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

Once Delta Platoon was in position, their radioman reported,
“Building 94 secure. Overwatch positions set in the fourth story and on
rooftop.”
“Copy,” I acknowledged.
The radioman then relayed that information to other units in the area,
and I confirmed that the other units understood the location of Delta’s
new position.
With Charlie and Delta Platoons now secured in their positions,
American troops flooded into the area. This stage of the mission left U.S.
forces highly vulnerable. With no permanent security yet in place, brave
Army engineers began building the COP, a construction project in a
hostile combat zone. Tensions rose in the streets and among the
command-and-control element I was with back at COP Falcon. As
friendly forces moved in, reports of possible enemy movement came in
over the radio nets: lights came on in buildings, while in others, lights
went out; vehicles started up, departed driveways, and moved through
the streets; a military-age male maneuvered through the alleyways
observing friendly troop movements. A report described a possible
enemy force of two to four military-age males exiting a building and
dispersing. Other men were seen talking on radios.
This was the most nerve-racking time—before the shooting started,
waiting with anxious anticipation for a fight to happen. Our SEALs and
the hundreds of U.S. troops in this operation had fought fierce battles
with the enemy in the bordering neighborhoods for the past several
months. Much American blood had been spilled, including the blood of
our SEAL brothers. Now it was only a matter of time before the enemy
attacked, which we expected would be ferocious.
Then, from a Bradley Fighting Vehicle equipped with thermal sight