U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert James Miller was killed by Taliban insurgents Jan. 25, while protecting his Operational Detachment Alpha teammates during combat operations near the village of Barikowt, Nari District, Konar Province, Afghanistan. Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Corey Dennis. Click for a larger image.

We’ve been advocating for the administration, Bush or Obama, to recognize the heroism of SSG Robbie Miller for some time. It’s happened.

White House

On October 6, President Barack Obama will award Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller, U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. Staff Sergeant Miller will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in Afghanistan on January 25, 2008. He displayed immeasurable courage and uncommon valor – eventually sacrificing his own life to save the lives of his teammates and 15 Afghanistan National Army soldiers. Staff Sergeant Miller’s parents, Phil and Maureen Miller will join the President at the White House to commemorate their son’s selfless service and sacrifice.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Robert Miller was born on October 14, 1983, in Harrisburg, Pa. He graduated from Wheaton North High School, Wheaton IL. Shortly after his family moved to Oviedo, Florida, he enlisted in the United States Army as a Special Forces candidate in August 2003. He attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Georgia and later became a Green Beret in 2005. Staff Sergeant Miller served as a weapons sergeant in Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), which is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

His military decorations include: Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device, Army Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NATO Medal, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab and Parachute Badge.

He is survived by his parents, Phil and Maureen Miller; brothers Thomas, Martin and Edward; and sisters Joanna, Mary, Therese and Patricia.

A memorial commemorates the life of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert James Miller during a ceremony at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Jan. 28. Miller was killed by Taliban insurgents Jan. 25, while protecting his Operational Detachment Alpha teammates during combat operations near the village of Barikowt, Nari District, Konar Province, Afghanistan. Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Corey Dennis. Click for a larger image.

From Special Operations Command

Hundreds of U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coalition partners lined Bagram Airfield’s main roadway and tarmac Jan. 27, to pay their last respects to a fallen comrade.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert James Miller, of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Force Group (Airborne), was killed Jan. 25, by Taliban fighters while protecting his Operational Detachment Alpha teammates during combat operations near the village of Barikowt, Nari District, Konar Province, Afghanistan.

Miller and his team were supporting an Afghan Border Police and Coalition Forces security patrol in the Chenar Khar Valley near the Pakistan border when they were attacked.

A tactical vehicle carried Staff Sgt. Miller’s flag-draped casket to the waiting U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft. As the vehicle passed, service members stood at attention and rendered a final salute to their fallen comrade; hundreds more soldiers lined the tarmac. Soldiers from Special Operations Task Force 33 formed a cordon leading to the ramp as his brothers in arms serving as pallbearers escorted Staff Sgt. Miller’s remains into the aircraft’s empty cargo area.

U.S. Army Brigadier Gen. Joseph Votel, Deputy Commanding General for Operations, Joint Task Force 82; U.S. Army Col. Chris Haas, Commander, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan and Commander, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne); and Lt. Col. Samuel Ashley, Commander, Special Operations Task Force 33, accompanied the escorts onto the aircraft to honor a fellow soldier who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of his country.

Miller was best remembered as a man who always had a smile and a ‘can do’ attitude. According to his teammates, he was always the first to volunteer for any task.

“Robby was the type of soldier that saw the hardships before him and stepped up to the challenge,” Lt. Col. Ashley eulogized during a memorial ceremony, Jan. 28, at Bagram Airfield. “He understood the hazards of combat and the risks of his service to our nation. He willingly bore the burden of the Soldier. He was the epitome of the SF soldier. He was a warrior among warriors.”

U.S. Army Capt. John Bishop, of Special Operations Task Force 33, and Miller’s former detachment commander also spoke at the ceremony. “He was always quick to volunteer and never thought it should be any other way. On numerous occasions when the Detachment was faced with a difficult task, Robby would just stand up and say, ‘I got this one, I’ll do it, send me.’”

Jan. 25, Miller found himself willingly leading a team of Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition soldiers during a combat reconnaissance patrol in Konar Province, near the Pakistan border. Insurgents hiding in a structure attacked Miller’s team. A fellow teammate called for close-air support to drop ordnance on the insurgent position, disrupting their attack. When the combined patrol moved toward the structure to check for any remaining enemy threats, insurgents again fired using heavy weapons.

Miller’s team captain was seriously wounded within the first minutes of the attack. While his commander was moved to safety, Miller returned fire. At great personal risk to himself, Miller remained at the front of the patrol and continued to lay down suppressive fire on multiple insurgent positions, allowing his wounded commander to be pulled out of the line of fire, ultimately saving his life. Miller’s personal courage under intense enemy fire enabled the entire patrol to gain cover and return fire. Even while injured by direct enemy small arms and machine gun fire, Miller continued to employ his M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and grenades to suppress enemy fire and protect his teammates.

Staff Sgt. Miller enlisted as a Special Forces trainee Aug. 14, 2003. He graduated from Infantry Basic Training and Airborne School at Ft. Benning, Ga., Jan. 6. Miller graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course Sep. 26, 2004, and the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant Course Mar. 4, 2005. Miller received his coveted Special Forces Tab and was promoted to Sergeant after graduating from the Special Operations French Language Training Course, Sep. 30, 2005. That same day he was assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Force Group (Airborne), Ft. Bragg, N.C.

He deployed to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom from Aug. 2006 to March 2007. During this deployment, Miller received two Army Commendation Medals for Valor for his courage under fire.

Miller returned to Afghanistan for his second tour in Oct. 2007, where he served as a Weapons Sergeant for his team.

