Firefighter and Former Seal Reflects on Bin Laden News

By Kyle Midura


(Story Updated: May 4, 2011 at 7:19 PM MDT )

BILLINGS - As a firefighter and Former Navy SEAL, the assistant fire chief here in Billings has a unique perspective on the death of Osama bin Laden.

Since 9/11, a picture showing a firefighter handing the American Flag out of the Twin Towers' rubble to a soldier abroad has hung on Billings Assistant Fire Chief Frank Odermann's wall. For him, it's a powerful image symbolic of America's resilience in the face of a terrorist attack, and the country's unwillingness to forget the atrocity of that day.

"I really have been on both sides of that," he said Wednesday. Odermann spent 20 years with the Navy SEALs. He says when the news broke, he was nearly certain his former colleagues were responsible for the feat.

"This kind of work is in SEAL team's backyard; it's our bread and butter," he said, "the SEALs were definitely the pointy end that went in and got the job done, but there are so many more people who really deserve credit."

Odermann says the SEALs spend decades training for just that type of mission. "Just getting to SEAL team is a little bit of an endeavor itself and then going on to SEAL team six is another step for sure," he said.

He added that the team's success sends a clear message to America's enemies. "And, maybe more importantly it provides a tremendous boost in morale for our citizens, emergency workers, and most importantly for those soldiers over there carrying a heavy load."

"This isn't about SEAL team, this is really about the U.S. military's capability," he said.

Odermann says it's been a privilege to serve the public abroad with the SEALs and at home as a firefighter

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