Customer Reviews

Inside the US Navy Seals

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I have read several in the SPECOPs genre, among them the excellent works by Douglas Walker, and also by D.Marcinko. I thought I'd share some concrete reasons why this is one of the best book on the US Navy SEALS I've come across. Gary Stubblefield has written a well informed analysis of present day SEAL teams. He describes in detail the methods emplyed by the teams, and backs them up with his concrete experience in Vietnam, or with stories from his fellow SEALs. You are taken into the jungle to witness a SEAL ambush, or a ship takendown in Panama harbor. Stubblefield gives an authoritative assesment of present day SEAL strengths and weaknesses. His anecdotes and obvious experience gives an unprecedented complete view into the Naval Special Warfare community.

Gary Stubblefield, a SEAL with over 20 years experience, recounts his days as a SEAL, as well as giving us an excellent up-to-date review of everything around the Navy's SEAL. No romaticizing, just the truth. For someone who's life's dream was to be a SEAL, I was kind of disappointed at how the SEALs went from being creative and imaginative warriors to creative and imaginative warriors with a bureaucracy over their head. A bureaucracy madeup of people with no real SEAL experience. Excellent book that will let you know what's going on in an objective and truthful way.

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.

Gary has written the best book on this subject that I have read.He has the knowlege and experience to go beyond the surface and does not leave you with the feeling that he has his own agenda. He writes in a style that lets even us old ship sailors understand.I felt as though I were listening to an old friend

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.

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.

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.

The book offers an inside look to non-military persons. It breaks down the mysticism behind the SEALs and allows you to analyze there strengths and weaknesses. An interesting perspective on the number 1 fighting force in the world.

Cmdr. Stubblefield has hit the nail on the head. This book is a "Must Read" for anyone interested in SPECWAR. It is filled with great, real world information. Also goes into some of the political problems that service men face in thier careers. If you want some 4.0 insite into the life of a SEAL, then this is the book to read. I am somewhat biased as I had the honor of serving under his command on the Wimbrown 7 back in '88.
ENC(SW) "Rodge" USN(Retired)

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!