I was meritoriously promoted to E-6 at Naval Special Warfare Group One (NSWG-1), promoted to Chief Petty Officer the first time I was eligible for advancement, and then went on to be one of Naval Special Warfare Centers Sniper Course Managers. Robert O'Neill, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, speaks at the "Best of Blount" Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony at the Clayton Center for the Arts in Maryville, Tennessee, U.S., on Thursday, Nov. 6. ONeill told Esquire that ultimately there were many more wounds on the body than the ones he inflicted. Copyright 2023 IBTimes LLC. According to the book No Easy Day, written by former SEAL Matt Bissonnette, under the pseudonym Mark Owen, the SEALs refused to tell the president which of them it was. All rights reserved. One noted that he was speaking to them on 2 May 2013 - the second anniversary of the death of bin Laden, and not knowing his involvement in the most famous of all SEAL operations said: 'God Bless America.'. But the following frenzy on Bissonettes second 60 minutes appearance and the ONeill appearances have painted us into a corner of response. O'Neill's claim to have killed bin Laden has been the subject of controversy due to Navy SEALs' code of silence that prevents them from publicly taking credit for their actions. It was his youngest wife, Amal.'. realistic spurs signings The first SEAL in the stack, the point man, sees a tall man stick his head out of the bedroom door on the third floor. And not one of those names did it for political gain or Hollywood., Bissonnette told NBC News he almost has to laugh when he hears about the code of silence. Bissonnette, a former Navy SEAL, signed a consent decree today acknowledging he "breached his fiduciary duties" by failing to submit his book for a security review by the Pentagon before publishing it and for failing to get the government's permission to publish it. Cool. Bin Laden's wife was screaming and O'Neill realised that a child was present too - bin Laden's youngest son. One thing is for sure, everyone who served in a US or Coalition Military unit since September 11th, 2001 had a hand in sending UBL straight to Hell that night. At the top of the list is a rumor perpetuated by Matt Bissonette himself. What The Hell is Wrong with Steven Seagal? Ive fired my weapon in combat, called in airstrikes, put my own ass on the line in Iraq and Afghanistan, and done things post-military as a contractor working in Iraq which the general public will never know. Martin Gould for MailOnline, SEAL source: 'The real shooter would never discuss it publicly there's a reasonable, Revealed: How Iraq's military is fighting back ISIS under the guidance of IRAN'S powerful general, EXCLUSIVE: Navy SEAL who killed bin Laden revealed. " Rob " O'Neill (born April 10, 1976) is a former United States Navy sailor. Several accounts have claimed that an unnamed "point man" fired the fatal bullets that put down the Al-Qaeda leader. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2021. Two of my buddies gave every single one of their tomorrows so I could have a today, and youre going to put a medal around my neck? The three shots killed bin Laden and O'Neill could see his 'brains' through the wound. According to the story, he says ONeill finished [bin Laden] off as he was circling the drain.. O'Neill initially sought to become a sniper and enlist as a U.S. Marine where he had known some friends. We don't ask the Taliban permission. The comments below have not been moderated, By He fires at least one shot. Its hard for me to take when I've been reading books my whole life about former special operations warriors, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines. Yes, Im a bit puzzled by Bissonettes statements but it speaks to his character in my opinion, and the current situation he finds himself in. Do you want exemplary behavior within the SOF community or do you want them to measure themselves with the same yard stick used to measure some politicians and their poor behavior? "But we won't because we have a commander-in-chief that was put there through whatever happened at four in the morning on election night. 