And every day when I would come in, he would try to engage me. On May 17, 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement day. Theres a lot of things that go on post operation. Did you have a moment of relief at that point? Four-star Admiral Bill McRaven, former commander of the U.S. Special Operations and Navy SEAL, has led a high-profile careerincluding facing Somali pirates, Osama Bin Laden, and his own commander in chief. In his thirty-seven years as a Navy SEAL, he commanded at every level.As a Four-Star Admiral, his final assignment was as Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Yeah, theres a lot of people out there that think that this was a kill only mission. Yeah, well, he knew that I was in charge. It absolutely was not. McRaven: Basic SEAL training was a lifetime of challenges crammed into six months. This is a disturbing phenomenon to me because I dont believe our democracy long range is going to work unless theres an attitude in our society and particularly among our young, that they have an obligation of service. there are plenty of public issues right now that i want to ask you about, but i want to defer that for a moment and talk about . . NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to retired Adm. William McRaven, who may be best-known as the Navy SEAL commander who oversaw the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, about his new memoir. commander under the obama administration. You wrote in your book, Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations, quote, I was having one of those feelings, again, inexplicable, powerful, eerie, one I couldnt shake and I certainly couldnt rationalize. And even though I was broken-hearted at the time, I was intent on getting kind of back in the fight and being able to support my fellow special operations warriors. During a routine exercise, while serving as a Navy captain with decades of command of SEALs around the world, Admiral William H. McRaven was involved in a parachute accident: he fell more than 1,200 metres before the parachute deployed! The accident happened while he was participating in a Naval Special Warfare exercise involving a 1,000-foot free-fall jump. "One of the things we made clear to the President and the national leadership was, This is what we do," he told TIME. He was a Vietnam vet. I mean, it showed that we as Americans can do the hard things and do them well. Image: U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher William. And if its any indication from the people that have talked to me since that speech, I think its of some value to getting your day started right. Well, I think its interesting when you think about Westmorelands observation in context. The master's thesis, which weighs in at 612 pages, proposes a theory of "relative superiority" to explain how a small offensive force can defeat a larger, well-fortified defense, which Clausewitz described as holding a decisive advantage. Im absolutely ok with that. ", A Fourth Star Taking Apart al-Qaeda While nothing is definitive, "all indications are pointing to the fact" that Israel was behind a cyberattack that knocked out power at Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment facility over the weekend, retired U.S. Navy Adm. William McRaven said Monday, and he finds the allegations "a little disturbing" given that the U.S. and other countries are currently trying to renegotiate the 2015 Iran nuclear . William McRaven retired from the US Navy as a four-star admiral, as the commander of the United States special operations command and as the longest serving Navy SEAL in the history of our country . William Harry McRaven (born November 6, 1955) is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who served as the ninth commander of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) from August 8, 2011 to August 28, 2014. And you know what? They shot better with a prosthetic hand.". And so on Jan. 29, it was McRaven who began to plan "finish options" for bin Laden alongside his counterparts in a seventh-floor CIA conference room. So Rob ONeill and his teammate, when they came up Again, there were no helmet cams. And on the plaque is a Home Depot tape measure. But they do know you as the make-your-bed guy. And you've probably seen the iconic photo of the spider hole. Tell me about that moment and what you heard come through the radio after that. With her father by her side, she laughed off the injury like it was a scratch. HOOVER: You write about a skydiving accident that you were in in 2001 that nearly cost you your life. Retired four-star Navy Adm. William McRaven discusses why he finds it hard to be a Democrat or a Republican with CNN's Chris Wallace. SEAL training was a great equalizer. You know, Ive heard you say that you are the quote biggest fan of the millennial generation and generation and Gen Z. Late in 2010, you know, we were getting ready to pull out of Iraq by early 2011, for the most part, and yet, my guys were still conducting operations in downtown Baghdad. You know, when we first captured Saddam, he was pompous. No Americans were harmed. Sometimes you need a boatload of people to help you through. I