A must read
I have a book sitting next to me that I HIGHLY recommend to any wanna-be SEAL operator seeking mental toughness and a will to never quit. For that matter, I recommend it to those already "inside", as well. The novel is titled "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield. It is taught at the United States Military Academy (West Point) and the United States Naval Academy (Annapolis) for its brilliance in portraying history's toughest soldiers, the Spartans. You will be taken through the grueling Agoge, the Spartan youth's training program. Stripped from their homes at age 7-8, young boys were taught by fist, rod, and lash to be tougher than the bronze covered shields they carried so confidently into battle. Taught to quit under no circumstances, to never retreat, Spartans earned the reputation as the more feared fighting force in the world. Quitting meant death, to be frank. Forced to kill at a young age, Spartan youths were continuously baptized in warfare; drilling and training constantly for years to achieve physical and mental prowess unsurpassed by any other force in the world. They fought as a team, being superior not as individuals, but as a single, cohesive, indestructible unit. The book then arrives at its main purpose, the battle of Thermopylae. The heroism described in this book rivals anything I have ever read. I see some pretty interesting parallels to the SEALs that I believe you will all enjoy. I hope if you get the chance to read this amazing piece, you will do so. Who knows...maybe the thought of a 10 year old lining his "clothes" with thistles to get the sensation of *****ling warmth during a mountainous Greek winter night will help you muster up the will to stay in the ocean during hellweek when you think you are cold.
Enjoy!
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