McRaven jokingly responded that he became a Navy SEAL because his sister was dating a special forces member and because he was infatuated with John Wayne’s movie, “The Green Beret.”

“The fact of the matter is, there have always been portrayals of SOF [Special Operations Forces] out in the mainstream media,” he said. “We are in an environment today where we can’t get away from it. It is not something that we actively pursue, as I think a number of the journalists here in the audience will confirm. But the fact of the matter is, with the social media being what it is today, with the press and the 24-hour news cycle, it’s very difficult to get away from it.”

He's got a good point. There are smartphones with cameras EVERYWHERE.