4 comments about Green Beret in Vietnam.

1. Looks stupid and the Navy Seals are way better!



2. This has not even been released yet. If it is like most osprey titles it should be good.



3. For those who already have a small library of books on Vietnam Elite Forces and Militaria the names Gordon Rottman and Kevin Lyles are no strangers. To my knowledge this is the first time they have collaborated together and the result is as could be expected - excellent!

   Given the many roles SF personnel conducted during the Vietnam conflict, their 'bread and butter' was the 'advisory' effort and consequently, this is what the book focuses on.

   The text is well indexed, concise and clear - covering items such as organisation, training, life in the A-camps and the weapons utilised. The majority of photos are new and well chosen for their relevance to points in the text. Kevin Lyles' colour plates are superb - clean and well detailed - his intimate knowledge of the items involved are apparent (such as the highly 'technical' method of squeezing extra transmission range from a PRC-25/77 radio!). They also illustrate the closeness that SF soldiers had with their indigenous charges - my favourite colour plate depicting a light hearted mortar lesson!

   My only criticisms of the book are in the order of nit-picking .. The 'SSGT' depicted in Plate 1 is quite obviously SF officer and legend, Ed Rybat - why not give him his due rank? Also, SF involvement in MACV-SOG was only alluded too - but in the space limitations of this particular publication this is understandable.

   Incidentally the cover depicted on the amazon page was illustrated by Ron Volstad and most likely a pre-production cover - it is NOT the actual cover of the book I obtained.

   In summary, a must have book for those researching the life and look of the SF soldier of the period. It brings together in a clear, concise way information that one would otherwise have to obtain from more expensive or out-of-print texts. An authoritative bibliography is also supplied for those interested in further reading. Although a short book, it is a worthy companion to those other excellent Rottman and Lyles titles adorning the bookshelf of the SF aficionado.




4. A goog solid effort on a very interesting subject for me. A good nuts and bolts book about the SF. A worthy addition for a library dedicated to Military History.

5 comments about On Wings of Eagles.

1. After reading _The Pillars of the Earth_ and its sequel, I was doing a little Web research (Wikipedia) on the Perot rescue and found out that Ken Follett had written a book about it: "What luck!" I thought.
   
   I thought wrong. The format of this book is so dry and dull it was almost unreadable. I forced myself about half-way through just to get the information, and by that time, I couldn't give up on it, even as a loathed every page.
   
   The plain fact of the matter is that this story is just NOT that interesting. It's a big tease. Nothing ever happens. In the end, the same result would have come to pass even if Perot hadn't sent the rescue team. And also, so much for Perot being a big capitalist hero: He was in Iran setting up a socialist welfare state for Iran, much like he helped establish here in the U.S.
   
   The story of Perot's "rescue" of his socialism-enabling employees is worth of an extended magazine article, but not a full-length book. And no matter the length or format, Follett's approach to "non-fiction" novel writing (which he says this isn't) is mind-numbingly boring.
   
   Avoid this volume at all costs.



2. The book was in excellent condition for an older book. Was very pleased with this transaction, thank you.



3. Ken Follett's engaging prose flows effortlessly through most of this book but at times it becomes unaccountably prosaic. As some reviewers have suggested, there seems to be quite a bit of the voice of Ross Perot here.
   
   Quibblers suggest that nothing heroic was done to rescue two imprisoned hostages (for that is really what they were: hostages). Anyone who has ever worked for a powerful company, especially overseas, knows he or she is at the mercy, if you will, of the man or men in charge. And up till recently, those in charge were always men. Spouses played supporting roles. But just because there is the possibility that the men who were rescued by the team that Ross Perot put together might have gotten out anyway--and, especially after reading this book, I would never assume that--is not to say the rescuers were not heroic. Perot himself deserves praise for sticking by his employees, at substantial personal cost.
   
