Ranger Missions in Iraq and Afghanistan
From The Spear by Modern War Institute at West Point
March 10, 2026 · 1h 2m
About this episode
Marty Skovlund discusses his journey from a rural upbringing to becoming a US Army Ranger and storyteller, sharing insights from his combat experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In this episode of The Spear, author, journalist, and former US Army Ranger Marty Skovlund sits down with Dr. Charlie Faint to discuss a journey from a rural upbringing in South Dakota to the front lines of the War on Terror and ultimately into a career as a storyteller, author, and professional journalist. Skovlund reflects on the influences that led him to join the Army, which include family military service, a fascination with military history, and the events of 9/11, and how those motivations carried him into the 75th Ranger Regiment. During his time in the regiment from 2006 to 2010, he completed five combat deployments—three to Iraq and two to Afghanistan—during one of the most operationally intense periods of the conflicts. He describes an operational tempo where units conducted more than a hundred missions in a single deployment cycle and shares vivid stories of helicopter assault operations, the realities of combat deployments, and the unique culture of professionalism and competition inside Ranger units. Throughout the conversation, Skovlund emphasizes the leadership lessons he learned from experienced noncommissioned officers who demonstrated humility, accountability…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Charlie Faint
Guest: Marty Skovlund
Topics covered
- military service
- combat deployments
- leadership lessons
- Ranger missions
- War on Terror
Keywords
- Ranger missions
- Iraq
- Afghanistan
- combat deployments
- military history
- leadership
- War on Terror
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: 75th Ranger Regiment
Places: South Dakota
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