Navy SEALs hope 'Act of Valor' draws recruits

  • By KIMBERLY DOZIER

  • Posted: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 7:00 a.m.
  • Text size: A A A


WASHINGTON -- Navy SEALs never expected the film Act of Valor, starring real, active-duty Navy SEALs, to be this big.


Five years ago, commanders allowed a small, independent film company into their elite ranks to turn real-life training exercises into a feature-length movie in hopes of drumming up recruits fast.


SEAL officers thought the film would open in a couple of theaters in military towns, then quietly move to cable television, where re-runs would draw likeminded youths to join the special operations world.


Then came the Navy SEALs raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan last year, and a high-profile hostage rescue in Somalia last month. President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address and gave a shout out to SEALs, with Adm. Bill McRaven, the SEAL and bin Laden raid commander, sitting quietly in Obama's box.


Now, the once modest recruiting project is set to open Feb. 24 in roughly 2,500 theaters nationwide, putting an uncomfortable spotlight on a group that prides itself on keeping its collective mouth shut about clandestine operations.


The officers and staff who helped bring the film about spoke on condition of anonymity because they are embarrassed by the massive media blitz and public interest, and -- most of all -- they are tired of getting grief from their special operations colleagues, whose daring exploits haven't made it into the headlines.


One of the few that's gone on record is overall special operations commander McRaven.


"It was initially started as a recruiting film so we could help recruit minorities into the teams," McRaven explained. He said he didn't think the film gave anything away to the enemy, nor would it put in danger the SEALs who starred in it.


McRaven told a Washington audience recently that he'd signed up for special operations forces after seeing the 1968 John Wayne film, The Green Berets, and that he had worked on the movie Raise the Titanic as a young ensign, also to drive recruitment.


Toward that end, the script was designed to showcase two things, according to producer-directors Mike "Mouse" McCoy and Scott Waugh: real acts of valor by SEALs on the battlefield since Sept. 11, and the SEALs' unique technical abilities to reach a target by sea, air or land as the acronym suggests.

Notice about comments: The Eagle is proud to offer our users enhanced commenting features. You can now build user‐to‐user connections, follow friend's recent posts, add an avatar that fits your personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again and if you've never posted start now by signing up!