   In 1978 Iran was in a violent state of revolution. Americans at that time were particularly detested by the Iranian populace, who associated them with the hated strong man, the Shah. The Shah was deposed and Americans wanted to leave Iran and then soon realized they HAD to leave Iran. For some reason two employees of ELS, Ross Perot's data processing company, were imprisoned by an Iranian official named Dadgar. Perhaps Dadgar thought that one of the men, William Gaylord, was the chief of the Iranian operation, William Gayden, and it was a case of mistaken identity. The prisoners were not formally charged. Once they escaped, they made their way to the hotel where some of the rescue team were staying. Perot had put together, under the impressive leadership of former Green Beret Colonel Arthur ("Bull") Simons, a formidable group.
   
   From then on during their journey out, ultimately via a remote road in northwestern Iran, the situation was even more hazardous and often terrifying. Another team of employees met them across the border. These second-team men had also undergone discomfort and difficulties just to get to the frontier from the Turkish side and to prepare their part of the rescue.
   
   Even with the whole country in turmoil, Dadgar's people pursued the two men relentlessly, like a latter-day Javert. It seems a strange, and oddly personal, vendetta. The government under the Shah had hired Perot's data service company EDS to set up a base so the country could have socialized medicine, but that year the government apparently ran out of money and ceased to make payments. EDS finally demanded the tardy sum and refused to do any more till they got it. That's when the trouble accelerated. Dadgar alleged or at least implied that EDS had been dishonest. Almost at random, it seemed, Dadgar tossed the two EDS employees in prison, and they became the focus of the Iranian's rage with the firm.
   
   One of their biggest problems the rescuers had was the hostile terrain in the primitive mountainous area they had to cross. Another was the anarchy of the tribal people they encountered. Each tribe answered to its own head man and it seemed there was no guaranteed safe-conduct no matter who they got to sign their documents. The Americans did skirt the law but the book states they tried to keep this at a bare minimum.
   
   Their story as told in the book is a bit longer than it needs to be and under a lesser writer might become tedious, but in fact it is riveting all the way. The wives and families seemed to be incredibly stoic, even when they did not know exactly what was going on. It might have been more natural to see them fall apart occasionally and at least one couple eventually divorced. The women, as much as their husbands, deserve honour and respect. It's hard to explain, but even though this happened thirty years ago, the wives seem anachronistic, perhaps because they are defined through masculine prisms.
   
   Finally, at the very end of the book, Follett tells us that more American hostages were taken in Teheran in November, 1979 but he chooses--or Perot chooses--not to mention the six American hostages who made their way to the Canadian embassy and hid inside the homes of the ambassador and immigration officer John Sheardown. The courageous Canadian ambassador, Kenneth Taylor, with the cooperation of the Canadian politicians of the day to whom he answered, issued these hostages false Canadian passports so they could escape their siege in Iran. True, they did not have to break the law--at least not Canadian law-- because a special act of Parliament was passed in the first secret session since World War II, in order to issue these documents. At that point they were assisted in this endeavour by the CIA.
   
   Theirs is still a hair-raising adventure. Without taking away from the bravery and panache of Perot's men, we wonder what Ken Follett's brilliant pen would have made of this event, dubbed "the Canadian caper," which called for a different kind of courage, but one that was just as real.
   
   The doughty and indomitable businessman Ross Perot generously went through a great deal of his own time and money to save these men. Likewise, Ambassador Taylor might have been forced to sacrifice his own career. Both men put everything on the line. There was every possibility that things could have ended disastrously in each case,but both men were not afraid to take a chance.
   
   



4. As others have already noted, this is not a typical Follett book. It is an interesting read, however, for anyone who wants to get a first-hand perspective of what Iran was like during the revolution.
   
   My sense is that some aspects of the tale, especially all of the narrow escapes and the doggedness of the Iranian official who was cast as the villain, were embellished quite a bit to make the book more interesting.
   
   It isn't the most engrossing of reads, but I've seen worse. If Follett had been given a free hand in how the final product was presented, it would have been much better. Perot's fingerprints are all over the place, particularly in the overly glowing descriptions of EDS employees.



