Once again, the audacity of blatant racism is on full display — this time involving a group of Navy SEALs allegedly caught trading offensive messages about a fellow Black SEAL. While those involved were reportedly “disciplined,” the episode is a stark reminder that even the most elite corners of the U.S. military aren’t immune to the same hateful, ugly dynamics Black folks face every day regardless of the setting or the uniform.
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Documents obtained by CBS News show that a Black member of SEAL Team Four was allegedly singled out and racially harassed by his own teammates. The targeting stretches back to 2022 including disgusting imagery and slurs, from references to a “slave in chains” to a so-called “monkey face” meme tossed around in a group chat they were all included in.
These antics continued through 2023, when another meme compared the SEAL to Cuba Gooding Jr.’s character in the movie “Radio,” which follows a disabled Black sports enthusiast — obsessed with his radio — and his white football coach. In the film, the character isn’t even an official player. Radio cheers the team on from the sidelines, largely as a mascot, which is why this comparison is overtly insulting. While that storyline may have been touching in the film, the joke demeans his role and stature within SEAL Team Four, and is downright disrespectful when aimed at an honorable Navy SEAL in any context.
Earlier this year, the Navy handed out consequences behind the scenes, from demotions and docked pay to administrative measures like formal letters of instruction and counseling, according to CBS. On top of that, the former head of Naval Special Warfare Command, Rear Admiral Milton Sands, has since been dismissed by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. In this case, the reasons for his removal haven’t been made public.
The Black Navy SEAL didn’t hold back in his account, giving the good, the bad, and the ugly in his complaint. These documents ultimately prompted the Navy’s investigation into harassment spanning 2021 to 2024, leading to allegations surfacing in March.
The Black SEAL expressed having great experiences before joining his platoon, confirming that he’d never experienced racism before, and added that he had “great mentors” amid the Navy’s brutal training over the course of two years. But after he joined, things took a turn for the worst.
“The racism I experienced…was persistent, targeted and deeply dehumanizing,” the SEAL wrote. “It wasn’t just an attack on me personally — it reflected a breakdown in the very discipline and integrity the Teams are supposed to uphold.”
If that wasn’t enough, his name had been scratched off a plaque honoring his service on SEAL Team Four. He explained that in that moment, it became abundantly clear that the antics toward him was the final straw. The SEAL called the offensive move “a final, disgraceful act to make it clear that I was not welcome,” and declared that it was “a direct and unmistakable act of hatred.”
“These were men who were supposed to be my brothers, but instead, they either participated in or enabled a culture of bigotry and silence,” he expressed.
The SEAL revealed that Rear Adm. Sands personally called to thank him for his service, extended his Navy tenure to ensure he could access military medical care, and moved him to a command closer to his family. That said, folks on social media weren’t satisfied, arguing that every SEAL touting racist harassment against their teammate should’ve been fired.
While the SEAL has since left the Navy, a Special Warfare spokesperson told CBS that the Navy had “completed accountability” in his case. For many watching, the damage from the harassment can’t simply be erased.
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