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The Mission, the Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander
“A book about the complexities of combat that's just as applicable for dealing with the complexities of business and our personal lives.”—Kevin Sharer, chairman and CEO, Amgen
As a commander of Delta Force-the most elite counter—terrorist organization in the world—Pete Blaber took part in some of the most dangerous, controversial, and significant military and political events of our time. Now he takes his intimate knowledge of warfare—and the heart, mind, and spirit it takes to win—and moves his focus from the combat zone to civilian life.
In this book, you will learn the same lessons he learned, while experiencing what the life of a Delta Force Operator is like—from the extreme physical and psychological training to the darkest of shadow ops all around the world. From each mission, Pete Blaber has taken a life lesson back with him. You will learn these enlightening lessons as you gain insights into never-before-revealed missions executed around the globe. And when the smoke clears, you will emerge wiser, more capable, and better prepared to succeed in life than you ever thought possible.
As a commander of Delta Force-the most elite counter—terrorist organization in the world—Pete Blaber took part in some of the most dangerous, controversial, and significant military and political events of our time. Now he takes his intimate knowledge of warfare—and the heart, mind, and spirit it takes to win—and moves his focus from the combat zone to civilian life.
In this book, you will learn the same lessons he learned, while experiencing what the life of a Delta Force Operator is like—from the extreme physical and psychological training to the darkest of shadow ops all around the world. From each mission, Pete Blaber has taken a life lesson back with him. You will learn these enlightening lessons as you gain insights into never-before-revealed missions executed around the globe. And when the smoke clears, you will emerge wiser, more capable, and better prepared to succeed in life than you ever thought possible.
336 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2008
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August 25, 2009
This excellent book is really about how to thrive out on the edge of a high-risk, high-profile career. It's not a book for armchair experts or backseat drivers of whatever stripe, because one of Blaber's key teachings is how to circumvent the kibbutzers and second-guessers in positions of authority, ignore their distractions and overcome their interference, and accomplish the mission.
In fact, while it's a great title, the equation of the "mission", his "men" and himself "me" gives the misleading impression that Blaber may be a bit of a prima donna. In fact, the "Mission, Men and Me" framework is applied whenever Blaber is being pressured by a senior commander to take an action that Blaber is convinced will result in damage to the mission or needless harm to his men. When forced into these dilemmas, if the only consideration is his personal or career interests, than Blaber always puts "Me" at risk to assure the best outcome for the Mission and his Men.
The realism of the book can be conveyed by observing that Blaber needs to apply the Mission, Men and Me framework fairly frequently!
The book, which is officially divided into Parts One - Four, is thematically structured into three sections:
(1) The first section is a series of very helpful lessons and mental frameworks for handling intense, stressful and complex situations. Blaber has benefited from the kind of resources the US Government can afford to pour into its best and brightest, and an unbelievable amount of cutting edge cognitive, psychological, sociological, and other areas of research have been reduced to practical learnings and made available to the operators of Delta Force, and Blaber makes them available to readers of this book. Just the insight into chronic insomnia provided by a Delta psychologist (page 70) from which I and many people I know who work in high stress professions suffer, is worth many times the price of the book. This section comprises Parts One and Two of the book;
(2) The second section is a realistic, clear-eyed critique of the organisational pathologies that are running rampant in the US Government, and which clog the arteries of any large institution. This is a very alarming section. This is where Blaber's Mission-Men-Me framework, while nominally one of the key tools he explains in Section 1, is used again and again. Blaber has very insightful comments to make about risk aversion, the tactical foolishness of the helicopter assault concept, and the counter-productive stupidities that have been institutionalised through high bandwidth modern telecommunications technology. Two examples of this are (a) the way deeply rear echelon senior commanders, at one end of a data feed 10,000 kilometers away, over-ride combat participants because of the communications capabilities that give the Generals access to two-dimensional video imagery and real time voice contact--and therefore the illusion that they are across all the information required to make tactical decisions during combat, and (b) the second example is the pervasive abuse of the VTC (Video Teleconference), a subject all its own, and how the VTC has allowed the Staff Planning function to engulf and just about devour actual war-fighting, at least in Blaber's account--which is persuasive. This second section is Part Three of the book.
(3) The third section is a live example of Blaber's experiences in combat in the conquest of Afghanistan and the sudden collapse of the Taliban. This is exciting material on its own, but Blaber includes it with a view to illustrating the frameworks he explains in the first section and the kinds of organisational irrationalities he critiques in the second section. This third section is compelling at all levels, but I must say my blood boiled from time to time at the account of the self-serving careerist officers and senior authorities driven by their own egos who repeatedly interfered with the mission and the best interests of the brave men in harm's way.
While this book could be considered an unusually useful management resource there is a broader vista that opens up in its pages, and that is a vision of horizon-to-horizon mismanagement and incompetence in the US Government. I really hope plenty of people in a position to push through much needed reforms are reading this book . . . we need to embark on root to branch institutional reform across the US Government before it's too late . . . 9/11 and the operations described by Blaber were one symptom, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was another, and the Global Financial Crisis (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the SEC, etc.) was yet another . . .
How many of these shocks can we sustain? I hope many people read Blaber's book--and then do something!
In fact, while it's a great title, the equation of the "mission", his "men" and himself "me" gives the misleading impression that Blaber may be a bit of a prima donna. In fact, the "Mission, Men and Me" framework is applied whenever Blaber is being pressured by a senior commander to take an action that Blaber is convinced will result in damage to the mission or needless harm to his men. When forced into these dilemmas, if the only consideration is his personal or career interests, than Blaber always puts "Me" at risk to assure the best outcome for the Mission and his Men.
The realism of the book can be conveyed by observing that Blaber needs to apply the Mission, Men and Me framework fairly frequently!
The book, which is officially divided into Parts One - Four, is thematically structured into three sections:
(1) The first section is a series of very helpful lessons and mental frameworks for handling intense, stressful and complex situations. Blaber has benefited from the kind of resources the US Government can afford to pour into its best and brightest, and an unbelievable amount of cutting edge cognitive, psychological, sociological, and other areas of research have been reduced to practical learnings and made available to the operators of Delta Force, and Blaber makes them available to readers of this book. Just the insight into chronic insomnia provided by a Delta psychologist (page 70) from which I and many people I know who work in high stress professions suffer, is worth many times the price of the book. This section comprises Parts One and Two of the book;
(2) The second section is a realistic, clear-eyed critique of the organisational pathologies that are running rampant in the US Government, and which clog the arteries of any large institution. This is a very alarming section. This is where Blaber's Mission-Men-Me framework, while nominally one of the key tools he explains in Section 1, is used again and again. Blaber has very insightful comments to make about risk aversion, the tactical foolishness of the helicopter assault concept, and the counter-productive stupidities that have been institutionalised through high bandwidth modern telecommunications technology. Two examples of this are (a) the way deeply rear echelon senior commanders, at one end of a data feed 10,000 kilometers away, over-ride combat participants because of the communications capabilities that give the Generals access to two-dimensional video imagery and real time voice contact--and therefore the illusion that they are across all the information required to make tactical decisions during combat, and (b) the second example is the pervasive abuse of the VTC (Video Teleconference), a subject all its own, and how the VTC has allowed the Staff Planning function to engulf and just about devour actual war-fighting, at least in Blaber's account--which is persuasive. This second section is Part Three of the book.
