Army Combat Cameraman Captures the Horrors of War (Still Haunts Him)

This week on Urban Valor, we hear the extraordinary story of Army Staff Sergeant Robert Ham—a combat videographer whose job was to document war through the lens. Serving from 2007 to 2017, Robert captured footage most Americans will never see—graphic, haunting, and real. But it wasn’t until he reviewed the footage later that the emotional weight truly hit him. In this week's episode of Urban Valor, Robert shares the reality of filming dying Afghans, surviving mortar attacks, and embedding with combat units across Afghanistan. He opens up about the toll that job took on his mental health and what happened after he came home. Despite enrolling at USC’s top-ranked film school, he struggled with depression, identity loss, and nearly took his own life. Now a filmmaker dedicated to preserving the stories of those who served, Robert is the creator behind Interpreters Wanted and Searching for Bergdahl. His story is one of service, trauma, survival, and healing. 🔗 Watch Robert’s documentaries: https://www.hammrproductions.com 📺 Watch “Interpreters Wanted” on VeteranTV.com Urban Valor is a platform that honors veterans through real stories, experiences, and lasting legacies. 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Video Chapters: 00:00 Filming Life and Death in Afghanistan 00:28 Meet Robert Ham – Army Combat Videographer 03:00 Growing Up with Artist Parents 05:01 Witnessing 9/11 and a Shift Toward Service 06:58 Joining the Army and Becoming Combat Camera 08:59 Shocking Experiences in Basic Training 10:45 Saving a Fellow Soldier on the Firing Range 12:52 Discovering Hidden Talents in Fellow Recruits 14:06 First Deployment with the 25th Infantry Brigade 16:00 Winning Trust Through Film 18:30 Why Combat Camera Was Essential 21:00 Missions, Combat, and Creating PG-13 War Films 24:00 Missing His Son’s First Year for Deployment 26:00 The Confusion of the Afghanistan War Mission 28:44 First Outside-the-Wire Mission: EOD Team 30:50 Earning His Place with the Infantry 34:00 Behind the Camera During Chaos and Combat 35:54 CIA's Deadliest Day – Dec 30, 2009 40:00 The Cost of War and Raw Storytelling 42:01 July 4th Base Attack – Telling the Story 45:00 Searching for Bergdahl Documentary 48:00 Remembering the Fallen – Patrick Devoe & Others 51:00 Afghan Interpreters and Their Sacrifice 54:00 What It Took to Leave Afghanistan 57:00 Transitioning to Civilian Life After Service 60:00 Getting into USC Film School on the GI Bill 63:00 Why Telling Veteran Stories Matters 65:00 His Grandmother Survived Genocide – Now He Tells Stories 67:00 Robert’s Films and Work with the VA 69:30 A Final Message to Veterans #military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy #warstories