The Guerrilla Factory

The Making of Special Forces Officers, the Green Berets

By: Tony Schwalm

Narrated by: Corey Snow

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

The Navy has the SEALS, and the Army has the Green Berets. They are masters of asymmetrical warfare, trained to immerse themselves in hostile territory, sleeping near their enemies and building relationships with people who may want to kill them. Retired lieutenant colonel Tony Schwalm knows this group well, because he is one of them and he trained them. In The Guerrilla Factory, he provides an unbelievably gripping inside look into the grueling training that every army officer must endure to become one of America's elite Green Berets.

The Special Forces Qualification Course, also known as the Q Course, is infamous in U.S. Army lore. It transforms conventional soldiers, through blood, sweat, and tears, into unconventional guerrillas. As a young soldier, Schwalm earned his own Green Beret there. Later, he was the commander of Special Forces officer training at Fort Bragg, evaluating and redesigning the crucible in which leaders face brutal tests of physical strength, stamina, and wits. The Guerrilla Factory is the engaging and compelling story of Schwalm's experience there as a student (from selection to graduation) and his time as the commander of training at Fort Bragg. It is a story of young soldiers striving to become the elite of the elite-of their trials, physical and emotional, and of their triumphs and losses.

In this dramatic account of the challenges faced by these young soldiers, Schwalm describes how men are forced to demonstrate ingenuity under intensely adverse conditions as they are pushed to the point of hallucination, walk until their feet are bloody, and fight off packs of angry dogs with nothing but a rubber rifle. Soldiers today face an entirely different kind of warfare and must be schooled to deal with unusual circumstances. They must have intricate knowledge of how to gather information in a dangerous, unstable atmosphere, and they need to be able to adapt quickly to differences in their surroundings. Schwalm's book takes listeners deep into this world, showing exactly how soldiers acquire the necessary skills.

Revealing details never before shared outside military circles, Schwalm provides a rare and rousing look inside the courageous hearts and souls of soldiers who put their lives on the line for duty, honor, and our country.

©2012 Tony Schwalm (P)2013 Tantor

Loved it!

Great Story, Great Narrator!!!!! Listened from the beginning to the end and didn't want to take a break.

Best perspective of UW I've read yet

Author does a great job of describing what UW is and (more importantly) what it is not. Points are thoughtfully illustrated in this well thought out book. Reads like a novel.

Thrilling and humorous adventures and failures

This was an exceptionally interesting book. We’re it up to me I’d likely have listened to it straight through. Humorous stories of almost tragic mistakes paired with tales of epic heroism and superhuman feats. Explained the different branches of SF as well as demonstrating an in depth understanding of unconventional warfare. This book was truly a great read. As entertaining as it was informative. Would definitely recommend to anyone who intends to attempt SF and, though it didn’t discuss it in detail, Ranger school. I feel it would provide much needed insight prior to such efforts. Enjoy!

The Inside Scoop on Green Beret Training

A really good story about an officers journey to become a Green Beret and the training he went through. The book kept me interested from start to finish. In my opinion we are in a period of time when units like the Green Berets will be more and more important to the USA, and this book does a good job explaining what they do and why.

The only thing I found lacking, and it isn't the authors fault at all, is the fact that Tony Schwalm is an officer and his perspective is that of an officer. It would be interesting to hear from the enlisted, although the officers perspective is probably a broader and more comprehensive view.

Great personal story

What made the experience of listening to The Guerrilla Factory the most enjoyable?

A VERY well written book that tells a very interesting personal story about a man who is the "supper man" and how he moves through Special Forces. Written for folks who don't have a huge military background but want to know more about this type of person and the missions that they undertake.

A good listen for some one interested

Great background and look into SF. Always interesting when hearing from people who when through Trek back in the day. A good listen.

Loved this!

I listened to this in the car with my teen son who wants to be SF and my retired military husband. We really enjoyed this, and it made my husband wish he could go back in time 25 years (or so) and be SF. Great performance, as well!

Amazing, detailed, inspiring.

Got down to business on the complex training and lifestyle of US Army SF. Great read.

Great Book for Future Officers or Enlisted

Great Book!!!
It is from the perspective of a normal guy going through the choice of whether to be an sf officer or not and he breaks down how it is in special forces for both enlisted and officer.

A very good look into the role of U.W.

Mr. Schwalm provides an inside look at the role of the US Special Forces. I found it enjoyable and insightful.