(3) The third section is a live example of Blaber's experiences in combat in the conquest of Afghanistan and the sudden collapse of the Taliban. This is exciting material on its own, but Blaber includes it with a view to illustrating the frameworks he explains in the first section and the kinds of organisational irrationalities he critiques in the second section. This third section is compelling at all levels, but I must say my blood boiled from time to time at the account of the self-serving careerist officers and senior authorities driven by their own egos who repeatedly interfered with the mission and the best interests of the brave men in harm's way.
While this book could be considered an unusually useful management resource there is a broader vista that opens up in its pages, and that is a vision of horizon-to-horizon mismanagement and incompetence in the US Government. I really hope plenty of people in a position to push through much needed reforms are reading this book . . . we need to embark on root to branch institutional reform across the US Government before it's too late . . . 9/11 and the operations described by Blaber were one symptom, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was another, and the Global Financial Crisis (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the SEC, etc.) was yet another . . .
How many of these shocks can we sustain? I hope many people read Blaber's book--and then do something!
January 24, 2013
While much of this book is about military action and life within Delta Force, it is mostly about leadership and what it takes to succeed at any endeavor. The author provides an insightful view of the political workings of the military organization during a wartime setting and demonstrates how great people can overcome bureaucracy to achieve the mission.
July 2, 2012
Pete Blaber served in the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, more popularly known as Delta Force, and his leadership experiences while with that particular organization make him uniquely qualified to impart wisdom in regards to leadership in combat. His book, THE MISSION, THE MEN, AND ME, does exactly that, with a few key points: don't get treed by a chihuahua; when in doubt, develop the situation; imagine the unimaginable, humor your imagination; always listen to the man on the ground; and it is not reality unless it is shared.
Blaber's experiences take us from the opening stages of the war in Iraq, to hunting war criminals in the Balkans, to an aborted mission to infiltrate Afghanistan to eliminate Osama bin Laden pre-9/11, and finally, to the opening stages of the war in Afghanistan and Operation: ANACONDA. Here, he exposes where his lesson come into play by demonstrating where he made mistakes and where others he has worked with made mistakes, ranging from fellow Delta operators to those in the highest annals of power. At the level that Blaber operated, mistakes cost people their lives, which is strongly demonstrated in the closing chapters of the book.
Writing-wise, Blaber's prose is solid. He does not self-aggrandize, he does not exaggerate. He simply tells the facts as he saw them, being the man on the ground. It's not ground-breaking prose, but it is skilled and calculated, as one would expect from a man who spent his career honing his skills and calculating risks. Researchers of other books regarding Operation: ANACONDA--particularly, NOT A GOOD DAY TO DIE, by Sean Naylor--will see cross-references to and excerpts from other accounts.
Video gamers might find passages that served as inspiration to the game MEDAL OF HONOR (particularly, the parts about Advanced Force Operations, and Blaber's call sign, "Panther"), which should add incentive for those gamers to research the men behind the story that drives the game. Military service members and veterans will find combat lessons to apply to their own craft. Civilians will find lessons they can apply in their every day lives. This latter point has been a point of contest with some in the military community who feel that Blaber's book was possibly edited from a book about war to a "self-help" book…while this may certainly be the case, the war stories are still there, and the lessons--while perhaps unnecessarily spot-lighted--are still there, as well, and it does not read like the self-help books one would expect from, say, Anthony Robbins.
All in all, THE MISSION, THE MEN, AND ME delivers insights in spades through amusing and interesting stories, as well as by way of the modern battlefield from a commander's perspective. It is definitely recommended reading for military enthusiasts from all walks of life.
Blaber's experiences take us from the opening stages of the war in Iraq, to hunting war criminals in the Balkans, to an aborted mission to infiltrate Afghanistan to eliminate Osama bin Laden pre-9/11, and finally, to the opening stages of the war in Afghanistan and Operation: ANACONDA. Here, he exposes where his lesson come into play by demonstrating where he made mistakes and where others he has worked with made mistakes, ranging from fellow Delta operators to those in the highest annals of power. At the level that Blaber operated, mistakes cost people their lives, which is strongly demonstrated in the closing chapters of the book.
Writing-wise, Blaber's prose is solid. He does not self-aggrandize, he does not exaggerate. He simply tells the facts as he saw them, being the man on the ground. It's not ground-breaking prose, but it is skilled and calculated, as one would expect from a man who spent his career honing his skills and calculating risks. Researchers of other books regarding Operation: ANACONDA--particularly, NOT A GOOD DAY TO DIE, by Sean Naylor--will see cross-references to and excerpts from other accounts.
Video gamers might find passages that served as inspiration to the game MEDAL OF HONOR (particularly, the parts about Advanced Force Operations, and Blaber's call sign, "Panther"), which should add incentive for those gamers to research the men behind the story that drives the game. Military service members and veterans will find combat lessons to apply to their own craft. Civilians will find lessons they can apply in their every day lives. This latter point has been a point of contest with some in the military community who feel that Blaber's book was possibly edited from a book about war to a "self-help" book…while this may certainly be the case, the war stories are still there, and the lessons--while perhaps unnecessarily spot-lighted--are still there, as well, and it does not read like the self-help books one would expect from, say, Anthony Robbins.
All in all, THE MISSION, THE MEN, AND ME delivers insights in spades through amusing and interesting stories, as well as by way of the modern battlefield from a commander's perspective. It is definitely recommended reading for military enthusiasts from all walks of life.
November 21, 2020
I’m one of the better books on using military leadership to outline general principles. Easy to consume and brilliant in its simplicity.
April 8, 2015
One of the best books you can come across or read in the military non-fiction/special operations genre written by former Delta Force Commander Pete Blaber who was not just one of the first americans to step foot on afghan soil post 9/11 but who's actions played a crucial role in devising the strategies to counter the threat of Al Qaeda/Taliban.
While most of the books I read in the military non-fiction/spec ops genre focused on the operations,the pain and toil of training as well as the emotions that run through while in battle including the sacrifices,undaunted courage and heroism of soldiers, this book focuses on the lessons learnt by Blaber while he served as a Delta Force operator right from hunting war criminals in Bosnia during the mid and late 90s to being a part of the first team on the ground in Afghanistan right after 9/11 and being one of the key figures in the battle of Takur Ghar. Through his writing Blaber also throws light upon the incompetence of the "U.S. Military Decision Making Process" in situations that require a highly unconventional approach to succeed, his repeated clashes with JSOC Commander Dell Dailey over the tactics required to counter the threat and also the exasperating hierarchical compartmentalization in the U.S military's decision making process which eventually leads to some near misses and momentary failures that hampered progress and overlooked critical findings.
Blaber also gives a blow-by-blow account of the battle of Takur Ghar a.k.a Operation Anaconda where NATO forces cornered the Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists through a massive offensive in the Shahi Kot valley which resulted in heavy losses for the enemy and drove some of them across the border to Pakistan.
Though many have not heard a great deal about him , I can say with confidence through my own personal research that if not for Blaber, America wouldn't have seen the AFO Teams which clinically directed surgical strikes on enemy positons during Anaconda and the operation wouldn't have been as successful as it was given the initial setbacks. Moreover, if not for Blaber, JSOC as well as the other commands under the DOD wouldn't have the faintest of ideas about the way Osama Bin Laden operated and the unconventional tactics required to eliminate him.
