A Navy SEAL Turned Mercenary & A Rolex Submariner

American Mercenary details the movie-like career of a SEAL Team Six assaulter turned gun for hire. The one constant throughout his career was a Rolex Submariner on his wrist.  

Belgrade, Serbia - 2017

Working as a private intelligence collector, former Navy SEAL Daniel Corbett found himself in an unenviable situation. While visiting a source to collect information on a terrorist financier, the door flew open, and in walked plain-clothes Serbian police officers, one of which pointed a shaking pistol at his head. Corbett would spend the next 18 months in a Serbian jail, charged with possession and trafficking of explosives and illegal firearms, and even accused in the press of attempting to assassinate the Serbian President.

But this was not Corbett’s first rodeo, a former SEAL Team Six assaulter who later became a “mercenary,” Corbett’s career began at a young age.  He completed the arduous Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) selection process at 18 years old and screened for Naval Special Warfare’s Development Group (SEAL Team Six) at 23. Corbett conducted multiple combat deployments with DEVGRU’s famed Red Squadron and participated in the highly publicized rescue of Captain Phillips off the coast of Somalia in 2009.

A gifted linguist, Corbett then departed the relative comfort of the Teams for the murky world of private military contracting, spending years conducting anti-piracy operations off the coast of Africa, mercenary train-advise-assist operations in Yemen, and collecting private intelligence for unspecified clients in unspecified locations.

A Rolex Submariner Reference 16610

From the SEAL Teams to private military contracting, one constant throughout his career was the presence of a Rolex Submariner on his wrist. Corbett is a self-described non-materialist, but the timepiece has deep meaning and operational utility. Initially acquired as a nod to the old school Frogmen who were issued Tudor and Rolex Submariners, the role of the timepiece would evolve during Corbett’s time as a contractor, serving as a tool to build relationships and to potentially use for escape and evasion.

When he was arrested in 2017, Corbett signed for his Rolex and other possessions before being held in a Serbian jail, awaiting his fate. The pro-Russian press reported he was sent to Serbia to assassinate Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, a convenient narrative in an election year.  Remarkably, Corbett’s Submariner was returned to him when his case was unceremoniously dismissed.

Corbett in Korean language school.

Mercenary vs Contractor

The term “mercenary” is overused to the point it’s almost meaningless.  Generally agreed to describe “a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army,” mercenary is used by commentators to degrade private military contractors and by contractors to inflate their role as… well, just contractors. That said, mercenaries certainly exist and play a significant role in the world of gray zone conflict. While Corbett’s anti-piracy work is more accurately described as that of a contractor, the transition to Yemen and intelligence collection in Serbia arguably places him in the murky world of true mercenary work on behalf of a foreign government or non-state entity.

Corbett details his experience as both a contractor and mercenary in the newly released book, American Mercenary, The Riveting, High-Risk World of an Elite SEAL Team Operator Turned Hired Gun. We spoke with Corbett to learn more about his career and the role of the Rolex Submariner.

San Diego, California - May 2007

After returning from a deployment to the Philippines with SEAL Team 5, Corbett attended a West Coast SEAL Reunion along with some older frogmen, many of whom were wearing their issued Tudor and Rolex Submariners. Corbett wasn’t a “watch guy” and previously had no idea about the SEAL-Rolex connection. He was enamored with the timepiece and the subtle but important meaning it had for his community. In our conversation, Corbett recalled, “I have always liked the culture of a symbol or object that if you are a part of that group, you know.” Like the patches he would later wear at SEAL Team Six, Submariner dive watches were part of the culture of his tribe. When shown the beat-up Subs on the wrists of veteran frogmen, the young SEAL thought to himself, “That’s fucking cool.” He needed one of his own.

Shortly thereafter, Corbett visited the Fourtane Rolex Boutique at Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego. Walking in wearing board shorts and flip-flops, the sales associate skeptically agreed to let him try on a pre-ceramic Rolex Submariner reference 16610. When he held the Rolex, he quickly said “I am leaving the store today with this,” producing his Navy Federal Debit Card, flush with cash saved up from his last deployment.

