SEAL Team 6 prefers to operate in the dark, but it stepped into the limelight in May after its daring nighttime raid in Pakistan killed Osama bin Laden. Officially known as the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, SEAL Team 6 is charged with carrying out the nation's toughest counterterrorism missions. Its members, plucked from regular SEAL units, generally have wide experience in weapons, parachuting and diving, which makes the typical SEAL Team 6 member in his 30s older than most in the U.S. military.
From tsunamis to budget battles to revolutions, 2011 has been a tumultuous, news-packed year. Who influenced the news most, for better or worse? Tradition dictates that TIME's editors choose the Person of the Year. Now that voting has closed, view the final ratings.