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Subject: Bravo two zero
GOP    8/26/2007 2:12:45 PM
Whatsup guys? What is the story on bravo two zero? I haven't read the book, but everything I read seems to be either hotly contested or unsure. I mean, the SAS Team Leader Mcnab seem to have either lied on numerous occasions, "stretched" the truth, gotten confused, or other members of the team are lying. Example: He claims to have covered 12km to get to a dry wadi, but other accounts say the team only went 2km. Also, it doesn't seem normal for a SOF team, especially of the SAS' caliber, to be captured. Did they surrender? I just can't see that. That would be a disgrace to the SAS wouldn't it? Now, don't take me as badmouthing the SAS Team, because I obviously am in no position to do that. I'm just a teenager, and those guys are obviously some of the best SOF guys on the planet, but something just doesn't add up to me. I don't really know or understand the story.
 
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gf0012-aust       8/28/2007 10:07:23 PM



So, what I have never understood is why the names and such of retired SAS guys are false.

Also, why are names of active duty guys false? Never understood that, maybe Im missing something obvious.

they're not supposed to use their real names if they go commercial.
I know of a few blokes ex SASR and no such restrictions apply.  They have temporary travel restrictions which requires DFAT approval before they can journey out - and in one case they were on restricted country travel with their partners. (ie there is a range of countries where its requested that they don't take "holidays")
 


 
 
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GOP       8/28/2007 10:26:55 PM






So, what I have never understood is why the names and such of retired SAS guys are false.



Also, why are names of active duty guys false? Never understood that, maybe Im missing something obvious.



they're not supposed to use their real names if they go commercial.

I know of a few blokes ex SASR and no such restrictions apply.  They have temporary travel restrictions which requires DFAT approval before they can journey out - and in one case they were on restricted country travel with their partners. (ie there is a range of countries where its requested that they don't take "holidays")

 



 

 

Thanks guys, that clears that up.

I don't blame the countries in question. I can understand their governments thinking "What the hell are 6 ex SASR guys doing here?"
 
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GOP       8/28/2007 10:29:57 PM
Of course, If I was a tier 1 guy (esp on active duty), I would never ever tell ANYONE my real job. They could be - or pass that information onto - terrorists, who might rather deal with you when you are vulnerable at home instead of having to deal with a whole team of guys in their country kicking in their doors or calling in bombs in their caves.
 
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gf0012-aust       8/28/2007 11:04:21 PM

Of course, If I was a tier 1 guy (esp on active duty), I would never ever tell ANYONE my real job.
In my limited exposure, nobody currently on the job ever says what they do. It's usally "I'm in the army" ;)  As I said before, about 7 years ago I worked for a mil consultancy company.  I was there for a year and only knew of 6 blokes who were ex SASR (and thats because I saw their official CV's for presentation to a vendor).  At my farewell I discovered another 4+ who I'd worked with and who had never mentioned their prev lives as chooks and troopers.
the biz I was talking about applies to ex operators.  if they're current, then the rules are completely different.

 
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GOP       8/28/2007 11:16:19 PM
Thats usually how you spot a phoney, the phoney is telling everyone he is ex-SOF, whereas the true SOF guy never says a word about it.
 
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Horsesoldier       8/30/2007 9:59:23 PM

Of course, If I was a tier 1 guy (esp on active duty), I would never ever tell ANYONE my real job. They could be - or pass that information onto - terrorists, who might rather deal with you when you are vulnerable at home instead of having to deal with a whole team of guys in their country kicking in their doors or calling in bombs in their caves.



The whole idea of "quiet professionals" is, at least in part, about OPSEC, and SOF units in general frown on things like "Bob Smith, Navy SEAL" MySpace pages or posting your resume in stickers on the back window of you car or truck ("Special Forces" banner, Jumpmaster and CIB stickers, etc etc etc.), though there are the occasional legit types who really push the boundaries on all that much more than they should (search of MySpace should illustrate point) along with all the fakes and posers out there. 
 
 
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mough       8/31/2007 11:44:34 AM
Yep HS is right, then there are guys like Ben Thomas, some people might recognise him around some forums, goes by the name "mookie specoli"..."former SEAL"....old Ben likes pulling that one, whats sad though is, he was actually in a SEAL team and was "asked" to leave before he got his budweiser badge...he made it through BUD/S ect...but let's just say he didn't work well with others, now he is plying his trade as a PMC in Iraq, and as an action man doing courses in Hollywood for movies......clown, he also has a myspacepage
 
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GOP       8/31/2007 1:48:47 PM

Yep HS is right, then there are guys like Ben Thomas, some people might recognise him around some forums, goes by the name "mookie specoli"..."former SEAL"....old Ben likes pulling that one, whats sad though is, he was actually in a SEAL team and was "asked" to leave before he got his budweiser badge...he made it through BUD/S ect...but let's just say he didn't work well with others, now he is plying his trade as a PMC in Iraq, and as an action man doing courses in Hollywood for movies......clown, he also has a myspacepage


This guy gets around. I've heard of him, he isn't a SEAL and shouldn't be advertising being a SEAL. He made it through the pipeline, but when you steal equipment and such and get asked to leave before you get your budweiser, you aren't a "SEAL".
 
From what I have heard, he is a big shit talker aswell. Pretty much makes it obvious on some forums that he will "Kick your ass" if you try to call him out. Oh well. How those types make it through the Pipeline I'll never know.
 
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GOP       8/31/2007 1:57:13 PM




Of course, If I was a tier 1 guy (esp on active duty), I would never ever tell ANYONE my real job. They could be - or pass that information onto - terrorists, who might rather deal with you when you are vulnerable at home instead of having to deal with a whole team of guys in their country kicking in their doors or calling in bombs in their caves.





The whole idea of "quiet professionals" is, at least in part, about OPSEC, and SOF units in general frown on things like "Bob Smith, Navy SEAL" MySpace pages or posting your resume in stickers on the back window of you car or truck ("Special Forces" banner, Jumpmaster and CIB stickers, etc etc etc.), though there are the occasional legit types who really push the boundaries on all that much more than they should (search of MySpace should illustrate point) along with all the fakes and posers out there. 

 


I agree. "Bob Smith" isn't a Navy SEAL, he's somewhat of a poser. I've seen some "Special Forces" stickers on trucks, and recently saw a Trident on the back of a car (with a base tag, so I believe it was a SEAL, this was in SDV2 territory). Just stupidity in my opinion. This is one profession where it isn't cool to go around bragging on what you do.
The response to the question "What do you do" should be "I'm in the Navy", or "I'm in the Army", etc. Not "I'm a Navy SEAL" or "I'm in Special Forces".
I don't think SOF guys should have myspace's, or definitely don't mention what you do. I don't even mention what I plan on doing to my friends, much less a outsider. I usually answer the question "What do you want to do in life" with "I plan on joining the military".
 
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GOP       8/31/2007 2:03:27 PM
LOL, I just said "Bob Smith isn't a Navy SEAL", I obviously meant "Ben 'Mookie' Thomas", don't know how I got Bob Smith.
 
Yeah, I'll occasionaly run up on myspace's with guys claiming to be SEALs or in SF, most of which I don't believe. However, every single Marine in the myspace network is sooooooo proud to be a Marine. "John Doe, US Marine". Headline: "I'm a US Marine!!!!!!1 Ooorah!!!!!!!". I don't think those guys would know OPSEC if it hit them in the face (not that they need to), and would probably have a hard time adjusting to that part of SOF life. "What do you do?", "I'm a motherfu(king kickass Marine Recon 'operator', I mean, just last week I was in (Name arab country)". 
 
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