I Got The News Today (IGTNT), which is one of the oldest continuous series on Daily Kos, provides members of this community a venue to pay their respects to those who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as in Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation Resolute Support, and Operation Joint Guardian. The IGTNT title is a reminder that far too often the family of an active duty service member receives the terrible news that their beloved has died.
The Department of Defense announced the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer, 35, of Mancos, Colorado, died August 10, 2019, in Iraq, suffering fatal wounds while supporting Iraqi Security Forces. This incident is under investigation. Koppenhafer was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. ~ DoD News Release
Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”. I do not know if Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer was familiar with that quote, but I know without a doubt that the life he led personified it. Everything he did from high school on embodied that concept. He was truly unique and irreplaceable, as one of our regulars writes in these tributes, but he was more than that — he was a Hero.
Scott Koppenhafer grew up in the small town of Mancos, Colorado, population under 1500, which is located in southwestern Colorado near the Four Corners. Scott was a 2001 graduate of Mancos High School where he was on the football team and a standout on the wrestling team. Koppenhafer earned a “half-ride” scholarship to Adams State College.
“He is three-time Class AA State Wrestling Tournament placer. I think he will bring to Adams State all the attributes which he displays here. He is an awesome leader and a hard worker at practice. He has great values and morals. He is an outstanding student (3.85 grade point average). He will take all those attributes to college.” ~ Coach Travis Bryant as Scott Koppenhafer signs with Adams State
Adams State University sent an expression of sympathy for ASU Alumnus Koppenhafer. Scott wrestled for the university for three years and graduated Cum Laude with a degree in business administration in 2005.
Scott enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2005. In the first few years he served as a machine gunner and later as a scout sniper with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. He completed two separate deployments with the 31st and 11th Marine Expeditionary Units.
In 2009 Koppenhafer completed the formidable training of the Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) where he graduated with honors as a critical skills operator.
In the 10 years that Gunnery Sergeant served in the elite Raider command he was often described in the highest terms by Marine officials, “Highly Revered” being perhaps the most apt. Koppenhafer was meritoriously promoted to Staff Sergeant on his first MARSOC deployment which was to Afghanistan. He completed three additional deployments as a member of 2nd Marine Raider Battalion and in 2018 he was selected as the Raider’s 2018 Critical Skills Operator of the Year. According to Stars & Stripes:
Last year, MARSOC named him its critical skills operator of the year, at least in part for his role leading a Raider team as the unit worked hand-in-hand with elite Iraq troops battling ISIS during grueling combat in northern Iraq in 2017, according to an award citation. It stated Koppenhafer “masterfully orchestrated” operations that would lead to the defeat of ISIS in areas of northern Iraq.
GySgt Koppenhafer was the recipient of two Bronze Stars as outlined below by Marine Times:
From August 2012 to March 2013, then-Staff Sgt. Koppenhafer was a Marine Raider element leader engaged in combat operations in Afghanistan “far from other coalition forces,” where he “routinely exposed himself to hostile fire” to engage enemy forces to protect his teammates and innocent civilians, an award citation detailed.
On Oct. 29, 2012, Koppenhafer helped rescue civilians in Afghanistan by directing fires during an intense insurgent ambush.
And on Dec. 4, 2012, Koppenhafer came to the aid of teammates pinned down by attacking Afghan insurgents by exposing himself to intense enemy fire while he maneuvered onto a rooftop. He then engaged the insurgents, allowing his teammates to maneuver to safety.
“His aggressive and bold leadership under fire inspired those around him and was instrumental in defeating enemy forces,” the award citation reads.
On Sept. 23, 2017, Koppenhafer was a team chief with 2nd Raider Battalion supporting anti-ISIS operations when his team and partner force came under “heavy enemy resistance” while they were clearing “dense urban terrain," according to the citation.
During the operation, a dust storm swept in degrading the ability for Koppenhafer’s team to provide fires support to partner forces clearing the urban area.
Koppenhafer decided to lead a small group of his team forward to improve visibility and to better support partner forces.
“Throughout the day, he supported his partner force from a series of over-watch positions while enduring enemy machine gun fire, small arms attacks, and an attempted dynamic armored vehicle borne improvised explosive device attack that detonated several hundred meters from his position,” the award citation reads.
Gunnery Sergeant Koppenhafer was a graduate of the School of Infantry; Mountain Survival Course; Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE); Scout Sniper Course; MARSOC’s Individual Training Course; MARSOF Advanced Sniper Course; Basic Airborne Course; Military Freefall; MARSOF Heliborne Insertion/Extraction Techniques Maste; and Military Combatant Diver Course.
His personal decorations include: two Bronze Star Medals with Combat Distinguishing Device, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals with Combat Distinguishing Device, one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, one Humanitarian Service Medal, two Combat Action Ribbons, four Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and six Sea Service Deployment Ribbons. ~ News Source
Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer is survived by his wife, two children, his parents, siblings and fellow Marines. No funeral arrangements have been announced.
I Got the News Today" is a series intended to honor, respect, and remind us of the sacrifices made by our US troops. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno in 2004 and now is maintained by Sandy on Signal, i dunno, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, SisTwo, SpamNunn, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, Ekaterin, Joy of Fishes, SARBill and me, JaxDem. These diaries are heartbreaking to write but are an important service to those who have died and allows our community to show respect for the fallen and express condolences to those who mourn them. These posts usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service member(s) mentioned here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.