This study is what it is, and one can hardly find fault with its place in history. If you're one of the people who knows you ought to read it, you don't need this review. For everyone else, just so you understand:
- Ignore the publishing date. This is McRaven's 1993 NPS thesis (as an O-5 Commander), so it's quite dated even in his own career. In fact as the description notes, its cases are from 1940-45, 1970, and 1976. (Yes, he does not do Operation Eagle Claw.)
- I'll highlight that again: this is a Naval Postgraduate School thesis. It's written like one, so I hope you like that.
- McRaven is a SEAL, and "Spec Ops" to him means direct action. This book includes nothing about unconventional warfare or counterinsurgency, etc, and in fact his definition excludes these.
- If you're not sure if the book is for you, know that since this started as an NPS thesis, it's published for free by DTIC. I was happy to get the book for the referenceable format, but it may not be worth it to you.