A common misconception is that as a SEAL you are always on the frontlines. In fact, there are always SEALs on the frontline, but there are also SEALs throughout the support infrastructure. So, there is a certain luck of the draw always going on. I reported into Naval Warfare Development Command on Aug 17, 2001. The world was at peace, nothing much was happening anywhere and I was ~18 months from retirement. 9-11 occurs and I am stuck in a think-tank. I immediately call anyone I can get to talk to me to tell them I am not all that busy if they need me someplace, which is exactly what everyone else in all the outlying jobs is doing. Word to the troops was this is going to be a long haul, be patient. As war with Iraq became imminent I was done being patient and called in every favor I had to be assigned to CNSWG-Cent and got orders their in Jan 2003. Then, when a command oppurtunity opened up in Afg in April, I jumped on it.
Part of the problem is that the Army is huge in comparison to the Navy and especially so as compared to Naval SpecWar. So a decision was made that NSW would have to match key staff billets to stay viable--i.e. visible---particularly at Combatant Commanders Central Command, Souther Command etc--so at anytime there are a lot of guys not in Teams...and a lot of guys in Teams not in the fight. Quite a few guys have gotten out because they are discouraged that there are two wars going on and they are doing exercises in Europe.
Usually the Joint Special Operations Task Force Commander (Navy Captain or COlonel) is in charge and he works directly for the Task Force Commander (Usually Two or Three Star)
Most of the awards I have recieved are your garden variety geedunck awards--I never really paid much attention to them. The two I am most proud of are the Bronze Star and a Navy Commendation Medal I recieved for saving a girls life in San Antonio in '97. The full list is something like Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star, Joint Commendation, Navy Commendation x5, Navy Appreciation x2, Combat action Ribbon x2, Expeditionary Global War on Terror Ribbon, National Defnese ribbon--and a bunch of other been there done that ribbons---