Dick Couch > Quotes

“If you don't know or didn't understand, ASK! It's your responsibility to find out. Research; demonstrate an unquenchable desire to know everything about your job. If something is broken or not right, take the initiative to fix it or make”
― Dick Couch, The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident

“Out of every one-hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior and he will bring the others back. HERACLITUS”
― Dick Couch, Always Faithful, Always Forward: The Forging of a Special Operations Marine

“Interestingly, when they are on our side, we usually refer to them as guerrillas or partisans or freedom fighters. When they, the men in the hills, oppose a government we support, we call them insurgents.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“Patriotism is the primary moral armor of our ground combatants.”
― Dick Couch, Sua Sponte: The Forging of a Modern American Ranger

“It's easy to be disciplined when you have no freedoms.”
― Dick Couch, Sua Sponte: The Forging of a Modern American Ranger

“We are an impatient culture and an impatient electorate.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“We have to work extra hard, because we in America are very ethnocentric--we think our culture is superior. Why's that? It's because we've got moon rocks, and nobody else has moon rocks.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“Set the highest example. Remember, no one ever did anything absolutely right. Perfection is impossible, but striving for perfection is not. You have the power to do that.”
― Dick Couch, The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228

“Muzzle control has to be a religion. You cannot point that weapon at one of your brothers-or yourself. Know where you barrel is at all times, and know the condition of your weapon-loaded or unloaded, bolt forward or to the rear, round in the chamber or not, safety on or off. Keep your finger off the trigger unless you're going to kill something.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“You may need help or information from some nongovernmental organization, and the local person heading that NGO may be some West Coast, liberal-educated, no-leg-shaving, Birkenstock-wearing female uniform-hater. And you gotta deal with her.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“What Mr. Friedman is suggesting is that if we don't drain the swamp where the rats are breeding, it won't really matter how many of these rats we kill; they will continue to leave the swamp and migrate to our cities in numbers that are legion.”
― Dick Couch, The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident

“To be a leader, you must first be a team player, and you must care for the men you lead.”
― Dick Couch, Out of the Ashes

“Know where your barrel is at all times, and know the condition of your weapon—loaded or unloaded, bolt forward or to the rear, round in the chamber or not, safety on or off. Keep your finger off the trigger unless you’re going to kill something. This is basic; you have to do the basics right—we won’t move to the next block of training until you get this one right.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“When it comes to a fight, you need all your skill and professionalism, but if you want to win that fight, you have to bring a controlled rage as well. We’re training to be warriors.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“Never make the same mistake twice. You are your best critic!”
― Dick Couch, The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident

“the darkest moment of the mission” is “the time when you must be calm, composed—when all your tactical skills, your physical power and all your inner strength must be brought to bear.”
― Dick Couch, Navy SEALs: Their Untold Story

“Now, I’ve got a few things to say. You’re on your way to First Phase, so make me proud of you. After Hell Week, those of you who survive will still have to face the scuba pool comps in Second Phase and weapons practicals in Third Phase. I’ll want to shake your hand at graduation. When you get there, I want to think of you as one of Reno’s warriors.” There’s another roar from the class. Reno is very popular with Class 228. While he has frequently made them suffer, the trainees know that Reno and the other Indoc instructors have tried to give them what they need to survive in First Phase. “Be on time. Be alert. Be accountable for your actions in and out of uniform. You officers, look out for your men and your men will look out for you. Your reputation is everything in the teams. Remember this if you remember nothing else. For each of you, a chance to build on that reputation begins on Monday morning at zero five hundred in First Phase.” He looks around the class; every eye is on him. “For those of you who do get to the teams, I want you to take this on board. The guys in the teams are a brotherhood. You’ll be closer to them than you ever were to your friends in high school or college. You’ll live with them on deployment and some of you may even die with them in combat. But never, ever forget your family. Family comes before teammates. Most of us will grow old and die in bed, and the only people who will be there to help us die will be our family. Put your family first. I want you to never forget that.”
― Dick Couch, The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228

“You can get into trouble really fast because it’s often not what you say or mean, it’s what they hear and understand. And be careful not to take offense when they mean no offense.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“In his Close Quarter Defense School training, Duane Dieter tells the platoon SEALs, “The truth of combat is; to fight is to risk death.”
― Dick Couch, The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228

“Real bullets are for keeps, and concealment is not necessarily good cover.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“As you prepare your men for combat, leave no stone unturned as you prepare to lead them in harm's way. You have an immense responsibility. You must accomplish your mission and bring these fine men back home.”
― Dick Couch, The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident

“submarine to the operational area. From there, it was to be launched from its mother sub with sixteen fully loaded Navy SEALs. It had a speed of eight knots and a range of 125 nautical miles. The original program called for six of these craft. Because of technical issues and massive cost overruns, the program was canceled. Only two of the craft were built and one of those sank in deep-ocean waters”
― Dick Couch, Into the Fire

“When everybody comes back and the task is accomplished, it is a success by every measure of the word.”
― Dick Couch, Navy SEALs: Their Untold Story

“I am a member of my Nation’s Chosen Soldiery.
I serve quietly, not seeking recognition or accolades.
My goal is to succeed in my mission—and live to succeed again.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“Tactical ethics, by my own definition, is the moral and ethical armor that accompanies our warriors into battle. It applies to the engaged unit as well as to the individual. The Laws of Land Warfare and theater-specific rules of engagement (ROEs) define the legal combat boundaries within which our warriors must function. Tactical ethics augment these legal constraints. Together, they define the limits and structure—the permissions and the prohibitions—that govern the lethal work of combat. They allow the warrior to take life in the name of his nation and his profession, and they guide him in issues of discrimination and proportionality in the use of force.”
― Dick Couch, A Tactical Ethic: Moral Conduct in the Insurgent Battlespace

“Master the basics and you will be a good operator.”
― Dick Couch, The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident

“where principle is involved, be deaf to expediency.” A good place to start, but I am afraid it is seldom that simple. The black-and-white is easy; the tough choices are gray.”
― Dick Couch, Navy SEALs: Their Untold Story

“The day after that, the task unit and their single Bandito Platoon squad mustered at the North Island Naval Air Station for the flight that would take them west, halfway around the world. Actually,”
― Dick Couch, Tom Clancy Presents: Act of Valor

“It’s more about what this training teaches a man about himself than a skill he’ll take with him into the groups or into combat,” Captain Shields added.”
― Dick Couch, Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

“Live your life that the fear of death never enters your heart. Trouble no one about his religion. Respect others in their views and demand they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, and beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and of service to your people. When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.”
― Dick Couch, Tom Clancy Presents: Act of Valor