Rising Above: A Green Beret's Story of Childhood Trauma and Ultimate Healing

Fellow FNG Academy Subscriber from YT here. Have been loving all the content, including this book.This was a short book and I was able to finish within a week of receiving it, reading about every night. I could not put this book down or stop thinking about getting into the next chapter. Buck's story was one of the most relatable stories for me I have ever read, since I come from somewhat of a broken-family background too.This book made me realize how much our traumas can shape us into who we become as a person (good & bad) and who we strive to become in life . Sure, I've heard of so many hard and tough stories of peoples childhoods, but never one so relatable to my background and my feelings of growing up in that background specifically. It connected to me on a much more personal level. Not going to lie, it made me emotional and teary eyed at times because it was almost like revisiting my past and looking at my younger self in the mirror and seeing where the pain started. I didn't become who I was overnight or choose my future overnight. There's so many more layers deeper that I, or others, couldn't quite put a finger on..Anyways, this is a must read for any fan of Buck's content. It's also great for anyone wondering why a friend/spouse/co-worker/etc would ever want to go SF. Even good for those who come from a broken-family or tough upbringing.11/10 Recommended

I’m beyond grateful, and appreciative of what Sean has published… I a decent amount when I can, and this book felt like a movie to me, and not boring at all. Really puts life into perspective. I feel like I understand myself even more and have even more ways to become the best I can be!

I admittedly picked up Sean Rogers's book Rising Above: A Green Beret's Story of Childhood Trauma and Ultimate Healing because Rogers is a former member of the US Army Special Forces. SF is a topic about which I'm passionate and I'm always hungry to learn more about the world of the Green Beret.The thing is, less than half of this book is about Rogers's time on an ODA. That much should be obvious to anyone who reads the subtitle. That may put off some readers who only seek to learn about Special Forces soldiers at war.I'm a writer. I've long believed that a good writer is a student of the human condition. Some authors get by on plot-driven stories. I'm an adherent to the notion that there are no original plots nowadays, only original arrangement and employment of tropes. In my opinion, what makes good writing, especially in my chosen genre of the military action/adventure thriller, is characters that stand out. That's not to say the characters have to be purely original, either--much like plots, there are no original archetypes, only original presentation of archetypes--but they have to be interesting and seem like real people.Sean Rogers's story is fascinating. He endures a life of abuse and neglect, his mother a victim of the opioid epidemic and he and his brother being second-hand victims through her behavior changes. After getting to know his father, he decides he's going to leave the California desert behind. Whenever Rogers evades one tribulation, another rears its ugly head. Through these tribulations--which include earning his Green Beret and seeing combat on an ODA--he learns the way to conquer life is to confront your past, learn from it, accept it, and be stronger for exploring and accepting it.I would implore the folks who picked up the book because the author is a SOF veteran to give it an honest chance. This may be the writer in me talking, but I think it's important to learn about the people who wear the Green Beret and see the circumstances that shaped them into the kind of people who can pass Selection and the Q. I definitely recommend it to people who are fascinated with human stories, as this is a decidedly human story and an incredible one at that.

I follow the author's YouTube and decided to give his book a read. Quick read with loads of good advice about harnessing past failures and hurt to live successful. I was able to relate to most of the content, although I'm not in the military and a black woman. I did have a traumatic upbringing, and felt the same sentiments about being afraid of failure and dragon analogies. Being in my 40s and overcoming many obstacles, I've already lived and learned most of the platitudes the author promotes. Nevertheless, it was good to read his story from his perspective. I wish it were longer and revealed more about his childhood and background; it was more like a brief summary. On the other hand, I like quick reads. Still perplexed why he would leave a prestigious military career to be a police officer. That seems like a demotion. But he seems to love what he is doing now.

Sean Rogers may be a young man, but he has lived an interesting life thus far. He gives the reader a memoir of his difficult path through life, overcoming severe challenges. Much of this book focuses on his traumatic childhood that defined him for many years. Rogers then had problems with his marriage, and struggles to find a positive direction in life. He joined the US Army, and passed the difficult tests and training required to become an elite Green Beret (US Army Special Forces), and then survived harrowing combat tours. He later became a police officer, and then an entrepreneur. During all of this, Rogers seeks to understand what he truly wants to accomplish in life, and not simply be a prisoner of his past. I found this book to be insightful and well-written. My only criticism is that I wanted to read more about his military service. However, his online videos fill in many of the gaps with this. I think that this book can be valuable to anyone, especially to those who try to overcome problems in their past.

After seeing Sean J Rogers on YouTube, it was good to see his voice come through, even better, in this book. The book is paced well, very funny and very sad with some unforgettable moments. It's worth a re-read or two.

I liked it. I would recommend it.

Excellent read !

Awesome Book, Helped me so much and motivated me to the core. Till now my approach towards past was you try to burry the bad parts and try to keep the good parts close but reading this i realized that the bad part doesnt need to be burried but needs to be looked at. It can provide a manual to identify patterns and not keep repeating the same mistakes all the time. Second, recalling the bad days also gives self confidence that we survived those days and are still here. The book is a short read and feels like a journal but it gets the point across. I love it and would recommend it to everybody i come across. FNG Academy all the way!!!

Listened to a podcast interview with Buck...took a punt and bought the book. Was not disappointed. Very interesting read. Looking forward to the next one.