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

[Abe Froman]

The article is too long to post here, but here are some important clips from Page 1. I've included a link to the entire article all on one page.

‎"I'm not religious, but I always felt I was put on the earth to do something specific. After that mission, I knew what it was."

"But the Shooter will discover soon enough that when he leaves after sixteen years in the Navy, his body filled with scar tissue, arthritis, tendinitis, eye damage, and blown disks, here is what he gets from his employer and a grateful nation:

Nothing. No pension, no health care, and no protection for himself or his family."


http://www.esquire.com/print-this/man-who-shot-osama-bin-laden-0313-2?page=all

 

[Mursilis]

The article is too long to post here, but here are some important clips from Page 1. I've included a link to the entire article all on one page.

‎"I'm not religious, but I always felt I was put on the earth to do something specific. After that mission, I knew what it was."

"But the Shooter will discover soon enough that when he leaves after sixteen years in the Navy, his body filled with scar tissue, arthritis, tendinitis, eye damage, and blown disks, here is what he gets from his employer and a grateful nation:

Nothing. No pension, no health care, and no protection for himself or his family."


http://www.esquire.com/print-this/man-who-shot-osama-bin-laden-0313-2?page=all

Simply not true.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/

The VA system does have some flaws, but it does provide medical care and compensation to hundreds of thousands of veterans every day. If this Navy SEAL sustained chronic injuries due to his service, and didn't have a dishonorable discharge, he's entitled to both medical care and compensation.

 

[Abe Froman]

Simply not true.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/

The VA system does have some flaws, but it does provide medical care and compensation to hundreds of thousands of veterans every day. If this Navy SEAL sustained chronic injuries due to his service, and didn't have a dishonorable discharge, he's entitled to both medical care and compensation.

Nearly everyone of the injured vets I know either doesn't receive satisfactory care or enough money to really cover their bills. There is a standard of living that the gov't isn't meeting.

That said, the article is highly intriguing.

 

[SaurusX]

He'll be able to get a job as a police officer or in private security with no problem at all.

 

[Mursilis]

Nearly everyone of the injured vets I know either doesn't receive satisfactory care or enough money to really cover their bills. There is a standard of living that the gov't isn't meeting.

That said, the article is highly intriguing.

Congress sets the specific compensation amounts. VA merely administers the system. You'll want to talk to your senators and rep. if you think the rates are too low.

Edit: Your response at least acknowledges that injured vets get both financial and medical help, and not "nothing", as the article claims.

 

[sourn]

Nearly everyone of the injured vets I know either doesn't receive satisfactory care or enough money to really cover their bills. There is a standard of living that the gov't isn't meeting.

That said, the article is highly intriguing.

Then they're living out of their means or simply don't know how to work the system.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Sob story add-ons by the writer leaving out critical details that indicate if he is getting shafted by the government or as a result of his own decisions.

The story does not indicate if he was being forced out of the service or his enlistment term was up and he did not re-up.
It indicated that he did not want to be reserve
Story makes it seem that he should get special privileges/accommodations because of who he was.

Then it mentions the pension is like that for any other military person; big deal, pension is by rank.

VA provides medical care to all Vets
Medical coverage for dependents; not unless you serve your time.

 

[K1052]

Nearly everyone of the injured vets I know either doesn't receive satisfactory care or enough money to really cover their bills. There is a standard of living that the gov't isn't meeting.

That said, the article is highly intriguing.

Everyone loves a good war and wants to support the troops...until the VA bill comes due. Veteran care has been problematic ever since the country's founding. It has improved substantially in the last couple decades but the big costs are a couple more decades down the road when these troops get older and develop more chronic problems. Going to be big $$$

 

[nextJin]

Sob story add-ons by the writer leaving out critical details that indicate if he is getting shafted by the government or as a result of his own decisions.

The story does not indicate if he was being forced out of the service or his enlistment term was up and he did not re-up.
It indicated that he did not want to be reserve
Story makes it seem that he should get special privileges/accommodations because of who he was.

Then it mentions the pension is like that for any other military person; big deal, pension is by rank.

VA provides medical care to all Vets
Medical coverage for dependents; not unless you serve your time.

Yea those of us with military experience know something is totally off about the article, my immediate question was why did he get out at 16 years? He could have requested to do any number of things even going back to the big Navy to prevent another tour.

I will never question this mans integrity or resolve, but something needs to be said whether he got out without reenlisting for the full 20 or was forced out. (at 16 I couldn't ever see why you would anything after 10 is insane to me).

 

[Pantoot]

Sob story add-ons by the writer leaving out critical details that indicate if he is getting shafted by the government or as a result of his own decisions.

CNN is in the background but it sounded like he is short of retirement but "doesn't want to do "it" anymore." Sounds like this is a result of his own decisions, but the writer thinks he should be treated differently because of his accomplishments.

 

[nextJin]

CNN is in the background but it sounded like he is short of retirement but "doesn't want to do "it" anymore." Sounds like this is a result of his own decisions, but the writer thinks he should be treated differently because of his accomplishments.

Thats the problem, he didn't have to do "it" anymore. Its a volunteer assignment, at any time you can request to be released from that community and go back into your MOS or whatever the Navy calls it.

You literally never see it happen, I've seen it one time but he was injured with 18 years in. Dude was the best Platoon Sergeant I'd ever had.

 

[Mursilis]

Yea those of us with military experience know something is totally off about the article, my immediate question was why did he get out at 16 years? He could have requested to do any number of things even going back to the big Navy to prevent another tour.

