One Perfect Op: Navy SEAL Special Warfare Teams

by Dennis Chalker, Kevin Dockery

America’s most elite commando unit, the US Navy SEAL Team Six pulled off one of the most remarkable covert operations in military history when they infiltrated the secret hideout of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in the dead of night and killed the hated terrorist mastermind. Dennis Chalker was an original “plankowner” (founding member) of SEAL Team Six, and in One Perfect Op , he takes readers deep inside the remarkable world of America’s Special Forces operatives. With an introduction by Richard Marcinko of Rogue Warrior fame, One Perfect Op describes, step by breathtaking step, one extraordinary SEALs mission, shedding fascinating new light on the training, the planning, the courage and the skill of these exceptional warriors.

Genres: Military Fiction, Military History, Nonfiction, Biography, History

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 26, 2002

Reviews

[Devin Hess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a really good read. I would recommend it to anyone interested in military or combat. This book has all sorts of stories of a Navy Seal. The book starts out with a mission he was doing, and then tells of his time in training. This book was very interesting. I learned about the harshness of the military training in the NAVY SEALS. I did get some humor out of this book. Dennis and his squad do say some funny jokes. Some of these jokes are not intended for kids under 14 I feel this book was intended for adults, but teens can also enjoy it. Dennis was a very interesting person throughout his book, and that is why One Perfect Op by Dennis Chalker gets a 4/5 from me. I hope you can find the time to pick this one up.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very engaging and enjoyable book. The Author Master Chief Dennis Chalker is a founding member -"plank owner" - of both SEAL Team 6 and Red Cell, and this book has an introduction from one of the Grandfathers of Naval Special Ops- Richard Marcinko. These are Chalker's memoirs, mostly of training- but interspersed with tight tick tocks of various missions from his past. It's good stuff- and gives the reader a clear look at the realities of Special Ops 100/1 training to action quotient- and how that wears on a body and a life.

After a stint as an Army Paratrooper/Skytrooper, Chalker found a real home in the Navy, and in particular the SEALs. We follow along the training- and then when things get interesting- both with the end of the Cold War- and Gulf War II and and the beginning of the "War On Terror", The Afghanistan Project and Gulf War III. Red Cell tested America's defenses against Terrorists and Conventional Attacks- SEAL Team 6 was used as a rescue and action unit to be pro-active against unconventional and conventional Forces. The training is intense- the Red Cell penetrations are intriguing- and the one-off missions are always a fascinating dance of service cooperation. It's compelling stuff.

There are some adult themes discussed in this book and some graphic injury descriptions, so this book is best of the junior readers over about 12. For the Gamer/Modeller/military enthusiast, a good read. There are a couple of possible scenarios and a myriad of dioramas that might be created from this book. The Military enthusiast will appreciate the tick tocks- and the constant training regimen that keeps these folks so great for us- so dangerous to the bad guys. Chalker tells it all as he sees it- sometimes with an edge.

[Diana H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dennis Chalker takes the reader on an adventure that covers his entire military career and beyond. He makes his life as a Navy SEAL both adventurous and real. The way Chalker tells his story gives understanding to the excitement of his job but also the difficulties involved personally and professionally.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the day-to-day work done by the Teams. For those people who are not thrilled about reading a dry/boring military book this would be a great option. It's exciting and technical enough to entertain and inform.
Great stuff!

[Pope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into what, retroactively speaking is an enormously reactionary organization. Chalker is frequently personable, likeable and easily compartmentalizes the politics out of uniquely political events (Grenada for example) cementing the internalization of American exceptionalism that is required of military service members.

[Steve Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth the read!

CMC Chalker has been there and done that, his experiences are believable and match the accounts of other SEAL TEAM members who have shared their stories. He is very politically correct when he discusses the problems of Richard Marcinco, the first CO of team 6.

[Jim Shearer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!!

I know a seal and this book was wonderful to help me understand just how deeply their commitment runs. And what they have to maintain it and understand what a team really means.

[Davey · Rating 4 out of 5]

NF - Seal Team Six member

[Peter Nielsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read about the history of one man's career in the Navy's special operations community.

[The Maverick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across One Perfect Op while looking for more information about Red Cell [the controversial U.S. Navy SEAL team that conducted mock terrorist operations in the U.S. and elsewhere to test security measures]. The book certainly delivers in that regard! Aside from Rogue Warrior, it is pretty much the only book to offer significant information on Red Cell operations, and it appears to be the only other primary source on the unit. If you have read Rogue Warrior and want more information about the real activities of Red Cell, BUY this book immediately -- you won't regret it!

