Lone Survivor_ The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 ( PDFDrive )

often added up to another eight miles.
That morning we ran in formation all the way across the naval amphibious
base to the Special Warfare Center. And there Instructor Reno, after about a
thousand push-ups and God knows what else, finally had us seated and paying
attention in a manner which satisfied him. This was not easy, because he had
eyes like a sea eagle and some kind of a high-flying business degree from USC.
He knew precisely what was required, and he missed nothing.
And right here I needed to remember a lesson drummed into me from an
early age by Billy Shelton: when a special forces commander makes even a
slight reference to an issue that may be helpful, listen and then do it. Even if it
was an aside, not a proper command, maybe even starting with I think it might
be a good idea . . .
Always pay attention and then carry out the task, no matter how minor it
may seem. Billy’s point was that these SF instructors were looking for the best,
and it might be only small things that separate guys who are very good from
guys who are absolutely excellent, outstanding. “Listen, Marcus,” Billy told me,
“always listen, and always jump all over anything your instructor tells you. Get
out in front. Fast. Then make sure you stay there.”
Well, that morning, Instructor Reno pulled himself up to his full height of
about fifteen feet, in my eyes, and told us he wanted to talk to us briefly, and we
better pay attention. “Better yet, take notes.”
I was into my zipper bag instantly, getting hold of a dry notebook and a
couple of pencils, the lesson of Billy Shelton ringing in my ears: even an aside,
even a suggestion, do it.
I looked around the room, and a few others were doing the same as I was, but
not everyone, by no means everyone. Some of them just sat there gazing at
Instructor Reno, who suddenly said, mildly, “How many of you have pencil and
paper?”
I stuck my hand up, along with the other guys who had them. And suddenly
there was a look like a storm cloud on Reno’s face.
“Drop! All of you!” he bellowed. And there was an unbelievable commotion
as chairs were scraped back and we all hit the floor in the straight-arm rest
position. “Push ’em out!” he snapped. And we made the twenty then were left in
the rest position.
He stared at us and said, “Listen. You were told to have a pencil and paper
with you at all times. So why don’t you? Why the hell don’t you!”
The room went stone silent. Reno glared. And since I was not able to write