Do you believe that Navy SEALs feel the need for fame?

Not particularly. I mean it's practically in the name. Try and find a civilian who doesn't know what the Navy Seals are. Now compare that to some of the other branches... MARSOC... you might get a few blank stares.

If anyone is seeking fame, it's the posers who always call themselves some form of special forces. I'm a POG and proud of it.

What little I have seen, heard and talked to, the majority of SEALs, as well as other branch's Operators don't want the publicity. If I recall correctly, there has been some blowback within the SEAL community over those who have gone the route of Fame with tell all books.

SPC Thomas Hobbs we do AARs in the Army, SEALs write books.

I would guess it is an individual thing. What gets me are the enlisted guys who get on tv as talking heads as if they were authorities on policy. In essence they probably know nothing more about the big picture than does any other EM.

Outside of the branches you could many who know there was a thing called Force Recon.

If their egos are that fragile, they picked the wrong line of work.

It's impossible to answer with a blanket statement that covers all SEALs. Do some seek fame? Probably. Hollywood has made them superheroes and some probably see that as an opportunity. I would guess that the majority do not seek any recognition. And for those who write books, so what? They did their time. If someone wants to pay them to tell the story, so be it. I can't say that if I was approached by Steven Spielberg to make a movie of my time in Iraq that I'd say no.

Seals have been made famous in the movies and TV shows over the past several years so that is what everyone considers the ultimate SpecOps. The SEALs that I have had the pleasure of serving with on rare occasion do not like the publicity. They don't do it for the glory and fame...they do it because it is what they enjoy in life and they are true patriots like most of us in uniform. As stated in other threads their fame was ignited by politicians. What people don't know is that every service has their own version of SpecOPs and they are all good at what they do...you just don't hear about them because publicity can get them killed.

Over the years, I've been acquainted with a number of SEALs. My take is that, for the majority of them, attention is last on their list of favorite things. They know they're good at what they do. They don't need, want, or like all the publicity. And they are very tightknit.

The few I have met were quite humble. No need for fame. They know who they are and have nothing to prove to anyone. I think this is true of the special operations community.