About Those Navy Seals

By Jeralyn, Section War on Terror
Posted on Tue May 03, 2011 at 08:46:00 AM EST
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The Daily Mail has an extensive article on the Navy Seals, "the silent warriors who took out Bin Laden."

The Seals website is here. They are deployed in 30 countries. Team Six, which in 2009 changed its name to the US Navy Special Warfare Development Group or DEVGRU, is the Seal team that conducted the raid.

The leader of the Naval Special Warfare is Rear Admiral Edward G. Winters III. Their mission statement is here.

Here's an article from 2010 by Commander Winters on the role of naval warfare.

bq. Since 9/11, NSW has been relentless in pursuing innovation in organization, tactics, and capabilities teams are integrated into an assault force—the SEAL troops—creating a seamless and continuous intelligence operations cycle. The comprehensive assimilation of intelligence disciplines into a single targeting element and its complete integration under tactical assault forces create a powerful synergy unachievable through traditional stovepiped intelligence silos.

Commander Winters got a new assignment in March -- to deputy chief, Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq.

Naval Special Warfare is now concentrating heavily on Africa where on April 26, Naval Special Warfare Unit 10 was commissioned.

As an aside, here's the Defense Department justification for its 2012.

< Pakistan Newspaper's Alernate Reality of Osama Bin Laden Raid | How Torture Elicited 'Key Denials' That Led To Death of bin Laden 9 Years Later (Sarcasm) >

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About Those Navy Seals | 35 comments (35 topical)

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Those present in the Situation room (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by samsguy18 on Tue May 03, 2011 at 08:29:07 AM EST

The intensity and fear is apparent on the faces of the individuals in the room... their body language speaks volumes......there was no faking it !

: Yes, those are really historic pictures. (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by ruffian on Tue May 03, 2011 at 08:47:06 AM EST

Even politicians are not that good at acting.

As a former sailor (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by Chuck0 on Tue May 03, 2011 at 10:57:33 AM EST

and Navy brat and former resident of San Diego, (I'm no hawk), but I can tell you, the US Navy SEALS are some bad ass dudes. They WILL get the job done (they took out the Somali pirates). SEALs are the best of the best of the best. The mental and physical training they receive is beyond compare. I used to drink with a few SEALs and ex-SEALs in San Diego. Even the Hells Angels down there were scared of those guys.

Seen 'em training a few (none / 0) (#13)
by brodie on Tue May 03, 2011 at 11:12:37 AM EST

times from the beach in front of the Hotel Del in Coronado or as we bicycled around the island.

I don't think I would have lasted past the part where they have to go fully dressed, with heavy boots, into a pool and tread water for I don't know how long. No thanks.

That or the survival part in the desert where they have to eat snakes for protein and sustenance. I'd starve before doing that. I'd probably try to sneak in several energy bars, and would have been caught and tossed out.

I wonder why the SEALs weren't chosen by Jimmy C. for Desert One, instead of the special Army group? And Jimmy was a Navy guy. Hmm ...


What I have read is that Team 6 was created (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue May 03, 2011 at 11:38:51 AM EST

because of Carter's debacle.


At that time SEAL Team 6 (none / 0) (#17)
by jeffinalabama on Tue May 03, 2011 at 11:49:32 AM EST

was concentrating on snatch/kill in other venues. Delta Force was more prepared for hostage rescue. Additionally, there were Rangers attached to the operation for the exfiltration as one of the contingencies. Not enough SEALS on active duty at that particular time... Desert One had a LOT of people on it in different areas.

SEAL Team 6 wouldn't have made a difference... the helicopters used couldn't handle the sand, and a helicopter hit a full fuel blivet. Boom, mission scrubbed when Iranians showed up on the scene.


Sarc, it was created (none / 0) (#18)
by jeffinalabama on Tue May 03, 2011 at 11:50:50 AM EST

during Vietnam for rescues and high value targets in the I corps sector and areas north of the DMZ.


This is what I read, is it BS? (none / 0) (#19)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue May 03, 2011 at 11:54:22 AM EST

The development of SEAL Team 6 was in direct response to the 1980 attempt to rescue the American hostages held in Iran. The mission was a terrific failure that fell apart at many points and illustrated the need for a dedicated counter-terrorist team capable of operating with the utmost secrecy.

wiki says this: (none / 0) (#20)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:01:06 PM EST

The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), commonly known as DEVGRU and informally by its former name SEAL Team Six (ST6),[1][2] is one of the United States' two secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units (SMUs); the other such group is 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force).[...]
The origins of ST6 can be traced to the aftermath of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed 1980 attempt to rescue American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Iran.[4] [5]

It's not the original SEAL Team 6... (none / 0) (#21)
by jeffinalabama on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:05:30 PM EST

The lineage and heraldry go back to Vietnam. Now the wiki link might be indicating in its current form, but I know too many guys with red Seals tattooed on their forearms from the Vietnam era-- that was the original SEAL Team 6.

