Customer Reviews:
Marine Review.......2007-08-07
I generally don't give negative reviews, but overall, I was disappointed. First, the book is written in Military "Class Outline" format, (and yes I knew this buying the book, and yes I was a Marine Corps Combat Instructor and VERY familiar with these type of outlines), but this means that almost half of the written content has nothing to do with accual useable information but about "instructor prompts" such as gaining attension of the class and how to motivate them to learn the material. The BIGGEST FLAW is that the book constantly references charts and slides (TP#1, TA#6 etc...) but DOESN'T INCLUDE THEM IN THE BOOK! It appears very DATED, if you are at all familiar with older military printouts, this is still one. I hope they (USMC SS School) have updated thier outlines, in look if not for material. If you looking for indidual skills you'll LEARN more just studing a Data Book or reading on line, but then the little info it does include I learned in basic Infantry school and am presuming if you are studing this type of material you already know most of it. For example, total amount of info on "Gillie Suit"; about one paragraph basicly saying to use one. If you are looking into weather or not to employ military snipers, or gain a basic knowledge of thier use in various operations, it may be interesting. Good Luck and Be safe.
Why USMC snipers r the best in the world.......2002-02-25
this book is everything i expected it to be. explains everything you would learn in the USMC sniper school. it's a little basic at first, but is a great source of knowledge on the subject.
Excellent book!.......2001-11-15
Excellent book with a systematic review of all aspect of scout / sniping; it does not just cover the shooting part, but also the tactics, camouflage, egress / ingress, etc... It is mainly aimed at military, not police or civilian use.
(...)
U.S. Marine Corps Scout/Sniper Training Manual.......2001-09-17
this is an excelent book it teaches you things you wouldnt know unless you when training to be a sniper!
Neat.......2000-04-03
What can i say? This is the official USMC Scout/sniper training manual. Here you'll find everything you need to be a good sniper, and all the informations you should have if you are interested in this field.
Book Description
This edition is out of print and no new edition is planned at this time.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book and the best grade ranking you'll have........2007-03-11
Great book for studyng to take the TEA Exam. All the items that appears in the book have relation with the ones in the test. You will have a good score taking the test.
EXCELLENT BOOK.......2007-03-10
THIS IS THE BEST AND THE ONLY BOOK TO EXCEL IN TEA EXAM. I SAT FOR IRS TEA EXAM ON 03/09/07 AND I MUST SAY THAT PART A & B WERE MUCH EAIER THAN THIS BOOK. MATHEMATHICAL SECTION IS ABSENT IN IRS TEA EXAM.
IF YOU CAN SCORE 70% ON THIS BOOK, ITS MUCH LIKELY THAT YOU WOULD SCORE OVER 80% ON THE ACTUAL TEST.
Passed the test after studying with this book..........2007-02-04
I passed the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E) Special Agent/Criminal Investigator test after studying with this book. I wouldn't go into the testing center without spending at least a few weeks with this book. Highly recommend.
This is the one people-Look no further!!.......2006-12-02
This study book is wonderful. I was told that this book would assist me in passing the TEA; and it did. The math examples and explanation given in the book is the best. The investigation questions were extremely helpful. I took the test this past week and passed. Normally, I get very scared and nervous during tests. But no worries with this one. Don't get me wrong, the test is extremely difficult. Without this book helping me to prepare I would have failed-big time. If you prepare with this book, you will pass. Get this book PEOPLE. It will help you. I have to add that I passed the TEA on the first try.
Great!.......2006-10-28
I used the book to study for the TEA exam. It gave much better examples of what to expect on the actual test than some other books I purchased. The reading and investigative questions were helpful. If you're not good at math, you should refresh yourself elsewhere, but the review is great if you are.
