Customer Reviews

Inside Delta Force: The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit

5 star:		(66)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Though the book is short on details of actual missions, the details of Haney's training to become a Delta operator is compelling and vivid. I know a lot of people are disapointed by the lack of mission details but it has to be acknowledged that the Delta force isn't even officially/publically recognized by the government due to its sensitive and top secret nature. Undertsandably this makes details of missions not appropriate for public consumption. But for anyone who ever wanted to know more about Delta operators, how they are trained and what the force is SUPPOSED to be used for (counter-terrorism), this book is a must read. It really puts you in awe as you read the skills and concentration and dedication these guys have to be able to do the things they do.

I read it in 2 nights, easy. Couldn't put it down. A great read.

I was fortunate to meet Mr. Haney when he was promoting this book at a radio show I previously worked at (The Radio Chick). All I can say is that you can "just tell" Mr. Haney is exactly everything he claims to be.

The first thing I noticed about Mr. Haney when I met him was his impeccable posture. Absolutely ramrod straight yet relaxed, the man has a certain poise similar to martial arts experts. The second impression I had was his manners. Born and bred in the South, this man had an ideal combination of the Southern and the Military Gentleman.

As Mr. Haney was interviewed on the air about several topics ranging from September 11th, Bin Laden, Military Training, and his favorite military movie (Black Hawk Down, BTW), a third impression was formed: He was articulate, well-spoken, providing intelligent analyses and responses to every question posed. His knowledge of the military was truly in depth and eye-opening.

The final impression I gathered, kind of subconsciously, was a level of violence in the man. I don't mean he was a psycho ready to snap. I simply felt this man was capable of, and has performed, actions that can kill or maim a man. But I equally felt at ease in his presence. Odd.

As for the book? It is written with a level of pride in all that he and his comarades have achieved, (Defeating the monumentally difficult challenge of joining Delta Force, the Training, The Missions, etc.), but also an equal level of humility. Despite his elite military training, you feel as if Mr. Haney is just another guy who worked hard to achieve his success, but isn't too big for his britches that he can't admit when he made a mistake. He writes about his failures and successes with equal levels of candor. That alone proves to me his tales in here are the truth.

One thing that I did not like about this book, but understandably so, is it can be incredibly bland at times. Once I finished the book, I knew everything he had written about was true, but I also felt there was PLENTY he left out. This is likely because he is not allowed to (or doesn't want to) discuss certain "Top Secret" aspects of his Delta Force days.

But what IS in there is a great read. I love the little things in this book: The stories that put a human face on the special forces. The awful smell of a hijacked airplane. What happens when you shoot someone with a sniper rifle. His respect for soldiers in other branches of the military. The "Gorilla Mask" incident. The man who ran the soles of his feet off. How different spies use different colors of chalk. How the military wants prideful soldiers but will unhesitatingly smash the egos of arrogant grunts. And finally, his ability to criticize sveral aspects of how the country, particularly the military are run, but in the next breath demonstrate his absolute love and loyalty to both.

Well done Mr. Haney. I salute you!

When I first picked this book up, I could not put it down. Mr. Haney is a talented writer and he keeps the reader interested with his tales of what he did as a member of the Delta teams. Understandably, there are things he could not tell us, or he had to gloss over, and to me that added to the book because it allowed you to imagine what really happened. It would be cool to see Mr. Haney write fiction books based on his military experience, becuase he knows his stuff and is such a talented writer.

Inside delta force was a fascinating look at the world from the perspective of a delta force operator. I am now reading Delta Force by Charles Beckwith, written in 1983. Beckwith, I believe refers to Haney by the pseudonym "Allen" in his book. He says "Allen" never made an operational or training mistake to his knowledge. That is quite a complement from Colonel Beckwith considering the level of training and skill Delta Force required and the company they kept.

Haney does an excellent job of explaining the training rigors and operational preparations needed to succeed as an Elite Delta operator. He also at times shows his frustration at the bureaucratic squabbling and occasional incomprehensible decisions made which left operator lives in the balance.

I could'nt help but feel at the end that Mr. Haney had given his country 100% and perhaps simply felt spent and ready to call it a career. He has my complete admiration for his thorough devotion to duty even when he felt his expertise may have on occasion been misused.

Read his book and get a better understanding of what our best soldiers give and often give up in service of our country.

I have read about 30 books related to the topic of SEALS, Green Berets, Rangers, SAS and etc. This book is the best I have come across. There is not one point where the book drags. It gives never before seen insight into Delta that no other book has dared to do. Great detail and action packed. Excellent detail on Selection. Stories about Lebanon, Panama, Beruit, South America and more. The word is that alot of operaters past and present are pissed off Haney revealed so much. A must read if you are a military junky.

"Inside Delta Force" provides a fascinating look at the unit selection process and the initial six months of unit training and tactics development for SFOD-Delta. SGT Haney's perspective is revealingly different from that of previous books covering the same time frame of Delta, like Col. Charlie Beckwith's "Delta Force" that was written from the command perspective. Haney's personal philosophy and his relaxed storytelling narrative, complete with lots of hilarious recounted jokes, give "Inside Delta Force" a working soldier's feel.

