The Red Circle: My Life in the Navy SEAL Sniper Corps and How I Trained America's Deadliest Marksmen

By: Brandon Webb, John David Mann

Narrated by: Jon Bailey

Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Before he could forge a band of elite warriors ... he had to become one himself.

Brandon Webb's experiences in the world's most elite sniper corps are the stuff of legend. From his grueling years of training in Naval Special Operations to his combat tours in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan, The Red Circle provides a rare and riveting look at the inner workings of the U.S. military through the eyes of a covert operations specialist.

Yet it is Webb's distinguished second career as a lead instructor for the shadowy "sniper cell" and Course Manager of the Navy SEAL Sniper Program that trained some of America's finest and deadliest warriors - including Marcus Luttrell and Chris Kyle - that makes his story so compelling. Luttrell credits Webb's training with his own survival during the ill-fated 2005 Operation Redwing in Afghanistan.

Kyle went on to become the U.S. military's top marksman, with more than 150 confirmed kills.

From a candid chronicle of his student days, going through the sniper course himself, to his hair-raising close calls with Taliban and al Qaeda forces in the northern Afghanistan wilderness, to his vivid account of designing new sniper standards and training some of the most accomplished snipers of the 21st century, Webb provides a rare look at the making of the Special Operations warriors who are at the forefront of today's military.

Explosive, revealing, and intelligent, The Red Circle provides a uniquely personal glimpse into one of the most challenging and secretive military training courses in the world.

A portion of proceeds from this book will go towards The Red Circle Charitable Foundation, which helps families of fallen Special Operations Warriors.

About the authors:

Brandon Webb is a former U.S. Navy SEAL; his last assignment with the SEALs was Course Manager for the elite SEAL Sniper Course, where he was instrumental in developing new curricula that trained some of the most accomplished snipers of the 21st century. Webb has received numerous distinguished service awards, including the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Commendation Medal with a "V" for "Valor", for his platoon's deployment to Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks. He is editor for Military.com's blog Kit Up, SOFREP's Editor in Chief, and a frequent national media commentator on snipers and related Special Operations Forces military issues.

John David Mann, who collaborated with Webb in writing The Red Circle, is an award-winning author whose titles include the New York Times best seller Flash Foresight and the international best seller The Go-Giver.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2012 Brandon Webb (P)2012 Brandon Webb

Great insights from page 1 on loved it !!!

This book gives an insight to how things are done in navy seal sniper training/ combat deployments...

Not what I expected, better.

A much more thoughtful and engaging read than I had expected. Much more focused on what it takes to become a sniper than on the act itself. Kept me focused right to the end.

It's not about being a SEAL...

It is about excellence.
Brandon Webb tells his story about being the best one can be and how is life story took him from winning ski races at 6, to becoming a seaman navigating one of the most traveled harbors at the age 16. Me. Webb tells his tale of how he became his best and helped others become their best by consistently being challenged and not accepting "good" as enough.
The stories Brandon tells helped me see that "excellence in all we do" matters and makes a difference in our lives and in the lives we touch.
May we all honor God, humanity, community, and family by becoming the best we can be by doing the best we can do, despite our circumstances and situations.

good read but narration is not 100%.

many irregularities in the narration which spoil the flow of the story.stuff like 2000hrs being called two thousand hours or something similar.

An outstanding outline of a amazing man & career!

Brandon Webb had a interesting background, but one that seemed to almost have him be exactly what it takes to succeed in not only BUD-S, but NSW as a whole. Ultimately driving him to completely redesign SEAL Sniper training into arguably the best sniper training program that the world has ever known. His story is not only moving, but interesting and very inspiring. The book leads chronologically through his childhood and early USN career, into his being a student in the very program he would revamp.

I know a bit about the reputation Brandon Webb left behind after leaving NSW and the Navy... and it is exemplary. Several former students credit Webb for saving their lives with what (and how) he taught as a sniper intstructor. Most notably perhaps is Marcus Luttrell (former SEAL, and author of 'Lone Survivor'). Can there BE a better indication of just how important Brandon Webb is/was to the program?

For anyone wanting to gain a sense of what it takes to succeed in the world of SOF, as well as the career & legacy of this man... I cannot recommend 'Red Circle' more highly. It is an excellent listen and 'paints the picture' extremely well.

For those interested, Webb is also a founder of and writer for SOFREP, a great resource for information regarding the world of Special Operations.

ALSO... Webb and the publisher have included a .pdf file containing many photos that were before only available by buying the actual 'book'. A real plus for it to accompany the audiobook! Make sure and download the .pdf file.

Great book

Great story. Great performance. I especially liked the intro that the author gave to each chapter. And there are a couple of bonus stories the author tells at the end.

This is the best book I have ever listened to

This book not only illustrates what it's like to become a navy seal but also the friendships and story's that are made! This book is one of a kind and I definently would recommend this book.

Don't let the narrator scare you off!

There is nothing worse then a audible book with a great story and bad narrator. Due to the negative reviews and lack of a sexy title I hesitated to purchase and listen. I am glad that I did give the book a listen and I can assure you that the narrator does not ruin the story. What makes this audio book special is that Brandon Web introduces each chapter himself and concludes the book with a brief interview. If you are looking for a book detailing harrowing missions there is not much in this book for you. If you are looking for insights into what makes a Navy SEAL a special breed of individual then this book is for you.

Amazing story

Great details, very informative & entertaining! Great perspective of what it's like to be a Seal.
Recommend read!

Great book!

Loved the book! I remember the Seals coming to Coalinga to train. They were a great group of guys and being in Law Enforcement in that small town, I was able to get some hands on with them. Enjoyed the book and it makes me proud to know that these guys really went in and made a difference for all of us! Thank you!