It's a rock solid piece of work and an amazing read. I highly recommend it to all military buffs who spend as much time on military non-fiction, war stories and reports as I do.
While most of the books I read in the military non-fiction/spec ops genre focused on the operations,the pain and toil of training as well as the emotions that run through while in battle including the sacrifices,undaunted courage and heroism of soldiers, this book focuses on the lessons learnt by Blaber while he served as a Delta Force operator right from hunting war criminals in Bosnia during the mid and late 90s to being a part of the first team on the ground in Afghanistan right after 9/11 and being one of the key figures in the battle of Takur Ghar. Through his writing Blaber also throws light upon the incompetence of the "U.S. Military Decision Making Process" in situations that require a highly unconventional approach to succeed, his repeated clashes with JSOC Commander Dell Dailey over the tactics required to counter the threat and also the exasperating hierarchical compartmentalization in the U.S military's decision making process which eventually leads to some near misses and momentary failures that hampered progress and overlooked critical findings.
Blaber also gives a blow-by-blow account of the battle of Takur Ghar a.k.a Operation Anaconda where NATO forces cornered the Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists through a massive offensive in the Shahi Kot valley which resulted in heavy losses for the enemy and drove some of them across the border to Pakistan.
Though many have not heard a great deal about him , I can say with confidence through my own personal research that if not for Blaber, America wouldn't have seen the AFO Teams which clinically directed surgical strikes on enemy positons during Anaconda and the operation wouldn't have been as successful as it was given the initial setbacks. Moreover, if not for Blaber, JSOC as well as the other commands under the DOD wouldn't have the faintest of ideas about the way Osama Bin Laden operated and the unconventional tactics required to eliminate him.
It's a rock solid piece of work and an amazing read. I highly recommend it to all military buffs who spend as much time on military non-fiction, war stories and reports as I do.
July 15, 2023
Had to reread for a battalion PME. There were some good lessons, especially in the first half: the slogan of mission men me, always try to get first hand experience otherwise listen to the guy on the ground, never be afraid to change your mind if it makes sense, ask for a recommendation from your trusted advisors. There wasn’t a lot to pull from this logistically. It was mostly spec ops type stuff.
I really got bored after the first half. It was a long drawn out story with the lesson of trusting the guy on the ground aka the author. Almost told as if the author were in charge, he could have stopped 9/11 and Bin Laden. Got a little arm chair too quarterback for me. Lots of criticism of higher military leaders without any realistic solution.
I really got bored after the first half. It was a long drawn out story with the lesson of trusting the guy on the ground aka the author. Almost told as if the author were in charge, he could have stopped 9/11 and Bin Laden. Got a little arm chair too quarterback for me. Lots of criticism of higher military leaders without any realistic solution.
September 5, 2024
Packed full of common sense lessons and how they were derived from real world experiences. Essential read for anyone in any leadership role.
July 15, 2022
This book may well be an unintentional critique of many, aspects of modern military organization even though it is ostensibly devoted to describing special forces
operations. They don’t exist in a vacuum, and are inextricably tied to more conventional military tactics, and it is in the interaction between the two that I found this book most interesting.
The first part of the book describes Blaber’s background and his attraction to the Delta Special Forces with its rigorous training with emphasis on independent action. He recounts a winter trip across the rugged Bob Marshall wilderness area in Montana as an example of how special forces men cope with incredible hardships and obstacles. Another instance was planning to take out Ossama ben Laden who was identified as a terrorist well before the 9-11 attack. It might have succeeded, but the mission was called off.
A guiding principle of the Delta operations was to always be alert to actual conditions, to “always listen to the guy on the ground.” It requires adaptability in fast-changing circumstances, and he uses the Lewis and Clark expedition, always adapting to new conditions, as a model for this kind of action.
Unfortunately, the United States military is a huge organization, the largest of its kind in the world, and like any bureaucracy, it favors careful planning and procedures. It uses the MDMP (military decision-makng process), a step-by-step framework for all decision-makings which, when a mission is identified, is to be reviewed and action decided upon within a 96 hour period.
Usually, this works well, but when there are fast-changing conditions on the ground where combatants have to make quick decisions, they often have to wait for a superior to give an order, and despite all kinds of latest technology (phones, video communication from hundreds, if not thousands of miles away, ability to call in drones and air strikes), there is a tendency to be cautious at the expense of common sense.
Blaber puts it bluntly in describing a situation in Afghanistan when he is on the front line and seeking logistical support, “As time played out, we began to recognize that common sense was un uncommon virtue in our higher headquarters at that time.” Higher-ups are cautious because if something goes wrong, they don’t want to be responsible for seeming to be reckless. And too often, the “experts” are that only in theory, and lack front-line battle experience, especially when dealing with unpredictable guerrilla opposition.
While the operation Blaber describes was not a complete disaster, it was far from the success it could have been. He states the value of always asking the simple question, of anyone, no matter what their rank or position, “What’s your recommendation?” This action would result on an ongoing reality check, always needed in wartime. Too often, that question doesn’t get asked. When military actions result in failure, no one in the bureaucracy wants to accept responsibility. A twenty-one year failure in Afghanistan is evidence of that.
operations. They don’t exist in a vacuum, and are inextricably tied to more conventional military tactics, and it is in the interaction between the two that I found this book most interesting.
The first part of the book describes Blaber’s background and his attraction to the Delta Special Forces with its rigorous training with emphasis on independent action. He recounts a winter trip across the rugged Bob Marshall wilderness area in Montana as an example of how special forces men cope with incredible hardships and obstacles. Another instance was planning to take out Ossama ben Laden who was identified as a terrorist well before the 9-11 attack. It might have succeeded, but the mission was called off.
A guiding principle of the Delta operations was to always be alert to actual conditions, to “always listen to the guy on the ground.” It requires adaptability in fast-changing circumstances, and he uses the Lewis and Clark expedition, always adapting to new conditions, as a model for this kind of action.
Unfortunately, the United States military is a huge organization, the largest of its kind in the world, and like any bureaucracy, it favors careful planning and procedures. It uses the MDMP (military decision-makng process), a step-by-step framework for all decision-makings which, when a mission is identified, is to be reviewed and action decided upon within a 96 hour period.
Usually, this works well, but when there are fast-changing conditions on the ground where combatants have to make quick decisions, they often have to wait for a superior to give an order, and despite all kinds of latest technology (phones, video communication from hundreds, if not thousands of miles away, ability to call in drones and air strikes), there is a tendency to be cautious at the expense of common sense.
Blaber puts it bluntly in describing a situation in Afghanistan when he is on the front line and seeking logistical support, “As time played out, we began to recognize that common sense was un uncommon virtue in our higher headquarters at that time.” Higher-ups are cautious because if something goes wrong, they don’t want to be responsible for seeming to be reckless. And too often, the “experts” are that only in theory, and lack front-line battle experience, especially when dealing with unpredictable guerrilla opposition.
While the operation Blaber describes was not a complete disaster, it was far from the success it could have been. He states the value of always asking the simple question, of anyone, no matter what their rank or position, “What’s your recommendation?” This action would result on an ongoing reality check, always needed in wartime. Too often, that question doesn’t get asked. When military actions result in failure, no one in the bureaucracy wants to accept responsibility. A twenty-one year failure in Afghanistan is evidence of that.
March 22, 2014
This book happens to one of these "bundle packs" - for the price of one, you actually get multiple books, albeit in between the same covers.