Book Description
From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli, and more recently from the jungles of Vietnam to the killing fields of Iraq, Americas soldiers of the sea have fought their countrys battles with famed valor, skill, and perseverance in the face of long odds. But where did the U.S. Marines earn their reputation as being the first to fight? It was on the South Pacific Island of Guadalcanal. There, on August 7, 1942, the 1st Marine Division stormed ashore to begin one of the most difficult and brutal campaigns of military historyand an unbroken string of victories staged across the Pacific. Up the Solomons from Guadalcanal, westward into the islands of the central Pacific, and on to the climactic campaigns of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, these are the legendary battles celebrated in this volume, a lavishly illustrated tribute to the men who led the way against Japan. Nearly 300 combat photographs, many never before published, capture the fighting Leathernecks in training and in battle, landing and mopping up, making inexorable headway through the Pacific theater. Pacific Warriors also gives readers a look at the prewar Corps and its phenomenal growth from a modest two-regiment force to a full six divisions with its own modern air force.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding Visual Presentation of Pacific War.......2006-02-14
Pacific Warriors is one of those rare books that absolutely captures the essence of an era. Eric Hammel's photo selection and text sets the stage and allows the images themselves to tell the story of a generation of Marines who fought the battles in the Central Pacific during World War II. These photos remind everyone that the cost of victory over Japan did not come cheap. The combat cameramen captured the close-range fighting brilliantly, and some of the best war photography ever taken can be seen within the pages of this book. If you have even a passing interest in this topic, you need to own this work. Get it on your bookshelf right away, you will not be disappointed.
Nice overview of the Pacific war........2005-09-19
This book covers the full scope of the island-hopping Marines, with vivid pictures portraying what they went through in World War II. However, if you want to follow one Marine who hit Tulagi, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Guam, and Iwo Jima, I recommend reading "Pacific War Marine."
Book Description
This book provides an insider's view of what it takes to become a member of the Army's Special Forces, the elite Green Berets. It describes the skills they learn and equipment and tactics used to engage in unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, special reconnaissance, anti-terrorism missions, information operations, and counter-proliferation.
Customer Reviews:
Average.. yet Above Average.......2007-08-25
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"
Excellent.......2007-01-26
Probably the best single resource I've ever seen about Army S.F., recommend to anyone interested in this field!
informative.......2006-03-24
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.
Gold for possible SF er's.......2005-07-17
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.
Book Description
A handy compendium to the most elite fighting force in the world today.
President George W. Bush has told all Americans that the war against terrorism will be like no other war. But what does this mean? Who will fight? How will they fight? What weapons will be used?
Most informed commentators agree that the war against terrorism will be fought largely by "special forces"--that is, by a relatively new community within the American military known as Special Operations Forces, or SOF's. This new "branch" of the armed forces was created in the mid-1980's and is organized under its own unified command, called U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Consisting of special units from the other branches of the armed forces, such as Green Berets, Rangers, SEALs, and Delta Force, this new fighting command is recognized internationally as the most well-trained and well-equipped special operations force in the world. Their missions are varied--combat terrorism, search and rescue, reconnaissance, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping duty, conventional and unconventional warfare.
Despite its international reputation for excellence, Americans know little about this remarkable fighting force. U.S. Special Forces provides a handy and comprehensive compendium of America's SOF's. The book includes descriptions of the units and their operational specialties, their training, and their organization, as well as the equipment and technological gadgetry, weapons, armor, planes, helicopters, and support vehicles of each unit.
Customer Reviews:
good information, good reading.......2006-03-24
this book tells of history of different special operation forces. however it should go into more detail with each, but i guess this makes a good eye opener of what each group is and how they're different. there were some cool things about the air force, but i thought they could've removed the part about coast guard.
So Far So Good........2005-08-16
I'm on the chapter about the 10th Mountain Division and so far this book is a great read. I know a lot about SOF but this book tossed in a few things I didn't know. I've never known much about the 10th Mountain Division. And the Coast Guard spec ops guys aren't really special operations. They're Special Operations Capable. I think the Marin Force Recon is gonna be considered SOF now cause they committed a select few to SOCOM in 02. It's about timeis all I can say. The Navy didn't want SEALs under SOCOM's command but look where it's gotten them. Although they lost a lot of men at Patilla Airfield in Panama, they still accomplished the mission. This is definately a good read for anybody interested in U.S. SOF.
