Esquire article wrongly claims that SEAL who killed bin Laden is denied health care
Like every combat veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the former SEAL, who is identified in the story only as “the Shooter”, is automatically eligible for five years of free healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
But the story doesn’t mention that.
The writer, Phil Bronstein, who heads up the Center for Investigative Reporting, stands by the story. He said the assertion that the government gave the SEAL “nothing” in terms of health care is both fair and accurate, because the SEAL didn’t know the VA benefits existed.
“No one ever told him that this is available,” Bronstein said.
He said there wasn’t space in the article to explain that the former SEAL’s lack of healthcare was driven by an ignorance of the benefits to which he is entitled. …
Blowback
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That’s hard to believe.
Is this a James Frey moment?
conservative pilgrim on February 11, 2013 at 11:25 PM
No.
BallisticBob on February 11, 2013 at 11:26 PM
Facts are bothersome and counterproductive to sell the story he wants people to buy.
ButterflyDragon on February 11, 2013 at 11:26 PM
Fishy story is fishy.
Purple Fury on February 11, 2013 at 11:29 PM
climbdown.
ted c on February 11, 2013 at 11:36 PM
This shit is pathetic. College educated adults play stupid whenever called upon to explain. Phil needs to go back to school. Take Logic–or get a fkng decoder ring and get a clue.
arnold ziffel on February 11, 2013 at 11:42 PM
It’s very hard to believe. We in the Navy have a week-long seminar for all separating servicemen, and it goes into sometimes mind-numbing detail on the benefits we are eligible for. I should know – I did it twice, just to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
Jeff Weimer on February 11, 2013 at 11:51 PM
lol, the class or another four years–just to make sure you really were tired of the Navy?
arnold ziffel on February 12, 2013 at 12:00 AM
Fake but accurate!
CycloneCDB on February 12, 2013 at 12:36 AM
This is pretty typical. There is not a lot of effort explaining to veterans what benefits are available to them and that “free healthcare” might mean being seen at VA facilities and the quality of those can vary widely. Some are good, some are worse then no medical care.
There are often a lot of benefits available that veterans are not aware of. There is a group that is now forming to help make this easier. It isn’t a government group, it is a group of former military organizing to help fellow veterans. Why organizations like the VFW or American Legion don’t already do this, I have no idea. But in any case, there are private individuals who, as I type, are getting together an organization to help connect veterans with the benefits that meet their needs.
One of the problems is that there is a myriad of different programs. It is very difficult for anyone to be aware of all of them. Some of them overlap, sometimes there are gaps between them, it is like trying to negotiate a maze of bureaucracy.
crosspatch on February 12, 2013 at 1:50 AM
profitsbeard on February 12, 2013 at 2:34 AM
B.S. It didnt fit the narrative and/or he didnt mention it to his editor. If it’s the latter, his editor should be pissed.
Wasn’t space in the article? I checked and it’s over 15,000 words, or about x 10 the norm. If you’re already at 15,000, why not drop a couple hundred more and write something that describes his situation and fits the narrative? He’s already talking about the government screwing him, why not take the next logical step and talk about the endless bureaucracy, constant delays, and myriad of disconnected and apathetic VA personnel who failed to help him? He wouldn’t even be making it up.
Logboy on February 12, 2013 at 2:37 AM
SOURCE MATERIAL FOR THIS EXPOSE.
profitsbeard on February 12, 2013 at 2:38 AM
I failed to notice the author Phil Bronstein is an editor. So his omission of the shooter’s so-called lack of knowledge of his VA health benefits was on purpose. (Everyone in the military, even Privates, know you need 20 years in for retirement benefits.)
I’m wondering if this was an opening salvo on the part of the shooter to convince the government to take care of him generously for life (while heavily suggesting they do it for the other SEALs too) despite not putting in his full 20 for piddly benefits. Unless he’s bluffing (or its simply a cry for help) the next step after this is dance with the devil and write a full blown book which would most certainly net him all the income he needs while maintaining a life of anonymity, threats from the Titanic administration over security leaks be damned.
Shooter needs publicity. Bronstein wants the story. In exchange for the story shooter demands a certain sympathetic narrative be kept. Key facts are omitted and writer’s liberties are taken, like the shooters apparent ignorance of his benefits, or the fact the Navy SEAL re-enlistment bonuses can reach up to $40,000.
Not a bad play when you think about it. What kind of a person would dare to deny the nation’s hero, the one who handed President Obama one of his reelection chips, better benefits for his role in one of the most important military conquests after 9/11? In the words of Piers Morgan, “How dare you.”
Some random thoughts of the top of my head.
Logboy on February 12, 2013 at 3:35 AM
Or — perhaps it is all a hoax? After all — where is the evidence that the “journalist” interviewed anyone? Not the first time a “reporter” just makes up a story out of whole cloth. Since there are no names given, there is no way anyone can verify the story.
SunSword on February 12, 2013 at 5:30 AM
Bronstein’s response is very hollow – the title of the article is “The Man Who Killed Osama bin Laden… Is Screwed” … and in Bronstein’s article, he pays special attention to all of the physical maladies that this seaman endures … and he neglects to mention that the seaman is due 5 years of free health care?
Bronstein’s claim that the SEAL was never told about this is dubious as well, because Bronstein goes on and on about how the SEAL has stayed in contact with a lot of his fellow SEALs … are you saying that NO ONE mentioned ANYTHING about 5 years of free healthcare, even in passing?
Really? I find that extremely hard to believe, given how Bronstein again and again talks about how smart and motivated Navy SEALs are.
furytrader on February 12, 2013 at 6:29 AM
There’s a bigger picture here. The Navy eats these SEAL’s up and spits them out early in their ‘career’. It’s much tougher to do 20 as a SEAl than any other job I know.
As for not understanding VA benefits….it’s a nightmare. And the VA is hard to navigate for claims and it’s a flip of the coin to get them IMO.
BierManVA on February 12, 2013 at 6:43 AM
Are we sure Usama is dead? We never saw the pictures.
SouthernGent on February 12, 2013 at 7:04 AM
No, it’s very highly likely that he didn’t know about the benefit.
HondaV65 on February 12, 2013 at 8:08 AM
On your first point, that’s an excellent point. I never thought of that. It would seem to warrant a thoughtful legislation solution.
Your second point is well taken too. I guess I just don’t understand how, for all the increase in the number of federal employees in the past few years, Obama hasn’t done anything to beef up VA staff to assist with these transitions. This seems like a national disgrace. I suppose the last thing we need is more lazy, fat-a** federal employees sitting around picking their noses for a gubmint check. But couldn’t some of these normally useless bureaucrats be assigned to the VA to help vets leaving the service?
BuckeyeSam on February 12, 2013 at 8:12 AM
I call BS. This Navy Seal with 16 years in service, doesn’t know to ask a question or use google? I understand that one might not know all the bennies available to him but there is too much information out there. After I broke my back the second time I found out about the V.A. Pension. Not much bread but almost pays the bills. And that is for non-service related disability. As a Seal they would bend over backwards to help him IF he asked. Our clinics and hospitals are staffed with veterans and I can say that I have never had a bad experience since I have been in the system. The only requirement that I had to meet was service during Vietnam termed “wartime service” and my injury. He apparently has some health problems which would qualify him for service related benefits.
ricnrolle on February 12, 2013 at 8:37 AM
I do too. My husband just retired from the Army. There was a class for everything and every benefit. It was just for retirees either. THese class included medical discharges and those that were leaving the military. I find it hard to believe that he didn’t realize that he had access to insurance since the there are classes specific to the VA and Tricare.
I don’t buy it. Maybe years ago, but the outprocessing is set up now that every benefit is reviewed via classes. And if not everyone has access to a computer. We specifically looked up what benefits were given to us as a retired Veteran in our state. I find it hard to believe that someone who obviously needed the service wasn’t proactive enough to look to see if he was eligible.
melle1228 on February 12, 2013 at 8:54 AM
Sure, there’s a slim chance that this guy didn’t know about the VA, but highly unlikely. Maybe he blew off the out processing meetings and didn’t read the material that explains all his benefits and the ramifications of his choice to get out at 16. Are you saying he had never heard of the VA during his time? There are a lot of holes in this story, and this one is a red flag.
conservative pilgrim on February 12, 2013 at 9:07 AM
Many from the front page thread seem to think the entire article is basically a hose job. They do however seem to give Esquire the benefit of the doubt. I’m not sure they should.
Bmore on February 12, 2013 at 9:19 AM
There is also the fact that any injuries/damage incurred as a result of service is covered by the VA just about in perpetuity. Yes, it’s a pain to prove it, etc, etc. But it *is* covered.
GWB on February 12, 2013 at 9:19 AM
My wife teaches the Army Career Alumni Program here on post (she’s on TDY teaching it this week, matter of fact), and if the Navy has anything, it’s a week of briefings, classes and workshops dedicated to explaining what you’re eligible for as a veteran, how to improve your resume and convert your DD214 into civilian-speak, and some other things about transitioning from soldier to veteran. I know the Navy offers something similar, because the Navy sends their sailors to our program if they’re on an Army post.
If this “Shooter” didn’t attend, despite it being mandatory, and feels left out in the cold, he sees the person responsible every day, probably when he’s shaving and brushing his teeth.
Sgt Steve on February 12, 2013 at 9:20 AM
If the government was only half as good at explaining military benefits to solders as it is at explaining freebies to illegal aliens there wouldn’t be a problem.
trs on February 12, 2013 at 9:48 AM
bullshit.
when I took terminal leave in 89 due to knee injuries that prevented re-up I had a lot of paperwork and talks about the VA stuff.
and I would not have had the unit support this guy would have had.
dmacleo on February 12, 2013 at 10:11 AM
Some troll just convinced this “reporter” that he was the shooter.
MechanicalBill on February 12, 2013 at 10:31 AM