

He had entered as a student of the National Security Affairs program, but soon saw the need for a graduate level program in special operations limited warfare, not just for the Navy, but throughout the armed services. McRaven earned his master’s degree at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. troops in Afghanistan with small special ops teams paired with the larger Afghan units to prevent a resurgence of the Taliban. Admiral McRaven created a plan to replace thousands of U.S. An Afghanistan strike force trained by United States Special Operations completes a training session at Camp Morehead, Afghanistan. He would later return to the SEALs as commander of SEAL Team Three. Following the war, he was task group commander in the U.S. (Getty)ĭuring the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91, McRaven served as a task unit commander in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He has since become a national figure who was highlighted during President Obama’s 2014 State of the Union Address. An Army Ranger, Remsburg was severely wounded in a 2009 firefight with enemy forces in Afghanistan. Cory Remsburg, USA, speaks with Admiral William McRaven, during Remsburg’s 2014 retirement ceremony.

As the special operations community grew, McRaven’s career advanced with it. military forces, including an expansion of the SEALs and other special forces. In the mid-1980s, the administration of President Ronald Reagan supported a major buildup of U.S. McRaven succeeded in his new position and began his ascent through the ranks. He was assigned to SEAL Team Four, where he was given command of an entire platoon. Faced with this setback, the young lieutenant might have sought to continue his Naval career outside of the SEAL program, but he was determined to prove himself. Their leadership styles clashed and McRaven was relieved of his first command. The young lieutenant was given a squad to command, but soon ran afoul of the team’s controversial commander, Richard Marcinko. Leroy Arthur Petry, USA, at the White House.Īfter completing Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL Training, McRaven was assigned to the newly formed SEAL Team Six. The athletic McRaven took to the exacting demands of SEAL training, a process he likens to “a lifetime crammed into six months.” Admiral McRaven attends the 2011 Medal of Honor ceremony for Sgt. SEALs are trained to operate in all environments (Sea, Air and Land) including the most extreme climatic conditions. On entering active service in the Navy, McRaven sought and achieved admission to the training program of the Sea, Air, Land Teams (SEALs), the Navy’s elite special operations force. 2009: McRaven briefing President Obama in the Oval Office with Command Sgt. Their marriage has lasted through a 37-year military career requiring constant relocation and deployments around the world. The couple married shortly after graduation and have raised three children. He enjoyed writing and found the training in concise communication extremely useful in his military career. After exploring pre-med and accounting courses, he found a congenial major in journalism. After graduating from high school in San Antonio, he entered the University of Texas, Austin on a track scholarship and joined Navy ROTC. Given the military background of his father and his family’s friends, a career in the military was something he had always considered. He has often cited his high school track coach, Jerry Turnbow, as a positive influence. He played football for the Theodore Roosevelt High School Rough Riders and particularly excelled at track. An enthusiastic athlete, he competed in as many sports as possible. Young Bill McRaven was drawn to the sea at an early age and began scuba diving when he was 13. For each case study, he provides political and military context, a meticulous reconstruction of the mission itself and an analysis of the operation.

Navy SEAL team-pinpoints six essential principles of “spec ops” success: simplicity, security, repetition, surprise, speed and purpose. Vice Admiral William McRaven-who commands a U.S. 1996: Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare: Theory and Practice by William H. His mother was born in Texas, and McRaven identifies strongly with the Lone Star State. The family - including his two older sisters - moved to Texas while William was in elementary school and settled in San Antonio. His father, a career Air Force officer, was stationed at Pope Air Force Base, now known as Pope Field, part of Fort Bragg. McRaven was born in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
