<< << but "Also, while there have been and continue to be SECRET MISSIONS, there are not now, nor have there ever been any SECRET SEALS. " is not true. >>
It IS true. Every SEAL has been required to go through UDT/BUDs training since around 1950. This is why Jesse Ventura, who was a UDT operator during Vietnam, is entitled to call himself a SEAL, though he was only a member of an actual SEAL TEAM in the reserves. UDT and SEAL units were gradually merged between the mid 60's to mid 70's. The UDT/BUDs training is MANDATORY, no one gets to be a UDT or SEAL operator without it, and every graduating member of every UDT/BUDs class has been publicly disclosed military record since the 50's.
Nobody's standard military service record is "classified". Their missions may be classified, their locations or theatre of deployment remain classified only until after the objectives are accomplished, but their name, rank, MOS, commission, command/station, medals awarded, etc. are never "classified".
For instance, Green Berets operating in Afghanistan were not able to tell their family where they were. But, after they come home, they can disclose they had been operating in Afghanistan, though perhaps not certain details of what they were doing there. The families of special forces members, Green Berets, Navy SEALs, etc. know they are Special Forces operators. If they don't, then the operator himself chose not to tell his family for his own reasons, but the Army or Navy doesn't require that.
If someone went from UDT/BUDs completion to a true 'black ops' group such as those operated by the CIA during Vietnam, they're still on record as having completed UDT/BUDs, even though they weren't deployed to a SEAL team. >>
Yup I agree.
Facebook
Twitter