21:13 GMT 06 Nov 2014 In the course of those tours he undertook more than 400 separate combat missions. Already a subscriber? A selection of the most viewed stories this week on the Monitor's website. If youre looking for bran muffin journalism, you can subscribe to the Monitor for $15. A former senior SEAL Team Six leader who was involved in the bin Laden mission confirmed that the exchange between ONeill and the official took place and said, It was classy.". Silver Stars, the military's third highest honor, are awarded for extraordinary gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States. log out. This is nonsense. On Oct. 31, Rear Adm. John Kirby cited the final lines of the finished report to deny that the Pentagon had provided any sensitive information to Zero Dark Thirty filmmakers. So, how much is Robert J. O'Neill worth at the age of 45 years of age. It's insulting," he said. The alternative version is that shots fired earlier at Bin Laden and thought to have missed were in fact fatal, according to a report in The Guardian. The President is the Commander in Chief. It's not about who that one person was, it's about the team Who cares who the one person is. R . In that interview, published in March 2013, he said that he burst into bin Laden's bedroom, saw a gun within bin Laden's reach, and shot him in the forehead. 'Members of SEAL Team Six havent discussed it publicly so theres a reasonable chance hes not being truthful. Ive lost two close friends (and teammates) because of his false statements. The film was released in February 2012 and capitalized on the bin Laden raid publicity. Essentially deleting him from our lives, but for safety reasons. The commander replied, Delete me., But another former SEAL, while acknowledging that public scrutiny of their actions was fair, defended both Bissonnette and ONeill. SOFREP declined to speak with NCIS and were going on record and putting this in writing for a reason. But as is often said at the Pentagon, No plan survives contact with the enemy a quote variously attributed to Napoleon, Dwight Eisenhower, or George Patton. Bissonnette, who left the Navy in April 2012, was the first SEAL from the bin Laden mission to cut a business deal based on his participation. Who Shot Bin Laden? It doesnt matter what the President or his staff said in this instance two wrongs dont make a right. Were the bran muffin of journalism. Ask yourself this question. This article represents my own opinions and in no way represents the Naval Special Warfare community. In Bissonnettes account, hes the second man in the SEAL stack and the second man in bin Ladens bedroom. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, American Trapped in Kabul Explains 'Bogus' Visa Email Sent to Thousands, Robert O'Neill speaks onstage during book signing and lecture at Richard Nixon Library on July 26, 2017 in Yorba Linda, California. His lawyer Robert D Luskin insists the speeches were not controversial and says he expects the investigation to be resolved 'favorably'. The SEAL feared the woman was wearing a suicide vest. Instead he has become a motivational speaker with an official biography which details a very generic version of his exploits. Hopefully, my book explains to them who Dad is and why I was away for the first parts of their lives. Veterans write books for many reasons and motives. unless you renew or In the SEAL community, trust is incredibly important, your word is your bond, and you earn your Trident (SEAL pin) everyday. It is not difficult," O'Neill said. Martin Gould for MailOnline Some are outlandish, and some require a deeper look. The leadership created that double standard.. A third version of events was then presented to CNNby an unamed 'SEAL Team Six operative'. The Post said O'Neill acknowledged shots were fired at bin Laden by at least two other Seal team members, including Matt Bissonnette, a former Seal who wrote a 2012 book about the raid entitled . Robert ONeill, the former SEAL identified in several news accounts as the shooter who fired the fatal shot to bin Ladens head at close range, now says it doesnt matter who did so during that US raid on bin Ladens compound hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011. Rick Woolard, a former SEAL team commander told The Associated Press that active-duty SEALs are pretty much very disappointed and I'd have to say angry with guys who have used their deeds and those of their companions for personal gain.". The Washington Post said that it had planned to reveal his identity along with Fox News later this month. Matt Bissonnette, the SEAL who published a book on the bin Laden mission titled No Easy Day under the pen name Mark Owen, . In Wednesday's segment, O'Neill said he encountered bin Laden after. Robert O'Neill, a SEAL Team 6 mate of Bissonnette's, is reportedly working on his own book which will (obviously) be reviewed by the Pentagon before publication. You dont have a Christian Science Monitor The SEALs then head through the door, and the first SEAL pushes two women aside. He donated his SEAL uniform to the museum's collection after the meeting, which was arranged by Carolyn Maloney, a Democratic member of the House of Representatives for New York. The real story of who killed bin Laden may have gone to the bottom of the ocean