Great Little Book.......2004-01-22
I was suprised at how small this book was, but it's still a very good book on US Special Operations Units. It gives a brief history of each unit, describes the selection and training programs, and lists the missions each unit has taken part in. There is also a section on the equipment and weapons they use. This book and "America's Special Forces" by David Boher are probably the two best books on the subject.
Kind of like a "Special Forces for Dummies".......2003-06-03
I would recommend this book to people who do not have a very good understanding of US Special Forces. For those of us who have a deeper knowledge of the Special Forces that our country employs, I would not recommend this book.
The book reads well and includes chapters on the Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, Air Force Special Operations (Combat Controllers and Pararescue Jumpers), Army Special Forces (Green Berets), Delta Force, Marine Force Recon, Army Airborne, Army 10th Mountain Division, Coast Guard Special Operations, and CIA Paramilitary Forces.
The inclusion of the Coast Guard "Special Operations" is a bit suspect as a special operations group, but that chapter is enlightening and informative.
The book does not go into very much detail on any of the special operations forces so I would only recommend this book to someone who wants a very general overview.
One of the major gripes that I had with the book (besides being overly simplistic) is on page 188. In the chapter about the 10th Mountain Division, the book mentions how a "young Lieutenant Bob Dole was badly wounded. After a couple years in a hospital he would go on to be vice president of the United States..." Umm, am I missing something here or was I asleep when Bob Dole was the Vice President?
Anyway, if you are a stranger to the world of US Special Forces, this is a decent book to get started. However, if one already has a pretty decent grasp of the subject, I would recommend looking elsewhere.
Pretty Good Starter.......2003-05-11
I purchased this book just expecting a general overview and thats what I got. If just want to see an overview of all of America's special forces, this is the book for. If you're looking for lots of detail, find something else (recommend Tom Clancy's Special Forces, Airborne, and Marine)
Book Description
In the hours before the D-Day landing, their brilliant success behind enemy lines changed the course of history.
In the tradition of Steven Ambrose's D-Day and Band of Brothers, The First Men In tells the remarkable story of the American paratroopers who took on one of the most important and dangerous missions of World War II. On the eve of D-Day, the 82nd Airborne Division parachuted into key positions along the Normandy coast, spearheading the assault on Fortress Europe. Using extensive firsthand interviews with the men of the 82nd, Ed Ruggero vividly brings them to life. This "first-rate story-teller" (Denver Post) weaves their improbable achievement into an unforgettable narrative.
Only one unit of the 82nd -- the 3,000 men of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment -- had previously been tested in battle. These heroes of the brutal 1943 invasion of Sicily -- whose story was brilliantly told in Ruggero's Combat Jump -- were given one of the toughest assignments, that of securing the critical crossroads town of Ste. Mère Eglise, the gateway to Utah Beach, through which half of the U.S. invasion force had to pass. Within hours of landing in Normandy, the 505th had accomplished its mission and seized Ste. Mère Eglise, the first town in Europe to be liberated. But as the sun rose on June 6, 1944, and as the assault waves struggled ashore on fire-swept beaches, the airborne commanders realized that most of the nearly 14,000 paratroopers dropped on the extreme right flank of the Allied invasion area had missed their targets.
The scattered troopers fought in small groups, cut off from one another by the dense Norman hedgerows and cleverly dug-in German defenders. Putting themselves between the vulnerable landing beaches and repeated enemy assaults, the lightly armed paratroopers fought for no-name crossroads and isolated fields on the first few miles of the long road to Berlin. Their training, courage, and leadership paid off; with their blood, they purchased the critical hours the Allies needed to get ashore. Often outnumbered and frequently outgunned, the men of the 82nd accomplished every mission, held every piece of ground they gained, and thus helped secure the success of the greatest amphibious invasion in history.
