Rating: 
Summary: a good look at selection & training, but thin after that
Review: "Inside Delta Force" provides a fascinating look at the unit selection process and the initial six months of unit training and tactics development for SFOD-Delta. SGT Haney's perspective is revealingly different from that of previous books covering the same time frame of Delta, like Col. Charlie Beckwith's "Delta Force" that was written from the command perspective. Haney's personal philosophy and his relaxed storytelling narrative, complete with lots of hilarious recounted jokes, give "Inside Delta Force" a working soldier's feel.Unfortunately, Haney's narrative thins out after the selection and initial period of training. He covers the training for and the abortive mission to Iran for Operation Eagle Claw in about 10 pages, with for example no mention of the joint training exercises with SFOD-Delta and the USAF units, as documented in books by Beckwith and USAF Col. James Kyle. Haney writes a great description of filthy, early 80s Beirut, but then summarizes all his missions there in a couple pages of vague one or two sentence paragraphs. Haney recounts SFOD-Delta's role in the sloppy invasion of Grenada, but this section remains brief since there wasn't much to cover. Haney clearly avoids compromising any events or tactics, but even given this secutiry consideration, portions of his book are threadbare. Finally, although Haney was in Panama in the late 80s, he was there with regular Army units after he left SFOD-Delta in 1987. Thus, "Inside Delta Force" contains no first-hand information on the three most famous SFOD-Delta deployments of the early 90s - the invasion of Panama, SCUD hunting in Iraq during Desert Storm, and Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu. "Inside Delta Force" is a great look at early SFOD-Delta selection and training, and a captivating look inside the mind of a thoughtful professional soldier of the 70s and 80s, but fails as a reference on SFOD-Delta itself, covering less than half of the period since the unit was founded.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Story -- Little Detail
Review: Despite the provocative title there is very little insider detail in this book concerning Delta Force. It is simply one man's personal and deliberately vague account of his service with Delta from its early beginnings in the late '70's through the turmoil of the '80's. The author very masterfully tells his story without "spilling the beans" concerning Delta's operations. This is of course understandable but if you are looking for a real "nitty gritty" look at America's secret counter terror force you will have to look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you want to read a well written account of what Delta is all about and get a taste of what they do this book will not disappoint. While specifically protective of Delta's secrets this is not some whitewashed PR piece. The author is quick to denounce fools and admit mistakes. His disdain for career-minded politicians and officers is obvious as is his dedication to his men and his country. The author has a frank, smooth writing style that is very pleasant to read and his insights on what he did for a living are refreshingly thoughtful, mature and even occasionally poignant in a genre that often can be boastful, arrogant and at times shallow. Most authors from inside the special ops community that I've read gave me the impression that they would be hard to like personally but this book's author made me feel like he would be a man I could comfortably introduce to my family and respect not just because he can kick some tail but also because he seems to be a genuine class act all around. Pass this one by if you want a gritty, "in your face" commando yarn but if you a well written soft-sell on what Delta Force is all about then definitely give this book a try.
Rating: 
Summary: Closing thoughts on Haney's focus; part 2
Review: My only book quibbles are that the helicopter aviators that screwed up at Desert One were marines not navy pilots and Dick Meadows was "a" Son Tay Leader not "the" commander which was Colonel Arthur "Bull" Simons; this could be tweaked in the second edition of this book which is sure to be a best-seller. CSM Haney's book is full of insights on many levels and reveals legendary acts by brave men like the Ranger Corporal on Grenada that after the parachute assault grew sick and tired of the enemy fire and simply charged the enemy that resulted in the Soldiers alongside him to do the same; routing the enemy. The goal of Haney's book is to honor the sacrifices and courage of these men who go unsung not to draw attention to himself, and he has succeeded in showing us the greatness of men like Walter Shumate and Charlie Beckwith. Haney will uniquely stop the entire book and list the names of the men who died during an operation on a page all by itself. Like that Ranger Corporal on Grenada, Delta operative Eric Haney is saying "enough is enough" with the current hollywood video game simplistic view of war and is charging freedom's enemies with true ways to defeat them with adult professionalism; its up to us now to join him in the assault.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding reading...A must for Special Ops fanatics!