Firstly, and most surprisingly, it's a fantastic management and strategy book. It sings the same tune as many modern management and strategy scholars, for instance there are many parallels with "emergent strategy" concepts (Mintzbert, Grant, Eisenhardt et al), and also with the "eight themes" of Peters and Waterman. But it is not only doing a fantastic job applying these concepts to military situations, it also develops some actual new ground in terms of strategy studies.
Secondly, it provides an interesting view (a pretty grim one, sadly) into the fallacies of political decision-making, more particularly into those related to the US military. Over-developed risk aversion on one side and a blind faith in technology on the other, decision-makers shut their eyes in front of actual information and base the decisions on wishful thinking and populist agendas.
Thirdly, it's just good story telling. War stories, but not the bragging and boasting usually found in such ex spec ops memoirs.
Firstly, and most surprisingly, it's a fantastic management and strategy book. It sings the same tune as many modern management and strategy scholars, for instance there are many parallels with "emergent strategy" concepts (Mintzbert, Grant, Eisenhardt et al), and also with the "eight themes" of Peters and Waterman. But it is not only doing a fantastic job applying these concepts to military situations, it also develops some actual new ground in terms of strategy studies.
Secondly, it provides an interesting view (a pretty grim one, sadly) into the fallacies of political decision-making, more particularly into those related to the US military. Over-developed risk aversion on one side and a blind faith in technology on the other, decision-makers shut their eyes in front of actual information and base the decisions on wishful thinking and populist agendas.
Thirdly, it's just good story telling. War stories, but not the bragging and boasting usually found in such ex spec ops memoirs.
November 27, 2017
His main points (guiding principles/leadership lessons) were good, but I would have found them useful even if they had just been presented to me as catchphrases and without having read the book. The supplemental war stories were okay, but mostly it seemed like the author thought he and his team were just better and more elite than everyone around them (even when they were working under other special operations groups) and that they were being constantly restricted by the military bureaucracy. The eighth guiding principle should have been that the military’s organizational structure is broken and unsuited to counterterrorism operations, but, that probably could have been its own separate book. Either way, it made me really dislike the author, which made me question what he had to say. Bottom line: the book is okay; I would recommend to just skim it and try and look past the author’s superiority complex.
November 25, 2015
Read for office book club. This is a 2015 Air Force CSAF book selection.
Well written book on leadership by a Spec Ops officer whose career has been centered on the War on Terror and the small conflicts leading up to it. Some great stories and leadership lessons learned from his career. One of the big lessons highlighted here was the importance of listening to the man on the ground and the dangers of leading from the other side of the world or behind a desk without having the on the ground perspective. It's a problem throughout the military that leaders need to focus on minimizing so we are most effective in accomplishing the mission and creating the camaraderie that can make our military great.
Glad to see a book like this in the CSAF book list.
Well written book on leadership by a Spec Ops officer whose career has been centered on the War on Terror and the small conflicts leading up to it. Some great stories and leadership lessons learned from his career. One of the big lessons highlighted here was the importance of listening to the man on the ground and the dangers of leading from the other side of the world or behind a desk without having the on the ground perspective. It's a problem throughout the military that leaders need to focus on minimizing so we are most effective in accomplishing the mission and creating the camaraderie that can make our military great.
Glad to see a book like this in the CSAF book list.
February 23, 2025
This book was recommended to me by Major Starkey while I was an Officer Candidate in the Army National Guard. I was used to the idea of ‘placing the mission first’ and ‘never leaving a fallen comrade’ and all the other parts of the Soldier’s Creed, so I assumed that Blaber would speak from that base understanding, too. While the US Army sensibilities are present in the text, Blaber’s enjoyable inclusion of personal failings, funny asides, and universal lessons make this book memorable. The extensive examples of what happens when individuals and organizations of all sizes don’t listen to the guy on the ground or get tree’d by a chihuahua will stick with me.
Blaber’s lived experience in Delta force operations in Serbia and Afghanistan is also very vivid in this book. His commitment to the MMM mantra and personal courage to speak up against the top-down orders of the helicopter assault planners is admirable. I feel encouraged by his success in authorizing a mission to position his troops forward to thwart the enemy’s expectations. His trust in the team leader in the field during that mission to make adjustments and provide advice reminded me of my lessons in Mission Command from OCS. While the execution becomes more decentralized the ultimate responsibility for the safety of the men and success or failure of the mission rests with the Commander. Just as it should be, I am convinced. Would definitely recommend this book to any leader.
Blaber’s lived experience in Delta force operations in Serbia and Afghanistan is also very vivid in this book. His commitment to the MMM mantra and personal courage to speak up against the top-down orders of the helicopter assault planners is admirable. I feel encouraged by his success in authorizing a mission to position his troops forward to thwart the enemy’s expectations. His trust in the team leader in the field during that mission to make adjustments and provide advice reminded me of my lessons in Mission Command from OCS. While the execution becomes more decentralized the ultimate responsibility for the safety of the men and success or failure of the mission rests with the Commander. Just as it should be, I am convinced. Would definitely recommend this book to any leader.
July 14, 2023
Pretty good, the author did well not to cite himself as an example at every turn as is common in books like this. I was hooked after his opening anecdote and the quote from Josh Chamberlain, Blaber is a student of so many different things, most prominently history and reading - it was refreshing to listen to him extol some of his peers and point out the faults in others, especially leadership. I was a little turned off by his universal disdain for general officers, it’s a common sentiment, especially among special warfare guys but I feel like GOs are so often a scapegoat when things go poorly. Were not the GOs in charge of Blaber once in his shoes? Don’t they have the same qualification to lead as Blaber if not more so? I questioned Blaber’s credibility just a little bit because he never pointed to a leader above him in his CoC that was good, and yet was always really impressed with the people below him. It just seems like Blaber was trying to portray himself as one of the “dudes” and distance himself from executive leadership. Additionally, if you read Alone at Dawn, these books provide different and somewhat contradictory POVs, Blaber loves Slabinsky and the author of AaD almost labels him a criminal. Anyway, good read.
July 12, 2023
Surprisingly good - I’ve owned this book for years and assumed it was just going to be “another SOF cool guy bro-out history” replete with their version of history and whose fault all the mistakes were (rarely them).
To be fair, there’s plenty of finger-pointing to go around, but it’s in this oddly (and usefully) instructional way. Despite it being a narrative, I honestly felt like the guy was right there telling me about what happened and inviting me to participate in learning from him.
Some great key points and takeaways were hit over-and-over; I’m going to get the Kindle edition just so I can more easily snag and review those quotes, and I can really see myself re-reading at least parts of this, not for the story they tell, but the lessons they teach.
Guess it goes to show not all SOF are created equal.
To be fair, there’s plenty of finger-pointing to go around, but it’s in this oddly (and usefully) instructional way. Despite it being a narrative, I honestly felt like the guy was right there telling me about what happened and inviting me to participate in learning from him.
Some great key points and takeaways were hit over-and-over; I’m going to get the Kindle edition just so I can more easily snag and review those quotes, and I can really see myself re-reading at least parts of this, not for the story they tell, but the lessons they teach.
Guess it goes to show not all SOF are created equal.
May 2, 2023
A fascinating autobiography and military history book, but a lasting book on leadership it is not. I found it hard to apply some of the principles to my own work and life: don’t get treed by a chihuahua, etc. Still a fascinating story and well written.
