# Jeff Struecker

Jeffery Dean Struecker (born March 7, 1969) is an American author, pastor, and former United States Army Ranger who was involved in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. He also participated in the 1989 invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause) and in Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm. Struecker has co-authored five published books. Struecker was portrayed by Brian Van Holt in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down. In 2017, he was inducted into the Army Ranger Hall of Fame.

## Enlisted service

Enlisted in the United States Army in September 1987 at the age of 18, Struecker served ten years in the 75th Ranger Regiment in positions ranging from Ranger Reconnaissance specialist to platoon sergeant. He would go on to win the Best Ranger Competition in 1996 with partner SPC Isaac Gmazel.
Struecker was also recognized in 1998 with the United States Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

### Battle of Mogadishu

In the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, Struecker was a 24-year-old sergeant and squad leader assigned to Task Force Ranger as a part of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He led the 3-vehicle convoy that returned, through intense fire, wounded Ranger Private Todd Blackburn to base. Struecker was awarded the Silver Star for his actions in Mogadishu.
In the film based on the battle, Black Hawk Down, Struecker is portrayed by Brian Van Holt.

## Commissioned service

After his enlisted service ended in April 2000, Struecker went on to graduate from seminary and became commissioned as a chaplain. As chaplain, Struecker served multiple tours in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. Struecker's final military assignment was chaplain with the Regimental Special Troops Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Struecker retired from active military service at the end of January 2011.

## Awards and decorations

| Badges | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Action Badge | Combat Action Badge | Combat Action Badge | Combat Action Badge | Master Parachutist Badge | Master Parachutist Badge | Master Parachutist Badge | Master Parachutist Badge |
| Badges | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Pathfinder Badge | Pathfinder Badge | Pathfinder Badge | Pathfinder Badge | Master Military Freefall Parachutist Badge | Master Military Freefall Parachutist Badge | Master Military Freefall Parachutist Badge | Master Military Freefall Parachutist Badge |
| 1st Row | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal | Silver Star Medal |
| 2nd Row | Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and 2 Oak leaf clusters | Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and 2 Oak leaf clusters | Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and 2 Oak leaf clusters | Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and 2 Oak leaf clusters | Meritorious Service Medal with 1 silver and 1 bronze Oak leaf clusters | Meritorious Service Medal with 1 silver and 1 bronze Oak leaf clusters | Meritorious Service Medal with 1 silver and 1 bronze Oak leaf clusters | Meritorious Service Medal with 1 silver and 1 bronze Oak leaf clusters | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal |
| 3rd Row | Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Joint Service Achievement Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal | Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak leaf clusters | Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak leaf clusters | Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak leaf clusters | Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak leaf clusters |
| 4th Row | Army Good Conduct Medal with bronze clasp and 4 loops (4 awards) | Army Good Conduct Medal with bronze clasp and 4 loops (4 awards) | Army Good Conduct Medal with bronze clasp and 4 loops (4 awards) | Army Good Conduct Medal with bronze clasp and 4 loops (4 awards) | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 1 Campaign star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 1 Campaign star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 1 Campaign star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 1 Campaign star |
| 5th Row | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Campaign stars | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Campaign stars | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Campaign stars | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Campaign stars | Iraq Campaign Medal with 4 Campaign stars | Iraq Campaign Medal with 4 Campaign stars | Iraq Campaign Medal with 4 Campaign stars | Iraq Campaign Medal with 4 Campaign stars |
| 6th Row | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | NCO Professional Development Ribbon with award numeral 3 | NCO Professional Development Ribbon with award numeral 3 | NCO Professional Development Ribbon with award numeral 3 | NCO Professional Development Ribbon with award numeral 3 |
| 7th Row | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Service Ribbon | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
| Unit awards | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Valorous Unit Award | Valorous Unit Award | Valorous Unit Award | Valorous Unit Award | Valorous Unit Award | Valorous Unit Award |
| Foreign Jump wings | Bronze German Parachutist Badge | Bronze German Parachutist Badge | Bronze German Parachutist Badge | Bronze German Parachutist Badge | Bronze German Parachutist Badge | Bronze German Parachutist Badge | British Parachutist Badge | British Parachutist Badge | British Parachutist Badge | British Parachutist Badge | British Parachutist Badge | British Parachutist Badge |
| Badges | 3rd Ranger Battalion Combat Service Identification Badge | 3rd Ranger Battalion Combat Service Identification Badge | 3rd Ranger Battalion Combat Service Identification Badge | 3rd Ranger Battalion Combat Service Identification Badge | 3rd Ranger Battalion Combat Service Identification Badge | 3rd Ranger Battalion Combat Service Identification Badge | Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Component Bar | Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Component Bar | Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Component Bar | Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Component Bar | Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Component Bar | Expert Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Component Bar |
* Struecker has also earned six Overseas Service Bars, 2nd Infantry Regiment DUI and Thai Parachutist Wings as well as other foreign wings and one unidentified fourragère.

## Post-military career

Immediately following his retirement from the military, Struecker joined the staff of Calvary Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia and became its lead pastor in April 2014 and resigned the position in May 2019. Struecker then founded 2 Cities Church in Columbus, Georgia, where he is currently the lead pastor. Struecker has also continued to author books and he speaks regularly to audiences across the United States about his experiences and about his Christian faith.

### Return to Mogadishu

In March 2013 Struecker returned to Mogadishu with a film crew to shoot a short film Return to Mogadishu: Remembering Black Hawk Down which debuted in October 2013 on the 20th anniversary of the battle. Struecker and fellow veteran-turned-country singer Keni Thomas relived the battle as they drove through the Bakaara Market in armored vehicles and visited the Wolcott crash site.

## Education and personal life

Struecker earned the Doctor of Philosophy from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, a Master of Divinity Degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and a Bachelor of Science Degree and Associate of Science Degree from Troy State University in Troy, Alabama.
He is married to his wife Dawn and has five children.

## Published books

* The Road To Unafraid: How the Army's Top Ranger Faced Fear and Found Courage through Black Hawk Down and Beyond (2006) ISBN 0-8499-0060-3
* Certain Jeopardy (2009) ISBN 0-8054-4853-5
* Blaze of Glory: A Novel (2010) ISBN 0-8054-4854-3
* Fallen Angel: A Novel (2011) ISBN 1-4336-7140-9
* Hide and Seek: A Novel (2012) ISBN 1-4336-7142-5
* Start Here (2021) ISBN 978-1736799109