Killer SEALs

A rare behind-the-scenes glimpse at the nation's most elite military unit.

MAY 3, 2011

The United States Navy SEALs are generally acknowledged to be among the military's most elite special operations units, arduously selected and trained for missions in the most extreme and pressing circumstances. It's not surprising then that the SEALs were selected to perform the risky operation that ended with the killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on Sunday, May 1.

In addition to their efficiency and bravery, SEALs are known for their secrecy. The general public rarely is afforded the chance to peek behind the curtain, to observe the SEALs in preparation or in action. It was thus a particularly rare opportunity that Stephanie Freid-Perenchio received permission from Vice Adm. Robert Harward to photograph Navy SEALs in training, gaining unparalleled access. The following photos -- selections from her book SEAL: The Unspoken Sacrifice -- are a testimony to the personal commitment and camaraderie of a elite military team that  all-too-often works only in the shadows.

Above, a training exercise in the Pacific Ocean, outside San Diego, California. SEALs must leap out of an airplane, parachute into the ocean, and then swim to the boat waiting in the distance.

© Stephanie Freid-Perenchio

 

Stephanie Freid-Perenchio is a documentary photographer. Her studio, SFPstudio, is located in Sunvalley, Idaho. These photos are excerpted from the book "SEAL: The Unspoken Sacrifice" by Stephanie Freid-Perenchio and Jennifer Walton. For more information or to purchase the book, go to http://sealtheunspokensacrifice.com/

 

NORMANCLINCKSPOOR

9:18 PM ET

May 3, 2011

Love it.

Great pictures, congratulations. I´m gonna use it as my wallpaper .

 

PCDE

9:31 PM ET

May 3, 2011

great pix

But where is the diversity? Looks like the SEALs refuse to enter 21st century America, Eric Holder better get some lawsuits going or at least make some quotas!

 

COLLETN

8:11 AM ET

May 4, 2011

The SEALs are an

The SEALs are an all-volunteer force. They can't (and don't need to) be assigned sailors. Furthermore, the nature of SEAL training dictates that no one receives special status. If you can't make the cut, no matter your ethnicity, you're gone. If only white-angle-protestant-rural males volunteer for BUDs, then only white-anglo-protestant-rural males will be SEALs. In addition, even getting to BUDs requires an intense screening and selection process that is incredibly difficult. Giving minorities special treatment because of their ethnicity would only undermine the intense camaraderie and teamwork that make SEALs some of the best warriors in the world.

 

KRYPTER

8:53 AM ET

May 4, 2011

satire

PCDE was being satirical. The word 'quota' is the giveaway because supporters of quotas don't use the word; they prefer "affirmative action" or "social justice" or some other euphemism.

Kudos to the SEAL trainers for maintaining such rigorously high standards. I wish universities did the same.

 

ROMAN GIL

5:48 PM ET

May 4, 2011

Quotas don't apply when you must choose only the best

It's obvious that you are not a combat veteran. When I was at war, I cared only about having around me the most effective fighters. A man must be able to force march and fight 25 miles a day with 50 pounds of ammo. He must be strong enough to lift and supply artillery shells to tanks and guns. It takes physical strength and courage. Men in combat cannot have people that are sexually attracted to each other because this creates sexual rivalries and other problems. Effeminates, women and gays weaken the unit cohesion, fighting power and morale of military units.

 

HBOST

12:06 PM ET

May 6, 2011

High Schools

Universities? What about just our public high schools...

 

SHUTTER33

5:08 PM ET

May 4, 2011

Where's the Diversity?

Yep, no diversity at all. You would think they would have fixed that problem by now. I've heard it's even worse in Delta.

 

SOG_21

10:11 AM ET

May 6, 2011

WTF

You're a moron.

 

ROMAN GIL

5:39 PM ET

May 4, 2011

The "Osama Bin Laden Is Dead Story" Has Questions to Investigate

The “Osama Bin Laden Is Dead Story” Has Many Questions That Need To Be Investigated.

Osama Bin Laden was a terrorist and deserved the death penalty. This is why the media must investigate this story instead of merely parroting the information that was provided by the government.

Based on my experience as a decorated US Army combat veteran, this story has credibility problems. I tried to post these questions in the comments section of several mass media publications and they did not get posted. A free press is essential in a free society because it has a duty to investigate what the government is doing and it must educate citizens. A free media must publish all responsible questions from the public and be open to debate. Thomas Jefferson said that given the choice between government and a printing press, he would take the printing press.

1. Why they did not show Osama’s body publicly? In 1967, Che Guevara the Communist guerrilla was captured alive wounded in Bolivia, interrogated, killed and his body was displayed to the world media. A responsible government would display Osama’s body to the media and to a panel of international physicians to prove without a doubt the death of the most wanted terrorist in the world. The government version that Osama’s head was too damaged to show the public is not credible. Morticians can prepare a body for public display. Media and international physicians would be welcome to take DNA samples from the body as total proof of Osama’s demise.

2. Osama was unarmed when they shot him? Osama was a terrorist veteran of the Afghan Soviet war that was waged in the 1980s between Islamist guerrillas and the Soviet Union. Anybody with his background would have alarmed, mined and booby trapped his house. Weapons would be in his possession at all times and in every room of the house, including hand grenades. He had plenty of time to install command detonated mines everywhere outside and inside the compound. I have problems believing that the most wanted terrorist in the world was killed while unarmed. When I was in a war zone, my weapon was with me at all times and I slept with it and lots of ammo and hand grenades, could Osama be so foolish that he did not have weapons in his room?

