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How Osama bin Laden's Hunter Gets a Fresh Start Every Morning | Rob O'Neill | Goalcast

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Rob O'Neill, ex-Navy SEAL who says he killed Osama bin Laden, discusses book, "The Operator"

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Former Navy SEAL Rob O'Neill, who claims he fired the shots that killed Osama bin Laden, discusses his book, "The Operator," which was recently released in paperback. O'Neill says he faced criticism for writing the book. He also speaks to CBSN's Errol Barnett on "Red & Blue" about why he is not running for office.

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Being a hero comes with a cost.  In any novel that has a hero, there is always a downfall that the hero has to go through.  In his story, Rob O'Neill is no different.  He becomes an American hero when he takes the shots that kill Osama Bin Laden.  Throughout the SEAL community, everyone knew that Rob was the one that said he killed Osama.  Once word got out to the rest of the world, Rob was constantly criticized and questioned about what happened that night and if he really did kill him.  He states, "It's a difficult position to be in, one that has caused anxiety and sleepless nights... I'm committed to making the most of it" (O'Neill 336).  Rob got over this by speaking out for others, not himself.  He came out to not only put a face to a name but to bring closure to the families who lost people in the 9/11 attacks. The theme of heroism is prevalent in novels since the beginning of time. It is appealing to all cultures and readers because it shows that being a hero is not only a big responsibility but also a challenge. It takes a certain mindset and mental toughness that O'Neill describes in his book to overcome that challenge, do what is right for humanity, and not care what others say. It is an important lesson for anyone that wants to do something great in life and make a difference.

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Rob finally changes after the most important raid of modern history, the Osama Bin Laden raid. Rob finds it hard to adapt to his new fame. Many people criticize him in the SEAL community. They question if he really was the one who fired the shots. Rob is towards the end of his military career and thinks that the smart idea is to get out soon. After a helicopter goes down and kills thirty SEALs, Rob gets out with a honorable discharge. Now, after the many years in the military, Rob is much more mature then when he came in. But, the difference is, he doesn't know what to do. For years he knew what his passion and job was and now, he needs to find a way to support his family.

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In the middle of the novel, Rob was in the middle of constant deployments.  He goes from doing little work in the SEAL teams to war after 9/11 happens.  His no quit mentality makes him want to do more than he has already done.  He goes to try out for SEAL Team 6.  He matures both in his real life and his professional life.  He becomes a member of SEAL Team 6 by fine tuning his skills. He also meets his wife during this time.

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At the beginning of the novel, Rob is a naive young man.  He joins the military out of nowhere in order to get away from a girl.  When getting there he is sure that he wants to do something important.  He decides to put his physical and mental abilities to the test by going to BUD/S training. He learns as a young man the grit and determination that he has been gifted with. He also learns that his never quit attitude will bring him far in his military career.

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The Operator does have literary merit and is a novel that everyone should read. This book is important people that are going into the military. But, it is also is an important book to read for other lines of work. Businesses, doctors, construction workers, and all other job fields can read this book and learn how the no-quit attitude works.  There is something to take away for everyone that reads this book. For me, I learned more about how the military works and how to make it farther in the military. For others, they may learn how to put their minds to something and push through any barriers that stand in their way. The novel itself had a specific style. The most noticeable difference between this book and other books it the censured parts of it. Obviously, this is because the book had to be brought to the Department of Defense and cleared because it included some important military information. The black boxes show that there is confidential information. It makes the book interesting because it leaves the reader to think about what is behind the black boxes (which is obvious because the number behind the SEAL Team is boxed out even though it was widely reported). The other part of the style that O'Neill adopts is the curse words that he often uses. It makes the novel seem more like a conversation to the reader. He often describes curse words in his thoughts and that allows the reader to vividly paint a picture of the scene he is describing.  This shows how the novel is in no way cliche.  However, he does use cliche catch phrases when describing war which just adds to his comedic style.  Because it is funny and teacher readers about the war against Al Qaeda and the no quit mentality, the book is universally appealing. Since the missions described by Rob O'neill in this novel are historical, this novel will stand the test of time and will forever be a book that many people read.

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Throughout all the training that O'Neill had to go through to become a Navy SEAL and a member of SEAL Team Six, he learned the no quit mentality that many members of the military community know well.  Rob described BUD/S training as not only a physical test but a mental one as well.  By learning the no quit mentality, Rob was able to power through the immense amount of training that they have to go through.  This mentality is also what Rob used throughout his career as a Navy SEAL and the various missions that he went on.  Without it, there would be no chance that he would have been able to safely go through the missions he went through. This theme is appealing to everyone in any culture. No matter what it is, the no quit mentality that Rob shows throughout his novel can be used. Whether it is the military or an office job of any kind, having this mentality will allow the person to go far, just like O'Neill.

