Why this book:  The author is a friend of mine who is part of the SEAL Book Club I’ve been part of for a number of years.   Though we had served together many years ago, I didn’t know him well, since we were in different parts of the organization. After publishing this, he sent me a copy and asked me to read it and give him feedback. 

Summary in 3 Sentences: This book is Steve Giblin’s stories of what he experienced and the resulting wisdom from being in the Navy and the SEAL teams for his career. Though the book was written whem much of the country was struggling to deal with the pandemic, his lessons learn about dealing with hardship and setbacks apply in any context.  This is the story of a top notch NCO’s career in the SEAL Teams and what he learned that he believes has helped him to overcome difficulties and continue to grow as a human being.

My Impressions: I initially was hesitant to read another book by a Navy SEAL but the author requested and I read it and give him some feedback, so I agreed and I’m glad I did.   It is a book I’d recommend to young men who are interested in understanding the career of a SEAL Non-commissioned Officer – what that entailed, but also – and perhaps most importantly- the wisdom he accrued during his career. Steve had a great career in the SEAL Teams, finally retiring as a Master Chief, and serving as a  Command Master Chief of a SEAL Team – the top positon that all career enlisted SEALs aspire to.  He served in a wide variety of the most challenging positions, including combat, but it wasn’t without hardship and visiting the school of hard knocks, often having to be “walking in mud” sometimes up to his knees,  and he humbly addresses his mistakes and lessons learned.

Steve walks briefly through his childhood growing up, getting through BUD/S training and then structures his autobiographical description of his life in the teams around values that resonated with him that he found in a piece of paper stuck  in the back of the desk of his former Commanding Officer (Tom Hawkins). That paper listed “The Ten Essential Qualities of an Underwater Demolition Man:”  Pride, Loyalty Sincerity, Responsibility, Leadership, Example  Forethought, Fairness, Seamanship, Common Sense.   These qualities were originally written by Frank Kaine, one of the early leaders of Underwater Demolition Teams in the Navy.  Steve’s chapters tell his own life’s story and lessons learned in ways that reinforce the spirit of each of these qualities, and how they apply not only in the military but in any life of purpose and integrity outside the military as well. 

He wrote it during the COVID shut down which traumatized much of our nation, and many of his lessons learned and insights he applies to those struggling with coping with the uncertainty and new restrictions brought on by the COVID shut down.  That is “the New Normal” he refers to on the cover.  

But uncertainty is part of our lives, with or without a “pandemic.”   The flexibility, resilience, mental toughness and insight that helped him deal with setbacks in his life, and then thrive afterward in his career in the SEAL Teams are the same qualities that will help a person deal with and successfully maneuver in the face of whatever change and disruption that may come their way – which are always a part of life.

He offers wisdom and insight from the school-of-hard-knocks for dealing with the challenges of working in difficult team environments, the challenges of being a good husband, father, and  teammate.

He concludes with a recap of the 10 principles that have guided him – with some new and useful wisdom for each of them based on his personal experience. For example, he got sent to a school he didn’t want to go to when his teammates would be doing exciting (fun) frogman training.  He was disappointed and angry.  A friend told him to suck it up, be a pro and do his best. So he did. A few months later, that training put him in a position to provide critical care and assistance to an injured teammate.  What looks like a bad deal, with the right attitude, can often be the best thing that ever happened to you.

He concludes his book with “This book, in many respects, contains the sum total of what I learned in my twenty-six years as a Navy SEAL and thirty seven years in Special operations…I’ve enjoyed weaving so many of my experiences into these pages, especially the challenges and setbacks, in the hope you will see how I emerged from them and learned the lessons my training and service taught me..(especially) this pearl of wisdom from Henry Ford: ‘When everything seems to be going against you, remember, that the airplane takes of against the wind, not with it‘ ” 

His book is an offering to young men and women who may be confused, disoriented, pessimistic about all the change happening in society today, and it’s happening so quickly – beyond “merely” the pandemic.  He offers insights and wisdom from one who fought the battles and not only survived, sometimes bloody and bruised, but thrived.