3. There were no American casualties? This is simply not credible because attacking a compound that is occupied by dangerous men that had plenty of time to prepare for defense, makes it certain that the attackers must sustain casualties. Osama’s terrorist group specializes in suicide bombers of both sexes. They could not spare even one of them to protect their leader?

4. Why did we spend $1.5 Trillion dollars occupying and "nation building" Iraq and Afghanistan instead of targeting Osama's less than 1,000 terrorists?. We could have got Osama 10 years ago at a reasonable cost. When American troops landed in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attack, the Afghan Northern Alliance had already overthrown the Taliban government that harbored Osama. It was not necessary to occupy the country. A war using Special Forces would have been sufficient

5. Why are we still involved in the Israeli-Muslim conflict? This is the cause of the war on terror. We inherited Israel’s enemies and they struck us on 9/11. The effects of our involvement will continue until we divorce from the Muslim world and focus on killing the actual terrorists until they are finished. Our absence from the Muslim world will make Muslims eventually stop provoking us with terrorism because they will want to keep us out. It is common sense that it would be in the Muslim interest to stop terrorism against America to keep America from coming back to their lands. With America out of the Israeli-Muslim conflict, the Muslims will be free to focus on their affairs and their problem with Israel. Israel has nuclear weapons and a strong military that assures it that it can survive any war without America. The only beneficiaries of the present war on terror are the war contractors and the special interest groups.

Some possible explanations for this unusual story;

a) The government killed Osama Bin Laden but it believes that it is not necessary to provide conclusive proof of their actions because they are universally loved and trusted. This means that they are incompetent because they did not prove their story.

b) Osama Bin Laden was hooked on opium and developed a false sense of security. His followers shared this drug problem and failed to fortify and provide guards for the Osama compound.
c) The masses are so stupid that they will accept without question anything that the government and media tells them, so why bother with proof?

d) Osama Bin Laden died years ago, and now it is a convenient time to bring him back to distract the masses and continue the hugely profitable war on terror and gain mass support for a government that cannot exist without debt and financial dependency on special interest groups.

e) This story is a case that simply shows the irresponsibility and incompetence of the American government.

The $1.5 Trillion spent on the war on terror continues to pile additional debt and there is no end in sight. The money that was wasted on fighting this war with a wrong strategy could have been wisely invested by loaning it to private enterprise companies that would be protected from cheap imports. A new industrial policy like South Korea’s would reconstruct and protect a new American industrial base that would replace the industry and technology that global corporations exported to China and other Third World countries under the globalization false ideology that has ruined America and Europe and created millions of permanently unemployed people. America would be able to replace imports with nationally produced products and services. The trade losses would end and careers in science, engineering, chemistry and skilled jobs would be abundant in an industrial economy.

With a new industrial base, America would be independent of imports and global debt financing. Presently, the Federal government needs to annually beg and borrow $1.65 Trillion a year from international capital and US investors because the industrial base of the American economy is only 9%. There are not enough corporate or individual taxpayers to support the huge Federal, State and local governments, plus their armies of government contractors. In any case, the American governments must reduce their size and expenses by 40% to balance their budgets and avoid digging America deeper into debt and dependency on the kindness of creditors.

The present economic and political dependency of the American economy on debt, special interest groups and imports makes a continuation of the present globalist war on terror fatal for America. It’s a choice of nation building America before it becomes a terminal case of financial and social cancer, or continue to dig the debt and dependency grave deeper until we end like other failed world powers, including the British Empire, the French Empire and Soviet Union.

Roman Gil
http://roman-gil1.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/roman.gil1
http://twitter.com/RomanGil1

 

THINREDLINE

8:02 AM ET

May 6, 2011

Ouch

I read your post, though it was hard to. It sounds like the rant of someone "whose mad as hell
and not going to take it anymore." And you have chosen "Bin Laden's Death Story" to make
your stand. Bully!!!!!!!! Will there be a formal declaration of War? You know, your style(, wild,
slanderous, unsubstantiated, irresponsible statements delivered with messianic fervor) is rather similar to Mr. Seymour Hersch. He, as I understand it, is a frequent contributor to
Foreign Policy and quite vocal in his contempt for America, especially the CIA.
Have you two met?

 

THE MEDITANT

4:00 PM ET

May 5, 2011

Not the least bit impressed

Hired killers. That's what they are. A highly segregated & racist one at that. No multi-culturalism allowed. All white. Most of these skinny guys would get their butts kicked when it gets down to hand-to-hand.

 

THINREDLINE

7:17 AM ET

May 6, 2011

My Friends The SEALS

I have several friends who are SEALS. Sometimes we go drinking. I always buy, because I
owe them. Why don't you join us!! On me. of course. That way you can ask them why they
became hired killers, rascist, skinny, mono-culturalists instead of girl scouts. Sometimes
Governor Ventura joins us. If he does, you can ask him why he wanted to be Governor
instead of a girl scout. What ya say?

 

BACKSASS

9:35 PM ET

May 6, 2011

You should be

Anyone can try out-only the best of the best succeed!! Just shut your mouth and say thank you for the safety they provide risking their life to save yours!

 

BACKSASS

9:36 PM ET

May 6, 2011

You should be,"The Meditant"

Anyone can try out-only the best of the best succeed!! Just shut your mouth and say thank you for the safety they provide risking their life to save yours!

 

PATTEEL

1:46 PM ET

May 9, 2011

To the Seals

I just want to say Thank you .