Ep 10: Wounds Unseen, SSgt Jeffrey Reber

America's Memory

Jeffrey Reber was an American hero. The list of Marines willing to praise his battlefield leadership is long and distinguished. Many of them would suggest they’re alive today because of his split-second decisions during combat.

The 1st Marine Division agreed, awarding him the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for demonstrating “sound, aggressive leadership over the course of seven offensive engagements with the enemy.”

The citation continues to list specific actions where he orchestrated the enemy’s defeat. Junior enlisted Marines looked up to him and junior officers learned from him.

However, the nature of his death prevents his name from appearing on some memorial walls.

His wounds were not so clearly seen. After ten years of honorable service, Reber took his own life on August 12th, 2014. Another casualty of experiences where our servicemen and women see and do things most of us couldn’t imagine.

Yet, he didn’t imagine them. They were reality seared into his memory. Constant reminders of the ugliness of war, the hurt of losing friends, and the pain from doing his duty.