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Hard Truths: Think and Lead Like a Green Beret
Congressman and retired Green Beret Mike Waltz shares how the mindset he honed in military service can help anyone—in politics, in business or in life—conquer everyday challenges.Up in the mountains of Afghanistan, one of Waltz's snipers watched through his scope as a young boy acted as a spotter for the Taliban mortars attacking a Green Beret position. The sniper requested permission to fire. Waltz refused, insisting on restraint. The child was spared, and the position was held. Later that same day, Waltz visited a nearby Afghan village and discovered the Taliban had hanged a boy in front of his family—because the child wasn't willing to fight for them.Restraint is a trait common to Green Berets, but rare on the battlefield—and even rarer in today's national political discourse.Today, Mike Waltz is a retired Colonel and a U.S. Representative from Florida, the first Green Beret ever to be elected to Congress. After 27 years in the Army, nearly all of them in the elite Special Forces where he fought America's enemies all around the world, he has developed a perspective distinct from most—probably all—of his colleagues in politics today.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published October 22, 2024
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2390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 17, 2024
Mike did a great service for our country. He saw and endured many things that would keep people up at night. An emotional read.
December 31, 2024
The title of this book is what lead me to pick it up. “Think and lead like a Green Beret” signaled to me that this was a self help book and possibly an account of Congressman Mike Waltz’s experiences as a Green Beret. The majority of this book lives up to the title. Waltz titles each chapter with a Green Beret virtue and proceeds to share his experiences which reflect this virtue and provide advice on how to live by this virtue. However, the book went off the rails for me during the last two chapters as it turned into a political rant about the failures of the Biden administration. While there is very valid criticism backed up by Congressman Mike Waltz’s personal experiences, that is not what this book was marketed as. I understand that Waltz is a Congressman, but this book is marketed toward his Army career not his political one. Aside from ripping apart the Biden administration, the glorification of Elon Musk and President Trump feels bizarre in a book about leading like a Green Beret. I wish Congressman Waltz used political leaders with military or combat experience as examples.
Waltz really dove into his experience in Ranger school and I think there is a lot to take away from his mistakes and how he overcame adversity. However, I wish he provided a little more background into his path to becoming a Green Beret. I have a deep respect for Congressman Waltz’s service to this country and I think there are important lessons to take away from this book. It just fell flat for me at the end as the focus shifted away from his career as a Green Beret, which I thought was the whole point of the book.
Waltz really dove into his experience in Ranger school and I think there is a lot to take away from his mistakes and how he overcame adversity. However, I wish he provided a little more background into his path to becoming a Green Beret. I have a deep respect for Congressman Waltz’s service to this country and I think there are important lessons to take away from this book. It just fell flat for me at the end as the focus shifted away from his career as a Green Beret, which I thought was the whole point of the book.
May 15, 2025
I highly recommend this book. It gives you a glimpse of war and the things the news wont report on.
June 1, 2025
It has more, but a good account of actual Green Beret missions, giving the reader a clearer picture of what U.S. special forces do, often in secret. To better clarify, he gives good examples of his own experiences in training and in action. He also explains with clarity and examples what the difference is in purpose between special forces, such as the Rangers, SEALs and Green Berets. His theme is that the government – and at times in everyday life – there are lessons to be learned from how the Green Beret’s operate, including their philosophy, which he calls “bottom-up leadership.” In my interpretation - and he uses plain-speaking terms, not terms only experienced military personnel would understand – he’s saying people on the ground, including in government, should be empowered to make decisions. People on the ground know what they are doing and don’t need to be micromanaged. There are “rules of engagement” to follow, and he says in the Green Berets they also understand that it means properly training people, giving them the resources they need, giving a clear view of the mission’s goal and the reason behind it, while letting the unit do its work and decide how best to get it done with little or no interference.
He says that does not mean flouting the laws of war. “The truth is that Green Berets, SEALS and Rangers have the same code of ethics as every other American soldier. There is no special unit that offers a pass to abandon morality. We do not win at any price. That’s never been the American code.” The Green Berets are “never at liberty to ignore the ethics, morals, and laws that define what it means to be an American.”
In congress, the lessons he learned in the Green Berets “still guide my words and steps.”
