Army Rangers are not born. They are made—or as the subtitle would suggest, forged. The modern 75th Ranger Regiment represents the culmination of 250 years of American soldiering. As a fighting force with our nation’s oldest and deepest tradition, the Regiment traces its origins to Richard Rogers’s Rangers during the pre-revolutionary French and Indian War, through the likes of Francis Marion and John Mosby, to the five active Ranger battalions of the Second World War, and finally, to the four battalions of the current Ranger Regiment engaged in modern combat. Of all special operations components, only the Rangers of the 75th can fight as a squad, a platoon, a company, a battalion, or as a full regiment. I was granted unprecedented access to tell the personal story of the young men who begin this difficult and dangerous journey to become Rangers.
Many will try, but only a select few will survive to serve in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Sua Sponte follows a group of these aspiring young warriors through the crucible that is Ranger training and their preparation for direct-action missions in Afghanistan and beyond. This is a hard regiment that prides itself on its high standards. Getting to Regiment is hard; maintaining the Regimental standard is even harder. It is a warrior brotherhood like no other. They are pledged to carry the fight to America’s enemies—anywhere, any time, and under any conditions. As with my others works that document the training of SEALs, Green Berets, and Marine Special Operators, I was once again privileged to receive unprecedented access to the Regiment and to the individual Rangers and Rangers-in-training of this exceptional special-operations unit. Sua Sponte is the unique story of The Forging of a Modern American Ranger.
Sua Sponte is available in Trade Paperback, e-Book, and Audio Book.
