Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win

our position and the day progressed.
The cordon and search operation proceeded with sporadic gunfire and
a few warning shots fired. The SEAL sniper overwatch positions were
able to help thwart any major attacks before they could materialize. The
vigilant Team Bulldog Soldiers with their tanks at the ready were also a
substantial deterrent. Within about two hours of sunrise, the Army
Soldiers along with Jocko and the small team of SEAL combat advisors
with their Iraqi soldiers had cleared every building in the sector. Having
accomplished their mission, they all moved safely back to COP Falcon.
It had been a relatively smooth operation, which, in such a dangerous
neighborhood right in the heart of South-Central Ramadi, was somewhat
miraculous. No American or Iraqi soldiers had been wounded or killed.
That was also a testament to good planning and execution by the U.S.
forces involved and a tribute to the effectiveness of the SEAL sniper
overwatch teams.
With the cordon and search force back at COP Falcon, both SEAL
overwatch teams—OP1 and OP2—had accomplished our objectives. Our
standard operating procedure (SOP) dictated we remain in position until
nightfall and then patrol back to base under cover of darkness, when we
could more safely move through the dangerous streets. A small element
patrolling in broad daylight through enemy territory presented serious
risk of almost certain contact. Enemy machine guns, RPG-7 shoulder-
fired rockets, and IEDs could be utilized to deadly effect. But for OP2,
remaining in our current position also presented great risks. The building
we held had substantial tactical vulnerabilities. The enemy knew where
we were, and there was a high probability that with enough time, enemy
fighters would mount a serious attack. Should they do so, we might very
well take significant casualties and even find our position overrun by