1SG (R) Matt Sarver

1SG (R) Matt Sarver sat down with me for Heroes I Know. Jumpmaster stories. First sergeant stories. Hellraiser Seven.

Cleveland. The mistake by the lake. He lives in Bixby, Oklahoma now. Local veterans employment rep. He still does not leave anybody behind.

Private League stumbled and fell at the door. Green light. Jumpers going. Thorstad tells it: Sarver picked him up with one hand, set him down, said you good, okay, bye, and safely exited him. The rest of the chalk went. When things go wrong, you take care of it. You still execute.

Alaska before the 82nd. Ninety-seven. They put him in a monkey harness to video Timmy Hockenberry and the old dudes. Locked heels. Old-school mustard stain. Master Blaster. Then Hockenberry had him jumping in the 82nd. A platoon for the ages.

He was in that world when the unit went from Duster to Hawk to Patriot to Avenger. Iraq, 2006. They replaced the 172nd. Hockenberry was in that picture. One old combo swore he remembered him.

Being first sergeant was the best. He said it the same way I say it. Surrounded by greatness. He signed out Hellraiser Seven. Thank you, Jumpmaster. That is why we hit record. Get the story on tape before we are too old or too sick to tell it.