Customer Reviews:
A welcome addition to WWll history.......2007-07-25
This is an excellent and easy reading book; however, I would recommend that the reader be apprised of D-Day history before reading it. It gives a wonderful insight to one more important advance into Normandy!
NO BETTER PLACE TO DIE.......2007-04-28
"I don't know a better place than this to die." When Lt. John "Red dog" Dolan scratched out this single line to a hard pressed squad leader at the La Fiere bridge, he simultaneously scribed his name into the short roll call of those Americans who have placed the love of their country and the freedom of its people ahead of their very own next breath.
I have read the account of Lt. Dolan at the little bridge over the Merderet in three other books of paratrooper history and none of them carry the weight and measure of Ed Ruggero's version in The First Men In. It is nearly impossible to read through chapter 12 and not find yourself gazing off into the ether, overcome by the willingness of these young men of the Greatest Generation to sacrifice themselves for less-great generations yet unborn.
While The First Men In is not a small unit combat history such as Band of Brothers, it follows several men - G.I. and officers - from their enlistment through their training, their midnight jump into the Cotentin and through the first days of the Battle of Normandy, delivering the intimate kinship with the characters that the reader so desires as well as the great sweep and desperate fear of near hopeless combat.
The First Men In is a book you will read more than once. In the way you might take a second look at a sunset, the heroism of the men in the pages compels you to turn and look over your shoulder again and again until the very last light fades, leaving you asking yourself at the last glint of purple if such a marvelous thing was really possible in the first place.
If you want to know why General Bradley would not land troops on Utah beach without these men, if you want to know why these men are correctly titled America's Guard of Honor, if you want to know why the local French have re-named the bridge at Chef du Pont the Pont du Capitaine Roy Creek, if you want to once again be warmed and comforted by the greatness of your country, read The First Men In.
Amazing book!.......2007-03-13
I read this hoping to learn about the history of the paratroopers on D-Day and got more than I expected. It gives the history of D-Day, but it tells it in such an exciting, storytelling fashion that it gives you a first person feeling for how terrible those days were. The sacrifices our troops made in WWII were incredible. Let's never forget them.
A Great book of history that reads like a novel.......2006-09-10
Ed Ruggero has written an absolutely fantastic history of some of the most significant airborne operations surrounding the Normandy invasion. To nit-pick the selection of the book title or a minute detail of 82nd Medal of Honor history from World War I doesn't do justice to the otherwise meticulous research and master story-telling of this inspiring author. This well-written prose is fast-paced and as readable as any historical fiction. Ruggero is superb in his description of small unit airborne operations in World War II. In my opinion, much better than the previous standard set by MacDonald's World War II memoir COMPANY COMMANDER. And just as good as Vietnam small unit memoirs - McDonough's PLATOON LEADER and Moore and Galloway's WE WERE SOLDIERS.
The First Men In: US Paratroopers and the Fight to Save D-Day.......2006-08-29
I have a friend who was in the 82nd Airborne's A Company and was a Pathfinder. He was 19 years old. I bought it for him and read it first. I have seen all the movies and heard all stories about Normandy but to read this book made me realize just how really terrible the battle for the bridge was. I had no idea just what they faced. I had visited the site and still had no real understanding of the battle until I read this book. I have even more respect for Max than I did before. What a tale. Bob Morriss
Amazon.com
The seventh in a series of books by Tom Clancy offering in-depth "tours" of the U.S. military, Special Forces surveys the soldiers who "are perhaps America's most professional and capable warriors." Who are they? They are the men--and only men, for women are not allowed to become SF soldiers--who are "specially selected, specially trained, specially equipped, and given special missions and support." The Army Special Forces--known to much of the public as Green Berets--are often the first troops on the scene in a crisis. They're also incredibly versatile: "If you're looking for a Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger, don't expect to find them in today's Army Special Forces." That's because specialized missions--involving anything from psychological operations meant to undermine enemy morale to guerilla warfare in remote jungles--require flexibility. "Specialized missions (paradoxically) require a broad range of general capabilities and skills," which means SF soldiers, "while physically fit, tend to be more balanced (like triathletes) than specialized (like marathoners and weightlifters)."
