What theyve done is dishonorable, he said. This means only on thing someone isnt telling the truth. According to the site, public revelations about the Bin Laden raid had led to a rift in the tight-knit community of America's special operations warriors. Stress? Matt Bissonnette vs Robert O'Neill. The decision of O'Neill to go public and speak at length will prompt fresh examination of that version of events, in which the SEAL said that 'The Shooter', now known to be O'Neill, had fired the first,non-fatal shot at bin Laden and that other SEALs finished him off. In the course of those tours he undertook more than 400 separate combat missions. 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 dont want to touch that.. If youre looking for bran muffin journalism, you can subscribe to the Monitor for $15. The Monitor is a peculiar little publication thats hard for the world to figure out. O'Neill today told the Washington Post that he had decided to disclose his identity in full after addressing relatives of the victims of the September 11 2001 terror attacks at the National September 11 Memorial Museum before it was officially opened. The community would also be wise to engage, not isolate, the large veteran SEAL community. My oldest son was born November 30th 2001 while I was deployed to Afghanistan with SEAL Team 3 ECHO platoon. I'm gonna walk through the streets and I'm gonna kill everyone I see, and I'm gonna grab the Americans. Details of three of his missions have been turned into Hollywood action hits. The former senior SEAL Team Six leader, who knows both Bissonnette and ONeill, said he was utterly disappointed with both men. It's tough to hear a lot of different SEALs that I've never met, I've never worked with and I don't know. And Im going to argue that we change lives precisely because we force open that too-small box that most human beings think they live in. Beyond the dehumanizing manner in which the al Qaeda fighters had. Robert J. O'Neill income. The second time as he's going down. Two different people telling two different stories for two different reasons, said Matt Bissonnette in an interview with NBC News. SEAL Team Six member Matt Bissonnette claimed in his book No Easy Day that O'Neill did not deliver the fatal shot. Im sure reigning in social media participation amongst active duty SEAL members, stricter language around post career writing, and clearer rules are coming, and this is good. The Christian Science Monitor has expired. Two individuals widely understood to have taken part in the killing of bin Laden Robert O'Neill and Matt Bissonnette have spoken publicly about their respective roles in the. Letters of reprimand, which are damaging to Naval careers, were sent to all seven. His decorations includetwo Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars with Valor, a Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, three Presidential Unit citations, and two Navy/Marine Corps Commendations with Valor. logged you out. Robert J. O'Neill (@mchooyah) September 12, 2014. Matthew Bissonnette turned over a hard drive . He has fulfilled a series of engagements across the United States since leaving the military. Beyond fear, beyond anger. He was especially worried about losing healthcare and pension benefits because he was leaving the service early. Get stories that empower and uplift daily. Weve known about him for a long time. improve functionality and performance. It certainly doesnt reflect well on the broader SEAL community, who are associated with him by proxy. ONeill is never named in the story, but hes called the Shooter. The first line says, The man who shot and killed Osama bin Laden sat in a wicker chair in my backyard. (Three retired members of SEAL Team Six have confirmed to NBC News that ONeill is the shooter in the Esquire article.). This article represents my own opinions and in no way represents the Naval Special Warfare community. This contradicts the account of Matt Bissonnette, another former Seal involved. I'm just gonna call him Tiny.". subscription yet. In a contradictory narrative, Bissonnette wrote in No Easy Day, that the so-called 'point man' was the SEAL who killed the al-Qaida leader. A third version of events was then presented to CNNby an unamed 'SEAL Team Six operative'. More than three years after SEAL Team Six killed the terror leader, the elite group of warriors is at war with itself. MailOnline yesterday revealed that Rob O'Neill, a retired 16-year veteran of the elite squad is the man who says he shot bin Laden in the head to kill him. 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. Despite his 16 years of service, O'Neill told the magazine that the SEALs had offered to get him a job delivering beer in Michigan, which he compared to witness protection for Mafia turncoats. The terror leader was standing up, and O'Neill said he saw a gun, the AK-47 which bin Laden was known to have, on a shelf. People are asking if we are worried that ISIS will come and get us because Rob is going public. I have only to point to a small wooden sign hung over a back door entrance to a place most people will never go or see, which has the following words burned into it: Editors note: This post was modified slightly from its original published format. O'Neill grew up in Butte, Montana, a former copper mining boomtown that has now fallen on hard times. Born and raised in US. "And Tiny told me the response: 'Here's how you get the Americans out. O'Neill's decision to speak out was prompted by losing some of his military benefits by quitting the SEALs after 16 years rather than staying for a full 20 years of service. The point man rushed upstairs, along with ONeill and fellow SEAL Matt Bissonnette (whose book No Easy Day, published in 2012 using the pseudonym Mark Owen, became a New York Times bestseller). When asked whether Bissonnette remained under investigation, Kirby said, Im not going to speak to the details of an investigation, but I can tell you that there is an investigation ongoing regarding the book No Easy Day and some of the assertions in it.. Following this, senior Pentagon officials told CNN that the conclusions they reached were that Bissonnette was wrong in his version of events. All Rights Reserved. The only other account by a named SEAL was given by Matthew Bissonnette, who wrote an inside account of the mission. In the SEAL community, trust is incredibly important, your word is your bond, and you earn your Trident (SEAL pin) everyday. -- Courtney Kube contributed reporting to this story. Monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too-small box that most people think they live in. I worry this is becoming a slippery slope and it puts them in danger. Unlikely. 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. Why regarding the latter? We still love each other.'