A group of US Navy SEALs have reportedly been disciplined for revealing secret practices to Electronic Arts earlier this year. At least seven SEAL Team Six members, the elite special forces group that carried out the raid that killed Osama bin Laden last year, are believed to have worked as paid consultants for the video game publisher over the course of two days this past spring and summer, CBS News has learned. Four other members that have since left the unit are also under investigation.
The soldiers were said to have given insight into their work for Medal of Honor: Warfighter. The game does not reenact the bin Laden raid but there are some realistic mission portrayals, like an attack on Somali pirates.
The report says the SEALs used classified information that may have been given to them by the Navy and they voluntarily violated the understanding that SEALs are silent warriors that shy away from the public spotlight.
Ironically, the public spotlight is exactly where SEAL Team Six found itself shortly after news of the raid broke. Hollywood is preparing two movies about the commandos, one detailing the rescue of the captain of a container ship that had been kidnapped by Somali pirates and another centered on the bin Laden raid.
As we understand it, the seven members have all been reprimanded by the Navy. Each lost half of their pay for two months and received letters which will effectively eliminate their chances for a promotion.
