A riveting look at the incredibly gruelling week that turns a Navy man into a highly trained SEAl. All the pain, punishment, endurance and commitment needed to survive the hell week of bootcamp training is chronicled in this riveting tale of determination and intrigue. Go deep into SEAL territory with this intense, thrilling and detailed book written by Command Master Chief Dennis Chalker and military historian Kevin Dockery. No pain, no gain...
CMC Chalker tells the story of Hell Week from both the perspective of a student and an instructor. While at times the book seems chaotic and disjointed, it works, given that Hell Week itself is chaotic and disjointed. I would have liked to have read more about Hell Week from the point of view of an instructor, but understand that the book is supposed to be about the students.
Some editing could have been done on the book, as some details are repeated in different places.
I thought this was a good book...an insight into the training our elite military teams go thru. Very few make it through Navy Seal Training, and it’s clear that only the physically and MENTALLY tough can do it.
I liked this book but can only give it 3.5 stars because of this passage early on in the book:
"There were a few other khaki uniforms around, much like the one he was wearing, most sporting a bright gold Special Warfare insignia high up on the right breast. Below most of the tridents were, at most, a line or two of ribbons and a set of jump wings. They made his own five full rows of ribbons seem almost garish in comparison."
Special Warfare insignia and rows of ribbons on the right breast? How did you miss this Command Master Chief Dennis Chalker USN (Ret.)? These awards are worn on the left, not right breast.