Arizona veteran reflects on intense Afghanistan battle on eve of Veterans Day

Arizona veteran reflects on his role in intense Afghanistan battle

Master Sgt. Scott Ford has been involved in several battles since 9/11, but none were like a battle in Afghanistan that lasted for about seven hours. FOX 10's Stephanie Olmo reports.

PHOENIX - On the eve of Veterans Day, an Arizona veteran who took part in an hours-long battle in Afghanistan shared his experience on that fateful day.

For Master Sgt. Scott Ford, the decision to join the army and serve his country was an easy one.

"I always looked up to service members in my family, and also outside of my family," said Ford.

Ford served 21 years in the military, with 18 of those in the United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets.

"Part of the reason why I became a Green Beret was to work with like-minded people, professional warfighters or warriors, and stand up to those challenges and fight shoulder to shoulder, and do it as we like to commonly say, 'I'm doing it for the guy to my left and right,'" said Ford.

After 9/11, Ford was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan numerous times. He was involved in several battles, but nothing unlike the magnitude of the Battle of Shok Valley in 2008.

"Every contingency you can think of stacked up during that mission, and as one of the leaders in the battlefield, just managing that situation, trying to keep a cool head and allow the team to execute the basics under pressure with what we were really there to do," said Ford.

Operation Commando Wrath was designed to take down the leader of Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin.

"The village got tipped off that we were coming, and so they had set up a fortified ambush, and we were drawn into that due to the terrain, once we were on the battlefield," said Ford.

Ford was shot twice: first in his chest, and then in his left arm. The ballistic plate protected Ford from the bullet that hit his chest area.

In all, the battle lasted about seven hours. Everyone on Ford's team sustained some sort of injury, and the team earned 10 Silver Stars for valor in combat, as well as two Medals of Honor.

"To fight and help other people have a taste of the freedom that we have everyday here in America, I think is a true testament to our veterans and our country," said Ford.

Ford says he usually spends Veterans Day with other veterans. and it is a day for him to think about close friends and family who have served, and reflect on the Battle of Shok Valley.