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Rating: 
Summary: Welcome and refreshing views...
Review: Cmdr. Stubblefield gives an interesting look into not only the SEALs but Special Forces in general. I often wondered while reading this book, why there wasn't just one special forces program rather than having each branch with their own program. No doubt egos and enmity keep the Armed Services from joining forces for Special Operations.I appreciated his personal comment, about his training, his missions and his current life. Good read without the boasting and chest beating that readers have come to expect in this genre.
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Summary: I made it!
Review: I finished the book. (...). This book was difficult to get through, primarily because at least 100 of its pages are dedicated to complaining about what's wrong with the SEALS. What bad equipment they have, the political decisions in military appropriations, the lack of combat experience in commanders, the "ticket punch" syndrome of the military. None of these complaints are new and none are exclusive of the SEALS. If you have been in the military at all you have see all of it before. Some critisism is warrented and benificial. This book goes beyond that and made this reader yawn and turn a deaf ear after awhile. If the complaining wasn't enough, then the frequent reminders that the author had been on secret missions but could not talk about them certainly capped the book for me. I would have much preferred actual info on equipment, tactics, and training as opposed to complaints. Don't get me wrong, I am sure the author is an expert in his field and some of what he wrote was eye opening, particularly the Granada invasion.
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Summary: Format a tad disjointed, but ultimately enlightening
Review: I have recently become interested in the SEALs, as their dedication, skill, and responsibility continue to astound me with every book I read; Mr. Stubblefield has provided us civilians an excellent understanding of who these people are and what they're up against (hostile or otherwise). The book is written somewhat as a collection of notes discussing various topics regarding the SEALs... Perhaps I'm being overly critical, as I personally found this "style" to be somewhat confusing as topics would seem to wander a bit; but the format was quite approachable and well written.
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Summary: SEAL of approval
Review: The most important word in the title of this book is "inside." That is to say, this book is not written by some journalist or other who is merely writing about personal "observations" of the SEAL community. Nor is it written by someone who is offering idle speculation from the outside on what he believes the SEALS are all about. Instead, Gary Stubblefield has had a distinguished career as a SEAL himself, and there is no better qualified person to tell their story.
During my time in the Navy I had a few acquaintences who were SEALS. I had expected Special Forces types to be very pompous and always looking to start trouble and "mix it up" with regular sailors in order to validate SEAL superiority. The reality of the matter was quite different. The contact I had with these people surprised me as I found them to be very down-to-earth, soft spoken and not out to toot their own foghorn.
Stubblefield brings that same sort of insouciance in the present book. This is not a collection of exagerrated war stories, but rather a detailed explanation of what REALLY happened during sundry covert operations. He tells it like it is, both the glamorous attributes to being a SEAL as well as the not-so-glamorous ones. Stubblefield does not paint himself as any kind of war hero, but by the end of the book the reader cannot help but have an immense appreciation for his career.
The author does a very good job of painting a realistic picture of the SEALS; both their strengths as well as their weaknesses. He dispels rumors and myths about the SEALS and concentrates on projecting an accurate representation of what the life of a SEAL is like. Are SEALS one of the most elite fighting forces on the planet? Certainly. Are they invincible military demi-gods? No. Stubblefield presents many fatal examples of instances where higher-ups in the chain-of-command treated SEALs as the latter.
This book is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to have an inside glimpse at this prestigious organization. Also, anyone who has a general interest in Special Forces will find plenty in this book worth pondering as well. For anyone who has any intentions of becoming a SEAL himself, this book is a MUST read!
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Summary: Reasons why this is the best book around.
Review: This book is one of the best books I have ever read. It told you all about the equipment and gave you examples of when they would use them. It also told you a lot of missions the SEALS did in Vietnam and lessons SEALS learned from them. It did get a little boring toward the end but it was still one of the best books.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Excellent Choice
Review: This book is very excellent. When I first purchased it, I couldn't read it myself, with my friends always borrowing it. Either way, I love it and would recommend it to anyone with interest in the military an/or Navy SEALs.
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