John Ballen

You can Google SEALs and there's like 78 examples of SEALs that are publicly talking about being Navy SEALs. There is like this code of conduct amongst the active duty community that you don't talk about being a SEAL. You can say you're a SEAL. No one's telling you you literally have to lie about it. But being a SEAL is not something that's yours.

You can Google SEALs and there's like 78 examples of SEALs that are publicly talking about being Navy SEALs. There is like this code of conduct amongst the active duty community that you don't talk about being a SEAL. You can say you're a SEAL. No one's telling you you literally have to lie about it. But being a SEAL is not something that's yours.

Being a SEAL is you were allowed to enter a community of people that were like fighting for a common goal together, struggling, bleeding, dying together. Like the strength of the brand of SEAL, the SEAL brand is built literally on people dying. And so you can't then leave the military and say, hey, look at me. I was a Navy SEAL because that's for personal gain. You can't do that.

Being a SEAL is you were allowed to enter a community of people that were like fighting for a common goal together, struggling, bleeding, dying together. Like the strength of the brand of SEAL, the SEAL brand is built literally on people dying. And so you can't then leave the military and say, hey, look at me. I was a Navy SEAL because that's for personal gain. You can't do that.

I began posting about being, I was the quintessential, look at this guy, Mr. Navy SEAL. At first, it wasn't that way. It wasn't like one day I was like, guess what, guys?

I began posting about being, I was the quintessential, look at this guy, Mr. Navy SEAL. At first, it wasn't that way. It wasn't like one day I was like, guess what, guys?

But it began as like, oh, I'm going to just like have my own accounts and sort of tell stories about my experience as a SEAL to push people towards elite meat. But then quickly as these began to succeed, not really, but kind of, they got like a thousand likes here or there. I was like, wow, that's pretty cool.

But it began as like, oh, I'm going to just like have my own accounts and sort of tell stories about my experience as a SEAL to push people towards elite meat. But then quickly as these began to succeed, not really, but kind of, they got like a thousand likes here or there. I was like, wow, that's pretty cool.

And I like began leaning a little more and more until finally I was like full send, like the guy that you're not supposed to be. This is like in 2018, 2019. And dude, I got...

And I like began leaning a little more and more until finally I was like full send, like the guy that you're not supposed to be. This is like in 2018, 2019. And dude, I got...

disowned by the navy seal community i mean like hard give me specifics when you say uh i could pull up dms uh from instagram no i so at first did not catch a whole lot of public at first i think i was doing it and people sort of were like well he's doing this charity elite meat that's helping seals it's helping vets

disowned by the navy seal community i mean like hard give me specifics when you say uh i could pull up dms uh from instagram no i so at first did not catch a whole lot of public at first i think i was doing it and people sort of were like well he's doing this charity elite meat that's helping seals it's helping vets

But gradually, as I sort of drifted farther and farther away from that into just like John the Navy SEAL, mind you, I'm not giving up anything sensitive. It isn't like I'm talking about stuff that's like problematic. It's really just doing some of this, you know, bumping my chest. I began receiving just some of the most painful messages I've ever gotten in my life.

But gradually, as I sort of drifted farther and farther away from that into just like John the Navy SEAL, mind you, I'm not giving up anything sensitive. It isn't like I'm talking about stuff that's like problematic. It's really just doing some of this, you know, bumping my chest. I began receiving just some of the most painful messages I've ever gotten in my life.

It's different than getting hate. You know, as Mr. Ballin on the internet, I certainly get hate from time to time, but it's different because they don't know me. It's like they see somebody on the internet doing something they don't agree with or like, and so they speak their opinion. I'm sure you're familiar, but it's not personal. It might feel personal at first, but you get used to it.

It's different than getting hate. You know, as Mr. Ballin on the internet, I certainly get hate from time to time, but it's different because they don't know me. It's like they see somebody on the internet doing something they don't agree with or like, and so they speak their opinion. I'm sure you're familiar, but it's not personal. It might feel personal at first, but you get used to it.

This was actual SEALs who I knew, who wanted me to know exactly who was sending this message, like writing me messages to be like, hey, I used to think of you this way. And now I think of you this way with like detailed explanations and talking about how at the team, like we all talk about how much you fucking suck, basically.

This was actual SEALs who I knew, who wanted me to know exactly who was sending this message, like writing me messages to be like, hey, I used to think of you this way. And now I think of you this way with like detailed explanations and talking about how at the team, like we all talk about how much you fucking suck, basically.

And like, I lived in Virginia Beach at the time, which is where the SEAL team, SEAL team two, that's where I was at. It's a big town, but it's where like a huge concentration of SEALs were. And during this time, I would like go out to like the grocery store and I would see people that I know. These are not, oh, I think that guy could be a SEAL. It's like, oh, no, I served with him.

And like, I lived in Virginia Beach at the time, which is where the SEAL team, SEAL team two, that's where I was at. It's a big town, but it's where like a huge concentration of SEALs were. And during this time, I would like go out to like the grocery store and I would see people that I know. These are not, oh, I think that guy could be a SEAL. It's like, oh, no, I served with him.