HELL WEEK MM Review

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(More customer reviews)A lot of good information is available on Navy SEALS, and this book adds to that. It gives detailed information on expectations to make it through HELL WEEK from an insiders view point. Dennis Chalker has a way of writing that is subtle, but powerful. This book may be an autobiography of his BUDS experience, and is a valuable resource for any person who wants to understand HELL WEEK from someone who has been there. From his writing style, I found myself struggling with the Class 78 to get thru every evolution described and immense relief when they were declared "secured". I also enjoyed Dennis Chalker's first book "One Perfect Op". Some readers may expect some kind of movie glitz when they read about Navy SEALS, but the true effort is described in this book- pain, determination, tenacity, stress beyond ordinary imagination, but ultimately the immense pride and respect that comes with the accomplishment of completing Hell Week.

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They came from everywhere across the nation to be part of the most elite fighting team in the world: the U.S. Navy SEALs. At a no-frills training base on the shores of the Pacific Ocean the weak and unworthy would be quickly eliminated -- and the strong would learn the true meaning of pain, fatigue, and endurance. The regimen was brutal and legendary, designed to punish and steel the body and push the spirit to its very limits. And at the end of one incredible week of torture those without the mettle would be broken and discarded ... and those destined for greatness would know it.

From Command Master Chief Dennis Chalker -- "plankowner" of the fabled SEAL Team Six and himself a survivor of "Hell Week" -- comes a riveting novel of blistering authenticity that takes readers through the grueling BUD/s training process -- as a handful of America's best are miraculously transformed from mere warriors ... to Navy SEALs.

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Combat Swimmer: Memoirs of a Navy SEAL Review

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(More customer reviews)I've never served in the military, but I have great respect for those who follow that kind of life. I also have great interest in history, military strategy and tactics, and behavior in combat situations. I therefore checked out the following special-forces-related books from the library: Rogue Warrior, by Marcinko, Combat Swimmer, by Gormly, and Inside Delta Force, by Haney.
Marcinko's book is a classic testosterone-driven, adolescent Hollywood adventure story. I mean that in a (mostly) good way. The author's focus is on himself, on his grand escapades, and his ability to destroy his enemies, whether at war or in the chain of command. It makes for a fun read, although I never knew how much Marcinko might be inflating his exploits.
Gormly is in many ways the anti-Marcinko. Of course they knew each other, and Gormly goes into some detail about inheriting Marcinko's SEAL team and getting the house back in order. But more than that, Marcinko represents the unihibited ego, breaking all the rules and doing whatever he wants. Gormly is all about responsibility and chain of command. Don't get me wrong; he's not at all boring, but definitely comes off as a stiffer sort of character. I'd rather work for Gormly (more job security; less likely to get killed unexpectedly) but I'd rather have a beer with Marcinko (though too much of that, and you probably increase your chances of getting killed unexpectedly).
Haney strikes somewhat of a balance. He's more individualistic than Gormly, but more disciplined than Marcinko. He's also the best writer of the three, with a good mix of gritty reality and genuine philosophical reflection. That's probably why I liked his book the best. Marcinko's book is a fun ride, like a blockbuster action movie, but in the end didn't leave me with much to think about. After reading Gormly's book, I admired the man a great deal but didn't particularly like him. Haney provides all the adventure but he's clearly more of a thinker than the other two, and I can imagine a long, fascinating evening's conversation over a bottle of scotch.
I suspect that you would find all three types of individuals (and many more) in the military, and you probably need all of them to get the job done. All three memoirs are highly entertaining and quick reads. Which you prefer probably depends to some extent on your own personality.


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To Be a U.S. Navy SEAL Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're a SEAL fan and have read The Warrior Elite then this is a great companion to the book. It's not a book you read though - this one's all photos and a bit of text. The pictures of SEAL training are the best, actually, I know of NO OTHER book that has as many pics of BUD/S training. You see all the pics of what Dick Couch wrote about in Warrior Elite. Funny thing is that you see the guys from that BUD/S class because their names are written on their clothes but the author makes absolutely no mention of the people in the photos.
Another reviewer said the pics were "old and outdated." What?! They're all the pics that were NOT used in Couch's book and are from one of the latest BUD/S classes, the class that Couch wrote about. Couch's Warrior Elite isn't a picture book - this one is and it's great.

