Robert James Miller Robert James Miller ( October 14 , 1983 – January 25 , 2008 ) , of Company A , 3rd Battalion , 3rd Special Forces Group ( Airborne ) , was a United States Army Special Forces soldier who posthumously received the Medal of Honor at a White House ceremony on October 6 , 2010 . Personal life . Miller was a native of Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , and grew up in Wheaton , Illinois , graduating from Wheaton North High School in 2002 . He was captain of the school ' s state - qualifying gymnastics teams . Miller is survived by his parents and seven brothers and sisters . Military career . Staff Sergeant Miller enlisted as a Special Forces trainee on August 14 , 2003 . He graduated from Infantry Basic Training and Airborne School at Fort Benning , Georgia , on January 6 , 2004 . Miller graduated from the Special Forces Assessment and Selection ( SFAS ) on September 26 , 2004 , and the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant Course on March 4 , 2005 . Miller received his Special Forces Tab and was promoted to Sergeant after graduating from the Special Operations French Language Training Course , September 30 , 2005 . That same day he was assigned to Company A , 3rd Battalion , 3rd Special Forces Group ( Airborne ) , Fort Bragg , North Carolina . He deployed to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom from August 2006 to March 2007 . During this deployment , Miller received two Army Commendation w / Valor Device medals for his courage under fire . He returned to Afghanistan for his second tour in October 2007 , where he served as a Weapons Sergeant for his team . Miller was killed in combat with the Taliban in Afghanistan on January 25 , 2008 . His unit was conducting combat operations near the village of Barikowt , Nari District , Kunar Province , Afghanistan . He is buried at All Faiths Memorial Park in Casselberry , Florida . Miller ' s Special Skill decorations include : Special Forces Tab , Ranger Tab and Parachutist Badge . Medal of Honor Citation ( summary ) . On January 25 , 2008 Sergeant Miller found himself willingly leading a team of Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition soldiers 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 . Awards . Staff Sergeant Miller ' s decorations include : Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States of America , authorized by act of Congress , March 3 , 1863 , has awarded , in the name of the Congress , the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to < br > STAFF SERGEANT ROBERT JAMES MILLER < br > UNITED STATES ARMY for service as set forth in the following Medal of Honor citation . BARACK OBAMA < br > / s / Barack Obama < br > PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA