Book Review

The The Heart and the Fist is the story of Eric Greitens’ world travels where he encounters the best and the worst of humanity while discovering his own passions and strengths. Eric is one of those amazingly impressive individuals who seems to master anything he attempts. Upon graduating with a PhD from Oxford, the Rhodes Scholar and collegiate boxing champion could have remained comfortably ensconsed in academia, or made a fortune in the corporate world. Instead, he chose to serve his country as a Navy SEAL.

This book is not typical of the special operations genre, although it contains uniquely detailed insight into NSW’s rigorous training regime at BUDS and Naval Special Warfare’s involvement in the war against al Qaeda in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. One of the most interesting chapters from an IW perspective was the description of Eric’s leadership of a MK V detachment in support of Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines. The deployment was unique in that it included the longest transit ever (1,400 NM) of a naval special warfare craft, from Singapore to Zamboanga, visiting a number of small ports in Indonesia which had never seen a US Navy presence. This transit serves as a reminder that 21st Century naval diplomacy takes many forms.

The book will also appeal to those involved in development and humanitarian work, which increasingly overlaps the same places America finds itself immersed in counter-terrorism or counter-insurgency operations. Although the book presents an inspiring story of character and humanitarianism, I think the most important take away is the challenge for readers to strive for lives of service and leadership. Eric continues to serve as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Reserve and runs an organization called The Mission Continues, challenging disabled veterans to continue serving in their own way.

The opinions and views expressed in this post are those of the author alone and are presented in his personal capacity. They do not necessarily represent the views of U.S. Department of Defense, the US Navy, or any other agency.