or been plowed back into the dirt in Abbottabad, writes Shane Harris, intelligence and national Security correspondent for The Daily Beast. To: Robert O'Neill, Ret. Hopefully, by reading the lines, and in between them, you can arrive at a better interpretation of the recent media drama surrounding Who shot UBL? and why Naval Special Warfare (NSW) leadership is rightfully upset. Details of three of his missions have been turned into Hollywood action hits. Fanning the media fire further are the inconsistencies in the UBL story as told by Bissonette and ONeill, this make matters even worse. O Washington Post reporta que O'Neill reconheceu que ao menos outros dois soldados atiraram - e erraram - em Bin Laden, incluindo Matt Bissonnette, um ex-Seal que escreveu um livro em 2012 . With regards to ONeills account. , updated Nov 7, 2014 1 WASHINGTON D.C. Just days after former Navy SEAL Team 6 member Rob O'Neill kicked off an ugly row by saying that he killed Osama bin Laden, a single 5.56mm bullet has stepped forward to claim responsibility. I say I'll paint a big target on my front door and say come and get us, O'Neill's father Tom on the SEAL being attacked by former commanders, King Charles hosts von der Leyen at Windsor Castle, Huge urgent police search for missing baby of Constance Marten, Shocking video shows machete fight in broad daylight, Putin spy plane before being 'destroyed by pro-Ukraine Belarus group', Gabor Mat: No Jewish state without oppressing local population, Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', Pupils take to TikTok as they stage protest at Shenfield High School, Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, Moment supermarket cashier is attacked at work in New York, Police search allotment sheds for Constance Marten's missing baby, Moment pastor FOILS armed robbery after praying for gunmen. Do I take some offense to Matt Bissonette and his comments? He decided to tell them about his actions. He has fulfilled a series of engagements across the United States since leaving the military. Matt Bissonnette, who went by 'Mark Owen,' was . Whatever he says, he says. He also acknowledges that at least two other SEALS, including Bissonnette, fired shots. We shouldn't be cowering in fear.'. 'Changing the kids' names, taking my husband's name off the house, paying off our cars. Personal life [ edit] How much do you think I can I get for my story?, he said. "Two different people telling two different stories for two different reasons," Bissonnette said in an interview with NBC News. Beyond fear, beyond anger. We are at this place in time because of a double standard. Stress? Said Kirby, I'll just read for you the last paragraph: Within the Department of Defense, we did not identify instances whereby any Special Operations tactics, techniques and procedures-related information was provided to filmmakers., So, no. He also conceded that criticism from other SEALs, even if theyre strangers, can be painful. Rep. Peter King, R.-N.Y., called for an Inspector Generals investigation in August 2011 after learning of reports in the media that Bigelow and Boal had enjoyed access to government officials. The question we routinely ask ourselves as contributing editors of SOFREP is, Would participating in this network news TV segment represent ourselves and the SOF community in a positive way? We said no to the UBL Shooter drama and opted out. 'My ex-wife gave birth to a man. . O'Neill was arrested for driving under the influence Friday, April 8, 2016. He has received numerous awards and decorations, including two Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars with Valor, and the Defense Superior Service Medal. 'I rolled past him into the room, just inside the doorway, 'There was bin Laden, standing there. I was standing outside one of my favorite Manhattan restaurants, La Esquina and remember it as if it happened yesterday. 'We will actively seek judicial consequence for members who willfully violate the law, and place our Teammates, our Families, and potential future operations at risk.'. A former U.S. Navy SEAL and special warfare operator, O'Neill is best known for his claims that he had made in November 2014, of having fired the head shots that killed Osama bin Laden during the raid on his Abbottabad compound on May 2, 2011. In August 2011, a New Yorker article quoted an unnamed counterterrorism official in describing the shooting. O'Neill told the Post that shots also were fired by two other SEAL team members, including Matt Bissonnette, who described the raid somewhat differently in his book "No Easy Day." The encounter with bin Laden takes. "But we have these people who are in charge that are a disgrace. 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