Caution: the audible version is read by a terrible narrator. I would pick this up in print only.
Caution: the audible version is read by a terrible narrator. I would pick this up in print only.
January 12, 2021
Although I did enjoy the stories told in the book something about it kept it from really holding my attention.I can't really put my finger on it. The other lessons felt like rewordings of the same cardinal lesson. Which amalgamates to command doesn't know Jack. The end to me also felt very abrupt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2023
Great read overall. Listening to your men and using common sense could be the difference between life and death. Do not be afraid to develop the situation. Blaber’s writing makes the pages turn quick and there’s leadership value on every page.
January 14, 2025
I read this book in Basic Training. I reread it when I became a Sergeant. I think theres some important lessons in here for a lot of people, especially in leadership positions which the book is catered to. Has some great stories as well and is definitely a page turner. Highly recommend it!
November 11, 2020
A bunch of quality lessons on leadership here! Actually a pretty dang good and interesting book about leadership, planning and problem solving. Side note: my kind of leader as he supports the role of humor.
April 7, 2021
This book is different from what I usually read but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Blaber does an excellent job of explaining key leadership elements and the ins and outs of military leadership.
December 12, 2024
Very good leadership philosophy book, enjoyed reading it a lot.
October 9, 2025
I’m definitely seeing a common theme in these books on how the military needs to change. Unfortunately it seems the military has yet to make these changes…. God bless us all.
August 1, 2021
Solid lessons in this book.
October 17, 2021
An insider perspective from a Delta Force operator who saw it all from 1985 through most of the GWOT. Pete Blaber first heard of Bin Laden well before he became a household name, though unfortunately at the time, other priorities would consume our elite forces after it became too late. Straightforward approach to operations, responsibility and accountability, leaders at all levels have much to take away from Blaber’s command approach and philosophy while he served his country admirably.
July 21, 2013
This book is one of my favourites. Since I find military strategies interesting, what I learned from this book is timeless. This book provides meaningful insight into the world of a Delta Force officer and his dealings into his career and personal life.
There are so many practical lessons that I took away from this book. From the title of this book, where the conception of this book is taken from, you'll learn the priorities that Pete Blaber, the author and commander in charge of his Delta Force team, put on himself to lead his team with effectiveness. His main priorities were:
- What can I do to effectively and efficiently complete this mission?
- What can I do for my men, their safety and livelihood?
- & What can I do for myself?
If you are a leader and would like to benefit from conflict resolution, this book is for you. This book will enliven your mind to correct your faults and deficiencies, and also tackle challenges and opportunities that may arise. He uses specific principles to alleviate the challenges he has faced by adapting to different environments and using core fundamental laws to take care of the job. His key principles are:
- Always listen to the guy on the ground - They're the ones in duty and in real time situational awareness , so it's important that the information is taken into context and are communicated directly to the upper commanders so a clear and concise plan can be made.
- It's not reality unless it’s shared - Always disseminate information with your comrades to understand the situation at hand so everyone can contribute and make a stronger, more cohesive plan. The brainstorming he teaches will not only generate creative ideas, but it will improve everyone's mental faculties in problem solving, a main point he teaches.
- & When in doubt, develop the situation - a key concept that Blaber expounds upon to survey his surroundings so he can make a specific plan for the execution of the team's duties.
Another section that I thoroughly found insight from was when he mentioned about using creativity and the absorption of knowledge/facts to construct a specific plan. He instructs on the practice of three consecutive principles when devising a plan, and they are:
1. Saturate: Absorb all the knowledge that you can by overloading your mind with the necessary information, data, facts, etc.
2. Incubate: Let your mind sift through all the knowledge that has been absorbed within the subconscious and let it process all the information, storing the data and letting it develop while sorting out all the knowledge within the brain's network. He advises to take a night of proper contemplation or rest to let the mind warm up in formulating ideas. Thus, it allows the reorganization of information overload to help the brain develop a plan, preparing the following principle to take place...
3. Illuminate: This part is where the eureka, the aha! moment comes from where you have devised a brilliant idea. Once an idea has been formulated, you immediately need to write down your thoughts before it goes away. Let the ideas flow naturally without over-thinking, so that way you can soak up knowledge and spout out good ideas from it. Generally speaking, illumination takes the form of the beginning stages of applying knowledge. It is this moment where thoughts and ideas are seamlessly formulated within your mind and where the mind has been properly primed through the stages of saturation and incubation.
These instructions are taught by the author to formulate effective plans and ideas and use them in whichever scenario or context that come about.
In conclusion, The author goes through the hoops and struggles of being the team leader while providing entertaining stories, such as his experiences in the Yugoslavian wars or his trek in the Appalachian mountains. He also provides a thorough and fresh perspective on his journeys while mentioning of the blunders and mistakes he has encountered throughout.
Overall, this book is an excellent read, and I would, again, advise those who are managers and leaders alike to buy a copy of this book, as you'll find useful information that can be applied to any practice you are pursuing or wish to pursue.
There are so many practical lessons that I took away from this book. From the title of this book, where the conception of this book is taken from, you'll learn the priorities that Pete Blaber, the author and commander in charge of his Delta Force team, put on himself to lead his team with effectiveness. His main priorities were:
- What can I do to effectively and efficiently complete this mission?
- What can I do for my men, their safety and livelihood?
- & What can I do for myself?
If you are a leader and would like to benefit from conflict resolution, this book is for you. This book will enliven your mind to correct your faults and deficiencies, and also tackle challenges and opportunities that may arise. He uses specific principles to alleviate the challenges he has faced by adapting to different environments and using core fundamental laws to take care of the job. His key principles are:
- Always listen to the guy on the ground - They're the ones in duty and in real time situational awareness , so it's important that the information is taken into context and are communicated directly to the upper commanders so a clear and concise plan can be made.
- It's not reality unless it’s shared - Always disseminate information with your comrades to understand the situation at hand so everyone can contribute and make a stronger, more cohesive plan. The brainstorming he teaches will not only generate creative ideas, but it will improve everyone's mental faculties in problem solving, a main point he teaches.
- & When in doubt, develop the situation - a key concept that Blaber expounds upon to survey his surroundings so he can make a specific plan for the execution of the team's duties.
Another section that I thoroughly found insight from was when he mentioned about using creativity and the absorption of knowledge/facts to construct a specific plan. He instructs on the practice of three consecutive principles when devising a plan, and they are:
1. Saturate: Absorb all the knowledge that you can by overloading your mind with the necessary information, data, facts, etc.
2. Incubate: Let your mind sift through all the knowledge that has been absorbed within the subconscious and let it process all the information, storing the data and letting it develop while sorting out all the knowledge within the brain's network. He advises to take a night of proper contemplation or rest to let the mind warm up in formulating ideas. Thus, it allows the reorganization of information overload to help the brain develop a plan, preparing the following principle to take place...
3. Illuminate: This part is where the eureka, the aha! moment comes from where you have devised a brilliant idea. Once an idea has been formulated, you immediately need to write down your thoughts before it goes away. Let the ideas flow naturally without over-thinking, so that way you can soak up knowledge and spout out good ideas from it. Generally speaking, illumination takes the form of the beginning stages of applying knowledge. It is this moment where thoughts and ideas are seamlessly formulated within your mind and where the mind has been properly primed through the stages of saturation and incubation.