Clancy and his coauthor, John Gresham, describe how SF soldiers are recruited, trained, and assigned. There are plenty of interesting notes about SF culture: They don't especially like being called "Green Berets," for instance, even though most units carry a copy of the John Wayne movie The Green Berets in their traveling video libraries. They are typically in their 30s, divorced and remarried, intelligent, interested in the news, and able to speak more than one language. There are also lots of details on weaponry, chronicles of training missions, and plenty of maps and pictures. The book ends with a fictionalized account of an SF mission in 2005 and 2006.
Special Forces is replete with Clancy's tough-guy prose: "The overall media presentation of the Army Special Forces has generally been one of contrived crap." And the book is essentially a celebration of a premier fighting force, rather than a critical treatment of it. But this is not necessarily a weakness. Special Forces will appeal to anybody interested in the modern military, and it may bring civilians closer than they'll ever come to these important troops. --John J. Miller
Book Description
They are sent to the world's hot spots-on covert missions fraught with danger. They are called on to perform at the peak of their physical and mental capabilities, primed for combat and surveillance, yet ready to pitch in with disaster relief operations. They are the Army's Special Forces Groups. Now follow Tom Clancy as he delves into the training and tools, missions and mindset of these elite operatives.
Special Forces includes:
• The making of Special Forces personnel: recruitment and training
• A rare look at actual Special Forces Group deployment exercises
• Tools of the trade: weapons, communications and sensor equipment, survival gear
• Roles and missions: a mini-novel illustrates a probable scenario of Special Forces intervention
• Exclusive photographs, illustrations and diagrams
Plus: an interview with General Hugh Shelton, USA, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (and the former Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Special Operations Command-USSOCOM)
Customer Reviews:
Typical Clancy.......2007-01-22
Very dry, almost boring. Typical Clancy writing. I realize it is not a novel but I have read other books on SF and they are much more interesting although not as in depth as Clancy's. This book is a little outdated now. You can probably find more up to date information on SF.
Beyond the Beret: Clancy's book dispels myths about SF...........2004-02-13
Special Forces, the seventh and final entry in Tom Clancy's nonfiction Guided Tour series about America's armed forces, sets its sights on the shadowy -- and often misunderstood -- roles and missions of the men the author calls "the quiet professionals" of the Army's Special Forces command.
Although the public image of the Special Forces stems from such movies as John Wayne's 1968 cornball classic The Green Berets and the Rambo trilogy (Stallone's John Rambo is a former SF veteran who served in Vietnam) and Sgt. Barry Sadler's once-popular "Ballad of the Green Berets," Clancy and his co-author John D. Gresham point out that far from being hell-for-leather, shoot-first-ask-questions-later killing machines, SF soldiers are actually among the best troops in the U.S. Army. They have to be, because their missions -- ranging from blowing up a bridge or weapons factory far behind enemy lines to organizing, training, advising, and assisting foreign armies and police forces of "host" countries "to protect their societies or free them from subversion, lawlessness, insurgency, and terrorism." This means that in addition to their combat roles in Afghanistan and Iraq, SF teams are among the busiest of America's soldiers.
One of the more interesting insights I got from reading Special Forces is related to the role played by SF deployments in El Salvador during the darkest days of that Central American nation's long-running civil war. The Reagan Administration, knowing that any major American military intervention would be very unpopular at home and abroad (a Vietnam II in our own back yard, to put it bluntly), was caught in a decision-making dilemma. Clearly they did not wish El Salvador to "go Red" as Cuba and Nicaragua had in the past, yet they knew the ruling class -- derived from the wealthy class of landowners and other top honchos -- was also very indifferent about the conditions of the Salvadoran poor, particularly those in the countryside. Using the army and national guard -- themselves derived from El Salvador's small middle class -- in repressive and counterproductive ways, El Salvador's government just made matters worse, using indiscriminate tactics and the infamous death squads. Surely, Washington couldn't be too closely linked to a small group of wealthy "patrones" whose only interest was to maintain their lock on power and to ignore the people's legitimate demands for justice and social reform.
