NAVY SEAL WHO SHOT BIN LADEN 'KNEW' HE WAS GOING TO LOSE HIS BENEFITS

Terrorist: The shooter who killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was profiled in an Esquire magazine piece this week. The Navy SEAL was not identified for his protection and referred to only as The Shooter

A Navy SEAL commander denied on Friday that the man who shot Osama bin Laden was 'screwed over' and refused medical benefits once he left the military.


The unidentified SEAL, known only as The Shooter in the widely-discussed Esquire magazine piece published this week, said that he was left out in the cold with no medical insurance once he retired after 16 years of service, short of the 20 years required to receive full benefits.
After the story made headlines and put the plight of discharged military service members in the spotlight, the Navy has accused the man of using his 'SEAL cachet for self-serving purposes' and abandoning his honor.
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Hot topic: Phil Bronstein's article on The Shooter, who killed bin Laden, has been widely discussed

Rear Admiral Sean Pybus, commander of the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Command, criticized the former SEAL and flatly denied that the Navy would fail to provide adequately for its former members.
'I am very disappointed with the few people who use their SEAL cachet for self-serving purposes, particularly through falsehoods and certainly when the safety and security of themselves and their active-duty teammates and families are put at risk,' he said in a statement.

 

The Navy SEAL in question was a member of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, often referred to as SEAL Team Six, who carried out the operation on May 2, 2011 in Abbottabad, Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden.
Speculation has emerged over what exactly occurred in the operation and the recent release of Kathryn Bigelow's film Zero Dark Thirty has only increased curiosity.

Crucial seconds: The Shooter describes the raid on bin Laden's compound in Afghanistan and how he was able to see his target through night vision goggles but that bin Laden 'could only hear but not see'

Viewing the raid: President Obama and his key staffers watch the Navy SEAL mission at Osama bin Laden's compound in this White House photo

Though the members of Team Six said in solidarity that they were all responsible for bin Laden's death, interest remained into the identity of the man who actually pulled the trigger on the kill shot that brought an end to the al Qaeda leader.
Unsurprisingly, journalist Phil Bronstein's 15,000-word article, The Man Who Killed Osama bin Laden... Is Screwed, did not go unnoticed when it was released online on Monday for the March issue of Esquire magazine.
His interviews with The Shooter shed new light on the early morning raid and provided a psychological look into the man responsible for killing the terrorist mastermind.
While the man's recollection of the details of the May 2 operation has not been called into question, Bronstein's portrayal of the SEAL's status post-raid has garnered considerable controversy.
He told the journalist that once he retired from the Navy, he had no medical benefits offered to him and was responsible to pay for private insurance.
But the Navy has denied that assertion.

'Most of our former or retired NSW members find a suitable second career without compromising the ideals of their active service -  honor, courage and commitment,' the statement from the admiral said.
'Concerning recent writing and reporting on ‘The Shooter’ and his alleged situation, this former SEAL made a deliberate and informed decision to leave the Navy several years short of retirement status,' he continued.
'Months ahead of his separation, he was counseled on status and benefits, and provided with options to continue his career until retirement eligible. Claims to the contrary in these matters are false.'

On TV: Bin Laden is shown watching himself on television in this video frame grab released by the U.S. Pentagon May 7, 2011, six days after his death

Safe house destroyed: Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad, Pakistan, compound is pictured in May 2011, left, and as it was demolished in January, right

The Shooter, a father-of-two, decided after the momentous military operation in 2011 that it was time to bring his Navy career to a close.
He lamented the break down of his marriage and the emotional toll of the constant separation from his children.
His decision to leave the Navy after 16 years had significant consequences, since full retirement benefits are only provided to those who log 20 years of service.
'I left SEALs on Friday. My health care for me and my family stopped at midnight Friday night. I asked if there was some transition from my Tricare to Blue Cross Blue Shield. They said no,' The Shooter told Bronstein in the article.
'You're out of the service, your coverage is over. Thanks for your sixteen years. Go f*** yourself.'
'Here is what he gets from his employer and a grateful nation: Nothing. No pension, no health care, and no protection for himself or his family,' the article said.
Stars and Stripes called that statement false, noting that a combat veteran is automatically eligible for five years of free healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The military news service contacted Bronstein about the misinformation and the journalist asserted that The Shooter was never informed of that option.
The Navy commander intimated though that the man had been briefed on the benefits available to him before his retirement.
After the story came out, Bronstein issued a correction and clarified, 'a previous version of this story misstated the extent of the five-year health care benefits offered to cover veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers comprehensive health care to eligible veterans during that period, though not to their families.'

Under fire: New film Zero Dark Thirty, starring Jessica Chastain in the lead role (pictured), has been widely criticized for suggesting that torture played a major part in the hunt for Osama bin Laden