Inside Delta Force: The Story of America’s Elite Counterterrorist Unit

If you have had any time serving in any military around the world, this book is the one you want to read. If you haven't served, this book is still the one you need to read. I couldn't put it down. Now to try another book that stands up to this one. Thank you for your service Mr Haney.

I being a former US Navy Seabee from the early 1980's have found this to be a really great read that covered the time frame of when I served in the military. I recommend this book to all whether you served in any military or not! I wish that one of the individuals whom the author instructed had taken the opportunity to write a "second" book as to carry on the legacy of "the Unit"!

If a single ability can be said to distinguish a combat veteran from a raw recruit, it is the ability to hit his target while under fire. Delta troops spend more time practicing accurate fire under every conceivable situation in a month than any other professional soldier spends in a life time. This small unit consumes MILLIONS of rounds of ammunition. When they see a target, they shoot and kill it nearly every time. This stacks the odds of survival, of vanquishing the enemy, in their favor by a ratio of easily 10:1--and probably a lot more. No wonder the Rangers pinned down in Mogadishu were heartened by the arrival of a small Delta contingent. At last soldiers who brought the fight to the enemy instead of enduring unremitting enemy pressure. Acquiring such skill and the confidence it engenders, results in a major reorientation of how you conduct close quarter combat. You no longer cower when "outgunned," you attack--and win. This excellent book describes how this top secret force of irregular operatives was formed, how it trains, and a bit of what it has accomplished. Some of their feats border on the incredible, proving that if you want to do something well, select the absolute best, and then train them beyond any level of skill of any possible adversary. The book also describes the antipathy of tradition commanders to the hippy-like Delta culture of free-wheeling soldiering, where the first order of business is to be an effective killing machine, with encumbering military discipline falling far down the list. All the discipline resides in completing the mission. Thus, Delta forces accept assignments only as goals, without the usual long list of how desk-bound planners want them to achieve it. (President Jimmy Carter's travesty of ordering a Delta rescue mission in which he micromanaged every detail of the incursion and personally ordered our troops in hostile Iran not a to use lethal means (!!!) is the opposite pole of that philosophy.) The book is a must-buy for those fascinated by the trade-craft of special operations. It goes far to explain how superb selection and training can result in extraordinary performance, but not just the physical skills. Also required is a high order of street smarts, aggressiveness, and the determination to get the job done regardless of Command niceties--and egos. A great read and one that-once again-makes one proud to be an American.

I got a lot more than I expected from this book. I read it thinking it would be a fun diversion; a vicarious thrill looking into the lives of some guys I wish I could be - Eric Haney wasn't content to let me leave with that little. I did get the thrill I was looking for at the beginning of the book as Haney describes the selection process for Delta Force and then the training he went through as a member of Delta. This part of the story is what every little boy dreams about but few of us grow up to have the fortitude or will to actually endure. You are right there with Haney as he learns to raid a room with live "hostages" sitting right there with live ammunition whizzing past their heads. It's a fun ride. Things change though. You're also there with Haney as he sees more of the dark side of people than any person can see without being changed. The thing that Haney does so well as an author is match his writing through tone and word choice to his changing perspective as a character in his own story. He's clearly been able to put himself back in the frame of mind of 10, 15, and 20 years ago in order to accurately tell his story - the result is surprisingly deep. You'll finish the book with immense respect for these people and their professionalism, an understanding that things go on in this world that most of us never hear about, and the unfortunate knowledge that people in high places sometimes put their own large-sized interests (read careers and reputations) ahead of the huge-sized (read life and death) interests of others. You travel Haney's path with him, from an eager, excited, professional soldier to a guy who has just seen too much to view the world the way he used to. Through it all though, it never gets hopelessly dark. Haney maintains a sense that things are still going to be OK, and that means a lot coming from a guy who's seen as much as Haney has. Recommended for more than just fans of military memoirs - this is a great story told quite skillfully.

I’m a retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major and I’ve read hundreds of military books from the Revolutionary War to the GWOT Wars. I read recently read that some of the current operators and instructor staff in the Delta pipeline were (are) upset with Haney for divulging too much information on the process. My opinion is that he probably did but like many prior service Soldiers, I enjoyed the hell out of this book. Ron LeBlanc CSM (Ret.)

Una descripción muy realista y profesional de la formación y actividad, de este cuerpo del ejército de EEUU

Li a versão em português uns 2 anos atrás e decidi comprar a versão em inglês. A melhor parte do livro que fala da Operação Eagle Claw e de outras missões não consta. É como se faltasse dois ou três capítulos do final. Decepcionante.

Great read, interesting throughout as you can picture the amazing skills of a delta force operative. Silent warriors who fear nobody but are revered across the world.

Not much available on the subject so this is a rare book that provides a glimpse into the Delta Force. A pretty good recount of events told with perspective of time and seemingly some of his own investigation into the subject matter. All in all worth the read.

A very good description of life as a soldier in the US - SF. Very interesting and authentic Insights into a world that is very often rather romantizised. Those who want to get a realisitc Impression, a look behind the scenes, of the US Elite Corps should decide to buy this really great book.