5. When I noticed this book was a true story based on facts I was afraid it could be boring!! So far, Ken Follet has not written s boring novel or non fiction product. It was a true page turner from the beginning of the saving of two American citizens from the clutches of the Iranian terrorists. He has presented the true life characters as though he had an insight to each of their individual feelings and thoughts. Amazing! I still have a few more Follet books to read and I shall enjoy all of them

5 comments about A Hard Place: A Sergeants Tale.

1. No BS account of this man's time in Nam. Fast paced and well written. Thanks to all who have, are or will serve this great country.



2. Great book, it is a real page turner. I enjoyed it so much I recommended it on my website [...] Buy the book, enjoy it and thank god we have soldiers like this in our military.
   
   
   The book has 10-20 spelling mistakes which may have occured during scanning to ebook format and should be corrected.
   
   Thank you John for writing about such a extraordinary time in your life, it was a facinating read.



3. Should have used spell check or proof-read this before allowing its purchase on Kindle. Excellent read but several grammar errors that need to be fixed.



4. I doubt that he was ever there. By way of foundation, I spent 32 months in country (and as a result I am 100% disabled) and in the areas he professes to have been deployed. As a corpsman with the Marines, I made the beach landing at Chu Lai and served in operation Starlight to clear the area. When it was secured and safe, we turned it over to the Army. His first visit to the village at Chu Lai is in his imagination. I stayed there as the village Bac Si or doctor for several months with just two ARVN soldiers for company. I would frequently walk back to the base from there alone and armed only with my gov't issued colt 1911 45 cal. There were no VC or NVA in the area by then. He came later and they were swarming?
   
   His loud mouth bravado about taking lives is pure REMF imagination. No one ever claimed a kill for themselves. It was always "I don't know, I was pointing in that direction so maybe." Someone else made the confirmation..."Yeah, I saw Max take that one out." A death on either side took a little bit of your soul. The only rejoicing was that you were still alive. Yes, a few FNG's took a scalp or and ear but it was always someone elses kill. They soon (if they survived) learned the disgust that comes with death.
   
   I've been on LRPs and 6 man patrols as well as large operations. I served in Da Nang, Chu Lai, Kai Ha and An Hai. I served with MAG 12, 16 and 36. I generally served with MAGs (marine air groups) and helicopters. The way he tells of injuries or deaths tells me he has never held a friend with a sucking chest wound and had his face covered with a spray of blood from the hole when the dying man coughed. He has never seen a bullet hole, the damage a toe popper or bouncing betty does. He has never heard a man cry for his mother with his last breath or heard a death rattle. This guy and his flip bravado smacks of someone who has never seen combat. Someone who, when he begins his line of ___ makes the real combat vets shake their collective head. His "Tag 'em and Bag 'em" quote is pure unadulterated B.S.right out of the movies.
   
   If you want pure fiction, this is it. All wrapped up in a video game. A waste of my time and money.



5. I didn't think that my 1st. review would be to slam somebody's work but.......I brought this book thinking that I was buying a true account or non-fiction. This book has all the feel of REMF fantasy.
   
   We are attacting you to a unit of truck drivers and your unit does't exsist. Really? We are giving you a badge that identifies you as CID. Really? You don't have to make after action reports. Really? You are this super-secret spy hunter but everyone knows who you are (Wink Wink) and all your past exploits. Really? You can operate in anyones AO. Really? We have this super secret spy room that can only be accessed by going though a secret panel in a barracks. Really? He even made the hookers moan. ETC. ETC. ETC.
   
   Even as a work of fiction this is a poorly written. Needed a proof reader.

5 comments about War Stories of the Green Berets.

1. War stories are traditionally told in bars, over beers, and are notoriously unreliable as history but very reliable as entertainment. This book is a collection of war stories from about three dozen men, most of whom I know personally. They are best enjoyed with a blood-alcohol level of about .01 or higher. The book has been in print for about fifteen years, in two editions, and only one person has objected to the format. But he is a LOUD person, so I will just say here what I said in the introduction -- these are stories Green Berets tell each other late at night, long after the incident. Some are funny, some are horrifying, and all provide a little insight into what goes on in "the Special Forces community." Anybody expecting a proper history has come to the wrong book; this one was meant to be fun to read. And that's what it is!