One Perfect Op is also important because Command Master Chief Chalker was a plank holder in SEAL Team Six. You want to know how the guys who got Bin Laden got their start? Here you go. (And, again, in this regard it is a great complimentary read to Rogue Warrior.)

But there is more to this book than just Red Cell and the founding of SEAL Team Six. Chalker's book is an honest and understated recounting of the gamut of mishaps, misadventures and memorable moments that make up a military career. In this regard, it ranks right up there with my favorite SAS autobiography, The Joker by Pete Scholey. Rather than trying to be non-fiction equivalents of an action novel, these books reflect the real-life, day to day highs and lows of military service, with a generous dose of humor.

One Perfect Op ranks among the best non-fiction SEAL books that I have read, and that includes the excellent writings of Captain Dick Couch. Chalker gives us a genuine look at what life in the teams was like. Hats off to Master Chief Chalker for his service, and many thanks to him for an entertaining and inspiring book!

[Camdenb · Rating 4 out of 5]

by Dennis Chalker
Auto-biography
342 pages
One Perfect Op is a book about the Navy SEALS life of Command Master Cheif Dennis Chalker. It tells of his life training to be a seal. Dennis was a part of multiple SEAL teams. In the story they tell of many seal and Red Cell missions. Red cell was a team of men mostly made up of men of seal team 6. Red Cell was a group created to test navy defense systems and to check and improve the security of naval base security. The people of Red Cell performed hostage situations, base infiltrations and many more operations to test navy bases secrurity. One Perfect Op is a great book if you want to learn about the navy SEALS and Red Cell.


I liked this book for many reasons. First is cause its a very well told story and has lots of detail. Secondly i have always been interested in the millitary and especilly the SEALS. The book infromed me of many things I did not know about, such as Red Cell. I have especially liked the detail Dennis has described the missions in. My favorite part of the book is Dennis Chalkers first SEAL mission. I give this book a 4 star only cause it can get slow at points in the book. This book is probaly one of my favorite millitarty books I have read.

[Sashank Mohan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scintillating,gripping,touching,explosive,over the top.....these are just few of the adjectives I can use to describe a masterpiece like this one. Dennis "Snake" Chalker's one perfect op is as real as it gets..From an uneventful life as a civilian post serving in the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne to graduating BUD/S and becoming a U.S.Navy SEAL and then going on to become a plank-owner of SEAL Team Six and then being called to run the ops of "Red Cell" to training BUD/S graduates as a Command Master Chief,Dennis Chalker more than justifies the line "Been there..done that". This is as riveting as it gets and gives you a blow-by-blow account of all the ops and campaigns in the 80s and early 90s that gave spec ops units like the Navy SEALs the reputation that they have and moreover the blood,sweat and tears that went behind getting it all done.There are some portions in the book that literally make you reflect on life and most of all it gives you a sniff on the mindset of a warrior and what it takes to forge it. As an avid military buff and a huge fan of the SEALs since I was a kid I can tell you that this one certainly ranks among the top. Chalker's life as told in this book is an amazing concoction of Triumph,failure,hardships,honor,glory and patriotism...an absolute must read.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted an introduction to the life of Navy SEALS. This book is a good series of stories about SEAL life from training to operations and helped to demystify the SEALS.

Chalker maintains a conversational tone through the book has some very funny (and some very sobering) anecdotes that kept me interested throughout.

[colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

read 02.08.06

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read, I couldn't put it down

[Aurelio]

This is what the Navy's about!

[Mark Cichonski · Rating 3 out of 5]

July 2007



I really liked this, plain language, straight forward and easy to read

[David Stark · Rating 4 out of 5]

read to page 80
started on 12-SEP-2011

[Elijah Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically its a spin-off to Rogue Warrior

[06jedh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! This was the first book to get me into U.S. Navy Seals, and now I am upsessed.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

boring

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting look inside the Navy SEALS and the history of SEAL Team Six in particular.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good accounting of some of the Navy Seal operations and those of Red Cell.

[Jeff Bouman · Rating 3 out of 5]

good read. I mostly enjoyed the details of the day to day in the life of a seal.