• July 7, 2016
  • InPublicSafety.com

O’Neill Presents to FBI and Law Enforcement at INLETS Seminar

Robert J. O'Neill on Varney & Company

Among the Topics Addressed: Preparedness, Mental Toughness and Facing Fear.

Federal, state and local law enforcement gathered at the 6th Annual Mid-Atlantic INLETS seminar held June 20-24 in Annapolis, Maryland. In attendance…everyone from FBI agents to local police officers who shared a common goal: gaining invaluable insight into trends in terrorism and violent crime.

Among the pro-bono keynote speakers at the INLETS seminar: former Navy SEAL Robert J. O’Neill.

In his presentation, O’Neill focused on the following topics:

The difference between over-planning and being prepared.

With regard to the 2011 raid on bin Laden’s secret compound in Pakistan… “We spent a week-and-a-half planning the raid,” Rob explained, going on to say, “No mission will ever go exactly as planned. Individuals must be trained how to remove emotion from a stressful situation so they can make an informed decision.”

Mental toughness and minimizing stress.

O’Neill shared how he had to become mentally tough to make it through highly intensive Navy SEAL training. According to O’Neill, “80 percent of people don’t make it. They design the courses to make it easy to quit. They want you to quit.” O’Neill added that one of the best strategies he learned through his SEAL training was how to minimize self-induced stress, comparing stress to “a bag of bricks you carry around.” You have to put it down and forget about it and know that stress is in your mind.”

Not fearing fear.

Acknowledging the grit it takes for police officers to go out on the streets every day to face unknown dangers, O’Neill pointed out that being afraid is only natural. “In combat, bravery is the ability to recognize fear and push it aside and do it anyway. Fear is healthy. It’s good. It helps you think more clearly,” said O’Neill.

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