unzip the body bag and without getting too graphic he obviously didnt look too good, he had a couple of rounds in his head the beard was a little smaller, I think, than what we usually anticipate. So, you know, there are times when you have to realize that the work you do, if it is good and honorable and it is trying to save people's lives, you have to take some comfort in the fact that that is good work. There was always an understanding that it was about doing what was right for the country. But again, to your point, I had a moral and legal obligation to make sure that we took good care of him. As McRaven tells it, the leg with his pilot chute wrapped around it and the leg with the risers, the straps used to connect the parachute and steer it, were wrapped around the other leg. But by then he and his young lieutenant had fallen out. So whenever people begin to lose hope about the future of the country and whether or not the men and women will continue to serve, I think weve seen this movie before. "I was not some white knight on a horse going with my lance against the windmill," he says. Admiral McRaven, in an inspiring speech, addressed the Class of 2015 at West Point to celebrate 500th Night. And now I'm tumbling out of control towards the ground.". We must fight terrorist networks, and all those who support their efforts to spread fear around the world, using every instrument of national power diplomatic, economic, law enforcement, financial, information, intelligence, and military.". INSKEEP: How have people in the military that you have known dealt with the reality that they put their lives on the line, in some places lost arms or legs, for this purpose that turned out to be false? She was seriously injured in a parachute accident. MCRAVEN: In Iraq and Afghanistan, of course, you saw these horrific injuries. That is not exactly the same as choosing two commandments to rebut in church, but it is provocative. "Part of the chute wrapped around one leg, the risers around the other, and the good news is that it opened. And youve probably seen the iconic photo from Pete Souza. He graduated in 1977 with an ensign's commission, signed up for SEAL training, married Georgeann and deployed to the Philippines. Then, in 2001, came the parachute accident and the long climb back. INSKEEP: You write that somehow your staff sometimes lost people's paperwork. I went back to my little headquarters area, got back on the video with the president and the president said, OK, Bill, let me get this straight. It is a small task, but I think an important one. But once again, as I mentioned, with Saddam Hussein, you know, until you can do the forensics on the remains, check the fingerprints, check the DNA, do the facial recognition, you know, Im reluctant to have said, hey, weve got jackpot on this one. INSKEEP: He wasn't in a very good position to negotiate, I suppose. And never once, never once in all those years have I heard Moki Martin complain about his lot in life. You told the SEAL Team Six, This mission is to capture or kill bin Laden. On Sept. 11, 2001, McRaven was recovering at home in Southern California from a freak parachute accident that had nearly killed him four months earlier, crushing his back and pelvis. And so I recognize that shots are being fired. Patient and ingenious work by U.S. intelligence agencies marked a spot tentative, but more likely accurate than not on the map. So while I didnt know at a young age that I wanted to follow in my fathers footsteps, I dont think it took me long before I realized that this was the path that was the right fit for me. "We do raids. And you know, after a couple days, they pinned me and plated me and got me going. I didnt want to because I didnt want him to think that he was somehow important enough to be able to engage El Jefe, as he called me. The fact of the matter is, the law of armed conflict and the rules of engagement were pretty clear. MCRAVEN: No, I dont think that contributed to his decline. Commentary. Leadership. Nothing mattered but your will to succeed. He went right into Naval Special Warfare, serving in SEAL Team Six under its creator, Richard Marchinko who fired McRaven for being too rigid. And I certainly didn't make it to where I was as a result of my own wonderful talents. He never had his hands raised. So he didnt know my rank or my name. An unnerving silence descended as the camera stayed on the admiral's empty chair, his habitual yellow can of Rip It energy drink in the foreground. "If I were to react to a ship takedown in a foreign port or an embassy in a foreign country, the Eagles would stick out like a" O.K., well, that's as much of the quote as you get in TIME. I got on the plane with my aide, Captain Hank Henry. False, Marcinko says. By Barton Gellman. Now, what I am getting, of course, is reports from the ground force commander when shots are fired. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. So Im getting radio calls from the ground force commander. They have just 500 days until graduation. And even with that giant beard he had, it didnt take long for us to realize that we had the right guy. You know, there are people out there, Admiral, who. William McRaven: The Admiral. It was an ideal post for a cerebral commando whose body needed mending. And so when I got the call from the squadron commander and he said, we have Jackpot, youre always, as the guy sitting in the rear, youre thinking, ok, this is good news. But I would go in every day to check on him. His father, a career Air Force officer, was stationed at Pope Air Force Base, now known as Pope Field, part of Fort Bragg. So there was always concern about the Pakistanis engaging. william mcraven on his time in the military and his criticism of president trump. But I'm stunned. I can see it on the overhead surveillance. I had been talking to the leader of the Army Task Force. And as I was descending, I noticed that there was . And if its any indication from the people that have talked to me since that speech, I think its of some value to getting your day started right. What were you seeing? He has unique facial characteristics. I said, hey, son, how tall are you? So I reflect back on that 10 years ago and Im just proud to have been a small part of it. Admiral William H. McRaven, USN. WILLIAM H MCRAVEN: And all of a sudden, I realize the guy to the left is underneath me. She was seriously injured in a parachute accident. It will give you a sense of accomplishment that you will want to continue to feel throughout the day. Eight weeks later came the surprise attacks of Sept. 11. McRaven grew up with war stories. And to this day, Moki oversees the triathlon that we run every year as part of our underwater demolition team and our SEAL fraternity. The compound could still be booby trapped. But that particular day, I actually had a meeting down in Qatar. And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made, that you made. The accident happened along westbound ECP at the Rochor Road exit. We know that theyre getting ready to launch aircraft to come intercept us. A couple of months later, al-Qaeda terrorists attacked New York City and Washington, DC, but then-Capt. "All in all, a pretty good year," McRaven says, "but frankly it has been a big year for us really since 9/11.". I mean, we flew the 162 miles really without incident. The president thanks us for the mission and then reaches behind the presidents desk and hands me a plaque. In fact, we had a plan with what we were going to do with bin Laden if we captured him. And he pulls. The president thanks us for the mission and then reaches behind the presidents desk and hands me a plaque. Just like the young female sergeant who I just visited at Walter Reed this week. The one source we had that led us to Saddam kind of pointed in the general direction. Michael Thornton is one of a handful of Navy SEALs that have been awarded the Medal of Honor. Now, in the case of Saddam Hussein, it was pretty obvious. Later, William McRaven shares his story of a horrible parachute accident, which leaves him hospitalized for . Sign up for notifications from Insider! It obviously had a lot of political risk with it, and I dont want to minimize the risk. You said, quote, As a commander, you would like to be in ultimate control of all of the decisions, but the reality is you cant be. But they do know you as the make-your-bed guy. Did you actually ever think that he would be captured alive? Im absolutely ok with that. SINGAPORE - The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) had to prise open a taxi's roof to rescue two female passengers following an accident in the early hours of Saturday morning (July 10). I can see it on the overhead surveillance. Of course, as we began to come in to target the one helicopter loses lift as it got over the target. I love this sense of kind of duty, honor and country that I saw in this greatest generation. We were holding our breath whether he could make it. And never once, never once in all those years have I heard Moki Martin complain about his lot in life. Television, film and video games have infused popular culture, and the political debate, with the power of special warfare to get the job done on the cheap. But it wasnt the first time Id had a, quote, premonition. A hard landing off to the side. He also explains how giving up isn't an option no matter what you're going through. When McRaven was 10, Sean Connery's James Bond spent a lot of screen time in Thunderball pummeling underwater bad guys and making out with Domino, the underwater hottie. But occupied France and John F. Kennedy are not what usually come to mind when special operators look for a reference point. If bin Laden had his hands up and he clearly was not a threat which was going to be difficult because you dont know whether or not theyre carrying a suicide vest underneath but if he had come out of that room with his hands up and clearly not a threat, we had an obligation, a legal obligation, a moral obligation to capture him. Adm. William McRaven, who oversaw the raid on Osama bin Laden's home, says as it went beyond the planned time, he feared Pakistani forces might find U.S. troops . The Navy brass had established a secret counterterrorist unit under Commander Richard Marcinko, a creative, mercurial and extravagantly profane enthusiast of commando arts. And we had a plan to do