In the years following the 9/11 attacks, a number of major US companies were criticized for capitalizing on the tragedy for their own gains. AT&T ran an ad which showed the memorial beams of light – representing the Twin Towers – emblazoned across an iPhone. Reebok designed commemorative sneakers. One company even manufactured “Never Forget” cribbage boards which it sold for $115 each.
But the event organized by conservative group ForAmerica is taking this concept to a whole new level. For $50,000, members can spend "a historic weekend honoring Navy SEAL hero Rob O’Neill," the man who claims to have delivered the fatal bullet to Osama bin Laden.
"Our event will consist of clay, pistol, and 'machine gun fun' with shooting competitions with Rob O’Neill," read an invitation obtained by the Washington Post.
Guests will stay in the luxurious Amangani Resort Hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When not reclining by the pool overlooking the Snake River Valley or enjoying a meal in one of the resort’s "superb dining facilities," attendees can discharge a few rounds at the nearby Jackson Hole Shooting Experience, advertised as being "one of the premier shooting facilities in the American West."
In a rare occurrence for a Navy SEAL, O’Neill spoke to the media last year about his part in the raid in Abbottabad. He has been criticized by many military officials for speaking about the covert mission.
After leaving the military in 2012, O’Neill expressed frustration that the Navy refused to provide a pension on the grounds that he hadn’t served the required 20 years. He co-founded the charity Your Grateful Nation, which helps veterans transition back to civilian life.
A spokesman for O’Neill told the Post that he agreed to the event "as a favor to a friend who has been helping him out."
Neither he nor ForAmerica has indicated whether any of the money earned from the event would go toward charity.
