Damn Few

Making the Modern SEAL Warrior

By: Rorke Denver

Narrated by: Rorke Denver

Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Rorke Denver trains the men who become Navy SEALs - the most creative problem solvers on the modern battlefield, ideal warriors for the kinds of wars America is fighting now. With his years of action-packed mission experience and a top training role, Lieutenant Commander Denver understands exactly how tomorrow’s soldiers are recruited, sculpted, motivated, and deployed.

Now, Denver takes you inside his personal story and the fascinating, demanding SEAL training program he now oversees. He recounts his experience evolving from a young SEAL hopeful pushing his way through Hell Week, into a warrior engaging in dangerous stealth missions across the globe, and finally into a lieutenant commander directing the indoctrination, requalification programs, and the “Hero or Zero” missions his SEALs undertake.

From his own SEAL training and missions overseas, Denver details how the SEALs’ creative operations became front and center in America’s War on Terror - and how they are altering warfare everywhere. In fourteen years as a SEAL officer, Rorke Denver tangled with drug lords in Latin America, stood up to violent mobs in Liberia, and battled terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan. Leading 200 commando missions, he earned the Bronze Star with V for valor. He has also served as flag aide to the admiral in charge and spent the past four years as executive officer of the Navy Special Warfare Center’s Advanced Training Command in Coronado, California, directing all phases of the basic and advanced training that prepare men for war in SEAL teams. He recently starred in the film Act of Valor. He is married and has two daughters.

Ellis Henican is a columnist at Newsday and an on-air commentator at the Fox News Channel. He has written two recent New York Times best sellers, Home Team with New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and In the Blink of an Eye with NASCAR legend Michael Waltrip.

"With all the SEALs’ recent successes, we have been getting a level of acclaim we’re not used to. But something important has been missing in this warm burst of publicity.... Correcting that is my mission here.

"My own SEAL dream was launched by a book. My hope is that this one teaches lessons that go far beyond the battlefield, inspiring a fresh generation of warriors to carry on that dream."

—Lieutenant Commander Rorke Denver

©2013 Rorke Denver (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Incredible book!!

What made the experience of listening to Damn Few the most enjoyable?

The narrator has your full attention

What other book might you compare Damn Few to and why?

No Easy Day

Which character – as performed by Rorke Denver – was your favorite?

Rorke Denver

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

True story of the making of a Navy Seal

Any additional comments?

I bought this book to listen in the car with my husband to keep him interested. We both really loved this book. I bought it for my dad who really enjoyed it.

Real SEALs... Honour for a Reason

Excellent book, author, SEAL warrior & leader, man of knowledge, bravery and honour.
Worth every minute. What everyone needs to read to know the real deal, the real SEAL story, no pulled punches.

recommended most highly

These are real men, an inspiration and example for us all. Beautifully written and narrated by the author.

Great story

Thank you Seals. You are awesome!! I enjoyed the story and have much respect for what you do for our country.

Very Interesting

Denver definitely held my I interest. I appreciated hearing about BUDs training early in the book but also later when he spoke about the push for increasing the number of SEALs produced and the risks involved with compromising standards. Thankfully, the standards have not been compromised. I also really enjoyed the story behind the creation of Acts of Valor as I have wondered why it was allowed and the only explanation I had found previously was that it was for recruitment. Now it makes sense. I appreciated his recognition of the sacrifices of the families of special operators. I would definitely recommend this audiobook and though I found it on sale I would not have minded using a credit for it. The narration worked for me, as the author was telling his own story. However, there are editing issues, as noted by others.

respect

I've always respected military, special forces and their worlds. I understand a little more each day why that is. thank you. I loved that commander Denver narrated this himself.

What I've Been Looking For

LCDR Denver writes what he knows. He tells a powerful story, but in an open, down-to-earth way. Many people see Navy SEALs are larger than life, and I believe that view is justified. The author maintains a lot of mystique, but also manages to make the SEALs seem like everyday guys. I've read too many books about SEALs that focus on the hardcore nature of their training and their lives. LCDR Denver allows the listener/reader to see the man behind the title.

The chapter where he writes about his wife was amazing. (This comes back to seeing the man behind the title.) It's clear that her support has made him stronger, and he makes it clear that it isn't just his wife. The Team's Wives/Girlfriends Network is there to take care of things back home, allowing the men to keep their focus on staying alive in a war zone. It was great to see him acknowledge that, rather than making it seem that SEALs are so tough that they don't need help.

The one issue I had with the book is that LCDR Denver's inflection never changes. He has the same tone when speaking about being in a firefight, how much he loves his wife, and training the next group of wanna-be SEALs.

Everything you should expect

The is a story of a SEAL. Why he became a SEAL and what he has done as a SEAL. Anyone who has served in the U. S. Military will be very familiar with the tone of the narration and feel the sincerity in LT's tone. Great book to get a tremendous insight into the long elusive and mysterious world. Bravo.

Great work.

Great piece of literature for anybody that has a "service mindset". This should be mandatory reading on our Captains promotional assessment.

Swag

This book had it all. Gripping gunfights and valuable insight for future team guys. Probably my favorite book about the frogmen.