US Navy SEALs reprimanded for helping to make a video game

[Pielstick]

Seven US Navy SEALs have been reprimanded and had their pay docked for disclosing classified information to the makers of Medal of Honour Warfighter.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/1...8A808H20121109

It's unclear what the classified information was.

I'm a bit surprised at this - what are the rules for serving members of the US military taking outside employment? I know in the UK it's forbidden without express permission. Surely they must have asked somebody "hey is it ok if we help these guys make a video game?"

[I WUB PUGS]

Oh god, I was just talking to my boss about this . He's a retired Navy Captain who served from Vietnam through Desert Storm. Anyway we were talking about the killing Osama book and how the Navy just keeps ing up.

It's not the Green Berets or Delta, just the god damned SEALs. The rockstar attitude needs to stop, the brass are not happy.

You don't get to take any second job of any sort without written consent from your command. That includes working as a delivery driver in your liberty time, let alone advising on a video game that depicts your real job.

Stupid.

[MathiasOfAthens]

They were reprimanded for selling or releasing secrets, not for helping make a game. They are lucky they were not branded traitors and shot.

[I WUB PUGS]

They were reprimanded for selling or releasing secrets, not for helping make a game. They are lucky they were not branded traitors and shot.

Hero worship will prevent any meaningful action.

Not that this is on topic or anything and I'm certainly not the most combat experienced person, and I know this is purely anecdotal, but in the conversation I was having with my boss like last week, even he made a jab at the SEALs in favor of the Army of all branches.

Apparently, at least during the Gulf War the SEALs wouldn't accept missions if they didn't have all of their toys. So "no my blah blah blah is broken, we aren't mission capable" and the Army would just take pretty much any mission regardless of readiness.

Actually some pretty cool stories from him. The two Kuwaiti Navy Gunboats that got away and spent the entire war being balls out retarded was a good one. Zero s were given by the Kuwaiti Navy, dudes had a death wish. We apparently gave the Captains NAMs or Navy Comms and they were so full of pride they cried.







I think people need to remember that the majority of people in the military aren't 30 something year old bad asses from the movies. They're in their early twenties and everyone in their early twenties is a ing idiot.

[MacCarthy]

They were reprimanded for selling or releasing secrets, not for helping make a game. They are lucky they were not branded traitors and shot.

Come on it's not like they are bank exec laundering money for terrorists or Mexican cartel. HSBC... they should be tried and sent to Gitmo.

[mrmouth]

Some of the ODAs had the same rep early on. Mostly got the hand slap about rocking sleeveless t-shirts and ball caps. That is long gone.

SEALs are just mostly frat brats. Which is why the anti-Obama stuff was so comically bad. They jaw and leak more than anyone.

[Ó Cathasaigh]

Some of the ODAs had the same rep early on. Mostly got the hand slap about rocking sleeveless t-shirts and ball caps. That is long gone.

SEALs are just mostly frat brats. Which is why the anti-Obama stuff was so comically bad. They jaw and leak more than anyone.

Really dude?

[mrmouth]

Really dude?

I was trying to be nice. And I didn't come up with that on my own. That was what they were referred to at times.

One of them ended up being alright and he passed on an old DM rifle they were going to bin. They had the juice to get through the hoops you would normally need for that. I have no idea what they were/are, but they are surely many, and stupid.

So that guy was alright, but they were for the most part pretty insufferable. And then when you read other accounts from that time period that is the prevailing opinion. So I have no problem echoing it with my short experience. But that was also around 10 years ago.

They are somewhat unique in that the majority do not come from conventional infantry where they might learn to be better team players - and then work their way to the teams. Maybe that plays a part.

[Pielstick]

I've never come across any US special forces on my travels, but I have come across UK special forces several times (I knew better than to ask but I'm pretty sure I've come across both SAS and SBS), even having the chance to sit down and have a cup of tea and a chat with them on one occasion. What struck me is they were totally down to earth blokes who I wouldn't even give a second look at on the street and would never in a million years guess were special forces.

but they were for the most part pretty insufferable

Insufferable LOL That's how I would describe Royal Marines, they are an absolute nightmare. I had the (mis)pleasure of sailing on a ship which was part of an Amphibious Task Group carrying a load of them over the Atlantic for a big amphibious exercise with the Americans... At the end of the deployment the XO of my ship wrote in his report it was like trying to herd cats.

Then again in a discussion with one of my counterparts in the US Navy the US Marines sound just as bad, if not worse!

[selder]

Navy never gets no love...thats ok. Haters gonna hate.

[Vanoi]

This is why i like the Army Rangers more than the SEALs. They are letting their reputation go to their heads.

[Captain Jin]

Rangers aren't even in the same position to even be compared to seals. I guess this works lol. There were certain missions that said inspired by true events so that could be part of it. There's a lot of information out there about seal team six now. It's not regular seals being known about is an issue so much as tier one. Compared to delta who is still pretty hush hush.

I remember after they smoked bin laden i joked with some friends we coulnt talk anymore. I only had one direct experience with seals in Iraq and it wasn't that great.

[IlluminatiRex]

Traitors I tell ya'! TRAITORS!

