Tough Rugged Bastards : A Memoir of a Life in Marine Special Operations
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4.8 • 4 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Following the 9/11 attacks, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld directed the Marine Corps to establish a unit that would answer to US Special Operations Command. The eighty-six-man "Detachment One" was formed with a two-year charter to train and deploy as a "proof-of-concept" to assess the viability of a larger Marine Special Operations contribution in support of the Global War on Terror.
For such a departure from the norm, a special leader was needed. The Commanding Officer—Colonel Robert J. Coates, a Marine Force Recon legend—was given his pick of personnel. One of the four team leaders he selected was Gunnery Sergeant John A. Dailey.
These men built a unit from nothing, trained for unknown missions in an unknown location, and deployed amid controversy and skepticism. Once in Iraq, they were dubbed "Task Unit Raider" and quickly won over the naysayers who doubted the Marine's ability to operate successfully.
This book tells Dailey's story of the creation, training, and volatile 2004 Iraq deployment of Task Unit Raider that led to the creation of the Marine Forces Special Operations Command. Det-1 served as the bridge between the Raiders of WWII and the Marine Raiders of today.
Customer Reviews
A fantastic account that should be o. Every leaders reading list.
This book is a fantastic account of a lifetime of service, achievement and leadership that to many in the corporate world may seem foreign. Still, I highly recommend senior corporate leaders read through the wonders and challenges of war and learn the extraordinary lessons of team leadership hat Mr. John Dailey has lived and taught to younger generations. I have known or known of many people in this book, and I know of no one more suited to teach these lessons through a memoir of his life and service to the team and this country.
10+ years or so ago now, I was out on the compound one early morning early, sometime around 0300-0400, pushing myself towards a goal. I didn’t feel well. It was dark, misting rain, and overall just uncomfortable weather when I was driving around to park and thinking, “Maybe I’ll stay in my warm jeep and sleep a few hours before work this morning instead“ when I came upon John covered in a mix of sweat and rain, with his ruck on. I pulled up and said good morning, and immediately, without knowing it, he was the leader I needed at that moment to keep pushing myself toward being better and harder than I was. He lived the leadership visibly, and while I’m sure he doesn’t remember the interaction because I’m sure he’s had hundreds of them, this moment has stuck with me many times. Thank you, John, for your leadership, even when exercising your own demons. You helped me exercise mine, and I am forever grateful and owe in part my success to you and those like you who had a profound impact even when you didn’t know that’s what you were doing.