Miller, Robert James
Male
Verified Staff Sergeant Robert James Miller, 24, of Oviedo, Florida, was a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier. He was killed during a combat operation in Barikowt, Afghanistan, on January 25, 2008.
Their Story
Staff Sergeant Robert James Miller was born on October 14, 1983, and grew up in Oviedo, Florida. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2003 and was subsequently selected for the Special Forces Qualification Course. Upon graduation, he was assigned as a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
On January 25, 2008, Miller's Operational Detachment Alpha 3312 was conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol in the Gowardesh Valley near Barikowt, in Afghanistan's Kunar Province. According to official accounts, the team was ambushed by a large insurgent force. Miller, serving as a weapons sergeant, reportedly moved forward to lay down suppressive fire with an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, allowing his team to withdraw and seek cover. He was killed during this engagement.
Miller's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2008, the conflict was in a phase characterized by a resurgent Taliban insurgency, particularly in the country's eastern provinces like Kunar. Combat operations often involved small-unit engagements in mountainous terrain against well-armed militant groups.
The Department of Defense announced Miller's death on January 28, 2008. In October 2010, President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor to Miller's parents during a ceremony at the White House. The citation stated his actions saved the lives of seven team members and 15 Afghan National Army soldiers.
Miller is buried at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the 3rd Special Forces Group compound at Fort Bragg. The U.S. Army posthumously promoted him from Sergeant First Class to Staff Sergeant.
Explore Further
Staff Sergeant Miller was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