2. I served with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) from December 1969 through January 1971. I was fortunate enough to have served with the finest, bravest, and most professional soldiers God ever put into combat boots.
   Mr. Halberstadt's book brought back many memories of those times. I especially enjoyed reading about the various soldiers' memories of LTC Maggie. She was one of a kind. I was fortunate enough to spend many hours with her in Beverly Hills in her Team Room. She had photos of herself with every president from Roosevelt to Nixon. She had all types of military awards and photos adorning her walls.
   I can only imagine what adorns the wall of Hanoi Jane Fonda. Probably photos of Che Guevera, Stalin, Uncle Ho, and Alger Hiss are hung on her walls.
   The book, for me, was pure enjoyment. Most war stories books dwell on the horrors of war. This book is the exception. Although there is a modicum of horror in this book, it is replete with many numerous anecdotes.



3. Considering our son recently became a green beret, I thought it was an excellent idea to give my husband, a viet nam veteran, several books about the elite soldier units. He hasn't put them down. He started reading and couldn't stop till he finished. Christmas is coming. Gee what should I give him. Great idea. More books to keep him close to our son.



4. This book is a series of first-hand experiences from Special Forces soldiers in the field.
   The author provides some tidbit-type information about Special Forces,procedures,weapons.
   
   The S.O.G was mentioned in some of the accounts,there was some additional detail about them in the section about Charles Berg.
   
   Mr. Halberstadt gives some history and origin of the Special Forces. I found that to be educational.
   
   The origin of the green beret as headgear was interesting.
   
   The details about the ethnic makeup of the allies in Viet Nam was really good. The differences and animosity between the Montagnards,Nungs,and South Vietnamese added responsibility to Special Forces units that utilized the various groups as team members.
   
   This book covers the Special Forces from Viet Nam to Iraq,with over half of the book deicated for Viet Nam era experiences.
   
   The last chapter was about "sprayers" found in Iraq and the possible connection to WMD's. That's something I haven't read before!
   
   This book is a compelling read! I am intrigued by the S.O.G. warriors. Consider that these volunteers were "off the books" and on their own, many of them disappeared and with no official explanation.



5. War Stories of the Green Berets is a compendium of war stories-- some hilarious, some heroic, and others sad, as told to Halberstadt by 26 men who served in Vietnam with US Army Special Forces. Hans Halberstadt served in Vietnam as a doorgunner and got to know some of the men in this book during their post-war service in the 12th Special Forces Group (Reserve). The men doing the storytelling in this book are the real thing and represent the whole range of the Special Forces experience in Vietnam.
   
   It's all here-- from the A-camps, to the Mike Forces, to MACV-SOG and the Phoenix Program. Some of the names on the contributor's list sound like a who's who of Special Forces including Jon Caviani, Clyde Sincere, "Ben" Baker, Jim Morris, Walt Schumate, and Clayton Scott. There are three POWs, one Medal of Honor recipient, enlisted men, officers, and even a civilian "adopted" by Special Forces.
   
   My good friend Jim Morris, the author of War Story, The Devil's Secret Name, and Fighting Men, War Story: The Classic True Story of the First Generation of Green Berets has probably used up all his own war stories, but he contributes an anonymous story, "Hood, Riding, Red, Little," which will elicit several giggles from any veteran familiar with the peculiarities of military nomenclature. "Ben" Baker recounts some requests for supplies that were intended to be funny and still are over twenty years later. Many of the enlisted men in this book retired as field grade officers and hearing some of their true reasons for attending OCS are interesting. The pervasive humor in this book makes it an entertaining as well as informative read. The light-hearted storytelling of these "Green Beret" veterans will produce an occasional chuckle and most times a real belly laugh.
   