“Our foreign enemies are real, and they are growing in their power. We underestimate them at our peril. At home, we are as divided as we have been at any time in living memory. There is mistrust, anger, and contempt. Too many Democrats and Republicans no longer know how to talk to one another…They trade cynical and bitter sound bites, lobbing barbs and grenades. The fight over the same patches of ground with no prospect that one side can achieve a final victory over the other. The fleeting thrill of a tactical victory – a witty line on a news network that leads to clicks online – replaces the hard but satisfying work of pursuing a successful strategy on behalf of the voters in the people’s House. This ugly conflict seems to be everywhere, but it is nowhere more noticeable than Washington D.C.”
Reflecting on a training exercise - called Robin Sage – aimed at assessing trainees in stressful situations, he says the challenges in D.C. are much the same: “Would we adhere to our ethics? Would we stand by the rules of engagement, or would we let the pressure lead us to bend the rules? The greatest challenge of Robin Sage was to never let the strain become an excuse to forget who we were.”
He explains how Green Berets embed with the locals to jointly come up with a successful plan. One example: “Most recently, over a period of just a few years, Green Berets professionalized the Ukrainian army to stand toe-to-toe with a hugely superior Russian invasion force.”
The latter part of the book gets more into his policy views of the 10-15 years through 2024. As he is a Republican, not unexpected he opposed a lot of what happened under Democrat administrations, especially Biden’s, and not without merit. He has several complementary things to say of the first Trump Administration, including of the then-President, sometimes seeming to go a little overboard. Some of his views arguably are at odds with the second Trump Administration which he serves in.
History will be the judge, and I’m sure he has good rebuttals, but there are quotes in the book that arguably rub against moves of the current administration, which he serves in. A couple:
“I distinctly remember thinking that if we did nothing to stop Putin from Ukraine, he’d feel emboldened to move on to attack a NATO country like Poland or Lithuania. And if he did that, the U.S. would be treaty obliged to go to war. In Putin’s mind, he had already gotten away with it in 2014 during the Obama administration when he took Crimea without a shot or even a strongly worded outcry from the Europeans. When it was my turn, I peppered the briefers with questions. ‘So, what is the administration going to do about it? What is your plan to support a Ukrainian resistance or insurgency in a Russian-occupied Ukraine? And finally, what the hell are the big economies of Europe, the German and the French in particular, doing to step up to defend their own backyard?’”
“Some of the greatest regrets of my life are moments when I could have spoken truth to power but did not. Some of the proudest moments of my military, business, and congressional career have come when I found the guts to take the risk to speak up and drive change.”
He says that does not mean flouting the laws of war. “The truth is that Green Berets, SEALS and Rangers have the same code of ethics as every other American soldier. There is no special unit that offers a pass to abandon morality. We do not win at any price. That’s never been the American code.” The Green Berets are “never at liberty to ignore the ethics, morals, and laws that define what it means to be an American.”
In congress, the lessons he learned in the Green Berets “still guide my words and steps.”
“Our foreign enemies are real, and they are growing in their power. We underestimate them at our peril. At home, we are as divided as we have been at any time in living memory. There is mistrust, anger, and contempt. Too many Democrats and Republicans no longer know how to talk to one another…They trade cynical and bitter sound bites, lobbing barbs and grenades. The fight over the same patches of ground with no prospect that one side can achieve a final victory over the other. The fleeting thrill of a tactical victory – a witty line on a news network that leads to clicks online – replaces the hard but satisfying work of pursuing a successful strategy on behalf of the voters in the people’s House. This ugly conflict seems to be everywhere, but it is nowhere more noticeable than Washington D.C.”
Reflecting on a training exercise - called Robin Sage – aimed at assessing trainees in stressful situations, he says the challenges in D.C. are much the same: “Would we adhere to our ethics? Would we stand by the rules of engagement, or would we let the pressure lead us to bend the rules? The greatest challenge of Robin Sage was to never let the strain become an excuse to forget who we were.”
He explains how Green Berets embed with the locals to jointly come up with a successful plan. One example: “Most recently, over a period of just a few years, Green Berets professionalized the Ukrainian army to stand toe-to-toe with a hugely superior Russian invasion force.”
The latter part of the book gets more into his policy views of the 10-15 years through 2024. As he is a Republican, not unexpected he opposed a lot of what happened under Democrat administrations, especially Biden’s, and not without merit. He has several complementary things to say of the first Trump Administration, including of the then-President, sometimes seeming to go a little overboard. Some of his views arguably are at odds with the second Trump Administration which he serves in.