These instructions are taught by the author to formulate effective plans and ideas and use them in whichever scenario or context that come about.
In conclusion, The author goes through the hoops and struggles of being the team leader while providing entertaining stories, such as his experiences in the Yugoslavian wars or his trek in the Appalachian mountains. He also provides a thorough and fresh perspective on his journeys while mentioning of the blunders and mistakes he has encountered throughout.
Overall, this book is an excellent read, and I would, again, advise those who are managers and leaders alike to buy a copy of this book, as you'll find useful information that can be applied to any practice you are pursuing or wish to pursue.
June 8, 2023
Short Summary:
Pete Blaber writes about life lessons he gathered from being a Delta Force commander that allowed him to excel in various situations that were some of the toughest and life-threatening situations an individual can be in. These life lessons are generalized from their context and given as insights that are both applicable to life in general and the business world.
Key Takeaways:
Priorities in any position of leadership should be: the mission, the teammates, and then one's self. This kind of drive and purpose will allow the mission to move forward, the teammates to know that they can rely on each other, and then will leave some room for the individual to care for themselves as necessary. It also helps prioritize what needs done and even clarifies when there are issues with priorities within the organization that requires an individual to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. This requires that the team-members be able to trust each other and know each other's strengths and weaknesses as much as possible.
Don't assume the worst about a situation without knowing the fullness of the situation. In an urgent situation, prepare yourself for the worst case scenario and hope for the best. Allow context and information to guide decision making. Don't allow risk aversion to force the mission to be aborted. Rely on the individuals that are close to the situation (in relation, not in proximity) to give you the insights and information you may need. Trust the man on the ground (closest to the situation) more than information you may have gathered on your own using technology or dated resources.
If you're not sure of what to do, allow the context to develop more fully. Learn more, allow time for your mind to be saturated with the information, for that information to incubate, and then to finally have time to illuminate what needs to be done.
Imagining the unimaginable allows you to one-up a superior force. Think through creative solutions and new ways of doing things to make the impossible possible. Simplify the problem into actionable steps and think of creative possibilities for each solution that is needed.
Once a plan is in place, communicate with your teammates. Allow important information to get to who it needs to get to and quickly. Include all the relevant information that allows the reality to become "shared" for everyone. Ask that the same be done for everyone else on the team. Ask them to make sure that they share important information as quickly as possible. Before moving forward, ask team members what their recommendation is in resolving issues and allow their proximity to the situation to dictate how much pull their answer has.
Look for patterns in any enemies on the field. Look for the patterns and learn from them. People are creatures of habit and will regularly return to those things they know and trust.
Application Points:
Personal AHAs:
Pete Blaber writes about life lessons he gathered from being a Delta Force commander that allowed him to excel in various situations that were some of the toughest and life-threatening situations an individual can be in. These life lessons are generalized from their context and given as insights that are both applicable to life in general and the business world.
Key Takeaways:
Priorities in any position of leadership should be: the mission, the teammates, and then one's self. This kind of drive and purpose will allow the mission to move forward, the teammates to know that they can rely on each other, and then will leave some room for the individual to care for themselves as necessary. It also helps prioritize what needs done and even clarifies when there are issues with priorities within the organization that requires an individual to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. This requires that the team-members be able to trust each other and know each other's strengths and weaknesses as much as possible.
Don't assume the worst about a situation without knowing the fullness of the situation. In an urgent situation, prepare yourself for the worst case scenario and hope for the best. Allow context and information to guide decision making. Don't allow risk aversion to force the mission to be aborted. Rely on the individuals that are close to the situation (in relation, not in proximity) to give you the insights and information you may need. Trust the man on the ground (closest to the situation) more than information you may have gathered on your own using technology or dated resources.
If you're not sure of what to do, allow the context to develop more fully. Learn more, allow time for your mind to be saturated with the information, for that information to incubate, and then to finally have time to illuminate what needs to be done.
Imagining the unimaginable allows you to one-up a superior force. Think through creative solutions and new ways of doing things to make the impossible possible. Simplify the problem into actionable steps and think of creative possibilities for each solution that is needed.
Once a plan is in place, communicate with your teammates. Allow important information to get to who it needs to get to and quickly. Include all the relevant information that allows the reality to become "shared" for everyone. Ask that the same be done for everyone else on the team. Ask them to make sure that they share important information as quickly as possible. Before moving forward, ask team members what their recommendation is in resolving issues and allow their proximity to the situation to dictate how much pull their answer has.
Look for patterns in any enemies on the field. Look for the patterns and learn from them. People are creatures of habit and will regularly return to those things they know and trust.
Application Points:
Personal AHAs:
October 26, 2025
“:
The most effective weapon on any battlefield is our minds ability to recognize life’s underlying patterns.”
Mission- the purose for which you’re doing what you’re doing. Make sure you understand it and that it makes legal, moral; ethical sense. Use it to guide all your decisions.
Men- officer must care for his mens welfare and he must show courage. Listen and lead with sound tactics and techniques that accomplish your mission. Always have the courage of your convictions to do the right thing by them.
Me- comes last. Take care of yourself after you have taken care of the mission, and the men.
Modern-day battlefield behavior pattern- A leader misled by technology and misguide by hubris trying to make life or death decisions without the context of the guys on the ground.
Always listen to the guy on the ground. Tacit knowledge is contextualized knowledge of people, places, ideas, and experiences. Seek it out and make face to face contact with source and/or ask context-specific questions to uncover it.”
Pride and hubris are two most common derailers of a persons common sense.”
The enemy didn’t understand what was going on around them because they weren’t talking to each other. Their rigidity hierarchical caste system prevented them from sharing mission-critical information.”
In combat, when it comes to understanding the reality of the situation and seeing the battlefield, geography and psychology are inexorably linked.”
Operation Anaconda
On the frozen blackness of the Gardez landing zone, Vic had made a decision about a mission he was unsure of, against an enemy he was unaware of, on a battlefield he had never stepped foot on.”
Communication short-circuits like this seem innocuous enough when they occur but as time continues to march on, they turn into decision-making errors that slowly begin to accrue, compounding one on top of the other, indiscernibly snowballing toward critical mass.”
Enacted in 1994, the intent of the defense acquisition reforms was to prevent the unwarranted influence of the defense industry on the military’s weapons and technology acquisition.”
We have boundaries caked values that prevent us from thinking that way.
It was futile to conduct psychological operations on psychos.
Good leaders don’t wait for official blessings to try things out. They use common sense to guide them because they understand a simple fact of life in most organizations: if you ask enough people for permission, you’ll inevitably find someone who believes that they should tell you no.”
The main thing i focus on when assessing someone’s credibility is his or her motivation.”
Some context is timeless. Maybe the inability to understand this fact is why so many fail to heed the lessons of history.”
The real tragedy of the empty target raids was the opportunity cost.
In paranoid times, people see connections where there aren’t any.”
Money, ideology, coercion, excitement
There are few shortcuts to combat wisdom.”
Psychological instability and finger on the trigger do not a healthy combination make in a combat zone.”
The reality the satellite photos portrayed were highly susceptible to the perspective and corresponding misinterpretation of whoever was looking at them.”
When warriors do get time to reflect, write, or share their insights, what they produce is often contaminated by the human psyche’s need to achieve importance, or by administrative policies and political conditions that confront and influence them at the time.
