Anthony Middleton - Leadership secrets from the Special Forces : SAS, who dares wins

Title

Copyright

Copyright 2016 Minnow Films Ltd

The right of Minnow Films Ltd to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by that company in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published as an Ebook by Headline Publishing Group in 2016

Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

Every effort has been made to fulfil requirements with regard to reproducing copyright material. The author and publisher will be glad to rectify any omissions at the earliest opportunity.

Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library

eISBN: 9781472240705

SAS: WHO DARES WINS Series 12 20152016 Minnow Films Ltd

SAS: WHO DARES WINS is a trade mark or registered trade mark of Minnow Films Ltd

Photography by Ryan McNamara

Additional photographs courtesy of the DS

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Dedication

To the extraordinary men and women we had the honour to serve alongside during our military careers. This book is dedicated to those who supported us to achieve things we never thought possible, who returned with injuries both visible and invisible, and to those who never came home.

And to our families and friends at home for their enduring love and support we couldnt have done it without you.

Contents

PART ONE
JOINING THE ELITE

PART TWO
MISSION PLANNING

PART THREE
CONFLICT

PART FOUR
TEAMEWORK, LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY

PART FIVE
BECOMING THE THINKING SOLDIER

Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

CASEVAC casualty evacuation

CO Commanding Officer

contact to intercept or engage with the enemy

DS Directing Staff: the assessors for SAS Selection

extract to remove personnel from a combat zone

Green Army the Regular Army

high-threat detention mission a mission where the aim is to detain a high-risk target such as a Taliban leader

IED improvised explosive device

IED facilitator someone who helps to build and distribute IEDs

intel intelligence

noisy a firefight: It got noisy in there pretty quickly.

NVGs night vision goggles

pass out to complete a military course

point man a soldier who leads a unit into a hostile position

Quick Reaction Force (QRF) a unit designed to provide a rapid response in unfolding situations

rebomb to reload a weapon

SAS Special Air Service

SBS Special Boat Service

tour a tour of duty: time spent in a hostile area, such as Iraq or Afghanistan

walk-in operation a mission where a unit arrives on foot

wet, a a hot drink. The word for a cup of tea in the Marines; in the Army, its known as a brew

Preface

Who Dares Wins: its long been our motto in the British Special Forces, a highly skilled unit of the militarys most effective soldiers. For much of our history, that one pithy statement has made for an apt summary of how we operate in the field of combat we dare, we win . In times of crisis, such as the infamous Iranian Embassy siege of 1980, in which 26 people were taken captive by terrorists, our operatives were deployed to resolve a pressurised hostage situation with force. In war zones, were dropped behind enemy lines in order to wreak havoc, killing high-profile targets and disrupting dangerous weapons systems on command. As far as the military are concerned, weve long been regarded as being the best of the best.

Theres more to a life in the Special Forces than simply exercising extreme violence, however. Our secretive work isnt only about aggression and selfless acts of bravery, though everybody in the Regiment is aware of the risks that face us in a theatre of war, where death, capture and torture are very real possibilities. Instead, we like to think of ourselves as Thinking Soldiers: individuals built to be both leaders and team players; schemers capable of adapting to any situation; Jacks and masters of all trades with a chameleon-like ability to blend into any situation undetected.

That is the reason why so many civilians are fascinated by the SAS and SBS. Countless books have been written about our work; feature films and documentaries have been made, too. The uniform probably helps. The Regiments all-black get-up and balaclavas carry an air of sophisticated menace, though a lot of the interest in our work focuses on the operations we execute and the physical hardships we endure along the way. A lot of people want to know exactly how tough somebody has to be to pass Selection, the gruelling entrance trial that works as a gateway into the Special Forces.

Over two seasons, our Channel 4 TV show, SAS: Who Dares Wins , has set out to do exactly that. Gathering together groups of civilian recruits, many of whom were considered to be at the peak of physical fitness, we pushed them through a diluted version of Selection over eight days. They suffered the same physical hardships, mental fatigue and emotional breakdowns experienced by most soldiers while attempting to make it into the Special Forces. Along the way, all of them learned something about their personal abilities as leaders and team players, whether they made it through to the finishing line (which very few did) or dropped out at the first stage. Strengths were highlighted, weaknesses exposed. As a result they became better leaders, better team players, better people , when they were returned to Real Life.

In the pages of SAS: Who Dares Wins Leadership Secrets from the Special Forces , weve distilled those same lessons, and many others, into a handbook for people of responsibility at all levels. It might be that youre the CEO of a multinational company or the founder of a new start-up; maybe you want to improve your communication skills as the manager of a local football team, or youre working as the new boss in a job where the mechanics and personalities of your group seem unfamiliar and have placed you outside your comfort zone. Either way, this book will deliver a series of battle-hardened leadership techniques for you to utilise, each one learned under pressure.

Split into five core sections, the book will detail the experiences that have led us, the four members of the show Ant Middleton, Jason Fox, Matthew Ollerton and Colin Maclachlan towards a life in the Special Forces, plus the hardships and lessons we had to experience in Selection before joining up with the toughest military unit in the world. From there well share our techniques with you on the subjects of Mission Planning; Conflict; Teamwork, Leadership and Responsibility; and Becoming the Thinking Soldier. Each chapter will tackle a leadership issue head on, such as how to handle a worst-case scenario or the techniques required to remain calm under extreme pressure. Well then deliver anecdotal evidence on how we resolved those same issues within conflicts, before breaking down the skills that are transferrable into a civilian context.