I will never question this mans integrity or resolve, but something needs to be said whether he got out without reenlisting for the full 20 or was forced out. (at 16 I couldn't ever see why you would anything after 10 is insane to me).

I was wondering about the 16-year part myself. Maybe he got an early medical discharge, but he'd get comp with that, and the article claims he's getting nothing. Some facts are missing here.

 

[LookBehindYou]

Yeah that is a pretty werdly worded article with a lot left out. I did 9 years before I separated, which was a choice. To do that at 16 is crazy, way to close to getting full benefits.

Also, to complain about a 50 % retirement for 20 years of work is lame. How many jobs can you start at age 18, retire at 38 and walk away with around a $2300 a month and health care for yourself and go start a new career?

 

[fskimospy]

Yeah, the 16 years part is really fishy. Who gets out after 16? If he was forced out due to injuries he got while on duty he got screwed, but nothing in the article says that. And yes, if he has significant duty related injuries not only is he eligible for care for them, but probably a monthly payment as well.

More info is needed, but something is off here.

 

[Oyeve]

We will never ever know the facts on this guy. Ever. So, its all moot.

 

[Theb]

I want to be sympathetic but he's not making it easy. He said he doesn't want a job that requires a gun, well ok, if he doesn't want to use his skill set he's basically starting over and competing for entry level jobs which would be easier to understand if he had put in the extra few years to get his lifetime pension.

Also I understand the author has a hell of a scoop and invested a lot of time in this piece, but you'd think he's being paid by the word.

 

[Jimzz]

As said he has plenty of benifits. Let alone I bet he is 30%+ disabled so he can get just about any Fed Gov he qualifies for.

 

[werepossum]

I dunno, I can see where someone who had a very physically demanding and dangerous job like a SEAL should perhaps get more than one-for-one credit for service. For that matter, shouldn't there really be a bonus for time served in a combat zone and an additional bonus for time served in a combat unit? Serving as a SEAL is a lot more dangerous than serving as an infantryman, which is a lot more dangerous than serving as a red leg, which is a lot more dangerous than serving as a truck driver, which is a lot more dangerous than serving as a logistics tech in the US.

The down sides to that would be money of course, but also loss of hard-won institutional knowledge. So it might do more harm than good.

 

[fskimospy]

I dunno, I can see where someone who had a very physically demanding and dangerous job like a SEAL should perhaps get more than one-for-one credit for service. For that matter, shouldn't there really be a bonus for time served in a combat zone and an additional bonus for time served in a combat unit? Serving as a SEAL is a lot more dangerous than serving as an infantryman, which is a lot more dangerous than serving as a red leg, which is a lot more dangerous than serving as a truck driver, which is a lot more dangerous than serving as a logistics tech in the US.

The down sides to that would be money of course, but also loss of hard-won institutional knowledge. So it might do more harm than good.

You get additional pay already for being in dangerous places (hazardous duty pay). On top of that SEALs get special duty pay, jump pay, dive pay, combat pay, and if in a combat zone, no tax on any pay.

So don't worry, they already get it.

 

[PokerGuy]

Seems like a sensationalist article short on detailed information because the details would probably make the story fall apart.

Who this guy took out (Bin Laden) shouldn't matter in the least. He's entitled to the same compensation/benefits as any other vet who served the country honorably. No more, no less. If the benefits/compensation level is not sufficient, that's a discussion we should be having as a country, it's not about one guy.

 

[Sonikku]

I support the troops.

Just not to the point where I want to reach into my pocket and pay is all.

 

[EagleKeeper]

I support the troops.

Just not to the point where I want to reach into my pocket and pay is all.

So, they can sacrifice for you, but not the reverse

 

[LookBehindYou]

As said he has plenty of benifits. Let alone I bet he is 30%+ disabled so he can get just about any Fed Gov he qualifies for.

At least 30%. Hell, I draw 10% for tinitus. I knew of people that hit 50% for sleep apnea alone. And yeah, if you hit that 10% mark you are automatically put to the front of the line even if you are minimally qualified.

 

[werepossum]

You get additional pay already for being in dangerous places (hazardous duty pay). On top of that SEALs get special duty pay, jump pay, dive pay, combat pay, and if in a combat zone, no tax on any pay.

So don't worry, they already get it.

I'm aware of the extra pay, just pointing out the extra wear and tear on body and nerves of actual combat.

 

[Thump553]

I dunno, I can see where someone who had a very physically demanding and dangerous job like a SEAL should perhaps get more than one-for-one credit for service. For that matter, shouldn't there really be a bonus for time served in a combat zone and an additional bonus for time served in a combat unit? Serving as a SEAL is a lot more dangerous than serving as an infantryman, which is a lot more dangerous than serving as a red leg, which is a lot more dangerous than serving as a truck driver, which is a lot more dangerous than serving as a logistics tech in the US.

The down sides to that would be money of course, but also loss of hard-won institutional knowledge. So it might do more harm than good.

How many other jobs enable someone to retire with full pension and lifetime healthcare as young as age 38? And you want to shorten the time requirements even more.

The original article is so poorly written and factually deficient that you'd have to be clairvoyent to understand the real situation. If in fact he decided at 16 years (for his own personal reasons) that he didn't want to be military anymore, I presume he is mentally competent and knew what he was giving up. It's his choice to make.

OTOH this whole thing could be a publicity trial balloon for the multimillion dollar memoir he plans to publish.