It’s not the action but the interaction, in the form of the way we think, the way we make decisions, and the way we operationalize our decisions that matter most.
The actual event and the lessons it produces may reflect negatively on some or all of the individuals involved and are intentionally watered down or cloaked under arbitrary stamp of secrecy to prevent them from being shared.”
The key to success on all battlefields has little to do with gadgets and technologies ; it’s all about how you think, how you make decisions, and how you execute those decisions.
We destroyed hundreds of Saddam’s machines of war, most of them abandoned by their crews seconds before we drilled them with a techological orgy of laser and precision guided munitions.”
Within the heart of every boy lies the seed of a warrior.”
I noticed that the costume one chose was in many cases a good indicator of some defining slice of the costume wearers personality
How could so many seemingly bright, intelligent people in our government have made so many bad decisions?
There are no mistakes in life, only lessons. Every mistake is an opportunity to ensure that we never make it again, especially when future consequences can be much more dire.”
Time and common sense work together to bathe our minds with reality-revealing context.
Overreacting, underreacting, and failing to do anything at all are all symptoms of getting treed.
Context is the reality of the situation around us. Without context, our minds have a tendency to take shortcuts and recognize patterns that aren’t really there; we connect the dots without collecting the dots.”
When dealing with uncertainty, it’s common sense to question everything.”
It’s universally axiomatic that if two men are seen loitering together or driving through a close-knit community, they stand out and most people automatically assume they are up to no good.”
The team’s assessment was that neither the blonde nor the bloody scenario would cause an experienced security detail to stop or even to slow down. These scenarios would cause the security detail to speed up and begin evasive maneuvers.”
Decisive point is a point in time or location where the success or failure of your actions will ultimately predicate the success or failure of the entire mission. It was the enabling objective that we had to succeed at to give us any shot of achieving mission success.”
History has proven that it’s not the quantity of men or the quality of weapons that make the ultimate difference; it’s the ability to out-think and out-imagine the enemy that always has and always will determine the ultimate victor.”
The mind has three elementary phases it goes through when it’s thinking: saturate, incubate, and illuminate.”
UBL was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth, and the privileged very rarely have the discipline to choose the hard right over the easy wrong.
Recognize the patterns that inform the behavior of your enemy.”
Risk aversion is a direct by-product of not understanding what’s going on around you.”
Footprint Paradox: the ill-advised use of helicopter was the reason that all the valorous men got into the problems that they heroically had to fight and due to get out of.”
They had plenty of time to build better situational awareness and discover the numerous options and opportunities available to capture UBL prior to 9/11.”
Just like that, the 20 year old Lindh successfully infiltrated AlQeda in less than a month and without any external support or technology.”
Develop the situation: innovate, adapt, audacity
When in doubt- develop the situation!
Most time-constraints in life are self-generated.”
Jalaluddin Haqqani
I was convinced that it was far better to be doubted, mocked, and ignored than to be micromanaged.
The reality was that he didn’t hear a thing I said. In actuality I hadn’t shared anything with him.”
I could never understand the reality on the ground in front of each of the teams as well as they could.”
The staff had put so much work putting it together that the mission itself no longer had anything to do with the reality on the ground; the mission was to execute the plan on time.”
The Chinese symbol for crisis is danger-opportunity.”
The most effective weapon on any battlefield is our minds ability to recognize life’s underlying patterns.”
Mission- the purose for which you’re doing what you’re doing. Make sure you understand it and that it makes legal, moral; ethical sense. Use it to guide all your decisions.
Men- officer must care for his mens welfare and he must show courage. Listen and lead with sound tactics and techniques that accomplish your mission. Always have the courage of your convictions to do the right thing by them.
Me- comes last. Take care of yourself after you have taken care of the mission, and the men.
Modern-day battlefield behavior pattern- A leader misled by technology and misguide by hubris trying to make life or death decisions without the context of the guys on the ground.
Always listen to the guy on the ground. Tacit knowledge is contextualized knowledge of people, places, ideas, and experiences. Seek it out and make face to face contact with source and/or ask context-specific questions to uncover it.”
Pride and hubris are two most common derailers of a persons common sense.”
The enemy didn’t understand what was going on around them because they weren’t talking to each other. Their rigidity hierarchical caste system prevented them from sharing mission-critical information.”
In combat, when it comes to understanding the reality of the situation and seeing the battlefield, geography and psychology are inexorably linked.”
Operation Anaconda
On the frozen blackness of the Gardez landing zone, Vic had made a decision about a mission he was unsure of, against an enemy he was unaware of, on a battlefield he had never stepped foot on.”
Communication short-circuits like this seem innocuous enough when they occur but as time continues to march on, they turn into decision-making errors that slowly begin to accrue, compounding one on top of the other, indiscernibly snowballing toward critical mass.”
Enacted in 1994, the intent of the defense acquisition reforms was to prevent the unwarranted influence of the defense industry on the military’s weapons and technology acquisition.”
We have boundaries caked values that prevent us from thinking that way.
It was futile to conduct psychological operations on psychos.
Good leaders don’t wait for official blessings to try things out. They use common sense to guide them because they understand a simple fact of life in most organizations: if you ask enough people for permission, you’ll inevitably find someone who believes that they should tell you no.”
The main thing i focus on when assessing someone’s credibility is his or her motivation.”
Some context is timeless. Maybe the inability to understand this fact is why so many fail to heed the lessons of history.”
The real tragedy of the empty target raids was the opportunity cost.
In paranoid times, people see connections where there aren’t any.”
Money, ideology, coercion, excitement
There are few shortcuts to combat wisdom.”
Psychological instability and finger on the trigger do not a healthy combination make in a combat zone.”
The reality the satellite photos portrayed were highly susceptible to the perspective and corresponding misinterpretation of whoever was looking at them.”
When warriors do get time to reflect, write, or share their insights, what they produce is often contaminated by the human psyche’s need to achieve importance, or by administrative policies and political conditions that confront and influence them at the time.
It’s not the action but the interaction, in the form of the way we think, the way we make decisions, and the way we operationalize our decisions that matter most.
The actual event and the lessons it produces may reflect negatively on some or all of the individuals involved and are intentionally watered down or cloaked under arbitrary stamp of secrecy to prevent them from being shared.”
The key to success on all battlefields has little to do with gadgets and technologies ; it’s all about how you think, how you make decisions, and how you execute those decisions.
We destroyed hundreds of Saddam’s machines of war, most of them abandoned by their crews seconds before we drilled them with a techological orgy of laser and precision guided munitions.”
Within the heart of every boy lies the seed of a warrior.”
I noticed that the costume one chose was in many cases a good indicator of some defining slice of the costume wearers personality
How could so many seemingly bright, intelligent people in our government have made so many bad decisions?
There are no mistakes in life, only lessons. Every mistake is an opportunity to ensure that we never make it again, especially when future consequences can be much more dire.”
Time and common sense work together to bathe our minds with reality-revealing context.
Overreacting, underreacting, and failing to do anything at all are all symptoms of getting treed.
Context is the reality of the situation around us. Without context, our minds have a tendency to take shortcuts and recognize patterns that aren’t really there; we connect the dots without collecting the dots.”
When dealing with uncertainty, it’s common sense to question everything.”
It’s universally axiomatic that if two men are seen loitering together or driving through a close-knit community, they stand out and most people automatically assume they are up to no good.”