Review: Excellent story telling! I couldn't put it down.... The qualifying process for Delta Force is incredible. These men are the best of the very best.... Because of the need for secrecy, the latter part of the book, where the focus was actual missions, was less exciting than the first part - the qualifying process. Nonetheless, any aficionado of Special Operations will love this book. Don't miss it.
Rating:
Summary: Haney's Book Raise More Questions Than Answers
Review: For all of the positive reviews that CSM Haney's book has received -- and deservedly so -- there are a couple of assertions that he makes towards the end of the book that deserve closer investigation. I am surprised that the reviews that I have seen in the media as well as the reviews posted here do not touch on these subjects. One matter is with regards to the POW/MIA's that Haney asserts were left behind in Laos after the Vietnam War. Haney asserts the following: that not only did our government and military leadership know about this situation, but that the Delta Force was alerted and had begun training for a rescue mission into Laos; that the mission was only aborted when a former Army Special Forces officer, LTC Bo Gritz, went public with a (supposedly) privately run operation to rescue the POW/MIA's; that the Delta's were ordered to revive the mission after a year and were thwarted again by the same LTC Gritz who had announced yet another rescue mission ready to go; that Gritz in fact may have been manipulated by forces within the US government, namely the CIA, to scuttle the Delta Force missions so as to protect US government officials from certain criticism in the press if it were discoverd that in fact, US servicemen had been left behind. CSM Haney also points out that two former SF men, Major Mark Smith and Master Sergent Melvin McIntyre filed a lawsuit against the US govt, demanding access to information about exactly what did the govt know about POWs being held in SE Asia. I find this all very interesting in lieu of the fact that a research group called SpecWarNet ... has published a document stating that Bo Gritz was working with the US Army's Intelligence Support Activity (ISA) which was providing direct support to his activities at the time. ... Also, Haney describes a former US Army Special Forces Sergent named Kiki Saenz who may have gone renegade and operated in Honduras with a rebel group that was supported by the Sandanistas of Nicaragua. In what for me was the most emotional passage in the entire book, Haney describes how he hunted down Saenz' unit in Honduras and killed Saenz in battle, not knowing that it was a former colleague until he inspected the body immediately after the battle. Haney says that he believes Saenz was still working for the US Govt, but it is unclear as to why he thinks that. This is powerful stuff folks. By the end of the book, one gets the feeling that Haney has really been through the wringer. He didn't just serve in one of our toughest, most demanding units. He has seen the darkside of US foreign policy. I am not sure why the media is avoiding this part of his story, but it says right here that this part of Haney's experience must be discussed. It is not enough to focus on all the daring-do of the Delta Force. That in itself is a great story and Haney tells it well. But Haney is telling us something deeper than that here and we would be well advised to listen.
Rating:
Summary: COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN
Review: Hands down the best account of the Delta counter-terrorist Unit. Haney takes you along his journey through selection to training to actual events. I was the most intrigued about the training SOF-Delta went through to battle terrorism. I actually read this entire book in one sitting it is that good, a real page turner, each page leaves you wondering "I wonder what happens next." Haney detailed accounts make you feel like you are right there with him, he is as good an author as he was a soldier. I'd recommend this to anyone with anyone, regarless if they were a military/history buff or normal guy.
Rating:
Summary: An honest, captivating and entertaining look at Delta Force
Review: I have always been fascinated by Special Ops units that our military operates. Delta Force is the one unit that I know very little about. This book uncovers some of its secret world. From the first Selection to the many operations around the world, Mr. Haney does a great job in describing and detailing the whos, hows, whys of each event. Great book!