The Wiki doesn't recognize that often military units are decommissioned and recommissioned. Too bad, really, that the Vietnam days aren't mentioned.

Oh, I wasn't and am not a SEAL. I know SEALs though. We stay in contact


Cool, thanks. (none / 0) (#22)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:06:37 PM EST

btw, can't you update wiki about the (none / 0) (#25)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:20:46 PM EST

Vietnam origin?


: I'll suggest it to my (none / 0) (#26)
by jeffinalabama on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:23:12 PM EST

old comrades. I don't have the exact dates, but they do. Good idea... I didn't even think about it!

The author, IMO, (none / 0) (#23)
by jeffinalabama on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:10:35 PM EST

has read too much Tom Clancy, and has mixed in fiction with more fiction and a factoid or two in that article of praise. It's almost like the Chuck Norris sayings. First, "black operations" aren't what he describes, exactly...

second, these are US military members, not mercenaries or CIA, they are still covered by the UCMJ, have ranks, etc...

I'm taking nothing away from SEAL Team 6, but there's a lot of exaggeration out there.


This one ought to be under the (none / 0) (#24)
by jeffinalabama on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:11:16 PM EST

business weekly article...


Jeff, both you and Sarc are technically correct (none / 0) (#35)
by BTAL on Tue May 03, 2011 at 08:48:46 PM EST

The Seals were around before the 1980 fiasco but not to the organized, funded and trained level since then.

Am a plank holder in the RDJTF/USCENTCOM which was also an outcome of the failed 1980 raid. That event put a glaring bright spotlight on several issues:

Lack of inter-service cooperation and operational capabilities.
The atrophy that had occurred in our SOF capabilities.
Our lack of expertise and capabilities for desert warfare, especially in the ME.

The one thing that I will credit Carter with (he being my first presidential vote and CIC) was the lessons learned from that event and subsequent decisions/actions regarding the military.


Snake wouldn't be too bad (5.00 / 1) (#27)
by MO Blue on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:41:06 PM EST

I heard it tastes just like chicken. ;o)


A fire, a snake, (5.00 / 1) (#28)
by jeffinalabama on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:49:18 PM EST

and a bottle of Texas Pete's Hot Sauce...

Priceless.


I'd have to be awfully (none / 0) (#31)
by brodie on Tue May 03, 2011 at 01:13:10 PM EST

drunk, but I doubt they'd allow alcoholic beverages on a SEALs desert outing.

Nah, I'm afraid I'd just try to live on water alone, skip the snake thank you. I hear you can live, what, 30-40 days on just water and nothing else.


: True, Reminds me of some of the lines from (none / 0) (#32)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue May 03, 2011 at 01:31:48 PM EST

the movie
"Rango." (A must-see, imo, for adults and kids alike!)
Spoons: Uh...exactly where did you say you were from?
Rango: Me? I'm from the West. Out there, beyond the horizon, past the sunset. The far West.
[everyone in the saloon gasps]
Rango: Yeah, that's right, hombres. The place I come from, we kill a man before breakfast, just to work up an appetite.
[his tongue flips out quickly to catch an insect]
Rango: Then we salt him and we pepper him, then we braise him clarified butter and then we eat him.
Jedidiah: You eat him?
Rango: That's what I said! Hell, I've seen things make a grown man lose control of his glandular function. You spend three days in a horse carcass, livin' off you own juices. It'll change a man!

My kids repeat the last line several times each day, more for Mrs. Sarc's and my amusement than their own I think...

Be nice to see a world (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by SOS on Tue May 03, 2011 at 11:25:44 AM EST

where none of this was neccessary.

Going to be a while though before humans rise above all the things that create mistrust, fear, and violence thats obvious.

With faking Bin Laden's death, it's almost as if (none / 0) (#1)
by Talktruth on Tue May 03, 2011 at 07:09:46 AM EST

the Obama administration is trying to prove it is as stupid and corrupt as the Bush administration - no small feat!

Don't be as gullible as the Republicans were - pics or it didn't happen!

Seriously? (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Yman on Tue May 03, 2011 at 07:52:16 AM EST

Like pics would satisfy the conspiracy theorists? I mean, after all, ... we all know the moon landings were faked ...

