Redman Jason - The trident : the forging and reforging of a Navy SEAL leader

The US Navy SEAL Trident appears on the front cover and title page of this book with the permission of the Department of the Navy. Although the Department of the Navy has reviewed this book for security purposes, all views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense, the United States Government, or any components thereof.

This book is dedicated to my wife and kids.

Their love brought me home.

This book is also dedicated to the warriors, those men and women who are willing to go beyond the city walls and slay dragons... who are willing to go into the lions den again and again... and who sometimes dont come back out. Specifically, it is for my Naval Special Warfare brothers who answered the call after 9/11 and never made it back home.

Ensign (SEAL) Jerry Buck PopeYemen2002

HMC (SEAL) Matthew J. BourgeoisAfghanistan2002

ABH1 (SEAL) Neil C. RobertsAfghanistan2002

CDR (SEAL) Peter G. OswaldEl Salvador2002

PH1 (SEAL) David M. TapperAfghanistan2003

IT2 (SEAL) Mario MaestasTraining2003

IC1 (SEAL) Thomas E. RetzerAfghanistan2003

BM1 (SEAL) Brian OuelletteAfghanistan2004

BM1 (SWCC) Robert P. VetterTraining2004

HMCS (SEAL) Theodore D. FitzhenryTraining2004

LT (SEAL) Michael P. MurphyAfghanistan2005

GM2 (SEAL) Danny P. DietzAfghanistan2005

STG2 (SEAL) Matthew G. AxelsonAfghanistan2005

ITCS (SEAL) Daniel R. HealyAfghanistan2005

QM2 (SEAL) James SuhAfghanistan2005

MM2 (SEAL) Shane PattonAfghanistan2005

LCDR (SEAL) Erik S. KristensenAfghanistan2005

LT (SEAL) Michael M. McGreevy Jr.Afghanistan2005

FCC (SEAL) Jacques J. FontanAfghanistan2005

HM1 (SEAL) Jeffrey S. TaylorAfghanistan2005

ET1 (SEAL) Jeffrey A. LucasAfghanistan2005

AO2 (SEAL) Marc A. LeeIraq2006

MA2 (SEAL) Michael A. MonsoorIraq2006

SN Freddie PorterTraining2007

SO2 Joseph C. SchwedlerIraq2007

SO1 Jason D. LewisIraq2007

MC1 Robert R. McRillIraq2007

CTT1 Steven P. DaughertyIraq2007

SOC Mark T. CarterIraq2007

SOC Jason R. FreiwaldAfghanistan2008

SOCS John W. MarcumAfghanistan2008

SO1 Joshua T. HarrisAfghanistan2008

SOCS Thomas J. ValentineTraining2008

SOC Lance M. VaccaroTraining2008

SO2 Shapoor Alex GhaneTraining2008

EOD1 Luis SouffrontIraq2008

SOC Michael KochIraq2008

SOC Nathan HardyIraq2008

PR1 Andrew J. LightnerTraining2009

SOC Eric F. ShellenbergerTraining2009

SO2 Ryan JobWounded Iraq 2006United States2009

EOD2 Tyler J. TrahanIraq2009

LT Brendan J. LooneyAfghanistan2010

CTRCS David B. McClendonAfghanistan2010

SO2 Adam O. SmithAfghanistan2010

SO3 Denis C. MirandaAfghanistan2010

SOC Adam BrownAfghanistan2010

SO1 Tyler StimsonUnited States2010

SO2 Ronald WoodleTraining2010

SOC Collin ThomasAfghanistan2010

SO1 Caleb A. NelsonAfghanistan2011

LCDR (SEAL) Jonas KelsallAfghanistan2011

SOCM Louis LanglaisAfghanistan2011

SOCS Thomas RatzlaffAfghanistan2011

SOCS Robert ReevesAfghanistan2011

SOCS Heath RobinsonAfghanistan2011

EODCS Kraig VickersAfghanistan2011

SOC Brian BillAfghanistan2011

SO1 Aaron VaughnAfghanistan2011

SO1 Christopher CampbellAfghanistan2011

SO1 Darrik BensonAfghanistan2011

IT1 Jared DayAfghanistan2011

SO1 Jason WorkmanAfghanistan2011

SO1 Jesse PittmanAfghanistan2011

MA1 John DouangdaraAfghanistan2011

SOC John FaasAfghanistan2011

SO1 Jon TumilsonAfghanistan2011

SOC Kevin HoustonAfghanistan2011

SOC Matthew MasonAfghanistan2011

CTR1 Michael StrangeAfghanistan2011

EODC Nicholas NullAfghanistan2011

SO2 Nicholas SpeharAfghanistan2011

SOC Stephen MillsAfghanistan2011

LT Thomas C. FoukeTraining2012

SO1 Patrick D. FeeksAfghanistan2012

SO1 David J. WarsenAfghanistan2012

GM2 Dion R. RobertsAfghanistan2012

SO1 Mathew G. KantorAfghanistan2012

SO1 Kevin R. EbbertAfghanistan2012

SO1 Nicolas D. ChecqueAfghanistan2012

CDR (SEAL) Job PriceAfghanistan2012

SO1 Matthew LeathersTraining2013

CTTC Christian M. PikeAfghanistan2013

SOC Chris KyleUnited States2013

SOC Brett ShadleTraining2013

SO3 Jonathan H. KaloustTraining2013

The mark of a man is not found in his past,

but how he overcomes adversity and builds his future.

Quitting is not an option.

Regardless of the overwhelming odds or obstacles in your path,

you always have an opportunity to overcome.

It is your attitude that will determine the outcome.

JCR

I FIRST MET LIEUTENANT JAY REDMAN at Bethesda Naval Hospital where he was recuperating from his many wounds. He had posted a sign on his door that, for me, spoke for so many of our wounded in its message of courage, resolve, and optimism. I was deeply moved and later would welcome Jay and his family to my office. As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan raged on, he and his story would continue to inspire me.

This book is about Lieutenant Redmans journey serving his country. It is an admirably honest account of a young man going through the toughest physical training imaginable only to discover along the way that physical toughness, tactical proficiency, and bravado are not the principal attributes of a successful warrior leader; that even more important on the battlefield are self-discipline, character, and the ability to earn the trust and confidence of ones comrades, superiors, and subordinates. And embracing personal accountability and responsibility for ones actions. This book is about that journey of discovery before and after Jays near-fatal wounding, a journey that ended in success due in large part, as he writes, to the steadfast support and love of his equally courageous and resolute wife.

His story of healing, like combat, is the story of a team: his wife and family, doctors and nurses, his friends and fellow warriors, all of whom helped restore him. In this story, he is representative of all who have been wounded in these wars and their long road to recovery. This, too, is a story of courage and heroism.

One of my senior military assistants, Vice Admiral Joe Kernan, is a SEAL and commanded SEALs in combat, and eventually commanded all SEALs. We talked a lot about Jay Redman, and Joe once told me that the quality most needed to become a SEAL was not physical but mental toughness. This was driven home for me one Friday morning in Coronado, California, when I stood in front of a wet, cold, and exhausted SEAL training class and informed them their Hell Week was over. It was clear that only their minds were keeping them on their feet after six days of near continuous, exhausting physical exertion. But I believe Redmans mental toughness went beyond even this and is reflected in his candor describing his flaws and deficiencies, and his humble account of the people and circumstances that helped him overcome them.

There already are many books on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There will be more, including by those who experienced the fire of combat. This story, though, is not just about a SEAL on the Iraqi battlefield, but a SEAL at war with himself, and his ultimate victory. I believe his story will inspire the reader, just as it did me.

Robert M. Gates

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, 20062011