The solution? To use Special Forces to gradually change the mindset of the Salvadoran army. It took time, and quite a few of the SF advisers lost their lives in the crossfire between leftist forces and the army. Nevertheless, the Salvadoran officers and soldiers were "re-educated" and, as Clancy writes, "the Salvadoran Army tried acting in other than brutal and repressive ways toward their fellow countrymen, they began to halt activities of their death squads and to actually show respect for basic human rights.
As a result, the rebels lost a lot of support, the Army started winning hearts, minds, and territory, and "by the end of the Cold War [a] peace treaty was a done deal, the civil war had ended, and today there is a coalition government...." Granted, the SF deployments alone were not responsible for this achievement, but they had a major effect in getting the Salvadoran people to see that the way things were being handled by both the government and the rebels were just leading to more bloodshed and chaos.
As in all the Guided Tour series, which are being updated to reflect changes in technology, doctrine, and world realities, Special Forces gives the general reading audience a look at the equipment, training, organization, and the soldiers themselves. There is an interview with Gen. Henry H. Shelton USA (Ret) former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an experienced Special Operations veteran who served with the Special Forces and also commanded Special Operations Command from 1996 to 1998. There are also overviews of the larger Special Operations Command and, finally, a short fictional account of SF personnel in action.
(Oh, and while the Special Forces troops are proud of their famous headgear, they really don't like to be called "Green Berets." As one of them told the authors, "We are NOT hats!")
A Weak Showing from the 'Master of the Techno Thriller'.......2003-03-08
I should have known when I noticed in the store that this book lacked an index, that I should have put it back on the shelf. The omission of an index in what is purportedly an information resource is generally a bad omen, as illustrated by this book.
The book feels rushed and half-hearted. The information included, whether on weapons systems or unit history is spotty, at best, and missing or incorrect at worst. Delta, which admittedly is not officially operational, rates only a single, offhanded mention. There is a definite biased slant towards Army Special Forces at the expense of other branches, and while it would be expected if this were written by an USASOC denizen, it is inappropriate and unprofessionial in this context.
The photos are grainy and rather oddly chosen and the use of black and white printing, presumably to save money, shows a sincere lack of attention when the book shows different SF unit badges as uniformly gray patches.
This book pales when compared to earlier efforts like Marine or Carrier and comes across as a quickly produced reaction to growing interest in U.S. Special Operations.
He Could Do Better.......2002-04-16
I want to say right at the front that I am a very big fan of Clancy, both his fiction and non-fiction work. After the current war in Afghanistan started and there were descriptions that the start of the fighting was being carried out by Special Forces, I thought this book would be a great educational tool to help me better understand the new reports. The book does give a broad understanding of the different US military Special Forces groups, a run down on training, tactics and weapons, but it did not offer much punch in the writing. I also felt like many chapters were almost cut and paste jobs from the chapters before. Overall I felt that the book could have been about 30 - 50 pages shorter and said the same thing, this disappoints me because those pages could have been filled with more real life examples as to the missions these guys actually perform.
Overall this is a good effort by the Clancy team; it is not as good as the Submarine or Carrier books in this line, but a solid effort. I guess I am just expecting more from one of my favorite authors.
Early Sp. For........2002-02-05
I was in Special Forces Bad Tolz Germany July 1954 to Oct 1956. Most of the books I have read always say that we did not wear the "green beret" till after President Kennedy 1955. We took traning with the French in 1954, at that time they gave us the Green Beret. I have pictures of that. Carl Arndt
Book Description
: Written by an outstanding team of distinguished active and retired special operations officers, historians, and experts, this oversize, in-depth book surveys America's elite forces. From Roger's Rangers in Revolutionary times to the Underwater Demolition Teams of WWII to contemporary specialized commands in the war against terrorism, U.S. Special Operations Forces explores both individual and collective achievements. Hundreds of vintage and recent photographs, maps, and historically inspired paintings complement the text, and a unique medallion-inlaid cover make it both a riveting history and a cherished keepsake.
