November 4, 2017

Name: SFC Stephen Cribben
 

Hometown: Simi Valley, California

​

DOB: January 27, 1984 DOD: November 4, 2017
 

Entered Service: December 2002
 

Deployments: Cribben deployed three times with the 716th Military Police Battalion: Egypt in support of Bright Star in 2005, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2006, and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007. In 2017, he deployed to Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion, 10th SFG (Airborne) Fort Carson, Colorado in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

​

​

Units: 55th Military Police Company, Camp Page, Korea, from 2003 to 2004; the 716th Military Police Battalion from 2004 to 2010; and the U.S. Army Garrison, Baumholder Provost Marshal Office from 2010 to 2012. From 2013-2014 he attended Special Forces Qualification Course. In 2015, Cribben went to 10th SFG (Airborne) Fort Carson, Colorado and went on to be a senior communications sergeant for a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha, 2nd Battalion, 10th SFG (A).

​

Education: Military Police Advanced Individual Training, Airborne School, Air Assault School, Pathfinder School, Emergency Medical Technician-Basic Course, Basic Leader Course, Advanced Leader Course, Senior Leader Course, French Special Operations Language Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape High Risk Course, Communications Sergeant Course, Special Warfare Operational Design Course, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course, Advanced Special Operations Techniques Level II, and Static Line Jumpmaster Course.

​

Awards and Decorations: Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (3 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (8 OLC), Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Good Conduct Medal (5), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (3), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (3), NATO Medal, Sergeant Audie Murphy Award, Combat Action Badge, Special Forces Tab, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Pathfinder Badge.

​

Survived By: His wife (Shelly), two sons (Connor and Wyatt), Father and Mother (Joe and Lee), Sister (Whitney) and family, Father and Mother-in-Law (Ray and Kit), Sister-in-Law (Nicole), and all his Brothers-in-Arms and their families.

​

SFC Stephen B. Cribben was killed in Afghanistan from a sniper while trying to lay cover fire for his exfiltrating team members.