Green Team & SEAL Team Six

Shortly after acquiring the Submariner, Corbett was invited to attend “Green Team,” Naval Special Warfare’s selection course for SEAL Team Six. While he doesn't recall wearing the Submariner during selection, he remarked that he rarely took it off for a simple reason—he hated winding it. The watch was an extension of himself and a part of his persona. After passing selection and arriving at Red Squadron, his eyes were opened to the broader world of watches. In the “regular” SEAL Teams, Corbett rarely encountered other Team Guys with high-end timepieces but at DEVGRU, watches were deeply ingrained in the unit’s culture.

Corbett remembered, “I started seeing guys with Explorers, Pepsi GMTs, Submariners, and of course Panerais at Red Squadron. I started actually learning about watches, and there was a strong watch culture at the command.” Corbett explained that most of these timepieces were reserved for home or training, but others did wear them on operations. It was at this point that Corbett met fellow Red Squadron assaulter and dog handler, Will Chesney, who wore a Rolex Submariner on the Usama Bin Laden raid (read HERE).

Afghanistan - 2009

For Corbett, the Rolex rarely left his wrist. During a 2009 vehicle interdiction operation in Afghanistan, a piece of shrapnel damaged the crystal after he shot a suspected suicide bomber at close range, causing the militant to drop a primed grenade. Let that sink in for a moment. In the midst of combat, Corbett used the green glow of his night vision goggles to check his Rolex, recognizing a deep scratch on the crystal. He was pissed, and he would have rather the shrapnel go into his arm instead of his sole prized possession. When he returned from deployment, he had the crystal replaced in Virginia Beach.  

Maersk Alabama - Indian Ocean - April 2009

On April 8th, 2009, four Somali pirates hijacked the US-flagged Maersk Alabama off the coast of Somalia, eventually taking Captain Richard Phillips hostage on the ship’s lifeboat. Corbett’s squadron was activated as a part of a rescue operation, jumping out of planes into the ocean before positioning themselves on the USS Bainbridge. Corbett’s Submariner also made the trip. While gearing up for the combat jump, another SEAL jokingly remarked, “You must be single!”, a comment that implied only a single SEAL would bring a Rolex on a combat jump. Corbett thought to himself that it was pretty cool he was wearing his Rolex on a combat jump into the Indian Ocean, but it wasn’t a conscious decision, he simply wore the watch everywhere. Within 4 days of the hijacking, snipers in Corbett’s squadron shot and killed the three Somali pirates, rescuing Captain Phillips and inspiring the 2013 film of the same name.

SEAL wearing a Rolex Submariner during aerial training op out of the back of a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, Aug 2011. (Photo Credit: Department of Defense)

American Mercenary

After a falling out with members of his command, Corbett made the difficult decision to leave SEAL Team Six and return to NSW, spending two years instructing junior SEALs in Close Quarters Combat, a skill set in which Corbett excelled. But he missed the action and after a chance encounter with a former SEAL Team guy, he was recruited into the gray world of private military contracting, initially conducting anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, an assignment he found relatively mundane.  

Aden, Yemen - 2016

After returning to reserve SEAL Team 17 and completing sniper school, Corbett was offered another contract with Trident Group, initially working in Abu Dhabi training an Emirati Special Unit before deploying with them to a base in Yemen. At this point, Corbet arguably transitioned from contractor to mercenary, working for a foreign government conducting counterterrorism operations jointly with a third country, the United Arab Emirates partner force.  

