Customer Reviews

Ranger School, No Excuse Leadership

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book was really eye-opening. Everyone should know just how fully dedicated our American servicemen (and women!) are. As someone who has not gone through Ranger School, but find it fascinating to read about {sure glad I never had to try and do it), .... First of all, I do agree that there are good reasons of American principle and character for Ranger School. And, second, as an Army football fan, I actually did get the book "West Point", by Norman Thomas Remick... when I was down there for a game. And, I agree, it does compliment "Ranger School, No Excuse Leadership" perfectly. It worked for me!

This is a five-star account of experiences at Ranger School. I went through it years ago. There have been some changes. There is that old school-new school joshing around. I have no problem with that. It was gruelling then, and is gruelling now -- that's the bottom line. I only have a problem with people I run into all the time --- liberals --- who pooh-pooh and criticize the need for our training. Believe it or not, there are those out here. Their big comment is "Why should America be involved in anything that would require people with that training?" They just don't get it. They're looking for cerebral explanations. So, I tell them to read "West Point" by, Norman Thomas Remick, a book that gives all the cerebral, philosophical explanations for why our founding fathers decided America needed a permanent standing Army with military leaders trained to have character and leadership ingrained (hence, the title), the ultimate of which is Ranger School. That's the the only thing that makes them understand "Why Ranger School?". Now that increased terrorism is imminent, what are Americans to do -- grow beards, don the muslim headpieces, and all convert to Islam? The answer is NO! Tell them, we have Rangers defending our American principles. And get ready -- WE'RE COMING!

Finally, After years of trying to give fellow soldiers, family and friends an idea of what "Ranger School" is like and the personal hardships one must committ to, Brace Barber, puts it all into perspective. There are No "Wild Stories" here, just the vision of each soldier and their personal experiences put onto paper to the degree that feel that 'You are there'. Just reading this book, put me back into RIP, Pre-Ranger and "Hooah School". My wife read this book, gave me a hug and said "I finally understand". Thank you Brace, for letting my Family and Friends finally realize the "Truth" behind the Stories and to see what I could not explian.

I first picked up this book soon after entering active duty as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry knowing that Ranger School was in my future. I found this book to be very funny at times and also a great testament to what is taught and learned in this school. I probably read this book 3 times before I went to Ranger School and I was a bit nervous. After I graduated Ranger School I went back and read it again and laughed at most of the stuff because I had experienced or witnessed almost everything that was written about in the book. This books is outstanding in giving a prospective Ranger a heads up on what to expect. Don't let the stories get you too nervous about the school though. It is not impossible.

This is a terrific book, a collection of Ranger School vignettes from several students, particularly riveting and clear for anyone who has completed, or wants to attempt, the toughest course in the world.

My sole complaint is that no one discussed in detail any particularly outstanding Ranger instructors or cadre. The tac sergeant for my own class, in the 1970s, was the most outstanding soldier I have ever encountered, the most highly motivated individual I can imagine. He added his own bit of spice to our course nearly every day, imbuing our experience with a richness other classes didn't share (I realized this after numerous visits with grads from other classes). And the City Team group in the Harmony Church area was packed with memorable performers and personalities; my class was fortunate to fall under the incomparable administrative tutelage of the famous Sgt. Burnell. Those soldiers were obviously passionate about their work, and I hope they appreciate their high place in a student's memory.

Whatever the case, Ranger School is a good book. Buy it. Drive on.

I did a stint in the military in an artillery battery a long time ago, and now I enjoy middle age complancency, namely beer and barbeques in my back yard with my better two thirds and my friends and family. This book is top shelf. No, I was never a Ranger, in fact, I'm not even the patch of a Ranger's ass. But
the mental and physical toughness of these men are unbelievable.
The stories, ALL TRUE, will inspire you if you aspire to be the
elite and the best soldier on God's green earth. To you hopefuls
out there who want to wear a Ranger Tab, my hat's off to you and by all means get your hands on this book. Rangers lead the way.

This book gave us a real, sometimes too real, look into the physical, emotional, and mental hardships our son is currently undergoing as a Ranger school student. The editing and spelling are sometimes sloppy, but the content can hardly be improved upon, as each story is written by a Ranger student. Each story includes a lesson that each Ranger took from school into the rest of their careers. Every family with a Ranger school student should read this book.

A terrific book that captures the essence of leadership under the extreme conditions of Ranger School. Brace Barber, a great leader in his own right, has assembled a number of other great leaders to discuss leadership insights from Ranger School and how those lessons applied to tough challenges they faced later in life. Particularly poignant was Dave Stockwell's courage and calm as he took the right aggressive action under fire in Somalia, returning his comrade and himself, despite serious wounds, to safety.

The stories about Ranger School brought back many memories of those long, bitter cold, winter days in the mountains of Georgia, the sands of Utah, (back in 1987 we had a "Desert Phase" in Utah) and the swamps of Florida. The life-lessons that Brace and his comrades so eloquently articulate -- knowing yourself and seeking improvement, persevering through adversity, and mastering yourself and the situation -- are brought to life in this book. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn about leadership, Ranger School, and the human condition under adversity. -- Christopher D. Kolenda, Editor and Co-Author of Leadership: The Warrior's Art.

I am planning on going through Ranger School next year. To kind of prepare (though you can't really prepare for it) I have been doing and extreme amount of PT. I have also been gathering as much material as I can read so I can toughen myself mentally as well as physically. This book is by far one of the best I have read!

I have not gone through Ranger School but the detail in which these Rangers describe their experience makes you feel as though you are an RI (without the yelling) watching these Rangers progress from phase to phase. You can almost feel the elements they are exposed to...the snow, the endless rain, the massive heat, no sleep, no food. You can almost hear the firing of guns, the helicopters, the rivers roaring and anything else they experienced during Ranger School.

As if that wasn't enough the way they have applied what they learned to everyday life is incredible. They live life as though they were in Ranger School everyday. Sure you get to eat and sleep, but they are always pushing their limits further than anyone can ever dream. They know nothing but themselves can hold them back. They have the confidence in themselves to continue on when times are good and when times are rough.
I dream for the day when I proudly wear that tab!

I had the chance to meet the author at FtBragg last year and bought the book then out of boredom more than anything. I needed something to read on the plane ride home and the author was a nice (eloquent) guy so I figured the book must also be genuine. I'm glad I did. This is by far the best Ranger book that I've ever read. It's not over the top Hollywood tough guy, but lets you into the inner thoughts of a number of Rangers as they fuel their fire to keep driving on. It's not a book about killing or being the most macho, but about what drives people to volunteer to serve in this most difficult part of our Army. Reading these stories makes everyone want to just plain be better - just like these heroes.