SEALs Reprimanded for selling secrets...

[Jarhead0331]

...to ELECTRONIC ARTS!

Seven U.S. Navy SEALs have been reprimanded for giving up classified information connected to their tradecraft 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 after an investigation found the seven to have worked as paid consultants for two days with the video game company Electronic Arts, according to a U.S. Navy official familiar with the investigation.

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

All seven are active duty members of SEAL Team 6, considered the most elite of the Navy's 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 given 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," Bonelli, said.

The disclosure of the extra curricular activities of the SEALs comes on the heels of 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 Matt Bissonette, who wrote the book under the name Mark Owen.

...and the game still sucked.

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/09/navy-seals-busted-for-giving-secrets-to-make-video-game-more-real/?hpt=hp_t3

[LongBlade]

Really strange story. You would think they'd know better.

[MIGMaster]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57547417/7-navy-seals-disciplined-for-role-with-video-game/?tag=AverageMixRelated

[Yskonyn]

Heard it on the radio here.
They claim they only get 2 months of 50% salary and that's it. Is that true? How serious do you think the claims are?

[bayonetbrant]

If it was non-judicial punishment under the UCMJ, then that's probably about right.  It means they were willing to accept/impose a lower form of punishment to skip any sort of trial.

[LongBlade]

JH posted a thread, too. I'm going to merge them.

[Yskonyn]

The whole budget for the game went into their 'Seals of approval', I reckon.  :P

[eyebiter]

Remember Act of Valor?  Or the Harvey Weinstein movie called SEAL Team Six: The Raid on Osama bin Laden?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/arts/television/obama-is-prominent-in-seal-team-six-weinstein-film.html?pagewanted=all

I'd bet this action has nothing to do with releasing "source and methods" - the Administration simply wants to control the message.

[Con]

I think the SpecOps commanders are getting worried that they are losing control of the group who after all are in a job that demand secrecy in order to be at their most efficient.  The constant clamor for these guys, the lure of Hollywood and probably the improper pressure of government wanting to use them for PR has all spun out of control and it is time to reign them all in and go back to being underground.

Plus just saw an interesting quote
"Members of the SEAL community have been embarrassed by the rash of books and films about the elite force, and some SEALs say they fear top secret missions will now be given instead to units whose members keep quiet."

That might be the best incentive of all
Con

[LongBlade]

I think the SpecOps commanders are getting worried that they are losing control of the group who after all are in a job that demand secrecy in order to be at their most efficient.  The constant clamor for these guys, the lure of Hollywood and probably the improper pressure of government wanting to use them for PR has all spun out of control and it is time to reign them all in and go back to being underground.

Plus just saw an interesting quote
"Members of the SEAL community have been embarrassed by the rash of books and films about the elite force, and some SEALs say they fear top secret missions will now be given instead to units whose members keep quiet."

That might be the best incentive of all
Con

There have been a ton of leaks. Especially since we killed UBL.

I can tell you I learned far more new info from those leaks than from No Easy Day (http://www.grogheads.com/rev-ned.html).

I would also tell you that No Easy Day could not have been written if all those leaks hadn't take place.

[Airborne Rifles]

In the military community te SEALs have a little bit of a reputation for being loose cannons and glory hounds compared to other special operations folks.  Not a Good Day to Die illustrates some pretty big reasons as to why.

[Toonces]

Actually, there were quite a few leaks from Navy Seals not long after the Bin Laden raid.  I saw this stuff just floating around on the internet:

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/8e464776e6/the-navy-seal-who-killed-osama-bin-laden

(ps. you guys have to get an imbed video function on the forum!)

[LongBlade]

Actually, there were quite a few leaks from Navy Seals not long after the Bin Laden raid.  I saw this stuff just floating around on the internet:

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/8e464776e6/the-navy-seal-who-killed-osama-bin-laden

(ps. you guys have to get an imbed video function on the forum!)

Wow. I had no idea. However, that compound he had set up on the table did clear up a few things I didn't understand in No Easy Day. Thanks!