Robert O'Neill: SEAL Team 6 Veteran Who Shot Bin Laden - Crossfire w/ “The Operator Podcast”

Team Never Quit

Mission Accomplished: Rob O'Neill on SEAL Team Six, Leadership, and Life After the Battlefield.
In this week’s episode, Marcus and Melanie Luttrell meet with one of the most highly decorated combat veterans of our time—Robert J. O’Neill. With an incredible 400+ combat missions under his belt, Rob’s experiences span across Liberia, The Balkans, The Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. As a Navy SEAL, Rob served in SEAL Team Two, SEAL Team Four, and spent eight years with the legendary SEAL Team Six.
Rob’s heroic career is underscored by 53 decorations, including two Silver Stars for gallantry, four Bronze Stars with Valor for heroism, and a host of other prestigious commendations. His resume of skills includes elite qualifications like Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster, Naval Special Warfare Scout/Sniper, and Master Naval Parachutist, among many others.
In this episode, we dive deep into Rob’s role in some of the most significant military operations in recent history:
Operation Red Wings, which saw the rescue of the Lone Survivor, Marcus Luttrell
The lead jumper in the daring rescue of Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates
Operation Neptune’s Spear, the mission that brought down Osama bin Laden
Beyond the battlefield, Rob is the co-founder of the Special Operators Transition Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping special operations veterans transition to successful careers in corporate America. He is also the author of the best-selling memoir, THE OPERATOR: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior.
Throughout his post-military career, Rob has become a prominent public speaker, security consultant, and media contributor, sharing expert insights on military strategy and terrorism. Whether speaking to survivors of 9/11 or delivering keynote speeches to business leaders, Rob translates his elite training into actionable lessons on leadership, resilience, and success.
Join us as we explore Rob O’Neill’s incredible journey from the frontlines to the boardroom and hear his thoughts on leadership, transition, and how to thrive under pressure.
Tune in to hear the untold stories and actionable advice from one of America's most decorated heroes!
In This Episode You Will Hear:
• I don’t think I could beat Marcus at arm wrestling if I can’t pick up a bowling ball. (1:58)
• You do realize there’s a thing called old man strength? (5:53)
• [Rob O’Neil] I have a podcast as well, called “The Operator.” We’re called The Operator because if you’re doing anything, you’re an operator. (6:18)
• Having a big man to kick your ass and teach you wind a bobbin; you realize there is skill here. (9:59)
• When people quit BUDS, it’s not because “this is hard”. [It’s because] I’m tired of the broken foot; I’m tire of the shin splints; I’m tire of my dislocated shoulder; I’m tired. 21:20)
• In BUDS, one of the biggest problems is eating too much. Like I want 5 cheeseburgers, but we have a 4-mile run afterwards. (26:35)
• [Rob] and for everyone that doesn’t know, can you explain what a SDV is?
[Marcus] Imagine a mini submarine and shrink it down. The difference is that a submarine is dry inside, and the SDV is completely full of water. (37:40)
• Listen to Marcus discuss the details of being in an SDV for 8 hours. (38:52)
• [Marcus] Talk about ultimate torture - If you have a deep freeze in your garage, fill that sucker full of water, crawl in there and sit down for 8 hours. (38:53)
• The first time I got in there, I was terrified. (43:49)
• [Marcus] There’s stuff that happens to us out there. Sometimes safety gets in the way of it. (58:40)
• [After falling down the mountain during Operation Red Wings] I could hear that stream running. I’ve got to get me water, but I kept thinking I can’t drink out of it, because my buddies are in it. (79:27)
• If you want to make God laugh, tell Him what your plan is. (90:24)
• [Marcus] Bro, when you saw that son of a bitch’s face [Osama Bin Laden], what was the first thing you saw? [Rob O’Neal] I saw his nose. He was skinny, wearing white – tall. (93:41)
• My nickname was “Nisro” (Navy SEAL Rob O’Neal). When they asked “Who got him?” They go “Nisro,” and they said “Fuck! Were never gonna hear the end of it.” (95:38)
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