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16/04/2016

7NavySEALspunishedforsecrecybreachtiedto'MedalofHonor'videogame|FoxNews

7NavySEALspunishedforsecrecybreachtiedto
'MedalofHonor'videogame|FoxNews
PublishedNovember09,2012
FoxNews.com
00

ThisproductimagereleasedbyElectronicArtsshowsactionfromthevideogame"MedalofHonor:
Warfighter."SevenmembersofthesecretiveNavySEALTeam6,includingoneinvolvedinthe
missiontokillUsamabinLaden,havebeenpunishedforallegedlydivulgingclassifiedinformationto
themakerofthegame,seniorNavyofficialssaidThursday,Nov.8,2012.(AP)
WASHINGTONSevenmembersofthesecretiveNavySEALTeam6,includingoneinvolvedinthe
UsamabinLadenraid,havebeenpunishedforallegedlydisclosingclassifiedinformation,twosenior
militaryofficialstellFoxNews.
Theywereaccusedfortheirroleworkingaspaidconsultantsforavideogamecompanyproducing
"MedalofHonor:Warfighter."TheofficialsaysfourotherSEALsareunderinvestigationforsimilar
allegeddisclosures,butarestillonactiveduty.
Thesevenreceivedwhatthemilitarycalls"nonjudicial"punishmentonWednesday.Theyweregiven
lettersofreprimand,whichisoften,butnotexclusively,acareerendingpunishmentitdependson
thecommander'sdiscretionandwhetherornothechoosestomakeitpartoftheoffender's
permanentservicerecord.Inaddition,thesevenSEALsweremadetoforfeithalftheirpayfortwo
months.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11/09/7navysealsreportedlypunishedforsecrecybreach.html

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16/04/2016

7NavySEALspunishedforsecrecybreachtiedto'MedalofHonor'videogame|FoxNews

ThedeputycommanderofNavalSpecialWarfareCommand,RearAdm.GarryBonelli,issueda
statementacknowledgingthatnonjudicialpunishmentshadbeenhandedoutformisconduct,buthe
didnotofferanydetails.
"Wedonottoleratedeviationsfromthepoliciesthatgovernwhoweareandwhatwedoassailorsin
theUnitedStatesNavy,"Bonellisaid.Healludedtotheimportanceofhonoringnondisclosure
agreementsthatSEALssign.
Hesaidthepunishmentsthisweek"sendaclearmessagethroughoutourforcethatweareandwill
beheldtoahighstandardofaccountability."
ThetwomaincomplaintsagainsttheSEALswerethattheydidnotseekthepermissionoftheir
commandtotakepartinthevideoprojectandthattheyshowedthevideodesignerssomeoftheir
speciallydesignedcombatequipmentuniquetotheirunit,saidaseniormilitaryofficial.Theofficial
wasbriefedaboutthecasebutwasnotauthorizedtospeakpubliclyaboutit.
BecausetheSEALsfailedtoaskpermissiontotakeoutside,paidjobs,commanderswerenotableto
approveorvetjobs,andthatamountstoaviolationoforders.
SEALs,includingsomeofthoseinvolvedinthebinLadenraidofMay2011,havebeen
uncharacteristicallyprominentinthenewsthisyear.
Thenonjudicialpunishmentwashandeddownwithinrecentdays,butrevelationsofthescandal
cameaboutduringaroundthetimeMattBissonnettewroteafirsthandaccountunderthepseudonym
MarkOwenofthebinLadenraid.
Bissonette,whoparticipatedintheraidinAbbottabad,Pakistan,butlaterretiredfromtheSEALs,
landedinhotwaterwiththePentagonevenbeforeitwaspublishedinSeptember.ThePentagon
accusedhimofdisclosingclassifiedinformationinviolationofthenondisclosureagreementshehad
signedasaSEAL.Hedisputesthecharge.
AlthoughBissonnettewasnotoneofthe11underscrutinyforthevideogamebreach,ithashas
beenwidelyreportedthatBissonnettewasoneoftheoriginalpaidconsultantsworkingforthe
gamingcompany,ElectronicsArts.ThePentagonsayshecannotbepunishedforthatbecausehe
hadalreadylefttheservice,butthePentagonisconsideringlegalactioninreturnforBissonnette's
decisiontowritethetellallbook.
TheSEALmissiontocaptureorkillbinLaden,whilestunninglysuccessful,encounteredanumberof
unexpectedobstacles,includingthelossofastealthyhelicopterthatwaspartiallyblownupbythe
SEALsaftermakingahardlandinginsidebinLaden'scompound.
TheheadofNavalSpecialWarfareCommand,RearAdm.SeanPybus,respondedtotheBissonnette
bookbytellinghisforcethat"hawkingdetailsaboutamission"andsellingotherinformationabout
SEALtrainingandoperationsputstheforceandtheirfamiliesatrisk.

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16/04/2016

7NavySEALspunishedforsecrecybreachtiedto'MedalofHonor'videogame|FoxNews

SEALs,bothactivedutyandretired,possesshighlysensitiveinformationabouttacticsand
techniquesthatarecentraltothesuccessoftheirsecretandoftendangerousmissionsoverseas.
Thatiswhytheyareobligedtosignnondisclosureagreementswhentheyenterserviceandwhen
theyleave,anditiswhythePentagonseekstoenforcesuchwrittenagreements.
ThepunishmentswerefirstreportedbyCBSNews.
FoxNews'JustinFishelandtheAssociatedPresscontributedtothisreport.

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