History will be the judge, and I’m sure he has good rebuttals, but there are quotes in the book that arguably rub against moves of the current administration, which he serves in. A couple:
“I distinctly remember thinking that if we did nothing to stop Putin from Ukraine, he’d feel emboldened to move on to attack a NATO country like Poland or Lithuania. And if he did that, the U.S. would be treaty obliged to go to war. In Putin’s mind, he had already gotten away with it in 2014 during the Obama administration when he took Crimea without a shot or even a strongly worded outcry from the Europeans. When it was my turn, I peppered the briefers with questions. ‘So, what is the administration going to do about it? What is your plan to support a Ukrainian resistance or insurgency in a Russian-occupied Ukraine? And finally, what the hell are the big economies of Europe, the German and the French in particular, doing to step up to defend their own backyard?’”
“Some of the greatest regrets of my life are moments when I could have spoken truth to power but did not. Some of the proudest moments of my military, business, and congressional career have come when I found the guts to take the risk to speak up and drive change.”
November 5, 2024
📚🔫🥇🤝NOVEL THOUGHTS🤝🥇🔫📚
3.5⭐⭐⭐
I would like to first say thank you to Congressman Waltz for his service and what he and his fellow Green Berets endured in their careers for not only the countries they fought in; tried to keep the peace in, and the genuine ways they devoted their skills as Green Berets in service to the United States. His leadership skills learned in his role as a Green Beret and the thought process used so successfully in battle mode, served him well as he established his company that thrived using the same philosophies. And now as a government official for the US, he is taking those same skills to make consequential changes in Congress to better his fellow citizen and the life Americans enjoy.
In his book, he entitles each chapter with a positive quality he feels defines what a successful fighter in the field and thinker in business or life needs to do to be successful and worthy of trust to the people around them. He then shares examples he lived of those qualities as they played out in his time in the Special Forces he served with. There are some very gruesome stories but also many that show the positive outcomes of "thinking like a Green Beret" and how soldiering doesn't always mean shoot outs to find success. I knew little about this branch of the special services whose tactics and skills allow for a trust to be formed to build an alliance for the same goal without bloodshed and often, an enduring friendship with a culture that could easily have gone another way. Congressman Waltz does a great job opening eyes to these courageous skills and as the first Green Beret to service in Congress, he hopes to be able to change some minds about how to go about foreign affairs and international relationships. He also offers his perspectives of ways that going forward, tactical decisions for global relationships might go terribly wrong if not handled differently.
While appreciating and respecting his first amendment rights, I found his political bent a bit strong.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC edition in exchange for my unbiased review of the book.
3.5⭐⭐⭐
I would like to first say thank you to Congressman Waltz for his service and what he and his fellow Green Berets endured in their careers for not only the countries they fought in; tried to keep the peace in, and the genuine ways they devoted their skills as Green Berets in service to the United States. His leadership skills learned in his role as a Green Beret and the thought process used so successfully in battle mode, served him well as he established his company that thrived using the same philosophies. And now as a government official for the US, he is taking those same skills to make consequential changes in Congress to better his fellow citizen and the life Americans enjoy.
In his book, he entitles each chapter with a positive quality he feels defines what a successful fighter in the field and thinker in business or life needs to do to be successful and worthy of trust to the people around them. He then shares examples he lived of those qualities as they played out in his time in the Special Forces he served with. There are some very gruesome stories but also many that show the positive outcomes of "thinking like a Green Beret" and how soldiering doesn't always mean shoot outs to find success. I knew little about this branch of the special services whose tactics and skills allow for a trust to be formed to build an alliance for the same goal without bloodshed and often, an enduring friendship with a culture that could easily have gone another way. Congressman Waltz does a great job opening eyes to these courageous skills and as the first Green Beret to service in Congress, he hopes to be able to change some minds about how to go about foreign affairs and international relationships. He also offers his perspectives of ways that going forward, tactical decisions for global relationships might go terribly wrong if not handled differently.
While appreciating and respecting his first amendment rights, I found his political bent a bit strong.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC edition in exchange for my unbiased review of the book.
