Fort Liberty special operations soldiers arrested for drug possession
The arrests follow an Army investigation that kicked off in January 2023.
Two U.S. Army special operations soldiers were arrested this week as part of an investigation into drug trafficking at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
Staff Sgt. Travis Rahmer and Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Wallen, both assigned to different elements of the 1st Special Forces Command were arrested Monday by the Harnett County Sheriff’s office and charged with felony possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and simple possession of a Schedule II substance.
The arrests by the sheriff’s office came after an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking by the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division which began in January 2023.
“While they are innocent until proven guilty, we are encouraged to see progress in the ongoing investigation as these arrests demonstrate the Army’s commitment to accountability and to reduce and eliminate drug use and drug-related crime. Further, these alleged actions do not reflect the values of the Army and the special operations community,” said Maj. Russell Gordon, spokesperson for 1st Special Forces Command.
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Staff Sgt. Rahmer, 29, from Seaside, California joined the Army in February 2011. He is a psychological operations specialist assigned to the 4th Psychological Operations Group.
Sgt. 1st Class Wallen, 37, from Fayetteville, North Carolina joined the Army in June 2004. He is a Special Forces communication sergeant assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group since 2021.
Wallen served with Staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer II, an Army medic who was awarded the Medal of Honor in October 2018 for saving the lives of his fellow soldiers during an operation in Afghanistan.
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