[nce_wht_guy]

Yeah, I was under the impression that they were becoming a bit of an annoyance in the SOCOM world. But more importantly, when are they gonna make a game about AFSOC? =P

[Kissaki]

Movies and the media does a pretty good job of hyping up special forces units, and armed forces in general. Really, most are just kids. And special forces units are often kids with anger management problems who crave attention. From my limited experience, special forces -- whether Norwegian marines, Royal marines, SAS, SEALS -- seem to buy into their own hype. "We're no. 1", "we kick ass", etc. Maybe they deserve some extra respect for the training they endure, but my what a bunch of self-absorbed a-holes. And they're nowhere near as good as they think they are.

Navy never gets no love...thats ok. Haters gonna hate.

I was navy myself, but we almost took pride in being rubbish Actually, we were alright, certainly compared with other crews and from other navies. We kept surprising ourselves in international exercises when we apparently did a better job than most others, but that just made us think, "cor, if we beat them, they must really suck". Personally I felt like I slept through my service, more or less. I was a mineman, by the way.

[Pielstick]

Really, most are just kids. And special forces units are often kids with anger management problems who crave attention.

The guys I sat down and had a chat with were all pretty old, I'd say they were all late thirties at least. I'm fairly sure they were SAS as they didn't understand nautical/ship terminology.

On another couple of occasions I've come across much younger guys (mid-late 20's) who seemed to be quite at home and know their way around a ship, and therefore I think they were most likely SBS.

All the special forces guys I've met have been very low key, quiet types who kept themselves to themselves. They most definitely did not broadcast their presence to the rest of the ship and were infinitely better adjusted and behaved than the Royal Marines I have sailed with.

[selder]

The guys I sat down and had a chat with were all pretty old, I'd say they were all late thirties at least.

All the special forces guys I've met have been very low key, quiet types who kept themselves to themselves. They most definitely did not broadcast their presence to the rest of the ship

This is the most accurate description late 20's early 30's and the goon squad takes care of anyone who is not a team player

they should be tried and sent to Gitmo.

You would be surprised to know how many are actually there...most Gitmo MPs are BUD/S drops waiting to try again.

he made a jab at the SEALs in favor of the Army of all branches.

This is not unusual coming from fleet officer.

Apparently, at least during the Gulf War the SEALs wouldn't accept missions if they didn't have all of their toys. So "no my blah blah blah is broken, we aren't mission capable" and the Army would just take pretty much any mission regardless of readiness.

Just plain wrong as their is no option to just not accept a mission. Since the 1980's USSOCOM determines who does what and more times than not it will be joint operations. In fact 90% of the time it will be Navy/ Army so you see he is just hating cause he aint getting no dungaree love.

I have a story about a fleet officer who ordered an inspection in dungarees because he felt he was being disrespected...kept insisting dungarees were part of the seabag and everyone better have them on for inspection...crazy how far things can go, but that was the 80's/90's for you.

[Adar]

Movies and the media does a pretty good job of hyping up special forces units, and armed forces in general. Really, most are just kids. And special forces units are often kids with anger management problems who crave attention. From my limited experience, special forces -- whether Norwegian marines, Royal marines, SAS, SEALS -- seem to buy into their own hype. "We're no. 1", "we kick ass", etc. Maybe they deserve some extra respect for the training they endure, but my what a bunch of self-absorbed a-holes. And they're nowhere near as good as they think they are.

Even the conscripts from Swedish special forces I've met (Parachuting jaegars and Amphibious jaegars) have been extremely down to earth just as Pielstick describes them. And these are guys who joined straight out of high school and served for a year in what is regarded by all the teenagers as the toughest positions in the conscript force.

Ironically what Pielstick describe of the Royal Marines is exactly the same thing I've noticed with people from K3 which are airborne jaegars trained at same location as the parachuting jaegars but a much larger and less skilled unit. So I think your either projecting something or confusing the elite special forces with the second tier specialists.

[Kissaki]

Even the conscripts from Swedish special forces I've met (Parachuting jaegars and Amphibious jaegars) have been extremely down to earth just as Pielstick describes them. And these are guys who joined straight out of high school and served for a year in what is regarded by all the teenagers as the toughest positions in the conscript force.

Ironically what Pielstick describe of the Royal Marines is exactly the same thing I've noticed with people from K3 which are airborne jaegars trained at same location as the parachuting jaegars but a much larger and less skilled unit. So I think your either projecting something or confusing the elite special forces with the second tier specialists.

You have your experience, I have mine. I am probably generalizing, but like you, all I can do is speak from experience. Mind you, I said nothing about how they were socially -- that's a completely different setting. I've only had the pleasure of one Norwegian marine's company. He was a member of our crew, after he left the marines -- he passed all the physical requirements, but said you needed to be a bit of a nut job to stay on. He was very down to earth, but of course I have no idea how he was as a marine, performing his tasks.

Mike Tyson's a real jovial fellow socially as well, but in the ring he could be a bit of a pr!ck.

[Kanaric]

Whats funny is that its a complete effort wasted as its probably going to be bad as well. At least they could have lent their careers to something groundbreaking and memorable. Not some game with an unplayed multiplayer and a 20 minute single player campaign. Or 20 minutes of game, 30 minutes of cutscenes.