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“Ninety minutes would give us a shot at another fifty years of life” (O’Neill 315).

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“That’s when I’d say, ‘Mom, stop worrying.  I’m here to do something special.  Don’t even worry about me” (O’Neill 241).

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“Of course in BUD/S there is no future, except for the next intimidating evolution, the next beatdown.  The next time they throw you in the pool to drown” (O’Neill 43).

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Robert O'Neill

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The Operator is a memoir by decorated Navy veteran Robert O’neill.  Though the name suggests it’s sole purpose is to describe the night of the Osama Bin Laden raid, the novel’s purpose is much greater.  It describes O’neill’s entire time as a Navy SEAL from 1996 to 2012.  He explains the extent of his training and all his years of missions and deployments that made it possible for him to be standing face to face with the man responsible for countless American deaths.

O’Neill first describes why he entered the military in the first place.  He jokes about it now but back in 1995, he enlisted in order to get away from a girl he just had broken up with.  The only way for people to get out of Butte, Montana was to join the military, so that is exactly what he did.  Wanting to join the Marines, Rob went to the recruiter.  The Marine recruiter was not in the office.  Rob remembered a line that his Marine friends said: “The Marine Corps is actually part of the Department of the Navy.  The men’s Department” (O’Neill 11).  He figured the Navy recruiter would know where he was.  The Navy recruiter persuaded Rob into going into the Navy and to become a Navy SEAL.  Even though Rob did not know how to swim, he signed the dotted line to ship out in six months.  At boot camp, Rob was able to pass the screening test to be able to go to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training after boot camp with three others out of the five hundred that tried.  After Boot Camp, Rob check into BUD/S Class 208.

Rob described this twenty eight week course as “hell” (O’Neill 45).  He knew going in that only about twenty percent of people made it through.  He describes his instructors and the beyond intense physical training that they require.  He states, “Of course in BUD/S there is no future, except for the next intimidating evolution, the next beatdown.  The next time they throw you in the pool to drown” (O’Neill 43).  He described Hell Week.  Hell Week is in phase one of BUD/S and the candidates get no sleep and are constantly getting physically and mentally challenged.  The amount of people in the class started to diminish as more and more people rang the bell three times and put their helmets down.  He made it through and eventually went on to drive training.  From SCUBA training to the 5.5 nautical-mile swim, the number of candidates continued to dwindle.  Eventually, Rob completed BUD/S and went on to SEAL Team Two at twenty years of age.

Rob and his still naive personality thought that SEALs would always be busy doing special missions.  In 1997, though, that was not what happened at all.  The SEALs haven’t seen much action since the invasion of Panama.  But, in early 2000, O’neill was on deployment in Lithuania and saw the attack on the Twin Towers.  He knew that his life was going to change and he wanted to fight.  He decided to try out for SEAL Team Six.  He knew that in this more elite team he will definitely get his chance to fight.   The training for SEAL Team Six was much more intense then BUD/S.  Instead of weeding out the sailors from the SEALs, everyone now had the no-quit mentality.  The Team Six instructors had to make sure that Rob would be able to perform at his best under the worst possible and most stressful situations.  He made it through training and met Nicole, his wife, in that time.  Before his daughter was even one year old, he went to Afghanistan to fight.

Over the coming years, Rob was constantly being deployed and was rarely home.  Throughout his novel he explains many of his most memorable missions.  The one in which he was awarded his Silver Star was one of them.  The other two memorable missions were also novels and major motion pictures, the rescue of Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell and the rescue of Captain Phillips.  However, after these two missions, Rob had the chance of a lifetime and a chance to make history.  In 2011, Rob along with other specially selected members of the SEAL Teams were brought to Washington to discuss a secret mission.  After thinking about who they were going after, the group finally realized that they were going for Osama Bin Laden.  They training for three weeks.  Everyone in the group knew that they were going on the mission but thought that it was a one way mission.  They did not think they were coming home.  Despite this, they all went and the mission went smoothly.  Because of the way that the team entered Bin Laden’s bedroom, naturally, Rob was the one that came face to face with the man and took three shots to end his life.  Towards the end of the novel, Rob explains how hard it was to be the one that took the shots.  There was people that would constantly think he is bragging.  He planned to get out of the Navy after a helicopter crash that left thirty SEALs and a dog dead.  He was honorably discharged in 2012.  Even being out of the Navy he still receives criticism from others about the night in Osama’s bedroom, and it is not guilt that he feels.  It is the constant conflict the night caused with his peers.