publicity for Esquire.

[klinc]

He killed Bin Laden he will make millions in book deals and movie rights