In the early 1990s, Greg Banner was sent to El Salvador to assist ongoing counterinsurgency training and operations. As a Special Forces officer, Greg had previous experience in Latin America and with advising missions but had not previously deployed to an active war zone. Supporting US Military Group El Salvador, he, along with a non-commissioned officer, advised an experienced Salvadoran army unit fighting an ongoing communist rebellion. While not there to participate in combat operations, it wasn’t long before he found himself on the receiving end of hostile fire.
In 2009, Sgt. 1st Class Sean Ambriz was on his first deployment in Afghanistan. When a platoon became pinned down by enemy fire, he...
This episode of The Spear is the second in a two-part series featuring three guests who took part in the Battle of Mogadishu, made...
In 2003, Karl Blanke was a weapons platoon commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Crossing the line of departure in the first wave, Blanke’s Marines...