SEAL who shot bin Laden speaks out

By Scorbing
in Real World News

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Grand Master

Scorbing

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Source: http://news.yahoo.co...-143245195.html

The U.S. Navy SEAL who shot and killed Osama bin Laden is speaking out for the first time since the May 1, 2011, raid on the al-Qaida leader's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

In an interview with Esquire, the former SEAL?identified as "The Shooter" due to what the magazine described as "safety" reasons?said he's been largely abandoned by the U.S. government since leaving the military last fall.

He told Esquire he decided to speak out to both correct the record of the bin Laden mission and to put a spotlight on how some of the U.S. military's highly trained and accomplished soldiers are treated by the government once they return to civilian life.

Despite killing the world's most-wanted terrorist, he said, he was not given a pension, health care or protection for himself or his family.

"[sEAL command] told me they could get me a job driving a beer truck in Milwaukee," he told Esquire.

Plus, he said, "my health care for me and my family stopped. I asked if there was some transition from my Tricare to Blue Cross Blue Shield. They said no. You're out of the service, your coverage is over. Thanks for your 16 years. Go f--- yourself."

The problem seems to be that "The Shooter" left the military well before the 20-year requirement for retirement benefits.

According to the magazine, the government provides 180 days of transitional health care benefits, but the Shooter was ineligible because he did not agree to remain on active duty in a support role or become a "reservist." Instead, the magazine noted, he will "have to wait at least eight months to have his disability claims adjudicated."

The SEAL also gave his account of the historic raid, including the moment he pulled the trigger and shot bin Laden.

?In that second, I shot him, two times in the forehead," he told Esquire. "Bap! Bap! The second time as he?s going down. He crumpled onto the floor in front of his bed. He was dead. I watched him take his last breaths. And I remember as I watched him breathe out the last part of air, I thought: Is this the best thing I've ever done, or the worst thing I've ever done?

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

He also recalled watching CNN's coverage of the first anniversary of bin Laden's death.

"They were saying, 'So now we're taking viewer e-mails. Do you remember where you were when you found out Osama bin Laden was dead?' And I was thinking: Of course I remember. I was in his bedroom looking down at his body."

In September 2012, fellow former SEAL Team 6 member Matt Bissonnette published a controversial book, "No Easy Day," under a pen name about the raid, drawing the ire of both his fellow SEALs and the Pentagon.

A spokeswoman for Esquire told Yahoo News that the magazine did not pay the SEAL for the interview.

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Grand Master

ILikeTobacco

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Not only did he not get the 20 year mark for the health INSURANCE benefits(no retiree from the military gets health care benefits, only insurance) but even if he had, if the Democrats in power get their way, he wouldn't have been able to keep them for long anyway.

Grand Master

ILikeTobacco

Posted
Posted

He walked away from a promising career, his loss.

Doesn't say if he left by choice. The military doesn't let you sign up for 20 years anymore. Every few years you have to renew your contract. If they don't renew it at 16 years, you are out. Would be interesting to see how/why he got out.
Grand Master

Scorbing

Posted
  • Author
Posted

He walked away from a promising career, his loss.

While I agree that he quit before the 20 year mark, and I understand why he was denied certain benefits, I think the least they could do is try to find a job for the man within the government and provide him with protection. Presidents get protection once they leave the White House, why can't he? And if they cannot provide him with protection, then at least relocate the man and his family with a new identify somewhere else in the states or another country.

Grand Master

Dashel

Posted
Posted

Are you really telling me that the **********er that shot Bin Laden in the face couldn't get his contract renewed? You did see the part were he refused to stay on active roster yes?

It simply speaks to the broader issue that occurs when anyone leaves any job here.

Grand Master

Scorbing

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Those men are out there, risking their lives, leaving their families behind to fight in another country on the other side of the world and do their best to slow down terrorism, keep people like Bin Laden away from your families and your countries so you can enjoy the freedoms you have without worry. I think they deserve some respect, don't you think?

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Grand Master

threetonesun

Posted
Posted

Are you serious?

Yes? They haven't disclosed his name and no one knows where he lives, not to mention who is it, exactly, that's going to hunt him down and try to harm him?

I think you're just overselling the danger he's in compared to, say, any other soldier.

Grand Master

Scorbing

Posted
  • Author
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Why should we care about this specific person more than everyone else?

Why should he give up his freedom, his family and a normal life to defend your freedom and the freedom of millions of people he doesn't even know? Why should he care about you, me and everyone else? He didn't have to, but he did.

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Grand Master

FlintyV

Posted
Posted

Why should he give up his freedom, his family and a normal life to defend your freedom and the freedom of millions of people he doesn't even know? Why should he care about you, me and everyone else? He didn't have to, but he did.

Those are all his decisions though. He signed up for the military, that's the path he wanted to take.

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Veteran

spudtrooper

Posted
Posted

Those men are out there, risking their lives, leaving their families behind to fight in another country on the other side of the world and do their best to slow down terrorism, keep people like Bin Laden away from your families and your countries so you can enjoy the freedoms you have without worry. I think they deserve some respect, don't you think?

I can respect them for what they do and what they volunteered to do without holding them on a pedestal. I realize what they do is hard work but they have the hard work of an entire military behind them and an entire nation paying taxes to support them. What does respect mean to you?

Grand Master

McKay

Posted
Posted

Does it say how he came out of the Military? Was he not signed on for further service? If he left of his own accord then what is he bitching about? He doesn't deserve special treatment for doing what he was paid to do. If he wasn't signed on? Seems a shame they didn't sign on someone who has demonstrated that he is effective at his job.

Grand Master

+Gary7 Subscriber²

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Does it say how he came out of the Military? Was he not signed on for further service? If he left of his own accord then what is he bitching about? He doesn't deserve special treatment for doing what he was paid to do. If he wasn't signed on? Seems a shame they didn't sign on someone who has demonstrated that he is effective at his job.

Oliver North was given protection when he got out. Just a thanks you and a C-Ya later is no way to treat any member of the Miliatary.

Grand Master

DocM

Posted
Posted

A Job offer to drive a beer truck. This is disgusting.

Average trucker in Wisconsin makes $44,000 a year, and most likely if he was driving for a major brewery the pay may have been higher with pretty good benefits. Not a bad starter job IMO, and no one's shooting at you..

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckerreport.html

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