Tag Archives: SEAL

Navy IDs SEAL killed in Ariz. parachuting accident

Brett D. Shadle always had wanted to be a member of the Navy’s most elite special forces unit. A year after enlisting, he made it happen and went on to become a highly decorated member of the Navy’s famed SEAL Team 6.

U.S. military officials confirmed Saturday that Shadle, a 31-year-old special warfare operator chief, died Thursday when he and another SEAL collided in midair during a parachute training exercise over the rugged desert of southern Arizona.

Shadle was taken to University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson, where he was pronounced dead. The other SEAL — an unidentified E-6 petty officer first class — remained in stable condition Saturday at the Tucson hospital.

Military officials said the accident was under investigation. Shadle and a fellow SEAL were practicing “routine military free-fall training” when the accident occurred Thursday afternoon, said U.S. Special Operations Command spokesman Kenneth McGraw. The SEALs collided in midair and landed in separate areas.

Family members said Shadle, of Elizabethville, Pa., was stationed in Virginia. He was married and had a 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.

His uncle, Donald Shadle, 67, of Elizabethville, expressed disbelief, saying his nephew had been on many overseas missions only to come back and get killed during a training exercise.

“He was always a good kid, and he always wanted to be a Navy SEAL and that’s what he did,” Donald Shadle said.

Shadle enlisted in the Navy in July 2000. The following year, he completed his SEAL training and was assigned to his first unit in early 2002.

Navy officials said Shadle had earned multiple Bronze Star medals with Valor and several service ribbons. While details about his deployments were secret, officials confirmed he had served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Navy’s SEAL Team 6 gained international attention when it was revealed that members of the top secret unit had carried out a raid in Pakistan in 2011 in which Osama bin Laden was killed. Bin Laden became the most wanted man in the world after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.

Team 6 was hit hard later that year when 22 SEALs from the special unit were killed when the helicopter they …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

Navy SEAL Killed in Parachute Accident

By John Johnson A Navy SEAL was killed today during a parachute training exercise near Tucson, reports the Arizona Republic . The SEAL collided in mid-air with another SEAL, and the second man remains hospitalized in stable condition. Both men, from the East Coast Naval Special Warfare Unit, were practicing free-fall maneuvers when they… …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Home

Navy SEAL dead after parachuting accident in Arizona

A Navy SEAL was killed in a training accident in Arizona Thursday after colliding with another SEAL during a parachute jump, Lt. Cmdr. David McKinney confirms to Fox News.

The SEAL was transported to the University of Arizona Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The second SEAL was also injured and is in stable condition at the same hospital. A press release with the names of the SEALs was expected Friday night, 24 hours after the family was notified.

The training was taking place at Pinal Airpark in Marana, north of Tucson.

Both SEALs were from an East Coast Naval Special Warfare Unit.

The incident is currently under investigation.

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

1 Navy SEAL dead after Ariz. parachuting accident

Authorities say one of two Navy SEALs injured during parachute training in southern Arizona has died while the other man remains hospitalized.

A U.S. Special Operations Command official said Friday that the SEAL died in a Tucson hospital Thursday but didn’t have a condition update on the other man.

The names of the two SEALs were being withheld and the accident is under investigation.

Command spokesman Kenneth McGraw says the SEALs were practicing “routine military free-fall training” when the accident occurred about 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

Pinal County Sheriff‘s officials say the injured men collided in mid-air and landed in separate areas. The incident was turned over to military investigators Thursday afternoon.

McGraw says the command has a parachute testing and training facility at the Pinal Airpark northeast of Tucson.

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Information from: Arizona Daily Star, http://www.azstarnet.com

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

Osama Bin Laden Death: New Details From Third SEAL Team 6 Member Question Previous Accounts, CNN’s Peter Bergen Reports

By The Huffington Post News Editors

A third member of SEAL Team 6 has come forward with new details of Osama bin Laden’s death, calling into question previous, highly-publicized accounts of the raid on the al Qaeda leader’s compound in Pakistan.

In the video above, CNN reports that this new retelling of events is more in line with that of Matt Bissonette, the SEAL who wrote “No Easy Day” under the pseudonym “Mark Owen,” published in October 2012. Those accounts are at odds with the story told in February’s issue of Esquire, which Bergen says paints a more “heroic” picture of what actually occurred in Abbottabad.

