‘Honor is a fulltime job’ retired Navy SEAL tells cadets

  • Published
  • By Ray Bowden
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Three retired special force operators visited the Air Force Academy Jan. 12 to take part in a panel discussion for senior cadets on serving their country honorably.

The Academy's Public Affairs Office was asked not to record the names or photograph the former SEAL Team 6 operators or Delta Force operator, but the trios' record of service has been confirmed by Academy officials. "They've been involved in the full spectrum of missions, from international terrorism and other challenges," said the event's moderator, Shawn Cassidy, the founder and CEO of the Leadership and Freedom Center in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

SEALS are the Navy's primary special operations force and assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. Delta Force is an Army unit used for hostage rescue, counterterrorism and direct action and reconnaissance against high-value targets.

"What developed from our commitment is that we learned that failure is not an option," said the younger SEAL, when asked about the importance of commitment to the mission. "When you finally realize what [honor] is, you realize it's a full-time job."

Honor is doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason, said the older SEAL.

"The entire team is committed to the honor displayed by every member,' he said. "[Honor] has a team impact." Training and technical expertise are essential to serving honorably, and the U.S. is better than any nation when it comes to projecting force for the good of others, said the retired Delta Force operator. "We all know right from wrong innately," he said. The Delta Force operator told the cadets that throughout his career, he modeled himself after honorable NCOs and officers he served with. "The way they conducted themselves professionally made me want to be like them," he said.

Cassidy asked the operators how they balance individual loyalty with fixing incorrect behavior.

"You need to think about 'What do I need to do better so I don't let the team down," said the younger SEAL.

The younger SEAL mentioned the importance of continuous training and the review of every operation, whether an official operation or an exercise.

"The entire team would scrub every operation," he said. "It's a time of brutal honesty, but a time not to take things personally. Sometimes you need to be critiqued by an outside source. Brutal honesty is not always fun but it brings the team to a higher level."

The older Navy SEAL said creative thinking can work wonders when it comes to solving a problem or addressing a team member's mistake.

"There's a very manageable way where when people make a mistake, it can become an emotional experience [for them]," he said

The three special operators closed the event by discussing the importance of team loyalty and honesty.

"When Delta made a mistake, we didn't sweep it under the rug -- we told others about it," said the Delta Force operator. "It made me proud of the unit. I watched what the unit went on to achieve and I could not have been more proud."

This event was part of the Academy's Profession of Arms Speaker series, and the cadets' honor education, which takes place throughout their four years at the Academy.