March 9, 2025
Review of Hard Truths
Riveting. Eye opening. Spot on! As a retired 20+ Army officer I can attest to the fact that most, if not all Officer's and NCO's I was associated with, embraced those very attributes that MW highlighted in his book. That pointed "tip of the spear" mantra began to evaporate during the Bush years followed by eight more under Obama's "wokeness" of our Armed Forces! After a short reprieve under Trump 45, we got whacked again with Bumbling Biden and a DEI hire in Lloyd Austin. Trump 47, by the grace of God, with MW as his NSA, will finally straighten out this azimuth and orient it back to true north! Thanks brother for sharing your voyage, trials and tribulations as you faced immense challenges, and now are in a critical position where you can initiate real change, adjust fire accordingly and install the attributes mentioned in this great book not only in government but in our daily lives. Well done!
Riveting. Eye opening. Spot on! As a retired 20+ Army officer I can attest to the fact that most, if not all Officer's and NCO's I was associated with, embraced those very attributes that MW highlighted in his book. That pointed "tip of the spear" mantra began to evaporate during the Bush years followed by eight more under Obama's "wokeness" of our Armed Forces! After a short reprieve under Trump 45, we got whacked again with Bumbling Biden and a DEI hire in Lloyd Austin. Trump 47, by the grace of God, with MW as his NSA, will finally straighten out this azimuth and orient it back to true north! Thanks brother for sharing your voyage, trials and tribulations as you faced immense challenges, and now are in a critical position where you can initiate real change, adjust fire accordingly and install the attributes mentioned in this great book not only in government but in our daily lives. Well done!
December 4, 2024
Excellent! This book gives great insight into the in depth training of Green Berets and how they operate differently than other special forces. We need more leaders—and people in general—who think and lead like Green Berets. Thank you, Mike Walz, for such an informative and well written book. And thank you for your service! We need more people in Congress who think and lead like you do! God bless you!
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February 4, 2025This is an exceptional book that exposes the failure of the US government and military leadership to make problematic decisions. He uses his personal narrative as well as that of other American heroes to exemplify the need to show bravery and fortitude in life. It is more than a self-help book, but if one accepts the values exemplified by American Special Forces, life becomes much easier.
March 15, 2025
While I can’t say I agree with everything stated in this book, I can say that I learned a lot and can see issues from a different perspective now. This was a great book about applying simple principals in practical situations. I would highly recommend this book to anyone in leadership. Thank you for your service Colonel Waltz
November 18, 2024
THANK GOD THERE ARE GREEN BERETS LIKE MIKE WALTZ
Tank God there are people like Mike Waltz who are willing to serve our country as a green beret, congressman and now in the Trump administration.
Tank God there are people like Mike Waltz who are willing to serve our country as a green beret, congressman and now in the Trump administration.
November 7, 2024
Absolutely Awesome
It's absolutely worth the purchase! Great book, well written and so full of information! I'm truly impressed with this! Fabulous!
It's absolutely worth the purchase! Great book, well written and so full of information! I'm truly impressed with this! Fabulous!
November 9, 2024
Easy read, hard truths! This guy should be a part of the Trump administration, full stop.
November 12, 2024
Hard Truths
After reading this book I have a much greater understanding of the wars that are currently raging in the world.
After reading this book I have a much greater understanding of the wars that are currently raging in the world.
November 13, 2024
Very inspiring and eye-opening. Just a powerful read. Highly recommended.
January 8, 2025
Best military memoir/ self help (or whatever you want to call it) book I’ve read. Very easy read with great stories and personal applications. Would recommend to anyone
January 20, 2025
There are many good books about leadership in the army. This is one of them. It talks a bit more about influence and credibility, but you still feel like you've heard this story before...
April 13, 2025
Disciplined decision-making as explained by well trained soldier but also biased partisan. Some biases were stated outright, kudos for that, but some seeped through the text like a true believer.
June 27, 2025
I needed a few chapters to get in to it, but I ended up really liking this one. Inspiring stories, important life lessons. Fresh perspective on past and current events.
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July 10, 2025やっぱり軍事関連の話題になると、根本的にアメリカのことを理解しきれていない、自分の圧倒的な文化への理解・背景情報不足を感じる。政策の方向性を探りに読んだらがっかりするだろうけど、個人的には、この文化理解の差を少し埋めてくれたという点では評価は高い。
October 1, 2025
I won this book on a Goodreads giveaway and after almost a year I still have not received my copy. 1 star review for me.
December 26, 2025
A great read on the foundation of what makes Green Berets and the sacrifices they made in combat. It made me think of the values of my Grandfather as he was an Army veteran. These examples can be used in our everyday lives and make this country better.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews