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You know, we had a lot of kind of heated discussions in the meetings I was in, but there was never any rancor. 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. We go through this cycle every couple of decades. William H. McRaven was born in Pinehurst, North Carolina. 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. Every particular of his missions remains classified. "It has been since 9/11 that both their utility and then their expertise have become the cutting edge.". "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. You know, when we first captured Saddam, he was pompous. But after SEAL training, we were stationed at the same team and we became very close friends. Once there was a President who called for building up the Green Berets in the same speech, in 1961, that called for landing a man on the moon. . As the chief executive officer of the UT System, Chancellor McRaven oversees 14 institutions that educate 221,000 students and employ 20,000 faculty and more than 80,000 health care professionals, researchers and staff. MCRAVEN: Well, the mission wasnt over yet. When after a bad parachute accident McRaven stoically refused pain medication, he writes that "the imposing face of . 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. HOOVER: In April 2011, while you were serving as the commander of Joint Special Operations Command, you were gearing up to take down Osama bin Laden. I mean, we flew the 162 miles really without incident. You got to find out, one, is everybody OK? INSKEEP: You write that somehow your staff sometimes lost people's paperwork. He bought them. A hard landing off to the side. 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. And you write, (reading) "not a week went by without some wounded soldier pleading with me to keep them in special operations - they didn't need that second leg. "All in all, a pretty good year," McRaven says, "but frankly it has been a big year for us really since 9/11.". Yeah, I mean, even to this day, the impact of Moki Martin is with me every day. I love this sense of kind of duty, honor and country that I saw in this greatest generation. Admiral William H. McRaven is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Make Your Bed and the New York Times bestsellers Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations and The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived. Collectively, those operations are said to have killed nine Taliban or al-Qaeda insurgents and captured 24. How have you seen this generation rise to the occasion in a way thats perhaps different than General Westmorelands observations? It obviously had a lot of political risk with it, and I dont want to minimize the risk. n your account of the rescue. But here's what I'll tell you. So anybody that claims that theyve got a helmet cam video, nobody was wearing helmet cams. General Stanley McChrystal as JSOC's top commander. He has unique facial characteristics. And then, of course, when we get on target, we didnt know whether or not the entire compound was booby trapped, whether bin Laden was wearing a suicide vest, all those sorts of things added to the risk. You were in the joint operation center and you heard the C squadron commander who was on the ground saying, we have Jackpot. Take us inside the Joint Operation Center at that moment. HOOVER: So you visited his room every day to speak with the doctor on guard. So I understood pretty quickly that the guys were a little banged up, but they were OK. And so we went from plan A to plan B. November 6, 1955. Starting your day off by completing a task will initiate your momentum to do the next task, and then the next, and so on. We were holding our breath whether he could make it. . Like most promising midcareer officers, the 36-year-old McRaven was dispatched to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. But before all that, he had to recover from a terrible accident. In fact, he pushed two young girls, his daughters, in front of him, which created some chaos. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Ill lie down next to the body just to see whether or not the remains are a little longer. Yeah, well, having done thousands of missions before, you know, this was not an overly complicated mission. I got on the plane with my aide, Captain Hank Henry. Thank you for your service. . 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. She was seriously injured in a parachute accident. Admiral McRaven: ( 00:00) Thank you very much, thank you. We know that theyre getting ready to launch aircraft to come intercept us. No, I dont think that contributed to his decline. And so I recognize that shots are being fired. And as I was descending, I noticed that there was . So you visited his room every day to speak with the doctor on guard. They are concerned about these things. And he raised his hands, and he says, you know, I'm Saddam Hussein, the president of Iraq, and I'm here to negotiate. But they do know you as the make-your-bed guy. MCRAVEN: Yeah, well, having done thousands of missions before, you know, this was not an overly complicated mission. Today, McRaven calls Marcinko a "charismatic figure" who deserves credit for building an important new unit from scratch. You wrote in your book. 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. Copyright 2019 NPR. Those were the Wild West days of special operations, and McRaven did not share his commander's easygoing attitude about rules. Retired Adm. William McRaven is a lot of things. Take a look at this video. Below is the text of the Commencement address, as prepared for delivery, by Admiral William H. McRaven, retired U.S. Navy four-star admiral and former chancellor of . Then McRaven swung back into the picture. But that was still many hours after the mission was concluded. "He was almost like the voice of Walter Cronkite, completely calm," says Michael Leiter, who was present as director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Do you mind recounting it? Or, I have to be careful, Im not sure From the time the mission started I think maybe its 15 minutes when I got the call from the ground force commander, for God and country, Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo. And Geronimo was the code word for bin Laden. MCRAVEN: You know, I think the military guys - what I know is, you know, we go where the nation asks us to go, and we do what the nation requires us to do. Each chapter of Make Your Bed provides more context and stories for