. But if the anonymous point man comes forward, ONeill wont have the last word.. In going public, O'Neill joins fellow Team Sixer Matt Bissonnette who wrote an unauthorized best-selling book about the raid called "No Easy Day," under a fake name. He helped save SEAL Marcus Luttrell, the one man who lived to tell of a failed mission to capture a Taliban leader in Afghanistan. Later, more SEALs show up. Robert O'Neill . MailOnline yesterday revealed that Rob O'Neill, a retired 16-year veteran of the elite squad is the man who says he shot bin Laden in the head to kill him. Common sense has me scratching my head at how someone (the point man in his story), that well trained, would drop cover on a male threat the point man actively engaged (with his weapon) with no follow up. 2. Among the members of that unit was Matt Bissonnette, who along with another Seal Team 6 member, O'Neill, claims to have fired the fatal shots. Tiny smash with hammer. The Shooter (the pieces title) is not identified, but is now generally assumed to have been ONeill who now works as a motivational speaker. As told to Phil Bronstein in Esquire magazine. We have estimated Robert J. O'Neill's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets. CNN's Pentagon reporter said that military officials concluded the account was inaccurate. Matt Bissonnette wrote the best-seller "No Easy Day" under the pseudonym "Mark Owen." Others have consulted for filmmakers and video game designers. Some of Bissonnettes peers also took issue with the book, which became a No. Such is the case with Bissonette and ONeill. Its what good men and good leadership do. The three most recent Christian Science articles with a spiritual perspective. Join SOFREP for insider access and analysis. I say I'll paint a big target on my front door and say come and get us. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Robert James O'Neill, n le 10 avril 1976 Butte dans le Montana [1], est un ancien militaire et consultant-confrencier amricain. Bissonnette's lawyer, Robert Luskin, acknowledged Thursday that Bissonnette for some time had been under criminal investigation by both the Naval Criminal Investigation Service and the Justice Department for possible violations of a U.S. espionage law because he did not seek official clearance before publishing his book. Therefore, former U.S. Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million. He used the interview to raise concerns about how veterans - including himself - were treated. But deciding to speak publicly may surprise some. However being an unsung hero was not enough. We have a mission beyond circulation, we want to bridge divides. . We had no interest in outing Robert ONeill, it was only after we learned he intended to come out on Fox news that one of our writers named him. This is nonsense. And as much as we try to stay out of Special Ops drama, some topics become unavoidable, and sometimes Operators themselves from commands or units force our involvement. When he published the book No Easy Day on Sept. 4, 2012, he used the pen name Mark Owen and pledged much of the proceeds to charity, but he still became persona non grata with his command and many former comrades. Silver Stars, the military's third highest honor, are awarded for extraordinary gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States. Although he had previously been interviewed about the shooting of bin Laden, he remained entirely discreet about his role. Special Forces Operator: I salute you for your extraordinary service to our Country, Sir. Rob ONeill, meanwhile, is the unnamed shooter who was credited in numerous magazine articles with firing the fatal shots, and according to two SEAL sources will be presented again as the shooter in a Fox News interview that airs later this month. Its likely why the SEAL Admiral and Master Chief sent out a stern letter seemingly directed at Matt Bissonette and Robert ONeill with regards to their media blitz. Were run by a church, but were not only for church members and were not about converting people. He added:'People are asking if we are worried that ISIS will come and get us because Rob is going public. What The Hell is Wrong with Steven Seagal? Somebody fired first, but others shot bin Laden too including, apparently, a number of SEALs who arrived seconds or minutes later, firing into bin Ladens body. Former Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill said in an interview with The Washington Post that he was the one who fired the final shot to kill Osama bin Laden in 2011. . Former Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill said in an interview with The Washington Post that he was the one who fired the final shot to kill Osama bin Laden in 2011. . A critical (tenet) of our Ethos is I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions., We do not abide willful or selfish disregard for our core values in return for public notoriety and financial gain., The letter closes by reminding the teammates that classified information is protected by law, and warns that We will actively seek judicial consequences for members who willfully violate the law.. He told NBC News: 'Two different people telling two different stories for two different reasons. . 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. He has already apologized for failing to seek approval for his revelations in No Easy Day, and allegedly agreed to forfeit a portion of his royalties in a dispute settlement. In his interview, he confirmed that two. As Bissonnette notes, both he and ONeill offered their versions of events long after other government employees had apparently spoken to journalists about the bin Laden raid. It was his youngest wife, Amal.'. Stay informed about the latest scientific discoveries & breakthroughs. These words hang on a sign at the back entrance of certain units within JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command), which in itself explains the current problem and conflict created in the SEAL community. So that said, write it down, participate in a documentary, film project or video game, or talk about it on TV. It comes after Bissonnette submitted a draft of his second book - No Hero: The Evolution Of A Navy SEAL - for approval from the Department of Defense, including slides and notes from his speeches. Since former U.S. Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill identified himself as the man who killed Osama bin Laden in an interview with the Washington Post, there have been competing narratives from members of the elite fighting unit about which of them actually killed the al Qaeda leader. And we can prove it.. However, another probe has been launched to investigate details disclosed at speeches across the U.S. Last year, he spoke at a golf club in Atlanta where visitors were instructed to deposit their phones at the door and were barred from taking notes. Overexposure in the Media:Publishing a book about the UBL raid so soon after, and coming out to openly talk to the press about the mission has created a media frenzy that comes with unexpected consequences. Going public senior Pentagon officials told CNN that the conclusions they reached were that Bissonnette was wrong his... 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