I was actually called a coward for making this statement the other night.
James Janos served as a "UDT" (Underwater Demolition Team" - UDT 12 to be specific) member from '69 to '75. First, the UDT weren't merged with the SEALS until almost ten years after Janos/Ventura was discharged. Second, while he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal, he was not in combat and thus did not qualify for the Combat Action Ribbon. One wonders why he would ever publicly make the claim that he "hunted man".
Here's some interesting reading from a guy who served with BOTH SEAL teams during the Vietnam war. His name is Bill Salisbury. After reading what he has to say about Janos/Ventura serving with the SEALS, I don't have much faith in anything Janos/Ventura has to say.
http://cursor.org/venturawatch/dangerous_game.htm"
If he'd been one of America's roughest, toughest, meanest mothers, then that document (DD-214) would list the qualification for all the world to see. And if the SEAL/UDT designation were truly interchangeable, the form would reflect that. But I know it doesn't without even looking at it. The UDT designation, or Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) - was 5321/22 and the SEAL designation was 5326.
How do I know this? Because as the executive officer of SEAL Team 2, I recommended men for the 5326 designation after they had completed a six month probationary period. Many of these men came from UDTs as 5321/22s. As commanding officer of UDT 11, I awarded the 5321/22 designation to frogmen after their probationary period. Interchangeable designation my ass.
If Jesse were a SEAL, his DD 214 would also list at least one "Presidential Unit Citation for service Nam." How do I know this? Because of my duty with both SEAL Teams during the war. Every SEAL who served with Teams 1 and 2 received at least one of the five Presidential Unit Citations awarded those units. UDTs received none. So c'mon, Jesse, show us your DD 214. You can even do that without breaking your vow never to talk about what you did as a "SEAL" in Nam.
But no fair relying on public pronouncements by your old toadies in the Teams, or a scrap of paper signed by some fawning Navy bureaucrat 30 years later, saying it's okay for you to call yourself a SEAL because UDTs were decommissioned in 1983. After all, you wouldn't want to be dismissed as a "Paper SEAL" would you? I mean it's okay for some pencil-necked sandcrab like George Plimpton to joke about being a "Paper Tiger" instead of a true major leaguer, but aren't you claiming to be the real deal: an ass-kicking, name-taking Navy SEAL?