Tradecraft - Cigarettes, Cash, & A Rolex

Corbett completed intelligence training in the Navy, but his new calling required an adaptation in mindset —a transition from a member of an elite unit with all the resources and protection of the US government to a contractor operating as a singleton with no diplomatic protection. An early mentor explained the benefit of wearing a Rolex in nonpermissive environments as a potential bargaining chip and a store of value. It was a principle that Corbett summed up as “Marlboro Reds, Cash, and a Rolex.”  If stuck at a checkpoint, he would initially offer a pack of cigarettes to smooth things over. If that didn't work, then cash. The Rolex was a last resort, but something he was willing to give up if his life were on the line.  Describing this mindset, Corbett stated matter-of-factly: “My Rolex is my currency.”   

Belgrade, Serbia - 2017

In 2017, Corbett agreed to travel to Serbia as a singleton to collect information on a suspected terrorist financier for later use as blackmail. Corbet focused on “wiring the AOR,” building relationships with individuals close to the target. He developed a network of individuals in Belgrade, many of which had questionable associations. In this case, Corbett’s Rolex served as a tool to establish credibility and build relationships. Many of the social brokers he developed had access to significant funds and displayed their wealth through timepieces. Spending his nights at bars and clubs, the Rolex gave him a basic form of legitimacy and assisted in his relationship-building efforts. Corbett explained, “I could not have established legitimacy wearing a Casio, the Rolex was just enough to give me legitimacy when others wore AP (Audemars Piguet)” and other luxury watches. The Rolex was a tool.

(Photo Credit: Buzzfeed)

The operation was short-lived. Corbett’s 2017 arrest launched him on another mission, to gain his freedom from charges for crimes he claims he never committed. Corbett spent the next 18 months in jail, facing a 12-year sentence for trumped-up charges. The police seized Corbett’s few belongings including his cellphone, passport, Rolex, and cuff links, all of which he signed for. He was placed in a cell with a state-sponsored assassin, drug addicts, and various other individuals with questionable backgrounds. Without his Rolex, Corbett felt naked, experiencing a phenomenon over the first few months of his imprisonment that he called “phantom Rolex,” often shaking his wrist expecting to feel the reassuring weight of the watch that never came.

Local Tabloid: “SEAL is ready to settle. To discover whom I came to kill. Just save my head”

For months Corbett had little insight into his fate, with periodic court visits separated by months with limited contact with the outside world. In July 2018, his lawyer was killed in a gang-style shooting, something that Corbett insists was unrelated to his case. Throughout his confinement, he was confident that the government had no case but concerned that he was caught up in inescapable political intrigue. Fully prepared to spend 12 years in jail, Corbett developed friendships with many of the inmates. 

Corbett leaving the courthouse post-trial.

On June 19th, 2019, Corbett was acquitted of all charges and unceremoniously told to leave the country. He returned to the jail to get his belongings and during out-processing, he was handed a zip-lock bag with his passport and—unbelievably—his Rolex Submariner. He was skeptical that it may have been replaced with a fake but was able to confirm it was indeed his Rolex, recognizing the scratches from over a decade of wear. He immediately slipped the watch back on his wrist and after a short stop at the Customs Police Station was free to leave. Falling back on his network of contacts, he spent a night in a hotel owned by the Hells Angels and left the country the next day.

Arizona - 2024

After being released from prison, Corbett returned to the US without fanfare but with an extensive list of bills and expenses from being off the grid for 18 months. Corbett quickly returned to contracting, taking an unspecified gig in South America (he refused to elaborate). The Rolex remains one of his sole prized possessions and remains on his wrist not only as a tool but also as a reminder of his incredible Hollywood-like experiences to date. 

American Mercenary

Corbett has channeled his experience into instructing weapons and tactics for the Sentient Shooting Group. After much consideration, Corbett decided to document his experiences in the newly released book, American Mercenary, The Riveting, High-Risk World of an Elite SEAL Team Operator Turned Hired Gun.

While we like to make fun of SEALs writing books as much as the next guy, Corbett’s story is not another SEAL book. American Mercenary provides a first-hand look into the murky world of Private Military Contracting, private intelligence collection, and mercenaries. Whatever is next for Corbett, we can be confident his Rolex Submariner will be on his wrist.

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