William McRaven’s upbringing
William McRaven’s path to a military career seemed destined from the beginning. Born in Pinehurst, North Carolina, he spent his formative years there while his father, Claude, served at Pope Army Airfield. His father, a World War II-era Spitfire pilot who also briefly played in the NFL, likely influenced his career choice.
During his elementary school years, McRaven moved to Texas. He actively participated in track and field, and he later joined the Navy ROTC program. In 1977, he graduated from college with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism.
McRaven’s early military career
McRaven started on his military career immediately after college, enthusiastically enrolling in US Navy SEAL training. He successfully completed the demanding program and earned a place in the prestigious unit following a six-month probationary period.
In the early 1980s, he was stationed at Dam Neck, Virginia, serving under Richard Marcinko, the founding commander of SEAL Team 6. However, their professional relationship was strained, leading to McRaven’s removal from the unit. Marcinko later remarked, “He was a bright guy, but he didn’t like my rude and crude way. If I was a loose cannon, he was too rigid. He took the ‘special’ out of special warfare.”
Despite this challenge, McRaven’s career thrived. He advanced through the ranks, eventually serving as a task unit commander during the Persian Gulf War. In addition, he pursued higher education, earning a Master of Arts degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1993.
Broken in half
While McRaven was well on his way to a storied military career, it almost didn’t happen. He told NPR in 2019 about a ’01 training exercise where he was nearly killed after being hit in the air by another parachutist.
“I kind of tumble through the parachute. But I’m stunned,” he said. “I’m not exactly sure what’s happened. I don’t know whether I’ve been knocked unconscious. I don’t know whether I’ve been dazed. And now I’m tumbling out of control towards the ground.”
He continued, “Because I was tumbling, the pilot chute came out and wrapped around one leg, and then another part of the parachute called the riser came out and wrapped around my other leg. So now I am tangled up in my parachute, falling towards the ground. The good news is, as I fell a couple hundred feet or a thousand feet or so, the parachute finally opened. The bad news is, when a parachute opens, it blossoms.”
The accident resulted in a broken pelvis for McRaven. A few months later, 9/11 happened. At this time, he was still recovering from his injuries.
Operation Neptune Spear
In 2011, McRaven, a vice admiral in the US Navy and head of the Pentagon’s Joint Special Operations Command, was called to CIA Director Leon Panetta’s office for a briefing on Osama bin Laden. Panetta revealed that the agency had located bin Laden’s compound and tasked McRaven with planning and leading the mission to eliminate him. Renowned for his expertise in coordinating covert operations, McRaven was entrusted with full authority over the operation by Panetta.
McRaven’s plan succeeded, and SEAL Team 6 eliminated bin Laden on May 2, 2011. The operation earned McRaven widespread acclaim, and he was recognized as a finalist for Time‘s Person of the Year.
McRaven formally retired in 2014
On September 1, 2014, McRaven formally retired from the military, after years of being a Bull Frog – the longest-serving Navy SEAL still on duty. Following his service, he became the Chancellor at his alma matter, the University of Texas. While retired, McRaven has remained busy, having written several books and occasionally appearing on cable news programs.
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He was in the running to become Joe Biden’s Secretary of Defense, but the position was eventually given to Lloyd Austin III.
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