Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer was born on February 13, 1984, in Mancos, Colorado, a small town in the southwest corner of the state. He followed an untraditional path into the Marine Corps, first earning a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Adams State College in 2005.
Scott enlisted that year, attended boot camp and the School of Infantry and became a machine gunner. In 2006 he joined the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines and served as a machine gun team leader in Bravo Company during a deployment with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. On that deployment he was promoted to corporal and selected for the battalion’s scout sniper platoon. He became the platoon’s chief scout in late 2007 and deployed in that billet with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2008, earning promotion to sergeant.
After his second deployment Scott reenlisted to attend Marine Forces Special Operations Command assessment and selection. He was chosen for the first class of MARSOC’s Individual Training Course in 2008 and 2009 and graduated as its honor graduate. He then completed advanced language training and became fluent in Urdu. In 2010 he joined Marine Special Operations Team 8211, Fox Company, 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, and deployed to Afghanistan, where he was meritoriously promoted to staff sergeant. He returned to Afghanistan as an element leader in 2012 and 2013 and again in 2014 as the company’s assistant operations chief. He then trained the next generation of Raiders as an instructor with the battalion’s training cell, and in 2016 he became team chief of MSOT 8223, Golf Company, which he led on a deployment for Operation Inherent Resolve in 2017 and 2018.
His relentless pursuit of excellence earned him the 2018 Excalibur Award as MARSOC’s Critical Skills Operator of the Year. His training included the Scout Sniper Course, the MARSOF Advanced Sniper Course, SERE, the Mountain Survival Course, the Basic Airborne Course, Military Freefall and the Military Combatant Diver Course.
On August 10, 2019, Scott was killed by enemy small-arms fire while advising and accompanying Iraqi security forces during combat operations against the Islamic State near Qanus Island in Ninewah Province, Iraq. He was 35. His personal decorations include two Bronze Star Medals with Combat Distinguishing Device, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two of them with Combat Distinguishing Device, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and two Combat Action Ribbons.
Scott is survived by his wife Renae, their children Colt and Penelope, his parents Gerald and Carla, his brother Travis, his sister Kelleen and his nephews. MARSOC described him as a highly revered Raider whose loss was deeply felt across the command.
Scott was named MARSOC’s top commando in 2018 for his relentless pursuit of personal and professional excellence.
Marine Raider Regiment Command
Sources
- DVIDS (MARSOC): MARSOC identifies Marine killed in combat actions in Iraq (Aug. 11, 2019)
- U.S. Marine Corps: DoD identifies Marine casualty
- AP News: US military says Marine from Colorado has died in Iraq
- USNI News: Marine Raider killed while assisting in Iraqi security force mission
- Family-provided records on file with MVF: Scott Koppenhafer bio
