This article is well worth reading. I won't comment further other than to say it's pretty criminal the way we treat our veterans.

http://www.esquire.com/print-this/man-who-shot-osama-bin-laden-0313?page=all

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I don't know why, but I had it in my mind that the U.S. would always take care of those that made the extraordinary sacrefices for our safety and security.
Too many assholes with NOTHING to lose, and that have never have had to endure some of the hell that they have asked of these people who've laid it all on the line, and are now saying no, when it comes to taking care of these HEROS?
It's not just "Criminal", it's DISGUSTING!

what a travesty.. that was a great article.. pisses me off to no end.

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On to the Next Episode

Fascinating article. Thanks for posting it.

It's impossible to not really feel for the guy. He has put his life on the line hundreds of times with these missions for his country, and now he has to feel like he's got nothing to show for it. I got a little choked up when his wife was talking about how she and their kids are trying to "delete him from their lives".

He's a very honorable guy too. I wish I could say that if it were me that I also wouldn't be trying to cash in on it, but with all he's going through, I think there's a decent chance I would.

Thats why we need to not cut funding to the VA hospitals and other services for our returning heros. Cut a big chuck off the Pentagon's budget and help these folks out that have givin' do much in service to this country!

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Hugh Millen = CBJ minus the cool beard

Ummm...the guy got out after 16 years and expects something along the lines of a retirement!? GTFO, he could have re-enlisted for another 4 and got full retirement PLUS VA benefits. Something doesn't add up...

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2013 AAR: Chris Harper

i thought it stated in the article, had he put in a full 20 years, his benefits would have only been something like $2,500 a month .. Don't congress and the Senate get full retirement benefits after 4 years of service..not an expert , could be wrong, but i thought i heard that.

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On to the Next Episode

I know a number of guys who have gotten out between 10 and 20 years, for various reasons. Usually they boil down to not being able to handle another four, five, six years of what they're doing. They're so disillusioned, they feel it's worth not having the retirement benefits not to have to put in the remaining time. And that's an indictment on the way things are sometimes run in the services. I personally had a great time. I could have done more, but was ready to go at 20. Some folks are counting down the minutes by the time they have 16 in, and some leave kicking and screaming.



$2,500 a month is more than some military retirees make. Unless you're one of a select few upper enlisted, or an officer, your retirement is not enough to live on.

Also, either he wasn't aware of all his benefits, or the story is misleading. He is eligible for VA health care, at least for some time. My dad, a Vietnam-era vet uses that. It doesn't extend to family, but it's usually adequate for the veteran. VA care depends greatly on location. Dad uses the VA services associated with Stanford medicine, and says it's all top shelf. I've heard nightmares about facilities like Walter Reed and others back east, though.

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My brother sent me this article this morning, and I read it... amazing stuff. Fascinating.

Question for the military guys, I understand he was to a point where he needed out, he was burnt out, done. Which is understandable. But is there a way for guys like him to change careers within the military? He was done with the deployments, the fighting, anyway to switch jobs to stay state side? Not have to fight anymore, stay on base in Virginia? (If he wanted)

You would think he'd earned that privilege correct? It just seemed so abrupt, from spec ops work to civilian life with no plan in place. Almost seems like a transitional job would have helped.

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You're the new Oakland Raiders; class-less and dirty (with trash-talking players, and an unapologetic head coach), no respect for the game, with a stadium filled with obnoxious/rude fans dressed up in corny Halloween costumes/flare. -49er fan

had he wanted to stay in i'm sure he could have asked for a training position or a desk job and stayed state side... wouldn't need to necessarily change careers.. but i'm sure he could do that to if he wanted..

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On to the Next Episode

By change careers I guess I mean, not be an active Seal team member, but do something else within the Navy, something to get his 20 years in....

Just a question, but regardless it's a sad story. "Hey you're an American hero, the elite of the elite, want to deliver beer?"

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You're the new Oakland Raiders; class-less and dirty (with trash-talking players, and an unapologetic head coach), no respect for the game, with a stadium filled with obnoxious/rude fans dressed up in corny Halloween costumes/flare. -49er fan

Twisted: in his case, no. Cross-rating is an option for those enlisted members E-1 through E-6. If you're a Chief or above, you cannot cross-rate, as you've spent enough time in your field to be considered an expert, and they don't want go through the amount of retraining to get someone that high a rank up to speed in a new rate. (A rate is a job specialty, similar to the Army's MOS or Air Force's AFSC, but also combined with rank.)

It's also not an option in high-demand rates, such as SEAL and certain intelligence fields. There's just too much cost in training and expertise, coupled with a dearth of talent in those rates for them to open up to cross-rating. So either way, he was stuck as a SEAL, like it or not. Whether he had an option for a training/administrative duty station available, I wouldn't venture a guess, but I'd think those types of openings would be very limited for someone of his caliber and expertise.

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Thanks Sailor, in knowing that, I would take a wild guess that most SEAL's or similar type roles, probably never make it to 20 years right?

How in the world could you keep that pace, job and lifestyle up for that length of time? Seems impossible. The burnout factor must be off the charts. Seems guys in certain jobs, like SEAL's should have their own set of rules for retirements and pensions.

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You're the new Oakland Raiders; class-less and dirty (with trash-talking players, and an unapologetic head coach), no respect for the game, with a stadium filled with obnoxious/rude fans dressed up in corny Halloween costumes/flare. -49er fan

Sailor, I understand the desire for some to leave before 20, I personally hit the button as soon as I could and retired at 20 years 1 month and 17 days. But if they do separate instead of retire they KNOW what they are doing, and have a plan in place. This guy sounds like he was effin new and thought he was entitled to money cause he was a Seal. Like I said earlier, it just seems odd to me is all, something doesn't seem right.

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2013 AAR: Chris Harper

I agree, Okie. Something seems off with this whole story. Can't put my finger on it yet.

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I wouldn't be surprised if the guy wasn't even in the military to be honest, one of those professional fake vets.

http://www.duffelblog.com/2012/06/son-p ... y-service/

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2013 AAR: Chris Harper

I don't think he's a fake, sounds like this article was intensely researched, from April 2012 (when he first met The Shooter)to its printing in the March 2013th issue. With him verifying The Shooters credentials and stories from other active and retired SEAL's. He went to so many functions with the guy, from BBQ's to dinner parties where the other people there are from in his words 'the community'.

If he is a fake, then lots of people are in on it and Phil Bronstein is being scammed.

Another article I just saw on CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/12/opinion/b ... ?hpt=hp_c1

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You're the new Oakland Raiders; class-less and dirty (with trash-talking players, and an unapologetic head coach), no respect for the game, with a stadium filled with obnoxious/rude fans dressed up in corny Halloween costumes/flare. -49er fan

Twisted, interesting article, thanks. I may have to change my feelings that he is a fake, but there is still something off about this. Anyone who has been in for 16 years knows what the deal is. I do feel that if he has been a SEAL for that long then he could have gotten an early retirement based on disability if he is truly that messed up. If he didn't go to the doctors and get everything documented then he is fighting an uphill battle.

I do hope I'm wrong about this guy, but I just can't shake this feeling that he isn't telling the whole story about why he got out before retirement. There are always options if you try hard enough.

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2013 AAR: Chris Harper

I don't believe he's fake at all, but yea, I'd almost guarantee we don't know the whole story about why he's getting out so close to retirement.

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I wish I only had to work for 20 years and could retire with a decent living.

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RIP ROAD WOES 12/2/2012