"AWOL" Navy Seal killed in Ukraine fighting alongside Ukrainian forces

Link

Daniel W. Swift, a Navy Special Warfare Operator First Class who had gone AWOL, died Jan. 18 after suffering injuries with a unit under attack by Russia, the official said. The Navy confirmed that Swift has been in “an active deserter status since March 11, 2019,” but did not provide any additional information. It wasn’t yet known how long Swift was in Ukraine and why he was fighting there.

Are we supposed to believe this? He was just there after he went AWOL? I could see if they said retired...but AWOL?

Does anyone know anything about who this guy is and if he was really a deserter or if he was there under a different capacity and now this is the story. We all know there are US boots on the ground assisting.

The U.S. State Department wouldn’t confirm Swift’s identity Friday but acknowledged in a statement that an American was killed in action. “We can confirm the recent death of a U.S. citizen fighting in Ukraine,” the statement says. “We are in touch with his family and providing all possible consular assistance. Out of respect for the privacy of the family during this difficult time, we have nothing further to add.”

Something here just does not seem right.

JB admin
= lies

Military parents?
John McCain
impossible to travel Europe without a US Passport and eye reconignition attacted to us military intell would have picked him up long time ago
Fishy
nothing but fishy
find out who the parents are and see if they will talk?

a reply to: matafuchs

Do we even know if this guy is a real person?

Sadly, if this guy is a real person, he just screwed his family out of any death benefits.

If he isn't a real guy, then what's the real game here?

***EDITED IN PART BELOW***

Oh I spoke too soon.
From: My Northwest.com

The Navy said he deserted his post in San Diego, California, in March 2019. “We cannot speculate as to why the former Sailor was in Ukraine,” the Navy said.

At least five other Americans are known to have died fighting in Ukraine, according to State Department statements and reports from individual families.

Swift joined the Navy in 2005 and was assigned to a SEAL unit in 2007. He voluntarily left the service in January 2014, but rejoined in 2015, and was assigned to a SEAL unit a year later. After he deserted, Naval Special Warfare Command stripped him of his SEAL qualification — essentially revoking the trident SEALs wear.

Swift also worked briefly — just over three months in 2015 — as a police officer in Medford, Oregon. Medford Police Department Deputy Chief Trevor Arnold had no further information Friday.

He wrote a book in 2020 called “The Fall of a Man.” Its Amazon page says he became a father at age 20 and “by the time he was thirty he had deployed as a Navy SEAL five times to include Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen.” It adds that he had four children.

Military.com has the same story as My Northwest.com.

So, this guy was just a flunky if anything.

a reply to: Guyfriday

Kind of why I posted this. I almost put it in the MudPit as a Wag the Dog type event.

a reply to: matafuchs

I updated my post with an edit. He wasn't a SEAL at the time. So my main question is now:
"What's the real game here?"

For all we know he was real, and died fighting as a merc for Russia, but they changed the story to fit a narrative.

Or, if he was a SEAL, maybe he was actually recruited by the FBI/CIA and killed in a black ops mission fighting for God knows what end.

a reply to: lordcomac

Yea, the waters are too muddy.

In no way would I rule out that a narrative is floated to cover black ops missions. Seals regularly take part in off the books missions.

I’ve only met and really interacted with a few SEALs in my life. One struck me though, he was a mutual friend of sorts and no one told me about him prior. Sat and ate dinner next to him and he was just a really kind down to earth dude. Later on the evening, I’m chatting one on one with him and it comes up if he’s always lived in the area. He lists off the places around the world he’s lived and I’m intrigued. He then tells me he was in the Peace Corps and then joins the SEALs. I couldn’t speak more highly of the guy, I got to pick his brain a bit and I think he was surprised about my level of curiosity for certain topics.

Getting to hang out with him I had a realization. There’s at least a portion who are idealists (not surprising, but the range of ways they express it was more surprising, the extreme contrast) I think that’s evident by his first path, and I inferred that it was all a quest to make a difference, something many of us can empathize with if we shed our cynicism and remember our youth.

Could the guy from OP have been one who wanted to fight “the good fight” (arguments about if it is aside). I think so, but I also wouldn’t necessarily lean towards that.

This is the danger with proxy wars, and always meddling in everything. There’s going to be instances that appear to be direct combat, or maybe that’s even the case. But the uncertainty alone is enough to invoke a response.