Rating:
Summary: A Bit Glazed Over
Review: I am a former memeber of the Army Long Range Recon (1991-1995) and I'm quite a modern military buff. I was hoping that Mr. Haney would get into detail about some of the not so well known missions that were done in Delta, without comprimising the people and other players that were in it. Along with that, I would've liked to have read more detail on their weapons and equipment; a lot of the weapons used in Delta are used by other units as well (GIGN, SAS, etc) so explaining why they are used in the unit wouldn't be a comprimise. Details missed, that I would've liked to had known: Who made the choice of clothing for the Delta members during the failed rescue of American hostages in Iran (I know that they all wore certain kinds of civilian clothing for the operation)? I ask that beacuse during my days in Recon we did training missions wearing civvies (in built up areas). We wore civvies of a certain color and type to identify one another. When did the HK MP5 SD get into Delta's inventory? What were the problems assosciated with that weapon, if any? What was Delta's "official" sidearm during the late 1980s, if they had one at all? How did various Presidents react when they met members of Delta giving demonstrations to them? I say that because a lot of politicians have no clue what Spec Op units do, and ask the dumbest questions. The media included. And when did stun devices get intoduced into Delta's inventory (a very important device)? Was it after the SAS raid on the Iranian Embassy in London? I also know of a few people who served in Beriut, and know that it was quite the wild west there. There were many raids done on observation positions that were continually dumping artillery fire on the Americans--before and after the Marines were bombed. Did Delta operate on any of those missions? There are also rumors that Western mercenaries worked in operations with a Delta as well (in Beriut). Is that true? Did Delta work in conjunction with Seal Team Six, if ever? How was his family life being away from home all the time? Did it strain relations with his wife and kids? Questions questions questions! Overall the book is good. Mr. Haney gives people not familiar with Delta Force a look into their secrey world, and proves that it can be quite gritty--and always dangerous. For the fantazoid actors like Steven Segal, Stallone, and Chuck Norris who made a very ridiculous movie about the unit, they should look, listen and learn. And realize that these people are the true heroes of our nation, on the forefront of our war on terror and will continue to be for quite some time to come.
Rating:
Summary: Eric is descriptive, genuine, real-life plus caring!
Review: Eric Haney is a real-life, genuinely caring human being! After
having an association with the Rangers and Delta Force personell I have discovered that Eric still makes a personal investment in every human being with whom he comes in contact. No one person who comes to speak with him has any doubt about his realness or genuine spiritual depth. He makes no pretense of having been exposed to every danger imaginable! He gives no 'airs' about his experiences or importance. When you look him in the eyes, you behold the unvarnished Eric Haney. The imprint upon the baseball caps of a few years ago..."No Fear!" is precisely accurate! After knowing Eric and Dianna thru the experiences of having a hand in their marriage six years ago, I am convinced of their love for each other, their love of others in their family and their close friends. Yesterday, in their Book-Signing Party at Rocky's Brick Oven, downtown Atlanta, it was totally obvious that they were well-loved and calmly reciprocated that loving to everyone present! When I first began this book a few days ago, I thought it would be way beyond my usual 'taste for light reading.' Soon into the 25th page of becoming involved in his Selection Process for becoming a charter member of Delta Force...I was totally hooked.
When I came into the section later about their training into the possibility of recovering a hijacked aircraft and Eric's graphic description of 'Tradecraft'...then I became deeply hooked! His detailed character picturing of Branislav Urbanski and Larry Freedman puts both Stephen King and Tom Clancy in the shade. Alongside the President's latest speech about up-grading the fight against terrorism, this exciting book will provide a clear perspective as to what each one of us may expect when we get aboard any commercial jet-aircraft! I commend you, my Friend for your bravery, courage, persistence in following your dreams towards an interesting and satisfying conclusion! Sincerely, Chaplain Fred W Hood
Rating:
Summary: A military book a woman can love
Review: There's more to this book than that submachinegun on the cover suggests. Yes, Eric Haney tells war stories, real life and death war stories that are alternately exciting and terrifying. There are guns a-plenty and enough Mission Impossible stuff to satisfy the fiercest hoo-hah soldier or wannabe (without compromising any security issues, as Haney makes plain was his intent). But. This is a beautifully written book that shows Haney to be as thoughtful, analytical, and perceptive as he is courageous -- a philosopher/soldier along the lines of Marcus Aurelius. War isn't a game to the men of Delta Force and guns aren't toys, status symbols, or props for their masculinity. These are men in the old-fashioned, John Wayne, "let's roll" sense of the word. Athletes, rappers, and rock stars take note: your days of being considered "heroes" are over. Thank god for that and thank you, Eric Haney, for showing us what a national treasure we have in the men of Delta Force. This is a wonderful, wonderful book.
| 
