Jesus! This is insane....Is this the SEAL culture or am I jumping to conclusions?

Thanks to Gerard for the link!

via Newsweek.

“This is Mako Three Zero Charlie.... This is Mako Three Zero Charlie….” The same six words, over and over, each time dissipating before Jay could hear anything else.

Jay was part of an elite reconnaissance team operating behind enemy lines, and he immediately recognized the call sign and voice. They belonged to his counterpart on another team: Air Force Technical Sergeant John Chapman. From his hidden perch, Jay responded again and again on his powerful satellite-capable radio. But he received no reply. The voice continued for about 40 minutes, he says, like a plaintive mantra—“This is Mako Three Zero Charlie…. This is Mako Three Zero Charlie….” Then it fell silent. It wasn’t until the next evening that Jay learned Chapman had died, that he was the last American to hear him alive.

Today, some 16 years after Chapman’s tragic death, fierce disagreement over what happened on that snowy peak threatens to overshadow two Medal of Honor recommendations that—as of publication—await White House approval. The bitter dispute pits members of the Navy SEALs against Air Force special operators and Army Rangers. It has entangled numerous senior military leaders, several of whom had personal links to the desperate fight on Takur Ghar mountain.

Story here.

Full disclosure this is from the cheap seats but from what I can tell...US Army Rangers stay as far away from SEALs as possible, Green Berets work with them when necessary and the SEALs avoid working with MARSOC cause they see a threat to their mission sets.

Long story short.

SEALs rep has taken a beating since McRaven and Rummy talked them up as super studs to push the war effort when it was floundering.

All those books and movies that the SEALs were pumping out?  In hindsight it was greenlighted to help support for the war.  The memes and patriotic demonstrations (mostly at football games and NASCAR events) were meant to do the same.

But shit like this.

Is it me or does SEAL culture look broken? 

I wasn't there so I don't know but we've had enough incidents to piece together that something wicked is going on inside that particular part of the Navy.

What is the answer?

My guess is it got too big, too fast and standards slipped.

But that can't be it.

We're talking about SEAL Team 6.  Unless there is another SEAL Team that is so top secret its never spoken of then this is the cream of the crop.

Additionally this incident happened at the start of the war on terror.  This was when they were still somewhat small and still EXTREMELY choosey when assessing personnel.

If this is true then the culture is broken and they need to fix it.  The answer?  It'll take some clear eyed, high speed operators to figure that one.  I haven't a clue.