Book Cover

Don't just live, but live for a purpose bigger than yourself. Be an asset to your family, community, and country.

# Review

This memoir was written by a former member of SEAL Team Six, one of the most prestigious special operation units in the US military, tasked with the most sensitive and critical missions such as counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and direct action against high-value targets. Owen (the pen name of Matt Bissonnette) details his journey in joining the SEALs, some of the day-to-day of being a special operations member, and some high profile operations he took part in.

This book came on my radar after the author was admonished by the DoD (and had to forfeit his royalties from the book) for allegedly leaking sensitive details. To be fair, the claims are a tad exaggerated and while there are some details on SEAL training, gear, and operation specifics, I don't think the insights reveal anything that jeopardizes the group's future operations. I really enjoyed reading about the specific operations that Owen took part in, such as the rescue of Maersk Alabama and Operation Neptune Spear, the hunt for bin Laden in Abbottabad. While the operations themselves read like a Hollywood movie, the planning and bureaucracy that goes into the operations are equally interesting to learn about.

I especially enjoyed how the book dives into a colourful cast of character and their mentalities in both choosing to do what they do and also in getting through the situations they have to handle. The banter, most likely watered down greatly for the wider audience (I know because I played on a hockey team) is always fun to read about. Some of my key takeaways are

• Don't be the Gray Man, the average middle of the pack person who just fits in. The SEAL selection process is designed to explicitly filter out the Gray Man.

• Don't be the Good Idea Fairy, the person who is too in the weeds and given time, will overthink and come up with impractical solutions. The Good Idea Fairies in the book, especially from the Washington higher-ups with little actual experience, would come up with ideas that sound good in a boardroom but are ridiculous in practice.

• Preparedness is key. SEALs train repetitively and under pressure so the operation becomes second nature and instinctive.

• Having a huge ego can be a huge issue. Everyone needs to focus on their own job and not believe in their own hype.

• Break down goals step by step and focus on one step at a time. Owen details his mentality when going through BUD/S by just focus on making it to the next meal.

# Conclusion

An entertaining read about recent military history.

# Overall rating: 7.9

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