Unfortunately, Haney's narrative thins out after the selection and initial period of training. He covers the training for and the abortive mission to Iran for Operation Eagle Claw in about 10 pages, with for example no mention of the joint training exercises with SFOD-Delta and the USAF units, as documented in books by Beckwith and USAF Col. James Kyle. Haney writes a great description of filthy, early 80s Beirut, but then summarizes all his missions there in a couple pages of vague one or two sentence paragraphs. Haney recounts SFOD-Delta's role in the sloppy invasion of Grenada, but this section remains brief since there wasn't much to cover. Haney clearly avoids compromising any events or tactics, but even given this secutiry consideration, portions of his book are threadbare. Finally, although Haney was in Panama in the late 80s, he was there with regular Army units after he left SFOD-Delta in 1987. Thus, "Inside Delta Force" contains no first-hand information on the three most famous SFOD-Delta deployments of the early 90s - the invasion of Panama, SCUD hunting in Iraq during Desert Storm, and Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu.

"Inside Delta Force" is a great look at early SFOD-Delta selection and training, and a captivating look inside the mind of a thoughtful professional soldier of the 70s and 80s, but fails as a reference on SFOD-Delta itself, covering less than half of the period since the unit was founded.

I am a former memeber of the Army Long Range Recon (1991-1995) and I'm quite a modern military buff. I was hoping that Mr. Haney would get into detail about some of the not so well known missions that were done in Delta, without comprimising the people and other players that were in it. Along with that, I would've liked to have read more detail on their weapons and equipment; a lot of the weapons used in Delta are used by other units as well (GIGN, SAS, etc) so explaining why they are used in the unit wouldn't be a comprimise.

Details missed, that I would've liked to had known: Who made the choice of clothing for the Delta members during the failed rescue of American hostages in Iran (I know that they all wore certain kinds of civilian clothing for the operation)? I ask that beacuse during my days in Recon we did training missions wearing civvies (in built up areas). We wore civvies of a certain color and type to identify one another. When did the HK MP5 SD get into Delta's inventory? What were the problems assosciated with that weapon, if any? What was Delta's "official" sidearm during the late 1980s, if they had one at all? How did various Presidents react when they met members of Delta giving demonstrations to them? I say that because a lot of politicians have no clue what Spec Op units do, and ask the dumbest questions. The media included. And when did stun devices get intoduced into Delta's inventory (a very important device)? Was it after the SAS raid on the Iranian Embassy in London? I also know of a few people who served in Beriut, and know that it was quite the wild west there. There were many raids done on observation positions that were continually dumping artillery fire on the Americans--before and after the Marines were bombed. Did Delta operate on any of those missions? There are also rumors that Western mercenaries worked in operations with a Delta as well (in Beriut). Is that true? Did Delta work in conjunction with Seal Team Six, if ever? How was his family life being away from home all the time? Did it strain relations with his wife and kids? Questions questions questions!

Overall the book is good. Mr. Haney gives people not familiar with Delta Force a look into their secrey world, and proves that it can be quite gritty--and always dangerous. For the fantazoid actors like Steven Segal, Stallone, and Chuck Norris who made a very ridiculous movie about the unit, they should look, listen and learn. And realize that these people are the true heroes of our nation, on the forefront of our war on terror and will continue to be for quite some time to come.

I must say that I literally couldn't stop reading this book! Well that is until I got about 3/4 into it. But for the first bunch of the book I was right in there. The author did a great job. Only when he starts talking about missions it felt a little disconnected and the flow got lost that he did so well to build earlier. I do recommend this book to anyone interested in this type of stuff, he does a great job describing what it was like without actually giving any of the actual details that he's not suppose to talk about.

Inside Delta Force reads like a highly captivating military novel from a first-person point of view. But ladies and gents, fiction this is not. Haney brings to the table the real deal - from learning how to highjack cars and pick locks to engaging in a grueling, gut-wrenching 40 mile hike through God's country. The first half of the book takes place at the venerable Fort Bragg. The initial Delta Force hopefuls that descended upon Fort Bragg were none other than the elite of the elite - NCO's from Special Forces units, Ranger units, and other elite units. Of these elite soldiers, only 7% would be so fortunate as to call themselves operators of the original Delta Force. Interestingly, that 7% acceptance rate of the Delta Force unit of which Eric Haney was a founding member still stands as the HIGHEST success rate in the history of Delta Force.

That, if nothing else, puts the unfailing and unwavering tenacity, skill, and determination of Delta Force into perspective. Haney introduces us to Delta Force's eccentric, yet unmistakably brilliant founder, Col. Beckwith. Haney takes us through jaw-dropping exploits in training and later through his many harrowing field assignments in Beirut, The Sudan, Grenada, & Honduras among others. Undoubtedly, a truly fascinating and awe-inspiring book. As Command Sergeant Major Shumate would say, "Have a good 'un!"

"We must continue to seek out and eradicate terrorist threats wherever they exist. Delta Force will be one of the principal weapons in that fight."

Having been involved in the Special Operations Community at Fort Bragg during the time the book was written, I found the book well-written, accurate, even eloquent. Haney does a wonderful job weaving an individual's perspective with the tactical, operational and strategic movements and implications surrounding this highly surgical tool known as SFOD-D. Haney does a superb job revealing what he can and should and does an excellent job of only hinting at what should never be disclosed. I strongly recommend this book to anyone contemplating a life in Special Operations and this should be mandatory reading for anyone wanting a good background knowledge of the machinations between the National Command Authority, the CIA and the Pentagon.