I have found a genre of book that I absolutely love to read. After having read non-fiction leadership, self-help (working on marriage, kids, and money), and classroom (Masters in Christian Leadership) books for the past four or five years, I first found Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
by Marcus Luttrell. Check out my review on that one. I surfed the Amazon website and cross-referenced Lone Survivor to find a few others that sounded interesting. I just finished Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior
and have nothing but good things to say.
Where Lone Survivor explained the Navy Seals training and then Lutrell’s moving explanation of a Navy Seal mission, Chosen Soldier covers a short history of Special Forces then dives into the comprehensive training that makes these guys “heroes” in my eyes. In fact, at one point I told my wife that I missed my calling before confessing that there was no way in the world I’ve ever been tough enough physically or mentally to be in Special Forces. In today’s world, our kids are following well paid actors, sports stars, and musicians when the real heroes are silently risking their lives in the service of United States. Those heroes are in the U.S. military and the Special Forces are in the heart of dangerous territory.
Dick Couch (a former Seal) lived with these guys from recruiting into the X-Ray program (for guys with no military background) all the way through the final Robin Sage testing event. If you have ever seen the Navy Seals
series on the Discovery Channel (Training of BUDS Class 234) and enjoyed it, then you will absolutely enjoy this book. The initial preparation and selection processes sound intense physically and mentally which I know a guy like me wouldn’t survive. However, when they get into the tactics and MOS training, I was looking up Special Forces on the Internet and looking to see if they had an over-the-hill X-Ray program (for out of shape old guys). Couch covers each MOS in enough detail. The 18 Bravo – Weapons sergeant – check out the list of worldwide weapon systems that they must know. The 18 Charlie – Engineer sergeant – closest to my old National Guard MOS of Combat Engineer. The 18 Delta – Medical sergeant – they have 12 months of training which is much longer than any other MOS. The 18 Echo – Communications Sergeant and finally a large chapter devoted to the 18 Alpha or Detachment Commander. This book explains all the hard work and dedication required to be Special Forces.
Even if you haven’t been in the military or aren’t planning to be, this level of coverage just makes you appreciate the intelligence and toughness required. When Couch covers the plan briefing with a hundred Powerpoint slides to be presented to the Commander….I felt a slight business parallel. However, when deployed, this training results in life-or-death decisions.
When my boys are old enough to read, I’ll put this book in their hands rather than Harry Potter or the Twilight series. Real world. Real heroes. Don’t get me wrong….not saying they are joining or anything like that (though I’d be proud if they did). I just want my kids to know where the real heroes are. While we are watching millionaires chasing millionaires for 3 hours and million dollar commercials in the Superbowl two weeks from now, our U.S. military is out…..there protecting our freedoms.
Language is much cleaner in Chosen Soldier compared to Lone Survivor making it a lot easier to recommend to teens.
For the Amazon stats, Chosen Solider has 42 reviews and a 4.5 star rating. Cost is $10.17 brand new (or somewhere around $5 used), although this certainly could be picked up from the local library.
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Jan 19, 2009 
