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Great story right here:

http://cironline.org/node/4139

I'm surprised it isn't up already.

What was the story? Are SEALS supposed to get some kind of special govt benefits other service members dont get?

He left after sixteen years and is bitchin about not having any benefits? Everyone knows you got to do your twenty to get any sort of pension (except medical discharge).

He refused to go into the reserves, I didn't see anything about National Guard, and he obviously doesn't want to re-up. All his choice.

I'm sorry but I don't see how the military owes him anything that the rest of us who left early didn't get.

 Breotan wrote:
He left after sixteen years and is bitchin about not having any benefits? Everyone knows you got to do your twenty to get any sort of pension (except medical discharge).

He refused to go into the reserves, I didn't see anything about National Guard, and he obviously doesn't want to re-up. All his choice.

I'm sorry but I don't see how the military owes him anything that the rest of us who left early didn't get.

I thought the same thing. At first I thought perhaps I had missed something because the article is 10 pages of history on the UBL operation and two paragraphs about the start up business and not getting a pension for leaving early, but maybe I didn't.

Anyway during Iraq weren't some of those Blackwater guys pulling in like 40k a month or something ridiculous like that? Surely since were still in wartime there are plenty of other outfits like that.

Apparently other vets are questioning the veracity of the story.

Sure, maybe he doesn't deserve anything special. However, is there any doubt that the transition from military to civilian life is not easy?

I also thought some of the "inside a SEALs head" parts were fun to read.

I don't know about the sources of this story or what but I've seen whining like this elsewhere.

As for Blackwater, yes he could have (maybe still can) go that route, if he actually wanted to.

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2013/02/calling-all-phils-but-especially-you-bronstein.html#comments

They're not buying it...

What I got from it while I was reading it was he decided to get out early (4 years to go... makes no sense to me), and now his family life sucks because of what he did, and he seems to want some compensation for it.

I feel for the man, but he made the choice to be where he is. At 16 years he had to have made Chief by that point. I'm sure he could have gotten himself into a position where he wasn't needing to go into the field anymore. There had to have been a way he could have left the SEAL life, and finished out those 4 years.

 whembly wrote:
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2013/02/calling-all-phils-but-especially-you-bronstein.html#comments

They're not buying it...

Great, can't wait to read the counter-argumentsfacts other than speculation that a guy wanting to leave a job before he got his pension and health care is an idiot. If that was the only reason to quite a job, why would anyone ever leave a job?

I can think of tons of reasons to leave, especially if it involves being a Spec-Ops guy. Granted, I'm not a SEAL or even in the Military though. If he didn't think he could hack it mentally anymore, he wouldn't want to put his comrades in danger by going out there again. plus, maybe you just get a litttle burned out going to funerals for your buddies, and you start to put things in perspective as you get older.

In my state, the Veteran unemployment rate is ridiculous, and people coming out of the service have a hard time finding meaningful work. Surely, there is somethign that cna be doen to ease this transition, which would probably help reduce the overall Veteran suicide rate as well. I'm sure everyone commenting on this story is all hard-as-nails, but can we all agree that the transition from military to civilian is not easy?

I don't think anyone ever said it was easy, just that its not particularly news. Its been that way for quite some time now.

Couple that with an overall strange story and its just not drumming up a lot of support from people.

It is not easy. But claiming "I don't get any benefits" is a lot different than "I didn't know I get benefits".

I will be the first to admit that applying for and getting your VA benefits can be a royal PITA and takes way too long. But that is not even what happend here. Even if he had the worst person ever handling his discharge who didnt tell him a single thing about anything, even a quick google of "veteran benefits" would have poked giant holes in this story.

So, he's competent enough to off OBL but not smart enough to serve out 4 more years and give his family some financial protection?

To vets on here. Could he have been retired in service sooner?

Hey... I'm ALL FOR some major-mucho programs to help veterans... even at the expense of higher taxes.

I still advocate that we beef up the VA hospital Administrations and MAKE it the absolute best in the world.

I believe we owe it to those who have/currently serve. I probably would've joined if I wasn't deaf.

 whembly wrote:


I still advocate that we beef up the VA hospital Administrations and MAKE it the absolute best in the world.

Making some of the VA hospitals in this country in to the best in the world is a big task. Some of the VA Doctors terrify me with what they do regularly.

I was also interested to hear that my base pay is higher than a Navy SEALs base pay.

Of course, my benefits while in role are not as good, but my work is a bit less demanding.

I dunno what it is but something smells funny with his story...

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/02/16/seal-who-killed-bin-laden-reportedly-knew-hed-lose-benefits/?test=latestnews

I agree 100% with the Admiral on this. The man knew exactly what he was doing. It's almost got me thinking that he planned on "cashing in" on his story and experience, and then found out that there was no buyers, and is now pissed off and blaming others for his mistake.

 Easy E wrote:
I was also interested to hear that my base pay is higher than a Navy SEALs base pay.

Isn't the base pay for all military service members based on the pay grade chart? Or is there some super secret Navy SEAL pay scale?

 Hordini wrote:

 Easy E wrote:
I was also interested to hear that my base pay is higher than a Navy SEALs base pay.

Isn't the base pay for all military service members based on the pay grade chart? Or is there some super secret Navy SEAL pay scale?

We all have the same pay with variations in Time In Service. Such as, at 11 years I make more then another E-5 whose only been in for 6 years. But yes, if your in the military, your base pay will be the same as another with the same Pay Grade and TIS in any other branch, doing any other job.

 djones520 wrote:

 Hordini wrote:

 Easy E wrote:
I was also interested to hear that my base pay is higher than a Navy SEALs base pay.

Isn't the base pay for all military service members based on the pay grade chart? Or is there some super secret Navy SEAL pay scale?

We all have the same pay with variations in Time In Service. Such as, at 11 years I make more then another E-5 whose only been in for 6 years. But yes, if your in the military, your base pay will be the same as another with the same Pay Grade and TIS in any other branch, doing any other job.

Okay, thanks. That's how I thought it worked.

I'm confused. Can't he just earn a living in the free market based on his past exploits?

"Come on down to Crazy Dale's pickup emporium and buy a truck! I shot UBL in the face!"

That was probably his plan, but the free market has spoken.