Robert J. O'Neill
Former U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six member who took part in the Osama bin Laden raid
Robert J. O'Neill (Former U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six member who took part in the Osama bin Laden raid) has appeared as a guest on 1 episode in TMT. Topics they speak about most include Killing of Osama bin Laden, Post-traumatic stress disorder.
In their words
Positions and remarks grouped by topic, each with the exact quote and where it was said.
Killing of Osama bin Laden
O'Neill says the SEALs cleared bin Laden's compound by relying on simple, mastered basics.
“The guy in front of me went left. I went right. And we did that over and over”
Mick Unplugged: Service Above Self: A Memorial Day Tribute to the Heroes Who Defended Our Freedom (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 33:11
O'Neill recounts advising himself during the flight out not to waste energy worrying about things he could not affect.
“if you're worried about something right now that your worry will not affect, you're wasting your energy”
Mick Unplugged: Service Above Self: A Memorial Day Tribute to the Heroes Who Defended Our Freedom (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 28:32
O'Neill says the team had to move quickly in Abbottabad partly to avoid confrontations with Pakistani police.
“And the last thing I wanted to do was kill a policeman doing his job”
Mick Unplugged: Service Above Self: A Memorial Day Tribute to the Heroes Who Defended Our Freedom (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 28:58
O'Neill says the bin Laden raid felt worth the risk of death because of the families affected by 9/11.
“because so many families were affected by 9-11, and we might die, this is worth it”
Mick Unplugged: Service Above Self: A Memorial Day Tribute to the Heroes Who Defended Our Freedom (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 27:30
Post-traumatic stress disorder
O'Neill describes coping with PTSD and depression by getting out of bed and going into the sunshine.
“if I'm having a bad day, I'll take my shirt off, force a smile, and go stand in the sunshine, even if there's clouds”
Mick Unplugged: Service Above Self: A Memorial Day Tribute to the Heroes Who Defended Our Freedom (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 25:10
Other remarks
O'Neill says he prefers spending time with neighbors over social media, which he believes promotes unreality and division.
“I think we're getting sucked into a place where we're looking at things that aren't real. And a lot of the forces out there want to try to divide people”
Mick Unplugged: Service Above Self: A Memorial Day Tribute to the Heroes Who Defended Our Freedom (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 23:00
Appearances
Service Above Self: A Memorial Day Tribute to the Heroes Who Defended Our FreedomMick Unplugged · May 25, 2026 · 59 min
Mick Hunt's Memorial Day compilation revisits interviews with Robert Irvine, JoAnne Bass, Rob O'Neill, CZ Colón-López and Michelle Curran on service, purpose and leadership.
Often appears with
- Mick Hunt · 1 shared episode
- Robert Irvine · 1 shared episode
- JoAnne Bass · 1 shared episode
- Ramón "CZ" Colón-López · 1 shared episode
- Michelle "Mace" Curran · 1 shared episode