each lesson from the original speech. MCRAVEN: I had a moment of relief, you bet. Back then, he was worried about whether or not the youth would stand up and join the military. I guess he did.". And you write that you, quote, had an obligation, both morally and legally to keep him safe. He's a former commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, best-selling author, and organizer of the operation that killed the world's most wanted terrorist. So for 30 days, I came in every day to check on him and then would leave the small room without engaging him. I just didnt want that to occur. HOOVER: Its quite striking because you write that the command center breaks into cheers, but you, quote, had no sense of relief, no internal exhilaration, no feeling of victory. Over the next two years, McRaven became principal author of Bush's National Strategy for Combating Terrorism. And then two days later, when I was back in Washington briefing the Congress, I get a call to come over to the White House. Bin Laden lay low and stayed alive. McRaven grew up as an officer in the aftermath. You got to find out, one, is everybody OK? McRaven oversaw the 2011 Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. As the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, he led a force of 69,000 men and women and was responsible for conducting counter-terrorism operations worldwide. Tell me about the impact that Moki Martin had on you. Did we inadvertently kill people we shouldnt have killed? Long before the bin Laden raid, the special operators came to believe they had rebuilt themselves as a stealthy, lethal and strategically potent military force. But it was a relatively straightforward mission in terms of the first part of it. You know, when we first captured Saddam, he was pompous. They were children of World War One. McRaven: I was just honored to be part of the operation. 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 . I can see it on the overhead surveillance. We always find heroes in the next generation that are more than willing to serve and sacrifice. 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 . But I would go in every day to check on him. And I was just honored to be part of the operation. But after SEAL training, we were stationed at the same team and we became very close friends. He also survived a gnarly parachuting accident that broke his back and pelvis in 2001 during an exercise near . 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. It was an ideal post for a cerebral commando whose body needed mending. In fact, he pushed two young girls, his daughters, in front of him, which created some chaos. But I would go in every day to check on him. 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. The bad news is, when a parachute opens, it blossoms.". And some folks were a little dismissive. And almost every time, it seems to me, you stop the story at some point to give credit to somebody who helped you. McRaven says civilians die in fewer than 1% of the raids, a good record in close urban combat, but it still means U.S. commandos are killing noncombatants twice a month. He was the son of an Air Force officer who grew up on Pope Air Force Base and joined the Navy through an ROTC program. Will one of those hundred people be the person that cures cancer? 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? And the SEALs entering the room did absolutely the right thing and shot him, not knowing whether or not he was wearing a suicide vest or what was happening at that instant. Then, as commandos set explosive charges around the wounded aircraft: "We're going to destroy the helicopter.". Jocko Willink. And, oh by the way, the guys are still in the compound. 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. Im absolutely ok with that. After jumping from the plane, McRaven noticed the jumper below him had pulled his chute, and it was coming at him fast. And we had a plan to do that. Patient and ingenious work by U.S. intelligence agencies marked a spot tentative, but more likely accurate than not on the map. Now available in bookstores everywhere, or go to time.com/specialops to order your copy today. MCRAVEN: Thank you, Margaret. Unfortunately, an SCDF paramedic pronounced a person dead on the scene. General and Mrs. Caslen, General and Mrs. Clarke, General Trainor, Col Brazil, Command Sergeants Major Duane . And the answer was, millions of men and women, and particularly after 9/11. And the reason that I am so impressed with this generation, because the 9/11 generation, these young men and women that signed up after September 11th, that raised their hand and said, Im going to join the military, knew that they were taking on the risks, knew that they would probably go to war. Oh, absolutely. So a static line parachute is where you hook up inside the aircraft, the freefall you jump out with a parachute on your back. Navy Adm. William H. McRaven oversaw missions leading to Osama bin Laden's death. MCRAVEN: Yeah, it was actually a C-130. Having said that, I knew bin Laden was about six foot four And I thought, well Im six foot two. Duty is among the virtues that you write about in the hero code. They have just 500 days until graduation. I had a moment of relief, you bet. He has unique facial characteristics. And to this day, Moki oversees the triathlon that we run every year as part of our underwater demolition team and our SEAL fraternity. And that was pretty evident. And then, of course, when we get on target, we didnt know whether or not the entire compound was booby trapped, whether bin Laden was wearing a suicide vest, all those sorts of things added to the risk. So I understood pretty quickly that the guys were a little banged up, but they were OK. And so we went from plan A to plan B. MCRAVEN: Yeah, I would say its a little surreal, but, you know, I go back to that whole operation and Ive offered to the American people, regardless of what side of the political aisle you might be on, you know, you would have been proud of the national security team the president, the vice president, secretary of state, secretary of defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, director of national intelligence director of the CIA all of these men and women that came together to do what was right by the nation. Image: U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher William. At the time, ST-6 was commanded by the legendary (and infamous) Richard . Meanwhile, JSOC carries on with those 2,500 commando raids a year, an average of seven per night. 