Chosen Soldier

The Making of a Special Forces Warrior

By: Dick Couch

Narrated by: Kevin Foley

Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

In combating terror, America can no longer depend on its conventional military superiority and the use of sophisticated technology. More than ever, we need men like those of the Army Special Forces---the legendary Green Berets. In Chosen Soldier, Dick Couch draws on nearly a year spent at Special Forces training facilities and offers an unprecedented view of the education of these men.

Following the experiences of one class of soldiers as they endure this physically and mentally exhausting ordeal, Couch spells out in fascinating detail the demanding selection process and grueling field exercises, the high-level technical training and intensive language courses, and the simulated battle problems that test everything from how well SF candidates gather operational intelligence to their skills at negotiating with volatile, often hostile, local leaders. Chosen Soldier paints a vivid portrait of an elite group, and a process that forges America's smartest, most versatile, and most valuable fighting force.

©2007 Dick Couch, Foreword copyright 2007 by Robert D. Kaplan (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Definitive . . . insightful . . . should be read by every American who despairs [about] current tumult." (Linda Robinson, author of Masters of Chaos)

Great book following the evolution of ODA

This is a great book following me progression of an ODA class preparing for there careers ahead.

Most Insightful!

Decently the most insightful book on (Army Special Forces) I've read. It was the most detailed with SFAS & the Q course.

SF a Unique Asset

If you’re looking for a book about Rambo this isn’t it. Couch follows SF candidates through their foundational Q course training, and at the end of the book visits with operational ODA’s in Iraq. He gives his brief but important two cents on how we’re doing at the end of the book. Note that language and SERE schools are excluded from the book, the latter being mostly classified. SF are a diverse group, and the crux of their operation is intellectual and social ability. Good book, will give you a good sense of how these guys come up.

Perfect for someone trying to get details.

Exactly what I've been trying to find out about SFAS for years. Not at all hard to stay engaged listening to.

Thank God we have young men like this!

What made the experience of listening to Chosen Soldier the most enjoyable?

The reader

What did you like best about this story?

The fact that our young men volunteer to become a Special Forces soldier, and the sacrifice they make to earn the Green Beret.

Which character – as performed by Kevin Foley – was your favorite?

The young warriors as they are taught to be leaders.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Sometime hearing the struggle the young men were subjected to was difficult to listen too.

Any additional comments?

I know a very brave young man who was in this class, and has gone on to become a successful warrior-and is still in the military. We are very proud of him, and this book really brought his experiences to life.

very good outline

This book gives a vet good outline of the first hand experience of the different phase of SOF training. The performance was very good at voicing the multiple characters and made it easy to keep track to who was talking. Thank you.

Becoming a Green Beret from A to Z

Fascinating look at the making of our Green Berets! There was a lot of detail which was relevant to me as my son begins the process. The story was told in a way that held the attention of even a total military dummy!

No Better Account

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in trying out for the Army SF program. As a matter of fact, I would say that this book is an essential read for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the difficulties, responsibilities, and lifestyles of those individuals who choose to live a special forces life. I am preparing to ship to basic training in a few months, and this book was a tremendous part of my mental prep for my upcoming military life. Dick Couch gives the reader quite a lot of insight into an otherwise classified world of training. You won't find this amount of detail in a movie or online forum, for sure.

Incredible book. Highly informative

I’ve already listened to this book twice. It starts out giving an in-depth history lesson of Army SF as well as SOF as a whole then goes into each and every detail of SFAS and throughout all phases of the Q-Course. 10/10

Thoroughly done

Dick was very thorough. He helped me understand the SF pipeline. Great help to anyone wanting to head down this route.