Down Range : Navy SEALs in the War on Terrorism By Dick Couch



Review
“Down Range puts the reader in the SEAL squad file, in the action. It is the unique and personal story of the warriors who go in harm’s way in the global war on terror.” —The Hon. Anthony Principi, Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2001–2005)

“An intimate account of the deadly work of the U.S. Navy SEALs. We associate the Navy’s special forces with maritime operations, but in the war against terrorists they have been almost everywhere—from the high mountains of Afghanistan blowing up Taliban ordnance to the streets of Mosul hunting down former Baathists and al-Qaedists. Down Range is a fascinating, behind-the-scenes account of how the SEALs fight and why they are so good at it—written by a seasoned veteran in gripping fashion.” —Victor Davis Hanson, Senior Fellow, the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and author of Ripples of Battle

From the Inside Flap
In America’s battle against al-Qaeda and their allies, the goal of the Navy SEALs is to be the best guns in the fight—stealthy, effective, professional, and lethal. Here for the first time is a SEAL insider’s battle history of these Special Operations warriors in the war on terrorism.

“Down range” is what SEALs in Afghanistan and Iraq call their area of operations. In this new mode of warfare, “down range” can refer to anything from tracking roving bands of al-Qaeda on a remote mountain trail in Afghanistan to taking down an armed compound in Tikrit and rousting holdouts from Saddam Hussein’s regime. It could mean interdicting insurgents smuggling car-bomb explosives over the Iraqi-Syrian border or silently boarding a freighter on the high seas at night to enforce an embargo. In other words, “down range” could be anywhere, anytime, under any conditions.

In Down Range, author Dick Couch, himself a former Navy SEAL and CIA case officer, uses his unprecedented access to bring the reader firsthand accounts from the warriors in combat during key missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Couch creates a pulse-pounding, detailed narrative of the definitive engagements of this war, while painting an unusually intimate portrait of these warriors in the field. The performance of the SEALs in difficult, changing environments—in the heat of the Afghan desert, in the snow-packed Hindu Kush, on the high seas, and in the urban chaos of Baghdad—has been nothing short of extraordinary. The SEALs, coordinating with other American forces, the CIA, and foreign special operations units like the Polish GROM, have once more shown their genius for improvisation and capacity for courageous action in leading the fight against this new and vicious enemy.

The first battle history of its kind, Down Range is a riveting close-up of some of America’s finest warriors in action against a deadly foe.

Down Range : Navy SEALs in the War on Terrorism By Dick Couch

I just fimished reading this, very informative and up front with real world operations. This definitely gives the reader and future SEALs what's instore for the years to come. Hoo-Ya.



"Physically Ready, Mentally Prepared"

This is a book I've been waiting for. I didn't know it had already come out though...next week I'll definitly have to get it. Its a book my wife and I both want to read.

The epilogue mirrors some of the same analysis and sentiments of Captain Gormly. Namely, the type of war we find ourselves in is best fought with SOF operators. The quick strike nature and the ability to act on perishable intel will be the difference between winning and losing against a decentralized enemy. Further, the ability to terrorize the terrorists can shake their will to fight.

The numerous accounts of small ground forces (relatively speaking) operating in a joint strike force backed up by massive airpower should put a little fear and hate into the enemy. They can't just worry about a large and visible force plowing through the mountains. It can be four guys, a CCT, and a radio that obliterate a terrorist stronghold. Spooky!

Another aspect I found notable was Mr. Couch's discussion of language skills. Mr. Harward's knowledge of the AO and the local dialects surely helped. I suggest that we take some language lessons to bring one more capability to the teams. Just in case the translator goes down or one isn't available. And maybe some Polish lessons in case we find ourselves operating with the GROM!

A fascinating book, especially considering we only got a taste of the declassified info. I hope one of you guys knows how to catch and pluck a chicken!

Great book. Brings the reality of what is happening NOW to the reader. Opened my eyes for sure. Its almost a guarantee that you will get your gun in the fight upon joining the Teams. I didn't know that, I didn't know that these guys are operating what seems 24/7. Very informative book, one of the best I've read on Navy SEALs