2014 Common Reader

The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL

Eric Greitens
Former Navy SEAL and CEO of The Mission Continues

“The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL" shares one man’s story of leadership and service as both a humanitarian and a warrior. In a life lived at the raw edges of the human experience, Eric Greitens has seen what can be accomplished when compassion and courage come together in meaningful service.

As a Rhodes Scholar and U.S. Navy SEAL, Greitens learned from refugees in Bosnia and Croatia, from survivors of the genocide in Rwanda and from Navy SEALs who fought in Afghanistan. The principal lesson Greitens learned through his unique background in military service and humanitarian work was that in order to create meaningful change, one must be both good and strong.

In 2007, Greitens took his combat pay and founded The Mission Continues, a non-profit organization that challenges veterans to serve and lead in communities across America.

Edited from “About The Heart and the Fist”