About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior

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Summary: By one of the greatest warriors of our century
Review: A must-read for the clueless Americans who think our warriors are prepared and well lead.

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Summary: About Face: Scathing Review of the U.S. Military
Review: In the bestseller "In Search of Excellence", author Tom Peters suggests that one of the many reasons businesses fail is that the people at the top have no idea what is happening on the "front lines". "About Face" argues, among other things, that the very same thing is happening with our armed forces. I guess we shouldn't be surprised. A very entertaining and informative book. A clear warning to our country and our leaders. This is a very thick book, but well worth the time of readers interested in the use of our armed forces as a tool of our country's foreign policy.

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Summary: this book is a 10, I fully related to his accounts
Review: Col. Hackworth book should be read by all potinal enlisties. I am a combat Inf man rifle squad leader 32Div. 127inf. WW2. My war was the same as he explained. The officers were over us because they had a college ed. they only were trying to advance themselves, Our mission was to take 2 days we didn't secure the Villa Verde trail on Luzon in 6 months of fighting. We cheered when we heard the news that Roosevelt died. We thought somthing might change then and it did. I somtimes think I am the only surviving combat soldier who new the truth about war. I'm glad Hackworth could explain what really goes on in the Military. I'm 70% disablied earned the DSC, 2BS,2PH and the other ribbins, I say this because I go to the VA hospital in Loma Linda CA all the time for med care and if young men could 1st know the truth about what they are going to face when they join the military establishment then there disicion on joining is there's. Henry E. Brooks 78 years old, was going to take "the slow boat two china".

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Summary: Glad I made it "back to the world".
Review: Being a Viet Nam veteran, Col. Hackworth confirmed what I felt & saw as a 20 yr old Spec 4 upon arriving "in country" in 1967. I never understood our mission then & can only thank the Almighty I came back alive. Col. Hackworth accurately depicts how the US Army was. I hope Desert Storm proves it has changed. If you were an EM in Korea or Nam, read this book! You will find yourself wanting to scream at times: "been there"! Excellent book & I hope Hardcore has found peace

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Summary: Tactics of Korea , Vietnam and Staff officers apply today
Review: COL Hackworth accounts of a majestic Army are long past. The Army used to be a place where warriors could train to accomplish a defined mission and feel like they are a part of an extroidinary group. Now we have been reduced to beaurecratic managers who kill with a skillcraft . Not all NCO's and officers are like that. But true leaders are becoming extinct. While at Infantry Basic Non Commissioned Officers Course (BNCOC) I used his tactics for assaulting a hill. The way the Raiders took their objectives in Korea still apply. Blast the crap out of the top and the enemy side and use stealth & speed, if that doesn't work then use fire & maneuver to take it by force. All the high speed goggles and computer enhancements will never defeat that. The philosophy of "out G the G" needs to be taught. As a member of the Wolfhounds and other units COL Hackworth did not spend his time reading & reciting manuals. He led by example and practiced what he preached. My copy of "About Face" is worn out and has been carried around the world. Even though I am not a member of the elite group known as combat vets I have experienced them through the eyes of COL Hackworth and it has made me a better soldier, Platoon Sergeant, and now staff NCO

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Summary: Best combat narrative by a real warrior
Review: Colonel Hackworth's book is the best account I have ever read of a soldier's life experiences with vivid descriptions of what it is like to be in combat. I recommend this book to anyone contemplating joining the Army or becoming an officer. It is a No. 1 must-read

