• The Warrior Elite

  • The Forging of SEAL Class 228
  • By: Dick Couch
  • Narrated by: Arthur Morey
  • Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (1,193 ratings)

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The Warrior Elite  By  cover art

The Warrior Elite

By: Dick Couch
Narrated by: Arthur Morey
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Publisher's summary

With a postscript describing SEAL efforts in Afghanistan, The Warrior Elite takes you into the toughest, longest, and most relentless military training in the world. What does it take to become a Navy SEAL? What makes talented, intelligent young men volunteer for physical punishment, cold water, and days without sleep? In The Warrior Elite, former Navy SEAL Dick Couch documents the process that transforms young men into warriors. SEAL training is the distillation of the human spirit, a tradition-bound ordeal that seeks to find men with character, courage, and the burning desire to win at all costs, men who would rather die than quit.

©2001, 2003 SEAL Productions Limited (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Couch has written an exceptionally nuanced and insighful book." ( Washington Post Book World)

What listeners say about The Warrior Elite

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Riveting and Relevant

Couch's look into the lives of BUDS class 228 is both informative and relevant. By following the day to day life of these Navy SEAL trainees the reader is able to not only understand what it takes it takes to become a SEAL, but also the kind of grit the person must have in order to complete training. A mixture of heart, endurance, luck and persistence is a required trait for these men, and the book displays this by describing the obstacles the trainees must face---and clear.

A lot of things have changed since when this book was written in 2003, and it is interesting to hear about men featured in this book, like Marcus Luttrell, who is now a Navy Cross recipient for his actions during Operation Freedom. While some specifics of training might have changed, the fundamentals have not.

As SEALS are becoming more and more relevant today, especially in the killing of Osama Bin Laden, this book serves as a premier source to discover the qualities of the men that wear the SEAL trident.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent, from Writing to the Narration.

Would you listen to The Warrior Elite again? Why?

Yes . The entire book was riveting

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ensign Burke, the character displayed

Which scene was your favorite?

the entire book

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The book made me proud to be part of a Military that supports and encourages this type of warrior.

Any additional comments?

God Bless America and the Warriors who serve her.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent, with caveat:

I continuously listen to audiobooks, primarily non-fiction, audiobooks on my daily 1.5hr commute.
I really can't fault the writer or narrator in any fashion for this book, and frankly it has spurred me to begin redesigning my body, skills, and outlook with the Navy Seals as role models.
If you want to be better than you are, and prefer *reality* over TV/movie fiction, I recommend this book as a tourguide through the training and weeding out process of chosing that path.
Stop complaining about how hard your life is, stop feeling sorry for yourself, and make everyday life easier by a little hard training in your off hours.
I am.

Good job, Dick and Arthur!

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Capturing an Essence of the SEAL-building Process

The SEAL selection process relies on a multitude of exhausting processes, physical and psychological. These processes are all designed to create a 'perfect storm' of value formation-- It Pays To Be A Winner. Couch leads us through these processes of 'Value Formation' as each SEAL 'wannabe' is being continually tested. There are as many 'breaking points' are there are SEAL candidates and Couch recognizes and offers respect for the honorable men pursuing the coveted SEAL Trident. The author cannot create a minute by minute physical experience of being Cold, Wet, and Sandy and convey that physicality to the reader He cannot create the impossibly bearable shivering that accompanies cold water immerision so many times in BUDs training ---and the attendant decline in the body's core temperature with the inherent compromise in physical and mental function. All of which is slowly and measureably eroding a trainee's will...to win.
Couch provides as detailed an examination of the process as available. He, himself, has been through the training. He knows of what he speaks, and writes. If the reader / listener intends to explore the essence of the SEAL training process, to understand what unfolds in the day to day winnowing out of value formation; to understand a trainee must desire to WIN, at almost ANY cost in order to become a SEAL, The Warrior Elite by Dick Couch is your route to enlightenment.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good Insider Book On Seal Training

Where does The Warrior Elite rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This was a good book on all aspects of Seal BUDS training. It was especially good since written by a former Navy Seal. He added a lot of insight into the whole process. Woudl recommend it to any military buffs. The book is even motivational after hearing what these guys go through on a daily basis.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, pretty good narration

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hard to say, I think the surviving members of the original class 228, especially Lt. Gallagher. All of the men in this book, from the trainees who lasted as long as they could, to the graduating class were incredible men made of tougher stuff then most of us. The SEAL instructors were also amazing. The mix of motivation and pressure is what forges these highly elite warriors.

Need inspiration? Listen to this book!

Have you listened to any of Arthur Morey’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first experience listening to him. I think he was chosen as he has the voice of "wise veteren", but I think they could have gotten someone with just a slight more pep in his voice. The 'Hooyahs' were a tad weak.

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

Again, so many to choose from. The section on Hell Week stands out, as does the classes final training missions. Again, this book is loaded with inspiring moments.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A good interesting documentary type book.

Makes me want to be a SEAL. HA!!!! Gives me tremendous respect for the men who pursue this life.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting content, but wrong narrator

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

This book should have been narrated by someone with military experience; someone that understands how certain things are pronounced and emphasized in the military.

Any additional comments?

In spite of the narrator's shortcomings, it was still an interesting listen.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting read

Captivating, informative and motivating.
Gives me more to pray about. Gives some light on a hidden way of life.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

THE HARDEST SCHOOL IN THE WORLD!!!

I've read FEARLESS: THE ADAM BROWN STORY and LONE SURVIVOR both books goes into what happens when you show up at buds training.The Warrior Elite is a day by day account of what it takes to pass the toughest military school in the world. The great thing about the book is its written by a former NAVY SEAL "DICK COUCH" and after all these years later to see that its still the same but different. Dick knows what it will take to finish the school but he still has a heart and he wants everyone to pass, even though he knows its not possible. If you want to know what it takes to be a NAVY SEAL, this is the book... You might think twice before you join. Over 128 men started class 228 and only 20 made it...

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