The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident [Paperback]

Dick Couch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2005

In America’s new war, the first guns in the fight are special operations forces, including the Navy SEALs, specially trained warriors who operate with precision, swiftness, and lethal force. In the constantly shifting war on terror, SEAL units—small in number, flexible, stealthy, and ef?cient—are more vital than ever to America’s security as they take the battle to an elusive enemy around the globe.

But how are Navy SEALs made? Dick Couch, author of the acclaimed Warrior Elite, follows SEALs on the ground and in the water as they undergo SEAL Tactical Training, where they master combat skills such as precision shooting, demolitions, secure communications, parachuting, diving, and first aid. From there, the men enter operational platoons, where they subordinate their individual abilities to the mission of the group and train for special operations in specific geographic environments.

Never before has a civilian writer been granted such close access to the training of America’s most elite military forces. The Finishing School is essential reading for anyone who wants to know what goes into the making of America’s best warriors.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Couch is a well-qualified guide to this class of men who possess what he calls a relentless desire to fight and win as a team." —Wall Street Journal

“Lively, informative, and intimidating.” —Bob Kerrey, president, New School University, BUD/S Class 42

From the Inside Flap

In America's new war, the first guns in the fight are special operations forces, including the Navy SEALs, specially trained warriors who operate with precision, swiftness, and lethal force. In the constantly shifting war on terror, SEAL units--small
in number, flexible, stealthy, and efficient--are more vital than ever to America's security as they take the battle to an elusive enemy around the globe.

But how are Navy SEALs made? What special training and preparation sharpen the physical skills and intangible character of a regular soldier into that of an elite warrior? In the acclaimed Warrior Elite, former Navy SEAL Dick Couch narrated one SEAL class's journey through BUD/S training, the brutal initial course that separates out candidates with the character and stamina necessary to begin training as Navy SEALs. In The Finishing School, Couch follows SEALs into the next levels of training, where they further develop their endurance and strength, but also learn the teamwork and finely honed skills they'll need to fight with the best--and win.

Dick Couch spent six months living with and observing SEALs in training for operational readiness in the months leading up to the Iraqi campaign. He follows them on the ground and in the water as they undergo SEAL Tactical Training, where they master combat skills such as precision shooting, demolitions, secure communications, parachuting, diving, and first aid.

From there, the men enter operational platoons, where they subordinate their individual abilities to the mission of the group and train for special operations in specific geographical environments. Never before has a civilian writer been granted such close access to the training of America's most elite military forces. The Finishing School is essential reading for anyone who wants to know what goes into the making of America's best warriors. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609810464
• ISBN-13: 978-0609810460
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,730 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > History > Military > Naval
  • #38 in Books > History > Military > Intelligence & Espionage

More About the Author

DICK COUCH is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who has served as a Navy SEAL and as a CIA case officer. He has written six novels and the nonfiction works Down Range, The Finishing School, and The Warrior Elite. He lives in central Idaho.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Warriors, May 2, 2004

By 

C. N. Seger (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident (Hardcover)

"The Finishing School" is a terrific book, and every bit as fascinating as "The Warrior Elite." Dick Couch shows exceptional tenacity in following every twist and turn of training that these incredible warriors go through, and he handles the narrator's job superbly--giving us a personal reaction every now and then from his perspective as a SEAL in the Vietnam era.

Couch provides insight into what makes SEALS succeed (or fail) and enriches our understanding of how crucial training is to their complicated missions. I felt like I was there in the classroom and on the range with them at all times. Yes, the training evolutions do seem to go on without end, but that's one of the book's points: these guys are the best trained, toughest warriors the world has ever seen, and they will come after you from the sea, the air, or on land.

I particularly enjoyed the sections dealing with the SEAL weaponry; the choices they have are fascinating and scary. If you're a Navy buff, or in the least bit interested in what force America can project almost anywhere on earth, then this book is for you.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As expected, Dick Couch delivers another great book, March 13, 2004

By 

Chuck (Annapolis, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident (Hardcover)

I read Dick Couch's The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228 and was ecstatic to hear that he was working on a second book about the training post BUD/S graduates do before they go to their platoons. The Finishing School: Earning the Navy Seal Trident, follows SQT (SEAL Qualification Training) students through some of the most challenging and exciting moments of their Navy careers. Anyone with an interest in the military, an aspiring SEAL, family member or friend of one of these amazing warriors should definitly read this book. I must add that it is not necessary for one to read The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228 to understand The Finishing School: Earning the Navy Seal Trident. There are several pages devoted to explaining the BUD/S process which was the topic of The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228, although I highly recommend both. Hope this review was helpful to you.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Followup!, August 21, 2004

By 

Rich M. (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident (Hardcover)

If you've read The Warrior Elite, you know what you'll get in this book. Captain Couch does a great job describing what happens from the day the BUD/s graduates are secure from Coronado to the time they go on forward deployment with their SEAL Platoons. I especially liked that he offered details on both the Officer and Enlisted sides of things. As a person hoping to secure an Officer billet to BUD/s while maintaining a family, it was refreshing to see that others do it. It also does justice to the modern SEAL and inadvertently dispels negative notions that the likes of Marchinko and Carracci have impressed on us. The modern SEAL is above all a Professional, like most of his processors, not a blood thirsty Rambo like the previously mentioned would have you believe. If you want to truly understand this world, read this book, if not go back to Rouge Warrior. It's pretty detailed and has a few pictures just like the last book. On the negative side, I was left wanting more for the $25.00 hardcover price. The 263 pages read more like 170. It's worth the 5 stars I gave it, but I also felt it was not as complete a product as The Warrior Elite.