Soldier of the Quarter, Q22026

[1st Lt. C. Henderson]

Quarter Two - April, 2025

Sergeant Forlorn Raven

Sergeant Forlorn Raven joined the 101st Airborne Division Realism Unit on May 12th, 2024 where he was first assigned as a Rifleman in Second Squad, First Platoon. Sergeant Raven made an immediate impression on his leadership and fellow squad members as a trustworthy, loyal, and dedicated individual.

 

Since then, Sgt Raven has been an outstanding demonstrator of core values and principles the 101st Airborne Division holds dearly; Trusting, Loyal, Competent, Confident, a guiding hand for some - an open ear for others. His contributions to Uniforms and Second Squad Leadership since early 2025 has been a massive boon to discipline and morale of the Platoon - acting as a steady rock for many around him. Here's to Sergeant Raven

Airborne!

Why did you join the 101st Airborne Division?

I had been in a fair few units, ranging from casual to semi-realistic, but I hadn't been in a WWII unit. I really wanted to give one a try some day, so when I finally got around to it, I wanted to make sure I picked  a unit that took realism seriously, one that could give me as authentic and immersive a WWII experience possible. I can safely say that the 101st has fulfilled this and then some!

Any favorite/funny/memorable moment throughout our whole time in the unit?

Haha, it's hard to pick just one when there's been so many great moments. Between the rush of panic when a Tiger I suddenly comes barrelling out of a seemingly-abandoned warehouse, or holding up in the ruins of a building fending off waves of enemies while under mortar fire, or that first combat jump at night, watching C-47 formations blanketing the skies as AA flak light them up. But in the end, I think my personal favourite moment(s) would simply be those times between combat when the squad has some downtime to banter and you really feel like you've found your second family

 

Any advice to give to your fellow Paratroopers?

I'd say the best advice I can probably give is to embrace the mindset of really being in the boots of a Paratrooper. This isn't a place for run-and-gun COD gaming; here you can get something far more special. Don't look at operations like 'combat vs waiting for combat', instead try to appreciate all those times when you're doing logistics or digging trenches or waiting for orders from higher up the chain - those are the times when you truly get that rare opportunity to feel what it was like being there almost a hundred years ago. When you appreciate that, you can get so much more enjoyment from this unit than anywhere else where it's just about your K:D ratio. Let the quiet times make it all the more intense when things go loud (and believe me, they most definitely get loud!).

What value is most important to you? Why?

There are a lot of very important values, most of them aren't much if they're not complemented by others. So to pick just one can undercut the importance of developing yourself in multiple avenues in a balanced way. Personally, if one stands out to me I think it would be empathy. To me that's one of the biggest parts of what makes us human. Without it we would never grow, we'd just resign ourselves to our own little bubble, never challenging it by thinking of how others experience the world differently to how we do. When I meet someone who is able to put themselves in the shoes of someone else enough to realise that they're incorrect about something, I consider that person to be deserving of immense respect.

What motivates you? 

I've always found a great deal of satisfaction from contributing to something other than myself, whether that be making a school friend laugh, or volunteering with a charity. Don't know why, but I've never found it easy to enjoy something when it's just me experiencing it, I only find value in it when it's shared with others. I imagine being motivated by self-interest is a lot easier haha, but that's just how I've been as far back as I can remember, so being able to help make a positive impact is definitely what I see as most worth doing with my time.


What would you say about the progress of the unit, and how you've contributed to it?

I'm very satisfied with how the unit has been able to grow and adapt over the years. I've seen a lot of units where leadership are uncompromising and won't budge on an issue or hear out their members, leading to a lot of people leaving. However with the 101st I've seen genuine care for what the members think, which has led to it having such a strong sense of community and camaraderie. I hope I've been able to help encourage that and ensure that the 101st continues to be a place where you can feel like your voice is heard.


Any valuable lessons you have learned while being in the unit?

Many! You never really stop learning, and the unit ops are no exception. People skills from working alongside other Paratroopers to complete objectives, teamwork skills from leading fireteams cohesively, organisational skills from understanding operational plans and putting them into action. I've gained a lot of confidence in working with people and learned valuable ways to effectively lead and organise - skills which all directly translate to the real world. In the end, ArmA might be a video game, but the people you meet here and the experiences you share together are as real as anything.