Customer Reviews:
The War We Are Fighting Today - WAR ON GLOBAL TERROR.......2007-03-06
Any book in the (U.S. Military Series) is a must have. 5 stars doesn't even do these books justice. Even the cover demands respect. This book shows the men and women, whom in the past, have been hidden from the public and forgotten about by the mainstream military, but are now on the front lines of the WAR ON GLOBAL TERROR. You've probably caught some glimpses of them on tv in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Pakistan. You'll see their name tags or faces blotted out. These individuals are the ones who put their lives on the line for no glory or fame, just for their country and comrades. In most cases... classified missions, for which no public acknowledgment of their accomplishments will be documented or rewarded. I certainly salute them!
Awesome.......2005-08-30
This is awesome, well laid out and a great gift. I especially liked the section on the Navy Seals. I was given one as a gift and liked it so much I ordered one for my Brother in law for his birthday. Worth every dime.
The History of U.S. Special Forces.......2004-04-28
This large coffee-table book should be of special interest to all professional soldiers. Special Forces or Special Operations Forces have only come into their own over the past 20 years, but they have been around for centuries.
The very nature of their operations contributes to the secrecy that surrounds their activities. Their demonstrated skills and competence are envied by other servicemembers. This book demonstrates why there is a special aura about these men. In a very moving introductory chapter by Gen. Peter Schoomaker, written while he was retired, and before he was recalled to his present position as Chief of Staff of the Army, he explains that this book was written and published to provide funds for the education of children whose fathers died in action or in training while with this force. (At the time of this writing, some 300 children have been assisted.)
Five chapters were written by Col. John M. Collins, historian, student and practitioner of special operations. He starts with King Philip's War in 1670, continues through the American Revolution, the Civil War, the frontier wars, the Philippine Insurrection and the Banana Republic affairs. He covers all World War II special operations feats. He also covers the years from 1946 to 1972, including the wars in Southeast Asia. Col. Collins relates the activities of Special Forces leading up to the birth of U.S. Special Operations Command in 1986. He describes Operations Earnest Will, Just Cause, Desert Shield and Desert Storm-the first war with Iraq-and the aid to the Kurds following the attack on them by Saddam Hussein. This latter period of time saw the regeneration of Special Operations.
The next section of the book was written by Ben Schemmer before his death last summer. He described in detail the recent state of U.S. Special Operations.
Col. Collins then provides an understanding of the present U.S. Army Special Operations Command today. Included is a very interesting table on Army Special Operations Forces and where they are located. It also describes Special Operations in Somalia and Afghanistan.
Air Force Special Operations Command is described in the next section of the book, which was written by Col. John Gargus. It covers the establishment of Air Force Special Operations Command in 1990, and recognizes the contribution and outstanding performance of Air Force officers and men over the past 40 years. This section provides a review of each of the Air Force aircraft in the Special Operation fleet and describes their capabilities.
Naval Special Warfare Command is covered in a chapter written by Rear Adm. George R. Worthington, U.S. Navy retired. The admiral presents a "structural snapshot" of the Naval Special Warfare Command. This is followed by a description of Naval Special Operations equipment, training and experiences.
Ben Schemmer provides a further chapter on the theater commands of Special Operations Command. This chapter provides a summary of activities of these commands, highlighting the past 15 to 20 years since the implementation of the Goldwater-Nichols Act and the Nunn-Cohen Amendments to the 1986 Defense Appropriation Act.
Col. Carney contributes a chapter on special weapons, tools and equipment for Special Operations. This section covers new hardware. There are two pages on Special Operations tactical equipment. Many vehicles are pictured and described. Weapons aficionados will find the weapons and vehicles shown in this section exciting. A further section of this book was written by Roxanne Merritt, who works at the Special Operations Center Museum at Fort Bragg, N.C. This section provides a pictorial review and a description of the various museums and memorials that honor the heroes of Special Operations. The memorials are beautifully portrayed. Col. Carney closes the story describing Operation Iraqi Freedom. Special Operations Forces who are participating in the operation have every right to be proud of their contributions.