   But it wasn't all fun and games; there are several stories full of pathos, heroic acts, and sometimes, personal sacrifices to be found in War Stories of the Green Berets. Clyde Sincere tells some great war stories including "Oops, Wrong Uniform!" in which he jumps out onto an LZ full of NVA and is so badly wounded that they strip him of his boots and uniform and leave him for dead. Dan Pitzer recalls an almost religiously redeeming story as a POW as does both Stephen Leopold ("Life in the Hanoi Hilton") and Jon Caviani (who recounts the action which earned him the Medal of Honor and led to his capture in "Medal of Honor at Hickory"). I know John Padgett and spent time on a medical mission in Cambodia with him, but he never told me, "My Wife, the Assistant Machine Gunner."
   
   There's a lot of history here. Different voices tell stories of the Phoenix Program, the Mike Forces, CORDS, and the Montagnards. This book leaves the reader with a good appreciation for the undying love and deep admiration that Special Forces soldiers felt for the Montagnards. The SF veterans in Halberstadt's book discuss operations, programs, and weapons with an insight gained only through hard earned experience.
   
   Halberstadt's contributors also tell stories about some of the great characters of Special Forces including Martha "Maggie" Ray and Walt Schumate. The Walt Schumate story "This Was Done By Ho Chi Minh," had me cracking up with laughter. Again, the humor alone in this book is worth the cover price.
   
   Anyone whoever wore a Green Beret and certainly anyone who served with Special Forces in Vietnam will want to read this book. Even if you didn't, but like good combat storytelling and a good laugh, read War Stories of the Green Berets.
   
   -- Rob Krott, author of SAVE THE LAST BULLET FOR YOURSELF: A Soldier of Fortune in the Balkans and Somalia, former Chief Foreign Correspondent, Soldier of Fortune magazine (former 11B infantryman 1980-1983, 11A Infantry officer 1983-1997) 10th SFG/JFKSWC 1986-1987; 10th SFG 1988-1989; 12th SFG 1992.
   
   SAVE THE LAST BULLET FOR YOURSELF: A Soldier of Fortune in the Balkans and Somalia

5 comments about America's Special Forces: Seals, Green Berets, Rangers, USAF Special Ops, Marine Force Recon.

1. To Lucky13, the info is straight from a textbook? What textbook on special forces do you know of? This book IS the textbook. As for your claim of several missing units, the only one missing is delta.
   Delta is a very secretive unit, no photos of their operators are allowed, and the unit itself is not publicly acknowleged by the DOD. If you want a book about delta, check out "Weapons of Delta Force" by Fred Pushies. It's got about all the info that there is about the unit. It also has photos of the equipment and gear that delta uses(being used in the photos by SF, Rangers, and SEALs).
   "America's Special Forces" is by far the best book available on the subject of US Special Operations units. A true classic.



2. I've read this book recently and I think that it's a great book detailing the history, training, missions and weapons of America's special forces.

   This is a great book for anyone who wants to know about the special forces and what they're all about.




3. I agree that is an informative book, and I also agree that it has the best photographs of any book on this subject. However, the photos are where I was a bit disappointed. I received the book in the mail and as soon as I saw the cover my heart sank. Having been in the military, the first thing that I noticed was the blank adapters on the weapons of the troops. Now, maybe I was deluding myself, but I was not prepaired for that. After going through the book, it seemed that all of the photos were of various stages of training in the special ops schools. Eventually, this bothered me less because, thinking realistically, how would they get photos of actuall missions and if they did, we would definitely never see them.

   Overall, I recommend this book. The content is decent and the picutres are brilliant, I just had to prepare readers as picky as I am.




4. I disagree with a previous post claiming this book is a classic. It is not, but that doesn't make it a bad book either. To the contrary, I found this book provided good info on the various special operations forces it covered. I too was disappointed though to find Delta was not covered in this book. And the fact that the Pentagon still doesn't acknowledge them is a joke, everyone knows they exist, and there's plenty of pictures available of them and their gear so thats no excuse to exclude them. The author's portayal of those branches covered however was very good, making this book a mixed bag rating-wise.



