Not long after the successful headline-grabbing Bin Laden raid conducted by Team Seal 6, the Obama administration was accused of politically ‘spiking the ball” by leaking top secret information that concerns some of the raid’s sensitive details. These deliberate leaks infuriated the highly secretive hi-tech warriors. They viewed the scuttlebutt as the kind of information that could get them killed. In spite of congressional outrage over the intentionally spilled intelligence, no repercussions have developed for those who may have released the sensitive data.
Recently, the members of that elite group of true American heroes are now under fire for acting as consultants for Electronic Arts, a video game developer that produced the first authentic electronic video game based on the historic Bin Laden raid. The research for the raid’s details was meticulous in the company’s attempt to re-create the actual event that was true to every detail.
The sailor’s moonlighting activities resulted in charges of dereliction of duty and for displaying equipment used in the raid that’s categorized as classified material. Additionally, one of the SEAL members is in trouble for releasing his memoir describing the raid. Entitled “No Easy Day”, author Matt Bissononette detailed his experience as one of the team members who participated in the raid. The Navy determined that the published memoir was against military regulations.
Last week, the sailors received their punishment. Each was given a letter of reprimand and lost two months’ pay. The legal military action also pretty much precludes them of ever benefiting from any future advancement. Four other SEAL members are still under investigation over the incident.
One can only speculate as to why the SEALs decided to go public over the top-secret mission. Perhaps they feel that, after being betrayed by the politicians, what’s good for the goose is also good for the gander who’s putting it all on the line.
