Author Topic: SEALs in the news again  (Read 1661 times)

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hnumpah

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SEALs in the news again
« on: November 09, 2012, 04:46:45 AM »
Navy SEALs give secrets to game makers
Elite forces reprimanded for giving classified information
Author: By Mike Mount CNN Senior National Security Producer

(CNN) -
Seven U.S. Navy SEALs have been reprimanded for giving up classified information connected to their work so a video game could seem more realistic, according to a Navy official.

The seven were charged with the unauthorized showing of their official combat gear and dereliction of duty for disclosing classified material, according to the official, who is familiar with the investigation.

An investigation found the seven to have worked as paid consultants for two days with the video game company Electronic Arts, the official said.

The work, done around the late spring and early summer, was unauthorized by their commanders and against military regulations according to the official.

All seven are active duty members of SEAL Team 6, considered the most elite of the Navy SEAL community. CBS News, which first reported this story, says at least one of the members was on the raid that killed Osama bin Laden last year.

The seven, all senior enlisted sailors, received their punishment Thursday at their base in Virginia. All seven were given a letter of reprimand and their pay taken for two months. The move essentially prevents their chances for promotion and ends their military careers.

Four other SEALs, who have since transferred to West Coast SEAL teams, are still under investigation, according to the official.

The seven members were consulting with Electronic Arts on the game "Medal of Honor: Warfighter," according to the official. The game touts that it is developed with the help of former and active duty commandos.

"Naval Special Warfare (NSW) takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and conducts investigations to determine the facts. We likewise take seriously the Non-Disclosure Agreements signed by Sailors and adherence to the articles of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice," said Rear Adm. Garry Bonelli, deputy commander of the Naval Special Warfare Center in a statement to Security Clearance.

"We do not tolerate deviations from the policies that govern who we are and what we do as sailors in the United States Navy. The non-judicial punishment decisions made today send a clear message throughout our Force that we are and will be held to a high standard of accountability."

The disclosure of the extra curricular activities of the SEALs comes on the heels of a recently retired SEAL who was on the bin Laden raid and wrote a book about the operation.

The publication of the book released a firestorm of complaints toward the author by the Pentagon, which said the book revealed secret information about how the SEALs operate. Pentagon officials threatened the author with legal action if the book was published.

To date, there has been no further action toward the author, who wrote the book under the name Mark Bissonette.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/Navy-SEALs-give-secrets-to-game-makers/-/475880/17339314/-/i6ebjn/-/index.html
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Xavier_Onassis

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Re: SEALs in the news again
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2012, 11:51:48 AM »
These guys are paid pretty well and get terrific benefits, so why did they do this?

Surely they knew that there would be repercussions. SEALS are supposed to be above average in intelligence.

Betraying state secrets to a video game publisher was a problem that not even Franklin or Jefferson could have considered.

"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

Plane

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Re: SEALs in the news again
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2012, 01:00:40 AM »
Quite reprehensable, I am carefull to not discuss stuff that even might be classified.

Fortunately for me this seldom comes up, most of what I want to discuss is published already , and most of what I work on is pretty old and uninteresting.

Do the SEALs need to develop new tecniques now? Certainly any of their enemy can rent this game and run rehersals against the best simulation of a real SEAL . If this amounts to a copy of the playbook then the result might be a few failed missions and several dead commandos that didn't need to happen.

Xavier_Onassis

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Re: SEALs in the news again
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2012, 03:34:52 PM »
Gung ho training tends to result in pumped up egos. That seems to have been the case with the SEALS who sold out to the videogame publisher. What is the purpose of being an undefeatable hero if no one even knows who you are? The A-Team KNEW they were the A-Team. Fame is why Batman wore silly leotards and drove a Batmobile.

The SEALS are not allowed to even wear decorative flippers in public.
"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."