The only people who know are likely his family. If he was AWOL I’m sure they got approached back in 2019. Hard to say if they’d share given the duality of defending his honor in this case.

There were reports of 400 polish mercenaries killed recently.

I do believe we are going to hear a lot more about this.

a reply to: lordcomac

As usual blaming the Russians but lets ignore the English speaking mercenaries that are in Ukraine fighting for zelensky.

originally posted by: vNex92
a reply to: lordcomac

As usual blaming the Russians but lets ignore the English speaking mercenaries that are in Ukraine fighting for zelensky.

He didn’t blame Russia, he offered a thought experiment.

One thing to remember about US soldiers is they’re volunteers. You have to ask yourself what motivates them to do an incredibly hard job that doesn’t pay much (in direct cash) and demands more than the typical workplace.

You’re going to come back with a wide spectrum of reasons, most in the middle with sensible people. Many, just paying for college or out of a sense of duty.

Can a handful end up in places out of a matter of perception? Sure. Look around on the internet, plenty of Americans view every conflict differently.

The west would do the same if a former Russian soldier got found in a precarious situation in relation to our geopolitical interests.

Sometimes it’s uncanny, defector of Russia getting poisoned abroad with known Russian nationals caught on CCTV around the subject in question.

The reality is the dark stuff does happen on both sides. And sometimes it’s unrelated. Sadly this muddy water is where the truly horrible stuff can spawn.

That’s why it’s important to be more interested with truth than making sure the narrative fits one’s interests.

The Cold War was a lesson on cooler heads prevailing. Let’s hope the Cold War 2.0 has such luck.

a reply to: matafuchs

Strange.

I get ideology, but going AWOL from the US Military to fight for Ukraine?

That's nuttier than squirrel sh#t.

Usually if something doesn't make sense, it's because we don't have the facts...

This doesn't make sense IMO.

a reply to: matafuchs

AWOL British troops are there too , I guess being military they feel it's their duty to use their training to help Ukraine rather than sit and watch , or they just want to go get a piece of the action rather than sit in base.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: matafuchs

AWOL British troops are there too , I guess being military they feel it's their duty to use their training to help Ukraine rather than sit and watch , or they just want to go get a piece of the action rather than sit in base.

My question then is:

Are countries in the West looking the other way as their troops go AWOL?

That's a whole other can of worms..

a reply to: MykeNukem

Are countries in the West looking the other way as their troops go AWOL?

Both countries have issued warnings that those who return will face sanctions and I guess dismissal for disobeying orders , I don't think the military are looking the other way , there are also military veterans who are outside the remit of the military who have made the trip.

I think the troops who have decided to go have done so because it's their choice , they are aware of the consequences.

a reply to: gortex

Gotcha.

Just seems crazy to me to give up your pension and career and become a criminal to help some foreign country.

Their choice I guess.

I've said from the start there will be many people in Ukraine fighting that their day job includes the phrase " that's classified".

and

I get ideology, but going AWOL from the US Military to fight for Ukraine?

He went AWOL in 2019 Mike, so not to fight for Ukraine. He had his reasons, whatever they were, but going to fight the Russians wasn't it. Unless he was in Ukraine prior to the full blown invasion, fighting the Russians in the Donbas, which I didn't see in the article.

It is possible that he was addicted to combat. After being deployed to warzones, many soldiers live for the conflict. As he went AWOL in 2019, we know he didn't do so to go fight in Ukraine, we may never know why. War changes one psychologically and emotionally. If you haven't experienced it then you'll never know and those that do have their own reactions and walk their own paths afterwards. There's a reason that so many former combat vets go to work as contractors in war zones other than lucrative pay.

AWOL is for 30 days, after that he is a deserter.

Active military AWOL and fighting in an unauthorized war (meaning US troops are not involved.

No death benefits, no ID card for spouse or children, no military retirement benefits. Plus he looses his seal certification...

He really screwed over his loved ones.

What a dumbass



a reply to: matafuchs

originally posted by: musicismagic
Military parents?
John McCain
impossible to travel Europe without a US Passport and eye reconignition attacted to us military intell would have picked him up long time ago
Fishy
nothing but fishy
find out who the parents are and see if they will talk?

Flying General Aviation, it’s easier to get around than you think. Money makes things happen.
Personally I would estimate the guy was deeply involved with the special forces community. Remember how they got people in and out of Afghanistan two years ago.