5. I would say that this book is very good. I would like to point out to some of the other reviewers that Delta Force is not a separate Special Force but rather a detachment of the First Special Forces Group. Hence the name First Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta. This is probably why the unit did not get it's own chapter in the book.

3 comments about The Green Berets: The Amazing Story of the U.S. Army's Elite Special Forces Unit.

1. The new edition of Robin Moore's Vietnam War era classic "The Green Berets" is as timely and relevant today as it was when it was published over forty years ago.
   
   What is amazing is that the problems faced by the Green Berets in Vietnam described by Moore are the very same problems faced by our soldiers today in the War on Terror. These include the problems of corrupt local soldiers, religious differences and the ago old cultural clash between the conventional military mindset and the unconventional warrior. If one changed the locations names from Vietnam to Iraq the stories would be ripped from today's headlines.
   
   The new edition also contains materials which were not in the original edition. It was also enjoyable to read the various stories which contributed elements to the John Wayne movie which was based on the book. The book is well worth your time.



2. This book is a classic. Set in Vietnam, Robin Moore was one of the first people to expose America to the horrors of the Vietnam war. You get to see America's soldiers fighting and braving these nightmarish war. Pick up this, and The Secret Wars of the Green Berets



3. A classic book that everyone should read. Having grown up watching John Wayne in The Green Berets and listening to Barry Saddler sing "Put silver wings on my son's chest..." I should have read this book 30+ years ago.
   
   Many parallels to today's conflict in the Middle East. It's amazing how little has changed.

5 comments about In Search of the Warrior Spirit, Fourth Edition: Teaching Awareness Disciplines to the Green Berets.

1. 
   I bought this, thinking it would be some sort of review of what Strozzi & Co actually did with regard to training of the Green Beret teams. No such luck. This book is, largely, Strozzi's diary account of how he and the students deal with the training, and a quick review of the after-effects. There is little or no information on the actual training itself. That, for me, was highly disappointing. I wasn't really looking for Strozzi's hopes, doubts, and fears, his personal victories and failures. I was looking for information on the actual training regime itself. No such luck, except in very broad terms.



2. It is true, as the other reviewer says, that the book doesn't go into the details of what was taught, but you can't beat this book as an overview of how challenging and rewarding and frustrating this type of training can be, especially when your audience is challenging of itself and of the instructors. Advice to readers: get the most recent edition of this book, which is the 4th edition. Very up-to-date. A thoughtful, reflective, self-critical, insightful book for anyone who has been a trainer, of any kind, really: corporate, managerial, martial arts, Outward Bound, etc. One of my all-round favorite books. But again, if you're looking for details of how Green Berets are trained, look elsewhere. There are many sources on line and off.



3. Features an very intelligent and informed discussion about what it means to be a warrior. I was very impressed by the level of awareness he showed about his own short comings, as well as those of our current military mindset. If you are interested in the human potential movement, martial arts, or the military, I would highly recommend this book. It will introduce you to a world at the forefront of our current world events and provide you a glimpse at what is on the horizon.



4. Much of my reading these days is influenced by friends and family members who say to me: "You really need to read this book!" Thus, I was led to a book I would not have otherwise been aware of. Richard Strozzi, a former Marine and a black belt instructor in the martial art, aikido, has chronicled his 20-year pilgrimage of helping the US Special Forces to integrate into their training the insights of Eastern thought in general and aikido in particular. He subtitle for the book is: "Teaching Awareness Disciples to the Military."
   
   I found the book fascinating as Strozzi describes in great detail the pilot project he was asked to conduct for the Green Berets, dubbed "The Trojan Warrior Project." The concept that Strozzi and his team mates taught initially met with great skepticism all up and down the chain of command, yet twenty years later can be found as an integral part of Special Forces training in all the U.S. branches and among NATO nations.
   
   To give you a flavor of the task that Strozzi described, I will share a brief quotation.
   
   He describes the distrust and animosity that originally existed between the martial arts world and the world of the U.S. military. Strozzi quotes the reaction of one of his aikido colleagues upon learning of the author's plans to help the military:
   
   "`How could you pass these sacred teaching to Them?'
   
   Us and Them. Here was a caste system of which I hadn't been consciously aware. In my mind the soldiers were not them. Teaching the disciplines that have most positively affected me, to a population that seemed most obviously in need of them, was an obvious outgrowth of my work. Obvious to me if not to others. Although I knew I would get a reaction from being part of this project, I thought it would be entirely different from the Us/Them scenario." (Page 4)
   
   Strozzi goes on to tell the story of how both he and the soldiers his team members were training learned to adjust to one another's very different views of the world and of what it truly means to be a warrior. The edition of the book that I read brings up almost up to the present day in recording how the concepts and the project have spread beyond the initial limited "Trojan War Project" to now include influencing the training given to the navy Seals, US Marines and other allied special forces.
   
   This is a book that will be a valuable read for anyone interested in exploring what it takes to be a warrior who is fully human and self-aware. You may not agree with all that Strozzi believes and preaches, but you will have a hard time putting the book down.
   
   Al



5. The author was teaching a subject he was not sure about himself. In the end it sounds like his program had some benefits for his students, but he did not really fully explain the processes he used other than Akido. I would have liked a little more information on how they conducted the meditation or mind and body sessions. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to my friends.

5 comments about To Be a U.S. Army Green Beret (To Be A).

1. This book provides great insight in to what it takes to be the best. It breaks down the process from the beginning of basic to the last phase of the Q Course. I thought I knew pretty much everything I needed,boy was I wrong. The info. is from BTDT's and students going through the training. The pictures are vivid and clear. If you have "To be a U.S. Army Ranger", its in the same format, just a little bigger in size(HxW). This is a must for anyone wanting to go SF.



2. This book is amazing, because of its pictures and diagrams. It gives you an exact idea of chronological order of what happens in your training of becoming an SF soldier. It gives you respect for these soldiers and what they are capable of doing. very informative. However, since i am not interested in becoming a green beret, i haven't been able to finish it. i have read the "to be a u.s. army ranger" because it seems to pertain to me more. however it is a good book and i would recommend to those who really don't mind spending money on just buying books to satisfy their curiosity and those who want to be SF.



3. Probably the best single resource I've ever seen about Army S.F., recommend to anyone interested in this field!



4. I'd give this book 3.5 but I cant... I found this book to be very well informing of all types of stages in trasining to be a green beret and the conciseness... Though it lacks detailed first-hand accounts on what the training is like and rather usually just gives a brief overview. It does however have alot of pictures and often times (brief but) particular information on other stages of the course like the Scuba and even has a course outline and pictures on SERE.
   
   
   This book is really good for those that have no working foundation on process of becoming SF, yet its also good if you already have one because it presents the information in a clearer concise presentation. If you want more detailed first-hand accounts on the actual training read Dick Couch's "Chosen Soldier"



5. This book a is a great motivator for anyone getting ready to join Special Operations in any branch.

5 comments about Desperate Lands: The War on Terror Through the Eyes of a Special Forces Soldier.

1. I recommend that you read Desperate Lands. It gave me a valuable glimpse into the war that can only be told by a hero who has been there, faithfully serving the rest of us. It is not a highly action-packed drama, but an opportunity to see reality in places I have never been, through a soldier's eyes. I am impressed by the training and professionalism applied to this difficult and dangerous job. The visions have come back to my mind from this unbiased story which is missing in my morning newspaper. We are proud to have you as one of us, Reggie, and thankful that you came home unharmed.



2. I'm sure MSG Zapata is very good at his job. However, his ability to write is lacking, to say the least. The content and the story line is mundane, often times nothing more than rambling on about daily activities. Sure, there are some fancy acronyms in there, but for those of us who actually know what they mean, it's easy to see that it's just filler.
   There are typos in the text. MSG Zapata's use of terms, both technical, and those known as jargon, are inaccurate and misused. Many times both sentences and paragraphs are just redundant and drawn out.
   MSG's contribution to the Global War on Terror and to the service of our great nation should never go unappreciated -- and this is not what this review is implying. I'm simply stating that the book is lacking substance.