Lt. Col. Ashley completed the memorial by stating, “The motto of our Regiment is ‘Free the Oppressed.’ Special Forces soldiers have long lived by this creed and today, we all carry this torch. Robby sacrificed his life bringing freedom to the oppressed people of Afghanistan. He placed his life on the line so that others would have a chance to experience freedom.”

Miller is survived by his parents and seven brothers and sisters.

Every now and then you read a plaintive cry in one media outlet or another about the lack of heroes in the War on Terror. The sad truth is that when a man or woman is a hero both the military and the media fail to cover the story. Many heroes’ stories are found only in the Military Times or the Times version for their branch of service. I’ve covered just over 300 stories here at America’s North Shore Journal and each and every one cries out for more recognition.

Here are the stories of ten American heroes whose stories, I believe, call for far greater recognition than they have received. Should each one of these brave men be a candidate for a future Medal of Honor? The MoH’s for this war have all been upgrades from the Silver Star, which is what each of these ten men have been given.

• Sgt. 1st Class Gary Villalobos – ambushed. Senior officer wounded. IA ran. He stood his ground and fought.
• Capt. Christopher P. Niedziocha – Marine. 23 Taliban killed, 3 Marines wounded.
• Master Sgt. Suran Sar – Special Forces. Known in the community as an outstanding warrior.
• Sgt. Joseph Proctor – prevented a VIED attack at the cost of his own life.
• PFC Ross A. McGinnis – MoH nomination said to be on a desk in the Pentagon. MoH June 2 2008
• Captain Brian G. Cillessen – Special Forces. Proudest of assisting in Afghan election.
• Staff Sgt. Brandon Zylstra – think a paratrooper Audi Murphy.
• Staff Sergeant Chad Malmberg – from the Red Bulls, Minnesota National Guard.
• Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller – Special Forces. A story that has not yet been told.
• Corporal Sean Andrew Stokes – the Marine who redeemed himself.

There are dozens more that deserve upgrades, Bronze Stars to Silver Stars, to DSC’s or Navy Crosses, or to the Medal itself.

You will not have heard of any of these men, I expect. You owe them. We all owe them.

Click here to read the entire category WOT Heroes

I have created a category for Robbie Miller so that we can track this hero’s story.

Special Ops Command

Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller, 24, was killed in action Jan. 25 as a result of enemy fire while conducting combat operations near Barikowt, Afghanistan. He was a Special Forces weapons sergeant assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Miller was born on October 14, 1983 in Harrisburg, Penn., and his military records list his home of record as Iowa. He volunteered for military service and enlisted in the Army on Aug. 14, 2003 in Iowa City, Iowa as a Special Forces candidate. He went on to graduate the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2005, earning the coveted “Green Beret.” In 2006, Miller deployed with 3rd SFG (A) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During this deployment, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with Valor for his courage in the face of the enemy. He was also promoted to the rank of staff sergeant while deployed.

Miller’s military education includes: Warrior Leader Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Basic Airborne Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Special Forces Heavy Weapons Course, and Ranger School.

His awards and decorations include: Army Commendation Medal for Valor, Army Good Conduct Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, two Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab and Special Forces Tab.

Miller is survived by his parents, Philip and Maureen Miller, his brothers, Thomas, Martin and Edward, and his sisters, Joanna, Mary, Therese and Patricia, all from Oviedo, Fla.

Iowa City Press-Citizen

A former University of Iowa student who joined the Army in 2003 died Friday in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense announced Saturday.

Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller, 24, died near Barikowt, Afghanistan from wounds he received during enemy small arms fire during combat operations for Operation Enduring Freedom. A Special Forces weapons sergeant, he was assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) based out of Fort Bragg, N.C.

His mother, Maureen Miller, said her son lived in Iowa “very briefly,” attending the University of Iowa for one year before enlisting in the Army.

She declined further comment.

No medal listed but the story reads like a citation, DSC or MoH?

DVIDS

Miller found himself willingly leading a team of Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition soldiers Jan. 25 during a combat reconnaissance patrol in Kunar Province near the Pakistan border. Insurgents hiding in a structure attacked Miller’s team. A fellow teammate called for close-air support to drop ordnance on the insurgent position, disrupting their attack. When the combined patrol moved toward the structure to check for any remaining enemy threats, insurgents again fired using heavy weapons.

Miller’s team captain was seriously wounded within the first minutes of the attack. While his commander was moved to safety, Miller returned fire. At great personal risk to himself, Miller remained at the front of the patrol and continued to lay down suppressive fire on multiple insurgent positions, allowing his wounded commander to be pulled out of the line of fire, ultimately saving his life. Miller’s personal courage under intense enemy fire enabled the entire patrol to gain cover and return fire. Even while injured by direct enemy small-arms and machine gun fire, Miller continued to employ his M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and grenades to suppress enemy fire and protect his teammates.

Miller enlisted as a Special Forces trainee Aug. 14, 2003. He graduated from Infantry Basic Training and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga., Jan. 6. Miller graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course Sep. 26, 2004, and the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant Course March 4, 2005. Miller received his coveted Special Forces Tab and was promoted to Sergeant after graduating from the Special Operations French Language Training Course Sept. 30, 2005. That same day he was assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Force Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

He deployed to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom from August 2006 to March 2007. During this deployment, Miller received two Army Commendation Medals for Valor for his courage under fire.

Miller returned to Afghanistan for his second tour in October 2007, where he served as a weapons sergeant for his team.

Ashley completed the memorial by stating, “The motto of our Regiment is “Free the Oppressed.” Special Forces soldiers have long lived by this creed and today, we all carry this torch. Robby sacrificed his life bringing freedom to the oppressed people of Afghanistan. He placed his life on the line so that others would have a chance to experience freedom.”

Miller is survived by his parents and seven brothers and sisters.