[WAPO] Army Gen. Raymond "Tony" Thomas, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, rarely talks specifics about the troops under his command. Direct action raids in Iraq, rescue missions in Afghanistan, Special Operations forces deployed in places like Syria, Somalia and Yemen are all -- if even acknowledged -- described in broad platitudes.But when asked about the propensity of some of his elite forces to write books, star in movies and help advise on the production of certain video games, Thomas is outspoken -- and angry.
"It is a phenomenon that is anathema to me. It runs counter to everything that any of us who ever entered special operations know [is] the right way to do business," Thomas said during a conference hosted by the Institute for the Study of War in Washington on Wednesday. "It baffles me that people don’t hold true to that standard."
"We won’t tolerate it," he added.
Thomas's remarks come on the heels of a $6.6 million settlement in August between Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette and the U.S. government. Bissonnette, who wrote a best-selling book titled "No Easy Day" about his role with SEAL Team Six during the 2011 raid that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, will have to forfeit all of his profits and royalties after violating a nondisclosure agreement and failing to get his book cleared by the Pentagon.