Green Beret Sergeant Major KIA in Afghanistan

Sgt. Maj. James G. “Ryan” Sartor, 40, a Special Forces company sergeant major, died Saturday during combat operations in Faryab province, Afghanistan, the Army announced Sunday. Sartor was assigned to 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He died from injuries from enemy small arms fire, according to a Defense Department release. He joined the Army in June 2001 and was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division as an infantryman. After he completed the Special Forces Qualification Course, Sartor was assigned to 10th SFG (A) in 2005.

Sartor had deployed numerous times, according to a release from U.S. Army Special Operations Command. He first deployed to Iraq as an infantryman in 2002. As a Green Beret, he was deployed in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 with 2nd Battalion, 10th Group. He also deployed with the 10th to Afghanistan in 2017 and 2019. “We’re incredibly saddened to learn of Sgt. Maj. James ‘Ryan’ Sartor’s passing in Afghanistan. Ryan was a beloved warrior who epitomized the quiet professional," said Col. Brian R. Rauen, commander of 10th Group. “He led his soldiers from the front and his presence will be terribly missed.”

Sartor’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Presidential Unit Citation Award, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster and National Defense Service Medal, among others. He has been posthumously awarded the Purple Heart medal and Bronze Star medal. Sartor also earned the Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge and Special Operations Diver Badge.

RIP Warrior! Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Article from the Army Times 

10th SFG Soldier Named Army's Best Warrior

Fort Carson soldier is top sergeant at Army's Best Warrior competition, By Tom Roeder of The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

A Fort Carson Green Beret has been named the Army's best sergeant after a weeklong event at Fort Lee, Va. Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Carpenter with the 10th Special Forces Group was one of three Fort Carson soldiers in the Armywide Best Warrior competition.

"I wanted to show the Army what makes my unit work so well," Carpenter said in a telephone interview. His victory was announced in a Friday news release.

The competition drew 28 soldiers to compete for the titles of best soldier and best sergeant. They were tested on military skills, military knowledge, marksmanship and physical fitness. To get to Fort Lee, the soldiers had to win a series of competitions, starting against other soldiers in their units.

Carpenter, an engineer sergeant, serves on 10th Group's A-teams, which specialize in training foreign troops and conducting lightning raids. His commanders were happy with the win. "His excellence in these competitions is demonstrative of the diversity, versatility and maturity of our people, and exactly what enables 10th Special Forces Group to accomplish a wide range of special warfare tasks as directed in Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, and Afghanistan," said Col. Brian Petit, the group's deputy commander.

Green Berets may have a leg up in the Warrior events. To earn their Special Forces status, they must go through the same training as other soldiers, complete jump school and then tackle more than a year of extra training, much of which is designed to wash them out of contention for the Green Beret.

While only the smartest and toughest get the beret, that doesn't mean the Fort Lee competition was easy for Carpenter. In one event, competitors were asked to don heavy chemical protection suits. In the early fall heat of Virginia, the tasks that followed were a sweaty test of endurance. "It was warm out and, when you're in that gear, it does become very hot," Carpenter said. "It's cumbersome and hard to move in."

Carpenter sealed his win with a stellar performance in marksmanship. Competitors fired the Army's M-9 pistol and the M-4 rifle. "I like the shooting evening events," he said.

Job well done First Sergeant Carpenter!