Sergeant First Class Stephen B. Cribben was born on January 27, 1984, in Rawlins, Wyoming, and called Simi Valley, California, home. Steve lived his life full of passion and excitement. He loved road and mountain biking, brewing beer, building projects around the house and traveling with his family, and he began his Army career just after finishing his first Ironman triathlon.
Steve entered the Army on November 20, 2002, as a military police soldier and attended One Station Unit Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He served with the 55th Military Police Company at Camp Page, Korea, from 2003 to 2004; the 716th Military Police Battalion at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, from 2004 to 2010; and the provost marshal’s office at U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder, Germany, from 2010 to 2011. With the 716th he deployed to Egypt for Exercise Bright Star in 2005, to Afghanistan in 2006 and to Iraq in 2007. Always looking to better himself, he earned his EMT certification, the Pathfinder Badge and his Airborne qualification even though none was required of a military policeman.
In November 2011 Steve attended Special Forces Assessment and Selection. He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in December 2014 as a Special Forces communications sergeant and joined the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Carson, Colorado. He served as a future plans NCO for Special Operations Command Forward–Northwest Africa and then as senior communications sergeant for an Operational Detachment Alpha in the 2nd Battalion. His training included the French language course, the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course, Advanced Special Operations Techniques and the Static Line Jumpmaster Course. Teammates describe him as humble, proficient, encouraging, prepared and competent, a supportive teammate and a fitness enthusiast who was always ready to help with a tedious project, offer a word of encouragement in training or lend a shoulder for support or advice.
Steve deployed to Afghanistan with his battalion in September 2017. On November 4, 2017, in Logar Province, he was killed by an enemy sniper while laying down covering fire so that his teammates could withdraw. He was 33 years old. For his actions that day he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, which recognized valorous action against an armed enemy that saved the lives of his teammates. On May 2, 2018, at Fort Carson, the commander of the 1st Special Forces Command presented the medal to his family. His other decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, three Army Commendation Medals, nine Army Achievement Medals, five Army Good Conduct Medals, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Special Forces Tab, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge and the Pathfinder Badge.
“We will honor and preserve his legacy,” said Colonel Lawrence Ferguson, commander of the 10th Special Forces Group. “We will cherish, protect and support his Family. We will never forget.”
Steve was a caring husband who loved roughhousing with his two boys and teaching them; whenever he had a project going, they were right beside him. He is survived by his wife, Shelly; their sons, Connor and Wyatt; his parents, Joe and Lee; his sister, Whitney, and her family; his parents-in-law, Ray and Kit; his 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.
10th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Sources
- U.S. Army: 10th Special Forces Group Soldier dies in Afghanistan
- Department of Defense: DoD identifies Army casualty (Nov. 2017)
- DVIDS: Gold Star family receives Green Beret’s Silver Star (May 2, 2018)
- Family-provided records on file with MVF: Stephen Cribben stage bio and release