The main point of contention seems to be whether bin Laden was shot while reaching for his gun, an assertion made by the SEAL member known only as “The Shooter” in Esquire’s piece. Bergen’s source tells him that this account is “complete B-S,” insisting that bin Laden did not have a firearm within immediate reach.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

Teledyne Wins $8.5 Million Expansion of SEAL Minisub Contract

By Rich Smith, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

On Monday, the Department of Defense announced the award of a small-but-significant contract to Teledyne subsidiary Teledyne Brown Engineering. The award of $8.5 million will pay Teledyne for providing “reprogramming services” under an “indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity” (IDIQ) contract to develop and test a development model of a shallow water combat submersible (SWCS).

The contract being modified benefits the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and commissions Teledyne to “design, develop, test, manufacture and sustain” the SWCS, which will replace the current SEAL Delivery Vehicle — the underwater motorcycle-type vehicle you see SEAL fighters riding in the movies, while suited up in scuba gear and approaching a beachhead at night. The new variant, formerly designated the Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS), will be more like a mini-submarine, carrying one pilot and one SEAL within an enclosed hull.

The full SWCS contract, including all options, is valued at $383 million, and Monday’s modification is part of this larger award, which Teledyne won back in July 2011.

Teledyne Brown has already successfully developed a full-scale mockup SWCS vehicle, and demonstrated the system’s functionality under a preceding contract.

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The article Teledyne Wins $8.5 Million Expansion of SEAL Minisub Contract originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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G.I. Joe 2's Adrianne Palicki Talks Lady Jaye

Adrianna Palicki will soon burst onto the silver screen as Lady Jaye in the upcoming G.I. Joe: Retaliation, teaming alongside Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis in the film.

In a recent interview with EW, Palicki explained her physical preparation for the role, which included a SEAL-approved workout regimen. “Harry Humphries is a retired SEAL, so… he brought his whole SEAL team to train us, and they’re actually in the movie with us, guiding us, which was the most nerve-racking part because if you mess up, you know they’re going to be pulling you aside and scaring you.

“Thankfully I love the character and she’s very well-written,” Palicki continued. “She’s a tough girl. She’s got a little bit of a chip on her shoulder. She’s like the only chick around all these guys so she kind of has to hold her own. She’s the intelligence in the group; she’s the weapon specialist. So there’s a lot to carry with that.”

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Movies

Osama Bin Laden A “surprise Witness” Against Wikileaks Defendant Bradley Manning

By Daniel Noe

Osama bin Laden SC Osama bin Laden a “surprise witness” against Wikileaks defendant Bradley Manning

The raid on bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan netted more than the death of bin laden. SEAL teams members in the compound collected hard drives and other electronic media regarding al-Qaida activities and connections. During the analysis of that media, Intelligence analysts found that bin laden had files that were downloaded from WikiLeaks; that is, the information stolen by Pfc Bradley Manning was in the hands of al-Qaida. Apparently, Bradley Manning “knowingly gave intelligence to the enemy through indirect means”. Army prosecutors are planning to use one of the SEALs to testify at Manning’s court-martial. The evidence will show that bin Laden asked for and received WikiLeaks files.

The Prosecution will also call additional witnesses to testify how the leaked information may have resulted in “injury and death to individuals” and may have been used to influence enemy capability and activity in several countries. The amount of damage Manning has done is unknown to date.

Defense

Manning’s lawyer, David Coombs, argues that Manning didn’t know the leaked secrets would be used by al-Qaida and that the use of WikiLeaks files by al-Qaida is irrelevant. Moreover, in a seemingly desperate effort to mitigate any punishment to his client, Coombs also claims the U.S. government was guilty of over-classifying secrets.

In a possible plea deal, Manning hopes to present a lengthy document explaining his reasons for leaking the secrets to WikiLeaks. He believes this may spur public debate concerning his whistleblowing activities. However, as his story is being reported mostly by overseas sources, it is likely the American public will neither know about it nor care.

Judge

To date, presiding Army Judge Col. Denise Lind hasn’t decided whether to allow evidence linking the files to bin-Laden or to permit Manning’s statement/confession to be read in court. In a recent ruling, Judge Lind denied the petition of the defense to present evidence of excessive secrecy, stating that Manning did not have the authority to determine proper guidelines for the classification of secrets.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Western Journalism

Pentagon Reviewing Navy SEAL Esquire Story For Bin Laden Raid Secrets

By The Huffington Post News Editors

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon says it is reviewing an Esquire magazine article on a Navy SEAL‘s account of his role in the May 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden to determine whether the account disclosed any classified information.

A Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. Steve Warren, disclosed the inquiry on Tuesday, saying officials are trying to determine whether the SEAL, whose identity is not revealed in the Esquire article, broke any secrecy rules.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Huffington Post

Pentagon checking story for bin Laden raid secrets

The Pentagon says it is reviewing an Esquire magazine article on a Navy SEAL‘s account of his role in the May 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden to determine whether the account disclosed any classified information.

A Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. Steve Warren, disclosed the inquiry on Tuesday, saying officials are trying to determine whether the SEAL, whose identity is not revealed in the Esquire article, broke any secrecy rules.

The article was published online Feb. 11.

The account is not the first to portray details of the raid. Former SEAL Matt Bissonette, writing under the pseudonym Mark Owen, described the operation in his book, “No Easy Day,” published last September. The Pentagon objected to what it called his unwarranted disclosures but has not announced any legal action against him.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

SEAL who killed Bin Laden reportedly knew he'd lose benefits

The former Navy SEAL who says he shot Usama bin Laden reportedly knew he was leaving the service well short of a retirement and without benefits, according to the commander of Naval Special Warfare.

The “man who killed” bin Laden — featured in the March issue of Esquire — made headlines earlier this week when the former SEAL asserted was “screwed” and abandoned by the military after losing his military health insurance benefits upon leaving the service in September.

But Rear Adm. Sean Pybus told Navy Times the SEAL knew what he was giving up in leaving the service with 16 years of service, shy of the 20-year retirement mark.

“Concerning recent writing and reporting on ‘The Shooter’ and his alleged situation, this former SEAL made a deliberate and informed decision to leave the NAVY several years short of Retirement status,” Pybus said. “Months ahead of his separation, he was counseled on status and benefits, and provided with options to continue his career until Retirement eligible. Claims to the contrary in these matters are false.”

Navy officials are nonetheless “prepared to help this former service member address health or transition issues, as we would with other former members,” Pybus said.

Lt. Cmdr. David McKinney, a spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Command, declined to confirm if the subject of the Esquire article was indeed the SEAL who killed bin Laden in May 2011.

Pybus said he was disappointed with individuals who use their SEAL background for “self-serving purposes,” especially through purported falsehoods.

“Most of our former or retired NSW members find a suitable second career without compromising the ideals of their active service — honor, courage and commitment,” he said. “Most of our veterans with physical or mental health issues get some degree of health care, and we are actively pursuing even better options in this realm. I think we’re doing the things that you would expect from a dedicated, disciplined and trusted force.”

Since the “shooter” is never identified in Phil Bronstein‘s 15,000-word piece, some have questioned the article’s accuracy. But Bronstein has said he properly vetted the SEAL.

“Enough people connected to the SEALs and the bin Laden mission have confirmed for me that the Shooter was the ‘number two’ behind the raid’s point man going up the stairs to bin Laden’s third-floor residence,” the article reads.

The SEAL, according to Esquire, had 12 long-term deployments and 30-plus kills. He told Bronstein he has lost some vision and was planning to buy private insurance for $486 a month but will have to pay out of pocket for some chiropractic care.

“My health care for me and my family stopped at midnight Friday night,” he said in the story, referring to his end of service. “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 sixteen years.”

Stars and Stripes refuted the SEAL‘s claim in a Feb. 11 report. All combat veterans, including the SEAL, are eligible for five years of free …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News

SEAL who killed Bin Laden reportedly disabled, jobless

The Navy SEAL who says he put three bullets in the head of Usama bin Laden is out of work, separated from his wife and suffering from debilitating injuries, according to a new report.

The hero frogman says he feels abandoned by the government as he waits for disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and ponders taking a job on a beer delivery truck, according to an exclusive story for Esquire by the Center for Investigative Reporting.

The report does not name the former SEAL, who gives a detailed account of the dramatic May 2011 takedown of the Al Qaeda mastermind. After dropping into the Abbottabad, Pakistan, compound, he raced up a staircase and he saw bin Laden inside a darkened room.

The terrorist pushed his youngest wife, Amal, in front of him, and the SEAL, wearing night-vision goggles, raised his gun and pumped three bullets into bin Laden’s forehead at close range.

“He looked confused. And way taller than I was expecting,” the SEAL recalled.

But six months after leaving the military, because “I wanted to see my children graduate and get married,” he is physically and psychologically wrecked. He left the military a few years short of retirementeligibility and now has no job and is not qualified for a pension. He is awaiting a VA disability ruling for neck, back and eye injuries.

Of “Zero Dark Thirty,” the Oscar-nominated film about the raid, the SEAL says director Kathryn Bigelow “Hollywooded it up some,” but most of his criticisms were minor.

Click for more at Center for Investigative Reporting.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox US News