(end snark).


You know what? (none / 0) (#6)
by Ga6thDem on Tue May 03, 2011 at 08:31:11 AM EST

I'm not justifying what this guy is saying but how many times did the Bush administration tell us that Osama was dead?

I know this time there's actually more to go on and I don't believe it's a conspiracy but after being lied to so many times, I guess some people just can't let go.


I don't think Bush ever claimed Bin Laden (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by tigercourse on Tue May 03, 2011 at 09:02:29 AM EST

was dead.


You (none / 0) (#9)
by Ga6thDem on Tue May 03, 2011 at 09:56:21 AM EST

don't remember the story where they bombed something and a tall guy was killed and they were claiming it was OBL? Of course, that only lasts so long until OBL made another tape. Since he hadn't been heard from in quite a while, a lot conservatives were shopping the story that he was dead.


There were at least two cases (none / 0) (#29)
by gyrfalcon on Tue May 03, 2011 at 12:58:02 PM EST

where word started going around the media that somebody unlucky enough to have been under a bomb "might" have been OBL, or that officials were "hoping it might" have been him, and if I'm remembering right, those reports both originated in the notoriously accurate and responsible British tabloid press.

No, I'm quite sure the Bush admin never once claimed that OBL had been killed.


No (none / 0) (#30)
by Ga6thDem on Tue May 03, 2011 at 01:08:25 PM EST

I don't think they came outright and said it but let people believe that he was dead. I know conservatives were shopping this even back in 2004 saying that OBL had died of kidney failure or that one of the bombs had killed him etc. etc.


With respect (none / 0) (#33)
by gyrfalcon on Tue May 03, 2011 at 03:08:04 PM EST

the right wing nutso commentariat in this country indulges in an awful lot of c*** that didn't come from the Bush administration.

Actually, anecdotally only, I heard a lot more of the "bin Laden died from kidney failure," etc., stuff from the left than the right back in the day, on the theory (which a couple have even posited here) that the Bush admin needed to pretend he was still alive to justify all their security overreaching, etc.

This is one small sin that really can't be laid at the feet of the Bush admin, IMO.


: Well (none / 0) (#34)
by Ga6thDem on Tue May 03, 2011 at 07:34:13 PM EST

the right wing commetariat is mostly who I was talking about shopping that stuff but they shop that stuff and it seeps into the national discussion just like the crazy birtherism stuff.
I guess there were probably some people on the left shopping it to but I just don't remember. I distinctly remember talking to conservatives in this area who were saying back in 2004 that Osama was dead mostly, I think, because they were using it as a reason as to why Bush hadn't gotten him. Of course, all that changed when the tape showed up in November of '04.

I don't know about the Bush ... (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by Yman on Tue May 03, 2011 at 11:00:49 AM EST

... administration leaking "OBL may be dead" stories, but going on the record in front of the nation announcing that OBL has been killed, his identity confirmed, body taken, DNA, etc., is a whole different level. I can understand cynicism with respect to government claims, but faking this would involve a massive conspiracy among numerous people and agencies involved, and would rely on their continued willingness and ability to perpetuate such a fraud.

I know you're not saying it's a hoax, but it's still hard to take these claims seriously when someone is making them without the slightest bit of evidence.


This has to be snark (none / 0) (#2)
by Militarytracy on Tue May 03, 2011 at 07:51:22 AM EST

: Sadly, ... (none / 0) (#4)
by Yman on Tue May 03, 2011 at 07:53:09 AM EST

... I don't think so.

30 Countries.... (none / 0) (#10)
by kdog on Tue May 03, 2011 at 10:12:55 AM EST

damn, we get around don't we...me thinks thats 29 too many.

SEAL Team 6, (none / 0) (#16)
by jeffinalabama on Tue May 03, 2011 at 11:45:19 AM EST

like Delta Force, are more than just "run-of-the-mill" elite organizations..

These are men who have been SEALs (Or Rangers, or SF) for probably five years doing "normal" Special Operations, and operate under the auspices of SOCOM, Special Operations Command.

SOCOM contains, for instance, Marine Recon, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Air Commandos, and SEALS.

The military folk in JSOC, on the other hand, are not only qualified elites in their own respective services, but then, after many years' seasoning, become additionally offered the chance to volunteer for JSOC.

These fellows are the top 1/10 of 1 percent of the military in terms of training, combat skills, intelligence, languages, etc.

I know, it sounds strange to say someone is "only" a Ranger or "only" a SEAL, but SEAL Team 6 and Delta force are the elites of special operations.