that. You said, quote, As a commander, you would like to be in ultimate control of all of the decisions, but the reality is you cant be. So anybody that claims that theyve got a helmet cam video, nobody was wearing helmet cams. But before all that, he had to recover from a terrible accident. Image: Wikipedia.org. Richard Marcinko, the hard-charging founding commander of Navy SEAL Team 6, the storied and feared unit within an elite commando force that later . Can you reflect on that moment and what it was like for you, what you took in at that moment? So there was always concern about the Pakistanis engaging. And as I would find out later, it wouldnt be the last time. Admiral, tell me about that premonition. The date that seared itself into their collective memory is April 24, 1980. In fact, he pushed two young girls, his daughters, in front of him, which created some chaos. The bad news is that when it opened, it split me like a nutcracker, I guess, and just kind of broke the pelvis, broke my back.". I had received an intelligence brief the night before from one of the great noncommissioned officers that was part of the Saddam hunt. At the time, Admiral William H. McRaven thought that this accident put a definitive end to his career. "Go forth and be the heroes we need you to be," he told graduates. 3 commander twice a year. By the time I landed back in Baghdad, the force was moving towards the target and within, you know, within an hours time, the Armys special operations guys that were working for me had had, in fact, captured Saddam Hussein. What I would offer is I think when he finally realized that he no longer had his palaces, he no longer had his generals, he no longer had his handmaidens, he went from being pompous and arrogant to frankly, just being, you know, a tired, corrupt old man. hour.s about an mr. axelrod: admiral, great to see you again. HOOVER: You know, you were also in charge of a very successful high seas rescue of Captain Phillips, who was held hostage by pirates off the coast of Somalia. Admiral William H. McRaven is the ninth commander of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Bin Laden was in American hands, status adjusted: "enemy killed in action." In his speech, Adm. McRaven makes use of pathos, ethos, and a strong delivery to make his points about accomplishing small goals to reach a larger one and standing one's ground. on. We were holding our breath . It's a lesson Admiral William H. McRaven (retired) learned after a parachute accident that left him bedridden for months. And so what we had to do pretty quickly was to make sure he understood that he was a prisoner of the United States and we were going to treat him well. After jumping from the plane, McRaven noticed the jumper below him had pulled his chute, and it was coming at him fast. So I reached for my rip cord, pulled the rip cord, and the pilot chute comes out of the back of the parachute. ET. ", Secret Agent Man "It was hard to watch it from afar, at the White House, but at the time, because I was still broken up pretty bad, I'm not sure I could have done much to help," he says. "Well, he pulls his parachute, and I collide with his parachute little bit like getting hit by an air bag. How was it that you came to be inside Iraq, though, on the day that Saddam Hussein was captured? I knew that there would have to be some sort of follow on action against Al-Qaeda. How have you seen this generation rise to the occasion in a way thats perhaps different than General Westmorelands observations? And sure enough, by the time we got back, the great Army Special Operations unit had gotten the lead. Admiral William McRaven is a retired U.S. Navy four-star Admiral. There are costs. Starting your day off by completing a task will initiate your momentum to do the next task, and then the next, and so on. I think he still felt that he would come back into power. Kurt Ganapathy. Now, I would offer that I use the word premonition, but it was probably the fact that my brain was connecting the dots. Leon Panetta, who joined the video call from CIA headquarters, told TIME's Massimo Calabresi that "all the air we were holding came out." I knew that there would have to be some sort of follow on action against Al-Qaeda. Ill lie down next to the body just to see whether or not the remains are a little longer. And we had a plan to do that. The Theory and Practice of Special Ops And Maybe the World . And then as we start to get into the December timeframe, we had another lead. And, oh by the way, the guys are still in the compound. I had been talking to the leader of the Army Task Force. "Special forces have taken greater measures in the last year and a half to reduce civilian casualties," says Erica Gaston, who wrote a report for the Open Society Foundations, "but one night raid in a village can be enough to turn [people] against international and Afghan government efforts. I didnt want to because I didnt want him to think that he was somehow important enough to be able to engage El Jefe, as he called me. So whenever a shot is fired, somebody is reporting through the chain. In 2014 Admiral William H. 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