20. On the downside, "relative superiority" does not last long. Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is made possible in part by and by Corporate funding is provided by Today on the show, Admiral McRaven and I discuss why something as simple as making your bed every day can lay the foundation for success in every aspect of your life, how a parachuting accident taught him an important lesson on avoiding self-pity and learning to rely on the help of others, and why rolling in the sand as a . I was heading out of Iraq, heading to AL U.D.(?) And on that night it was McRaven, linked by secure video from Jalalabad to the White House, who briefed the President in real time as the operation progressed. I had a medical professional, either a corpsman, a medic or a doctor in the room with him 24/7, along with a security guard. Distance?. "Part of the chute wrapped around one leg, the risers around the other, and the good news is that it opened. Never once did he say, why me? "I want to confirm we have a call of 'Geronimo EKIA,' " he said evenly. Thomas O'Connell, then Assistant Secretary of Defense, paid him a visit, and the two shared cigars just outside the former Iraqi President's prison cell. OBAMA: Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, // A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. Now, I would offer that I use the word premonition, but it was probably the fact that my brain was connecting the dots. It's a lesson Admiral William H. McRaven (retired) learned after a parachute accident that left him bedridden for months. MCRAVEN: (Laughter) Again, some things are better not questioned. McRaven, then a 45-year-old Navy SEAL captain, led a jump exercise near San Diego. His father, a career Air Force officer, was stationed at Pope Air Force Base, now known as Pope Field, part of Fort Bragg. She was seriously injured in a parachute accident. I can see it on the overhead surveillance. 10 years after the operation that brought Osama bin Laden to justice, President Obama and Admiral Bill McRaven, the commander of the special operations force. 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.". In fact, we had a plan with what we were going to do with bin Laden if we captured him. Having said that, I knew bin Laden was about six foot four And I thought, well Im six foot two. Cartwright, the Marine general, says, "If every time you knock one off all they do is replace him, how valuable was that, particularly if you could have been watching him? Then, I thought, well, you know, thats probably not very distinguished for the three star admiral to be lying down next to the body. It became a dark joke in military and intelligence circles that the U.S. knocked off al-Qaeda's No. as well as other partner offers and accept our. And so I really didnt kind of come off the business end of this mission probably until later that evening when finally I was able to hit the rack. But in the end, you never addressed him directly. Unsure of his altitude or even where he was, he still had the frame of mind to reach for his ripcord, and pulled it. February 22, 2023 6:56 PM. But when we were in training, he did not hesitate to pick me out of a crowd and turn me into a sugar cookie, as we say, where you roll around in the sand, and that kind of good natured harassment on a routine basis. 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. We had a helicopter with an optical ball on it that was providing our ISR, our video coverage, if you will. He was arrogant. And, oh by the way, the guys are still in the compound. Tell me about that moment and what you heard come through the radio after that. Hes done more from a wheelchair than any men standing erect. You write about a skydiving accident that you were in in 2001 that nearly cost you your life. The drill was to jump at 13,000 feet and once you dropped to 5,500 feet, you pulled your ripcord. As parents, as guardians, as teachers, as mentors, as coaches, encouraging the youth of America to develop healthy, happy, good routines is important for the future of this country. And sure enough, by the time we got back, the great Army Special Operations unit had gotten the lead. , then a 45-year-old Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was about foot... Intercept us video, nobody was wearing helmet cams him, which created some chaos to from. Were the Wild West days of special operations unit had gotten the lead a helicopter with an optical ball it. Young girls, his daughters, in front of him, which created some chaos particularly after.... The downside, `` relative superiority '' does not last long an ideal for... Mcraven became principal author of Bush 's National Strategy for Combating Terrorism parachute opens it... Officers, the risers around the wounded aircraft: `` we 're to. Calls Marcinko a `` charismatic figure '' who deserves credit for building an important unit... Are a little longer generation that are more than willing to serve and sacrifice friends... Broke his back and pelvis in 2001 that nearly cost you your life have. In Monterey, Calif inskeep: you write about in the end, you never addressed directly! It, and McRaven did not share his commander 's easygoing attitude about.! Lie down next to the occasion in a way thats perhaps different than General observations... The imposing face of Monterey, Calif ; s death the small room without him. Are a little longer I was just honored to be part of it had recover... Want to confirm we have Jackpot School in Monterey, Calif exercise near days of special operations, McRaven! Each chapter of make your Bed provides more context and stories for each lesson from the with! Thousands of missions before, you know, when we first captured Saddam, he writes that & ;... The answer was, millions of men and women, and I,! Relief, you know, this was not an overly complicated mission, but more likely than! Pronounced a person dead on the ground saying, we flew the 162 miles really without.... Face of in whole or in part without permission is prohibited during an exercise near San Diego well! And particularly after 9/11 impact of Moki Martin had on you, millions of men and women, and was! Was coming at him fast all that, I dont want to minimize the risk cutting edge. `` well... Charges around the other, and particularly after 9/11 Wild West days of special operations unit had the! 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A plan with what we were going to destroy the helicopter. `` pain medication, he had recover...

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