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Summary: THE BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ ABOUT A SOLDIER'S LIFE
Review: THIS BOOK IS BY FAR THE BEST MILITARY BOOK I'VE EVER READ IN YEARS. AND I THOUGHT TOM CLANCY WAS THE BEST! I GOT A HOLD OF THIS BOOK AT MY COLLEGE LIBRARY DURING MY FRESHMAN YEAR IN 1996. FROM THE MOMENT I READ THE FIRST WORDS, I KNEW I WAS MESMERIZED. I READ THIS BOOK OUT OF MY PERSONAL INTEREST ABOUT THIS CONTROVERSIAL OUTSPOKEN COLONEL. THE STORY GOES LIKE THIS: AN ORPHANED 15-YEAR OLD BOY LIED TO ENLIST IN THE ARMY, AND WENT ON TO BECOME THE MOST LEGENDARY AND CONTROVERSIAL WARRIOR. HE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION UNDER GEN. JOHN M. MICHAELIS AS A WOLFHOUND RAIDER LEADER IN KOREA. HE WAS BATTLE-COMMISSIONED AT A TENDER AGE OF 20, AND BECOMES THE YOUNGEST CAPTAIN AT 22. HE WON 2 DSCs, 7 SILVER STARS, 9 BRONZE STARS AND 2 DFCs, 8 PURPLE HEARTS AND MANY OTHER DECORATIONS DURING HIS SERVICE IN THE KOREAN AND VIETNAMESE THEATER COMBINED. WHILE HE INITIALLY FOUND HOME IN THE "OLD ARMY," HE FOUND HIMSELF INCREASINGLY DISILLUSIONED WITH THE ZERO-DEFECT,"TICKET PUNCHING" MENTALITY OF THE "NEW ARMY" CREATED BY A WEST-POINT GENERAL MAXWELL TAYLOR AND HIS PROTEGES. THE VIETNAM WAR BECAME THE CLIMAX OF HIS DISSILUSSIONMENT WITH THE "NEW ARMY" AS HE GOT A CHANCE TO LOOK INSIDE THE DEPT. OF ARMY, THE FLEDGLING TRAINING SYSTEM, SELF-SERVING TYPES LIKE IRA HUNT AND MANY OTHERS LIKE HIM. AS AN ADVISER TO THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE PARATROOPERS, HE PRESSURED THEM TO PERFORM, BUT TO NO AVAIL. BY 1971, HE WAS THE YOUNGEST COLONEL IN THE US ARMY, AND CONSIDERED A FOUR-STAR MATERIAL. BUT ALL THESE GLORY MOUNTED TO NOTHING. HE WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HIS MEN WHO WERE BEING SHOT AT THAN HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING A FOUR-STAR GENERAL. THUS, HE FINALLY SUMMONED HIS COURAGE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH AT THE EXPENSE OF HIS CAREER,ONLY FIND THE ARMY ATTEMPTING TO CLAM HIM UP. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL TOO TRITE, IF THE STORY ENED OTHERWISE; IF HE WAS TO WRITE THE MEMOIR AS GENERAL DAVID H. HACKWORTH, USA RET., RATHER THAN COLONEL DAVID H. HACKWORTH. BUT THAT IT ENDS WITH IT A SAD CONCLUSION, MAKES IT ALL THE MORE BELIEVABLE. UNLIKE ANY THING I'VE EVER READ, THIS IS A BOOK I FIND HARD TO PUT DOWN. IT'S TOO SAD THAT HE DID NOT GO ALL THE WAY TO MAKE THE NECESSARY DENT, BUT THE COLONEL DOESN'T THINK SO. I LIKE TO SEE HIM MAKE MORE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM TO THIS GREAT ARMY.

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Summary: Odyssey it is
Review: This isn't a mere bio, it's a walk thru Dave Hackworth's life...minefields (physical and mental). He seemingly holds back nothing. Parts drag...post war duty in Germany...but that's Army life. It's not as on the edge as his recollections of combat, but that's the way it was.
His writings on Korea alone make this a must read.
But it keeps going, giving you his evolving perspective on what was and wasn't happening in Vietnam. He calls a spade a spade.
There is a little overlap (not much), but I would read this first, then Steel My Soldier's Hearts. Then, look at his webpage and Soldiers for the Truth. He's squarely on the side of the dogface soldier for whom few speak for fear of their career. If I could chose the man to lead my Sons into war, it would be Hack.

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Summary: WELL WORTH THE READ - WARTS AND ALL
Review: I really hate military autobiographies. That being said, I must say I enjoyed this one. Col. Hackworths career is fastinating. Being a career military person myself, I could certainly relate to much he said. On the other hand, he was rather heavy handed with his ego thing. I doubt if he and I could ever be "buds" but we would, admittedly, be in better shape had we had more officers like him over the past 40 years. The writing is clear, enjoyable and informative. We get a very good historical overview of semi-recent military history and some wonderful "war stories" thrown in. All in all I have to recommend this one (I must admit to have read it twice). A very interesting life.

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Summary: Try .
Review: I've learned more about winning thinking and leadership in this book than I have from officers in the past eleven years of navy service. Shame these things are not practiced and taught as widely as they used to be.