Matt Eversmann enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in December 1987. Matt spent time with the 10th Mountain Division and eight-and-a-half years with the Ranger Regiment, serving as a squad leader, a weapons squad leader, the battalion air operations sergeant, the battalion liaison sergeant, and a platoon sergeant. Matt was also the officer in charge of the 75th Ranger Regiment’s Pre-Ranger Course, training future leaders to pass the grueling Army Ranger School.

In August of 1993, Matt and his company deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, in support of Operation Gothic Serpent. The deployment was made famous by the 2001 Ridley Scott film Black Hawk Down, in which Matt is portrayed by Josh Harnett. For his service in Somalia, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor device and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. 

Matt’s last military assignment was as an Infantry Company First Sergeant in the 10th Mountain Division. He and his soldiers spent 15 months in Iraq during “the Surge” fighting Al-Qaeda and implementing the counter insurgency strategy. 

He is an Emmy-award-winning documentarian and has co-authored two New York Times Best Seller list books—Walk in my Combat Boots and E.R. Nurses—with James Patterson. They are currently working on their third project.

Matt joined Clint to discuss his time in the Army and the experience of being portrayed on the silver screen.