Jocko Willink Reveals How His SEAL Platoon Got Their OIC Fired

About this video

Ritland’s guest recounts his experiences in his second and third SEAL platoons, including a memorable incident where team members confronted their commanding officer about a problematic OIC who was ultimately replaced with a highly respected prior-enlisted officer. The guest describes how this leadership change and witnessing exceptional leadership shaped his own decision to pursue becoming an officer through the Seaman Admiral program, eventually commissioning after three enlisted platoons.

Key takeaways

• The guest describes confronting leadership about a problematic OIC, which initially met resistance but ultimately led to bringing in a legendary prior-enlisted officer whose humble, empowering leadership style transformed the platoon
• A pivotal moment occurred when the new OIC asked ‘would that be the right thing to do?’ before a difficult task, teaching the principle of doing what’s right regardless of who’s watching—a lesson the guest carried throughout his career
• The guest was selected for the competitive Seaman Admiral program (50 slots Navy-wide) and commissioned as an officer after serving as an E5, without attending college due to program requirements at that time

Episode details: published August 21, 2026 · 76K views · 23:09 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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