Jeff Hirsh Read: October 2022
Inspiration: Interested in learning more about Navy SEAL psychology and experiences after reading David Goggins’ “Can’t Hurt Me”
Summary
Written with the help of ChatGPT, below is a brief summary to understand what is covered in the book.
“Fearless”, published in 2012 by author Eric Blehm, shares the story of Navy SEAL Adam Brown, revered by his fellow SEAL Team Six members and killed in action in 2010. The book discusses Brown’s upbringing in rural Arkansas, his struggles with addiction, and his eventual decision to join the military. It also covers Brown’s training as a SEAL and his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and tells the story of his heroic actions on the battlefield. Fearless is a tribute to Brown’s courage and selflessness, and is a moving and inspiring story of one man’s journey to overcome his own challenges and become a hero.
Unedited Notes
Direct from my original book log, below are my unedited notes (abbreviations and misspellings included) to show how I take notes as I read.
Adam Brown was SEAL Team 6 Chief Special Warfare Operator (passed away March 2010 Afghanistan but fellow seals want to honor), Adam grew up in Arkansas to not well off family that moved around a lot, Adam good athlete and make friends but tough as move, known as Psycho despite size take on big teammates/stunts, once move to college begin to stumble, grades fall, turn to drugs with girl he met, became addict, disappeared often and stole from friends, stole from parents to fund drugs, eventually parents call for his arrest to teach lesson, Adam prison for 45 days then become spiritual to reclaim life—year retreat then back to school reformed but older brother Shawn (idol) not sold so Adam need to prove self, after a year clean went back to relapsing every couple weeks and same disappearances, eventually with help of friend Jeff and new wife Kelley (been with Adam for multiple years thru drugs) join Navy to become SEAL—required phone call favor from Jeff’s dad for recruiter to approve given criminal past, enter seal BUD/S 1999 in Coronado CA with Kelley home to keep routine/on track prepped daily, “pays to be a winner” seal instructor mantra for teamwork at BUD/S, graduate seal training early 2000 and first kid born, Adam started on seal team FOUR, DEVGRU is other name for SIX which is most elite seal team, 9/11 redirect military/seal focus from LATAM to global, hunt for bin laden and mullah omar (taliban founding father), al qeada surrender fast but then insurgents from pakistan/iran 2002 fight to overthrow afghan gvt/US, then 2003 bush Iraq pivot/bombings, relapsed once after 8 years then hit with fake bullet training in eye—damage vision badly, still to Iraq april 2004, Adam held out from direct combat but hugely useful for intel gathering/capture, still want DEVGRU/Six screening but one eye made it harder, still go—sniper school with one eye passed with excellence (“godly” per other seals), SIX is top 1% of seals—Adam pass screening ’04 then defer final test to ’05 to try to get vision better, “life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and preserved body”, Adam in Iraq get hit by friendly humvee and hand crushed/fingers had to be sewn back on (6 months before Green Team/SIX training), Green Team training is best of seals so not about just grunting it out—it is a mental test/complex with variables, rapid reactions/precision with no error under pressure, Nov 2006 pass Green Team and join seal team six, DEVGRU (“seal team 6”) responsible daily in iraq to dismantle IED network (07/08 kill 300 terrorists/insurgents and take down IED death by 80%+), Adam Brown killed 2010 in six raid on major taliban leader in dangerous mission, 7 more six member killed mid 2011 in helicopter strike by insurgents (after author spoke to them about Adam—7/10 dead from seal team six a year later), Aug 6 2011 seventeen americans killed (most seals—deadliest single crash), Adam about protection/loyalty but also compassion/gentle (balance as needed, lift others)
