NonF MAKE YOUR BED by Admiral William McRaven (US Navy Retired)

Admiral William H McRaven served 37 years as a Navy Seal, commanded US forces at every level and is currently the Chancellor of the Univ of TX System.  His commencement speech at the Univ of TX in Austin in May of 2014 became an inspirational viral hit.  I'm not a fan of the self-help guru, tell you what to do genre. I am fascinated with the psyche & physical stamina of those who conquer consummate obstacles to achieve a Navy Seal rank.  Navy Seals are the elite in the upper echelons of physical & mental toughness and their little known testing of endurance is intriguing.  I was curious e to read Admiral McRaven auto-bio novella imparting his experiences, insights & motivational hooyahs.  However, I take issue with the military mentality that goes unquestioned at the cost of so many lives and immeasurable pain.  Putting one's life at risk and the taking of lives is not to be abided without a coherent understanding of its purpose.   McRaven's explanation for an insane regiment of physical rigors and humiliation is to separate the wheat from the chaff or as he puts it, to determine "those who can lead."  But the oxymoron of this parable is to lead, you must follow blindly.  There's essential logic to a unit functioning by following orders in combat while at war, but at present, we are entangled in five "undeclared wars" with Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen & Somalia.  Advanced military technology now enables the US to fight "such wars" in a covert less transparent manner and to sustain operations over several years.  Battles are more often being waged without troops physically being engaged.  As for McRaven's inspirational wisdom, I found it pithy. "Stand tall and strong against the odds.  Then life will be what you make of it and you can make it great." I adhere to the Admiral's comment. "SEAL training was a great equalizer.  Nothing mattered but your will to succeed; not your color, not your ethnic background, not your education and not your social status."  But I give the Admiral demerits for not calling out the merits of a required nat'l commitment to service.  Education and economics are currently the major factors for those who enlist; those with fewer options are more likely to opt for the military.  The Admiral should advocate for our country needing to be physical fit and assigned humanity services.  He boasted of his fearlessness in training on a timed obstacle course.  "I pushed my fears aside, mounted the top of the rope and thrust my body head first down the slide for life."  I denounce a heedless, reckless mentality.  It takes courage to think for one-self, to question authority and proceed with caution.  I will not join the ringing bell of praise t clanking for McRaven's precepts.   I learned early on to make my own bed and to seize control of my own course of actions.