The team’s assessment was that neither the blonde nor the bloody scenario would cause an experienced security detail to stop or even to slow down. These scenarios would cause the security detail to speed up and begin evasive maneuvers.”
Decisive point is a point in time or location where the success or failure of your actions will ultimately predicate the success or failure of the entire mission. It was the enabling objective that we had to succeed at to give us any shot of achieving mission success.”
History has proven that it’s not the quantity of men or the quality of weapons that make the ultimate difference; it’s the ability to out-think and out-imagine the enemy that always has and always will determine the ultimate victor.”
The mind has three elementary phases it goes through when it’s thinking: saturate, incubate, and illuminate.”
UBL was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth, and the privileged very rarely have the discipline to choose the hard right over the easy wrong.
Recognize the patterns that inform the behavior of your enemy.”
Risk aversion is a direct by-product of not understanding what’s going on around you.”
Footprint Paradox: the ill-advised use of helicopter was the reason that all the valorous men got into the problems that they heroically had to fight and due to get out of.”
They had plenty of time to build better situational awareness and discover the numerous options and opportunities available to capture UBL prior to 9/11.”
Just like that, the 20 year old Lindh successfully infiltrated AlQeda in less than a month and without any external support or technology.”
Develop the situation: innovate, adapt, audacity
When in doubt- develop the situation!
Most time-constraints in life are self-generated.”
Jalaluddin Haqqani
I was convinced that it was far better to be doubted, mocked, and ignored than to be micromanaged.
The reality was that he didn’t hear a thing I said. In actuality I hadn’t shared anything with him.”
I could never understand the reality on the ground in front of each of the teams as well as they could.”
The staff had put so much work putting it together that the mission itself no longer had anything to do with the reality on the ground; the mission was to execute the plan on time.”
The Chinese symbol for crisis is danger-opportunity.”
February 8, 2013
Blaber's book is a quick and easy read. He uses a series of anecdotes about Delta Force missions and training to lay the groundwork for describing an approach to planning and executing plans that differs from how the "regular" Army does things. Given the material provided, it's hard to argue with his conclusions, but of course, the regular Army commanders who are painted as egotistical blundering idiots aren't around to defend their actions. At face value it's hard to disagree with any of Blaber's positions, but like all things, the truth is likely somewhere in between.
I certainly applaud the common theme he had of getting the opinions and recommendations from numerous sources and especially from the man on the ground. Not believing he could see and know everything from his command post shows real wisdom. Few leaders are willing to trust their subordinates this way, oddly believing that they are in command because the must "know" better, though that is often far, far from the truth. Another equally important lesson Blaber describes is to not to rely too heavily upon technology - he gives several examples where that approach effectively put blinders on higher headquarters, leading to counterproductive decisions.
Blaber summarizes his lessons as:
• Don't get treed by a Chihuahua - don't let your imagination or misunderstanding of facts/events color your decision-making process.
• When in doubt, develop the situation - this one was key - take the time to find out more about what's happening rather than going off half-cocked.
• Humor your imagination - when developing plans use the brain-storming approach and think outside the box.
• It's not reality unless it's shared - information is of no value if it's not shared among the members of your organization/team. Compartmentalization works against understanding, which undermines effective planning or reactions.
• Always listen to the guy on the ground - this includes all sources, not just those of your own men. Their proximity to the point of action gives them a perspective that higher headquarters nearly always lack, and thus an understanding of the battlefield that higher HQ should respect.
This book provides a valuable operational history of Operation Anaconda but also valuable lessons for business and life in general.
Recommended.
I certainly applaud the common theme he had of getting the opinions and recommendations from numerous sources and especially from the man on the ground. Not believing he could see and know everything from his command post shows real wisdom. Few leaders are willing to trust their subordinates this way, oddly believing that they are in command because the must "know" better, though that is often far, far from the truth. Another equally important lesson Blaber describes is to not to rely too heavily upon technology - he gives several examples where that approach effectively put blinders on higher headquarters, leading to counterproductive decisions.
Blaber summarizes his lessons as:
• Don't get treed by a Chihuahua - don't let your imagination or misunderstanding of facts/events color your decision-making process.
• When in doubt, develop the situation - this one was key - take the time to find out more about what's happening rather than going off half-cocked.
• Humor your imagination - when developing plans use the brain-storming approach and think outside the box.
• It's not reality unless it's shared - information is of no value if it's not shared among the members of your organization/team. Compartmentalization works against understanding, which undermines effective planning or reactions.
• Always listen to the guy on the ground - this includes all sources, not just those of your own men. Their proximity to the point of action gives them a perspective that higher headquarters nearly always lack, and thus an understanding of the battlefield that higher HQ should respect.
This book provides a valuable operational history of Operation Anaconda but also valuable lessons for business and life in general.
Recommended.
April 21, 2012
Very interesting. I had read about Blaber elsewhere, and was eager to get his perspective on things.
Blaber is a talented writer. I enjoyed Blaber's fresh, innovative, and novel approach of writing. Instead of just compiling an account of his actions in Delta, Blaber focuses on simple themes, drawing valuable and applicable life lessons from his experiences, which range from hiking to waging war. Blaber offers a series of very helpful lessons and mental frameworks for handling intense, stressful and complex situations.
All too many special operator memoirs suffer from an excess of rah-rah me-tough-guy braggadocio. Blaber's book is very different.
Seems a bit disjointed and unfocused at times, but somehow he manages to connect everything to a key life lesson. I had read about Ali Mohammed in "The Looming Tower", and Blaber provides some interesting insights on that.
I also remember a Lieutenant Colonel Mark Sutter from Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander and Kill Bin Laden: A Delta Force Commander's Account of the Hunt for the World's Most Wanted Man being mentioned as the head of Advance Force Operations (AFO). Since in "Jawbreaker" it is mentioned that Mark Sutter is a pseudonym, it looks like Mark Sutter is none other than Pete Blaber.
Blaber is a talented writer. I enjoyed Blaber's fresh, innovative, and novel approach of writing. Instead of just compiling an account of his actions in Delta, Blaber focuses on simple themes, drawing valuable and applicable life lessons from his experiences, which range from hiking to waging war. Blaber offers a series of very helpful lessons and mental frameworks for handling intense, stressful and complex situations.
All too many special operator memoirs suffer from an excess of rah-rah me-tough-guy braggadocio. Blaber's book is very different.
Seems a bit disjointed and unfocused at times, but somehow he manages to connect everything to a key life lesson. I had read about Ali Mohammed in "The Looming Tower", and Blaber provides some interesting insights on that.
I also remember a Lieutenant Colonel Mark Sutter from Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander and Kill Bin Laden: A Delta Force Commander's Account of the Hunt for the World's Most Wanted Man being mentioned as the head of Advance Force Operations (AFO). Since in "Jawbreaker" it is mentioned that Mark Sutter is a pseudonym, it looks like Mark Sutter is none other than Pete Blaber.
April 10, 2012
On a scale from 1 to 10, this book is an 11 with room to spare. Should be required reading for each prospective officer in any service--Pete Blaber worked both joint and combined operations--including any civilian with responsibilities relating to the US military. "The Mission, The Men, and Me" isn't just a title of a book, it's a way to live your life and tackle the day. I could go on for a while about how great this book is, but I'll spare you. Pick this up, read it, and allow it to shape your life and decisions. Best book I have read in a long, long time.
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