3. Think you're having a bad day, a bad week, a bad year?
   
   This story gives the reader a glimpse of all the difficulties, obstacles and annoyances of what it is to serve as a special forces soldier in a war where the enemy wears the same uniform as the civilian, and another army (Pakistani soldiers) are less than cooperative.
   
   Master Sergeant Zapata takes you on a journey from the U.S. to different outposts of the War on Terror, from Africa to Afghanistan. It is a journey of uncertainty, and constant change, of always having to deal with the unexpected, and never knowing what the road ahead will be. Along with fighting, there is the task of having to establish relations with warlords, and everyday citizens, to gain their trust, and their help.
   
   This is no easy war to fight, and Sergeant Zapata's story provides an explanation as to why.
   
   My humble respect goes to him and all those like him. We are in good hands.



4. Sgt. Zapata Has placed in print, the first hand account of what it is like for the Spec Forces Soldiers to live in a constant Battle zone. He brings the war home in his book and places, You the reader right in the middle of the War on Terror, seeing it through the eyes of the Spec Ops Soldier. This is an excellent read. This Soldier helps You to understand the real War and what Our men are Fighting for!!!



5. MSgt Zapata's book is a great addition to the professional's tactical library and a great read for the general public as well. It gives an inside look at the workings of Special Forces in hostile territory through the eyes of a senior SF NCO. The book is a fast read. The prose is compact and to the point and the text is well illustrated with excellent photos.

5 comments about The Only Thing Worth Dying For: How Eleven Green Berets Forged a New Afghanistan.

1. A wonderful book that shows who the real heroes are. Too bad they are interfered with by the sometimes dumb brass.A must read if you are interested in the politics of the service and who the real soldiers are.A very reflective book on Afghanistan also.Too bad Bush got bored and went to Iraq instead of finishing the job in Afghanistan!I highly recommend the book.



2. Eric Blehm is a marvelous and immensely talented writer. He lays out the background story of The Only thing Worth Dying For in the beginning chapters, quickly running through a huge number of people's names and military jargon.
   
   Blehm's talents are many and difficult to describe in a review - much better to read in person. But #1 amongst his talent is Blehm's ability to concisely interpret interviews and reports into a coherent whole. His depiction of events involving evaluation of wounded soldiers is graphic and real. Blehm is a researcher who digs deeply into his subject, reading and interviewing and tracking every bit of information to its source.
   
   Another of Blehm's talents for those of us without a military background is the way he takes military jargon and reduces it to just the important concepts. He also succeeds in helping readers follow the ever-expanding cast of characters.
   
   Nothing in Blehm's writing is extraneous. Nothing is wasted.
   
   The best part of The Only Thing Worth Fighting For is that, though written in the genre of creative non-fiction, Blehm is scrupulous in keeping himself out of the story. He lets the ODA team, and what happened to them in Southern Afganistan, stay front and center throughout the book.
   
   Eric Blehm is writer we should keep an eye on. He is young, though experienced. He is talented. His next project will be greeted with much anticipation. I'm sure it will be as great as The Last Season and The Only Thing Worth Fighting For.



3. Incredible. I hate reviews that spoil the story, so all I'll say is that this book is not pro-war or anti-war. It tells a story of brave men and some terrible things that good people go through.



4. Have not had a chance to read this yet, but it's the next one I plan to read!



5. I'm not a huge reader, but I have a personal connection to one of these soldiers. This is an amazing story about the bravery, stength and courage of our soldiers and the danger (and stupidity) that they face everyday. It's not a "war" story or "political" novel, but a story men making sacrifices for the greater good. While I already know my friend's an amazing person, it was comforting to see that this story re-affirmed that. Thank you to the brave soldiers of the ODA574.