Graham Ragsdale (born 28 June 1969) is a former soldier of the Canadian Forces. He commanded the sniper team from the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry attached to the United States Army 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division during Operation Anaconda in the Shah-i-kot Valley, Paktia Province, Afghanistan in March 2002. The sniper team recorded more than 20 kills, including the long distance record combat kill of 2,430 metres (7,970 ft) set by Corporal Rob Furlong. Master Corporal Ragsdale, with selfless disregard for his own personal safety, operated his sniper team through extreme weather conditions at high altitude while under direct and indirect enemy fire aiding the success of the mission by identifying and neutralizing enemy targets and saving allied lives. He was awarded the United States Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for his actions in combat and was Mentioned in Despatches by the Canadian Forces for valiant conduct and meritorious service.

Military career

Graham Ragsdale was born on 28 June 1969 in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. He joined the Canadian Forces in 1988 after graduating from secondary school. During his training he completed parachute training and was posted as a paratrooper to Commando of the now disbanded Canadian Airborne Regiment, Special Service Force (SSF). It was during this time that he gained reconnaissance, military freefall, sniper, and mountain operations qualifications.

In 1991, after his initial three year service contract, he chose to be released from the regular force and joined the Canadian Rangers Patrol Group. At this time he was also pursuing a promising amateur boxing career with Olympic hopes. He rejoined the regular force in 1996 and was posted to the newly formed 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, where he gained the mortarman, section commander, jump master, machine gunner, unarmed combat instructor, freefall parachute instructor, and small arms instructor qualifications. He also completed the British Army pathfinder cadre and sniper badge tests.

In 2000, Ragsdale completed a tour of duty in the Former Yugoslavia with NATO's Stabilization Force, and was given the command role of Unit Master Sniper in charge of the sniper group that in 2002 was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the US Operation Enduring Freedom and Canadian Operation Apollo.

In contrast to the accolades of American soldiers, who witnessed the snipers in action in the Shah-i-kot, a controversial decision made by the PPCLI (Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) chain-of-command removed Master Corporal Ragsdale as the sniper group leader amidst a Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) investigation of Master Corporal Arron Perry. Six months after the tour, a despondent Ragsdale chose to be released from the military eventually taking employment as a private military contractor (PMC) in Afghanistan and North Africa.

A DND/CAF Ombudsman investigation into the maltreatment of the sniper group concluded in April, 2007, almost five years after the tour leading to questions of its validity. Following the release of the report, Ragsdale was invited to Ottawa by National Defence Headquarters (Canada) to meet with Chief of Defence Staff (Canada) General Rick Hillier.

Medals and decorations

• Sacrifice Medal (replacing the previously awarded Wound Stripe) – Afghanistan
• South-West Asia Service Medal
• Special Service Medal – Rangers and Alert
• Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
• NATO SFOR Medal – Former Yugoslavia
• Bronze Star Medal with "V" device (United States)
• Mentioned in Despatches
• Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation

References

• Naylor, Sean. "Not a Good Day to Die" Penguin Group (New York), 2005
• Pegler, Martin. "Out of Nowhere – A History of Military Snipers" Osprey Publishing, 2006
• Friscolanti, Michael. "We Were Abandoned" Maclean's, Rogers Publishing, 2006-05-15
• Krott, Rob. "Canadian Snipers Take Out Taliban" Soldier of Fortune, 2002–08
• 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
• A Sniper's Battle-A Father's Concern: Report, 2007-04