Navy SEALS involved in the raid and killing of terrorist head Osama bin Laden have been put on notice by the head of Naval Warfare Special Command, who penned an open letter to the unit to bluntly say: Quit talking about the mission.
The letter from Adm. Brian Losey comes just a few days before “60 Minutes” is due to air an interview with Matt Bissonnette about his 2011 role in the bin Laden mission, CNN reported. It also comes as Fox News is due to air a documentary with another SEAL involved in the mission.
The letter was simply addressed to “teammates” and reminded that “the most important credit we can garner is the respect of our Teammates and Partners,” CNN reported.
It went on: “We do not abide willful or selfish disregard for our core values in return for public notoriety and financial gain. Any real credit to be rendered is about the incredible focus, commitment and teamwork of this diverse network and the years of hard work undertaken with little individual public credit. It is the nature of our profession,” CNN reported.
Adm. Losey doesn’t refer directly to the bin Laden raid. Still, the letter comes, too, as the Pentagon and Justice Department have kicked off a criminal investigation into Mr. Bissonnette about details released in his bestselling book, “No Easy Day” — authored under the name Mark Owen in 2012 — and in subsequent public remarks he’s made on the raid.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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