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This is an introduction into what it really means to be a U.S. Navy SEAL in today's U.S. Navy-in the sea, in the air, and on the land. The U.S. Navy's elite specialists are among the most highly trained forces capable of undertaking dangerous missions into enemy territory. Hollenbeck takes you through the relentless twenty-five week training, including "hell" week, when soldiers are put through five days of training with fewer than 4 hours of sleep.About the Author and Photographer:Cliff Hollenbeck and Dick Couch followed SEAL Class 228 through months of rigorous training. Their words and photos are one of the most accurate portrayals of this demanding program ever put into print.

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Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior Review

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(More customer reviews)I believe this is the first comprehensive look at the entire U.S. Army Special Forces selection, qualification and training process; certainly the most updated (as of around 2004-5). Couch, a former Navy SEAL, is full of praise for the abilities and character of those young sergeants and junior officers who earn their Green Beret. And while the prose at times lags with over emphasis on procedure, it is still a fascinating look at a world very few of us will ever experience.
The main strength of the book is that it's more than an anecdotal telling of what these candidates had to go through. Couch also explores what the SF cadre instructors and trainers bring to the process as well. For instance, I was surprised to learn that there was little of the shouting and hazing that I suppose I'd expect to read about. Instead, Couch shows that throughout all four Phases, the cadre sergeants and officers are extremely considerate AND dedicated military professionals.
Although this kind of experience is no longer for me, I believe this is an excellent book for those contemplating a military career in Special Forces. Couch spends a lot of time on each Phase, as well as each Special Forces specialty (communications, engineering, weapons, medical, etc.).
There's also a section devoted to the preparation officers undergo to become ODA leaders, although I felt this was where Couch was at his most dryly procedural, whereas I wanted to read more about their field exercises. Finally, the book concludes with a satisfying overview of Robin Sage, the final Phase IV unconventional wargame exercise.
Strongly recommended.

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Down Range: Navy SEALs in the War on Terrorism Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book hoping to learn something new about Seals and their missions. What I ended up reading was a cheerleading manual on Seals and SOF in general. I will call that the "rah-rah-rah" factor. There was lots of "they (SOF,USMC,CCTs) are our brothers", "they are real professionals", "we are proud to work with them", and "we'd go to war with them anytime". I even caught a mistake: MOPP (military protective chemical suit) stands for Mission-Oriented Protective Posture. The author gave the wrong info for the acronym. I expect the author to have his facts straight. As usual I recommend the following books: C. Pfarrer's Warrior Soul, E. Haney's Delta Force, Walker's At the Hurricane's Eye, Orr's series on Navy Seals (I think there are 2 worth reading, but don't get the most recent one with all the interviews--uhhh), and Waller's The Commandos. I guess if you are new to the subject of Seals and other SOF this book is ok, but otherwise save yourself the money and get more in-depth info from the above books I mentioned.

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In America's battle against al-Qaeda and their allies, the goal of the Navy SEALs is to be the best guns in the fight—stealthy, effective, professional, and lethal. Here for the first time is a SEAL insider's battle history of these Special Operations warriors in the war on terrorism. "Down range" is what SEALs in Afghanistan and Iraq call their area of operations. In this new mode of warfare, "down range" can refer to anything from tracking roving bands of al-Qaeda on a remote mountain trail in Afghanistan to taking down an armed compound in Tikrit and rousting holdouts from Saddam Hussein's regime. It could mean interdicting insurgents smuggling car-bomb explosives over the Iraqi-Syrian border or silently boarding a freighter on the high seas at night to enforce an embargo. In other words, "down range" could be anywhere, anytime, under any conditions. In Down Range, author Dick Couch, himself a former Navy SEAL and CIA case officer, uses his unprecedented access to bring the reader firsthand accounts from the warriors in combat during key missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Couch creates a pulse-pounding, detailed narrative of the definitive engagements of this war, while painting an unusually intimate portrait of these warriors in the field. The performance of the SEALs in difficult, changing environments—in the heat of the Afghan desert, in the snow-packed Hindu Kush, on the high seas, and in the urban chaos of Baghdad—has been nothing short of extraordinary. The SEALs, coordinating with other American forces, the CIA, and foreign special operations units like the Polish GROM, have once more shown their genius for improvisation and capacity for courageous action in leading the fight against this new and vicious enemy. The first battle history of its kind, Down Range is a riveting close-up of some of America's finest warriors in action against a deadly foe. Also available as an eBookFrom the Hardcover edition.

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