The Battle for Roberts Ridge: A Ranger's Harrowing Account | SME 011

Eric Stebner is a retired U.S. Army Ranger who received a Silver Star for his actions during the Battle of Takur Ghar, also known as “Roberts Ridge.” In a Veterans Day special, Stebner joins Subject Matter Expert for a candid conversation about courage, loss, leadership, and life after war. He gives a ground-level account of the fight on that 10,000-foot Afghan peak, remembers his best friend Bradley Crose, and reflects on the men who didn’t come home. We also talk about the culture of the 75th Ranger Regiment before and during the Global War on Terror, what keeps soldiers alive in combat, and what it means to come home and keep leading. Master Sergeant (Ret.) Eric Stebner is a decorated Army Ranger with a Silver Star for his actions on Takur Ghar and a long career in the 75th Ranger Regiment. He served across the Global War on Terror and later mentored the next generation of Rangers—he was my platoon sergeant when I arrived at 1st Ranger Battalion in 2006. He’s known for calm leadership under fire, a relentless focus on team over self, and for honoring fallen servicemembers like Bradley Crose through his efforts with 4VR RIP. In this episode: A firsthand account of Takur Ghar/Roberts Ridge Remembering Bradley Crose and the Rangers who fell Ranger culture, training, and the habits that matter in combat Leadership lessons from the Ranger Regiment Veterans Day reflections and life after service Learn more about 4VR RIP: https://4vrrip.org/ Follow 4VR RIP on Instagram:   / 4vr_rip   New here? Welcome to Subject Matter Expert, hosted by Marty Skovlund Jr., featuring top experts across diverse and relevant fields without regard to political bias. If you're looking for an echo chamber, this isn't it! In each episode, Marty dives deep into high-impact topics with guests who have been there, done that, offering nuanced insights and practical takeaways, while highlighting their unique stories, knowledge, and experiences. Subscribe to Subject Matter Expert Clips:    / @subjectmatterexpertclips   Follow Subject Matter Expert on Instagram:   / subjectmatterexpertshow   Follow Marty on Instagram:   / martythewriter   Watch or listen to Subject Matter Expert on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11lsAbs... Buy Marty's Books: Send Me: The True Story of a Mother at War: https://a.co/d/dYA1Odj Violence of Action: https://a.co/d/erYU4dT Chapters 00:00 From Childhood Dream to Ranger Regiment 05:50 The Rigorous Training of Pre-9/11 Rangers 18:12 Afghanistan: The Initial Post-9/11 Deployment 32:39 Landing in a Hot LZ: The Battle for Takur Ghar 50:01 The Grueling Climb and Intense Firefight on Takur Ghar 58:49 Immediate Aftermath and Lessons from Takur Ghar 01:11:30 Exfiltration and Philosophical Reflections on Combat 01:21:50 The Brotherhood: Remembering Crose, Commons, and Ander... 01:40:37 From Gate Guards to Direct Action: Ranger Regiment's Growth 01:58:11 Unpacking Misconceptions About Ranger Service 02:16:25 Personal Leadership, Restraint, and Honoring the Fallen