assembles and paints 
Forging a Special Operations Force: The U.S. Army Rangers details the origins and development, combat philosophy, and key engagements of America's elite fighting force. Structured topically, the book gives a chronological review of the history of the Ranger from the 17th Century to the present day, with special attention paid to the establishment of the 1st Ranger Battalion in the post-Vietnam era – the origins of the elite fighting force that exists today. Authored by a lifetime soldier who served in combat with the 75th Ranger Regiment, this book is replete with information garnered from dozens of interviews with the individuals who created the initial Ranger force. By integrating the words and first-hand accounts of these founding fathers, the work offers insights unavailable elsewhere. Additionally, the author delves into the unique psyche of the soldiers who volunteer for – and are accepted into the ranks of – the Rangers.
In today's U.S. Army, the 75th Ranger Regiment serves as the connectivity between the Army's conventional and special operational forces. Based on their esprit de corps and their capability to fight and win anytime, anywhere, and against any enemy, Army Rangers have participated in every military conflict since their inception as a permanent force in 1974. After reading Dominic Caraccilo's Forging a Special Operations Force, you understand why.
– Colonel Cole C. Kingseed, U.S.A. (Ret.), Ph.D., co-author of the New York Times bestseller Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters
Dom Caraccilo does a commendable job in blending an historical account of the formation, training, and development of the Rangers into an integral part of the U.S. Army that has a much greater impact than its size would indicate. In keeping with the Abrams Charter, Ranger qualified commissioned and noncommissioned officers are assigned to key positions throughout the Army seeing the example, leading the way, and strengthening each unit to which assigned. This book explains how and why.
– Colonel Ralph Pucke, U.S.A. (Ret.), U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame
Forging a Special Operation Force: The U.S. Army Rangers is a book I wish I had written. Authored by COL (Ret) Dominic Caraccilo, a Ranger who has walked the talk, this work captures the essence of how history's premier light infantry fighting force evolved from the shards of the Vietnam era to inculcate a new warrior spirit within the United States Army. More importantly, Caraccilo conveys why the Ranger Creed and ethos has become and must continue to be the firm foundation of the Army's continued successes on the field of battle.
– JD Lock, author of To Fight With Intrepidity and The Coveted Black and Gold
Hardback 234mm x 156mm
216 pages
40 black-and-white photos, maps