This book is a work of art and a living history and testament to a group of extraordinary individuals and organizations. Although their contributions have not always been known or appreciated in the past, this book provides them their recognition now. This book is highly recommended for both a casual read or for deep study.
LT. GEN. RICHARD G. TREFRY, USA Ret., served as Army Inspector General from 1978 to 1983. He is a senior fellow of AUSA's Institute of Land Warfare.
SogBoss Praises Special Ops Book.......2003-12-12
I spent more than 12 active duty years in the U.S. Special Operations community, beginning in 1943 as a lieutenant with Wild Bill Donovan's OSS and culminating in 1968 as a colonel in command of the super secret Studies and Observation Group (SOG) in Vietnam, then continued covert activities in retirement. No other book traces Special Operations trends from the distant past to the present and projects into the future nearly as well as masterful presentations in this lavishly illustrated tome, which describes incredible exploits, first on land, then at sea, and finally in the air since the 17th century. The dedication contains the following words from hard-bitten General "Barbwire Bob" Kingston, a Special Operations icon, who wept after he read about those heroic deeds, then asked in wonderment, "Where do we find men like these?" No buyer could possibly be disappointed, given that endorsement. I would give this exciting book six stars instead of five, if permissible.
Air Commando Reviews U.S. SOF.......2003-12-10
The Air Commando Hall of Fame lists me among its distinguished members, but U.S. Special Operations Forces (commonly called SOF) nevertheless helped me put my personal experiences into historical perspective and describes Air Force interactions with Army and Navy Special Operators better than any other book. General Pete Schoomaker's introductory chapter entitled "The Tip of the Spear" sets the stage perfectly for succeeding chapters that explain why previously underappreciated, underfunded, and undermanned SOF have become the instrument of choice wherever and whenever requirements arise for the right politco-military mix of U.S. force and finesse in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, Columbia, the Philippines, and other hot spots around the world. The hundreds of extraordinary illustrations, depicting key players and places, supplement superbly written texts. I cannot recommend this captivating survey too highly. It is certainly a "must" for all of us who appreciate what Special Forces are, and were, all about and should be read by those who do not-and should.
Book Description
Through the words of a man who lived it, the reader experience the discomfort, hunger, and danger of life in the maelstrom of mortal combat.
Customer Reviews:
How amazingly UNAWARE we all are!.......2002-08-29
An incredible true story of Warren Jackson's life in Europe. How little this country knows what kind of conditions our fore fathers went through during World War I. Jackson tells his story from the heart, during the entire book. Some parts of his story, you'll be wishing there was more he would of said, but definately a good read.
Book Description
In the past three decades, the United States government has used special operations repeatedly in an effort to achieve key foreign policy objectives, such as in the overthrow of Fidel Castro in Cuba and the rescuing of American hostages in Iran. Many of these secret missions carried out by highly trained commando forces have failed. In Perilous Options, Lucien Vandenbroucke examines the use and misuse of such special operations through an in-depth analysis of four operations--the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Sontay raid to rescue POWs in North Vietnam, the Mayaguez operation, and the Iran hostage rescue mission. Drawing extensively on declassified government documents, interviews with key decision makers and participants in these episodes, and other primary material, Perilous Options identifies recurrent problems in the way the United States government has prepared and executed such operations. These recurrent problems, outlined by key participants in these four special operations, include faulty intelligence, poor interagency and interservice cooperation and coordination, inadequate information and advice provided to decisionmakers, wishful thinking on the part of decisionmakers, and overcontrol of mission execution from outside the theater of operations. Vandenbroucke also explores the extent to which recent efforts to revitalize the U.S. operations capability have addressed these problems, identifying additional changes that can improve the government's ability to plan, evaluate, and execute such operations.
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