Austin S. Miller

Austin Scott Miller (born May 15, 1961) is a United States Army general who currently serves as the commander of NATO's Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces – Afghanistan. He previously served as the commander of Joint Special Operations Command from March 30, 2016 to August 2018.[1] He participated in numerous combat operations, such as the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, and, since 2001, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He assumed his current assignment on September 2, 2018.[2]

Austin S. Miller
General Austin S. Miller in 2018
Nickname(s)	"Scott"
Born	May 15, 1961 Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1983–present
Rank	General
Commands held	Resolute Support Mission, U.S. Forces in Afghanistan Joint Special Operations Command United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence Special Operations Joint Task Force – Afghanistan 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta
Battles/wars	Operation Gothic Serpent Battle of Mogadishu Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit

Early life and education

Miller was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 15, 1961.[3] He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1983 and was commissioned as an infantry officer in the United States Army.

Military career

Miller was commissioned as a Second lieutenant in 1983 after graduation from United States Military Academy at West Point. After completing Ranger School, he was assigned a platoon in 3rd Battalion, 325th Infantry (Airborne), 82nd Airborne Division. Afterwards, he was a platoon leader with A Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment from January 1986 to May 1987.[4] He completed Infantry Officer Advanced Course in June 1989 and was assigned to South Korea as a Company Commander with 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry (Mechanized), 2nd Infantry Division, Eighth United States Army. Later, he was an instructor at the Special Operations Division School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Georgia from April 1991 to April 1992. In 1992, Miller completed a specialized selection course and operator training course for assignment to 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta (1st SFOD-D), or Delta Force at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he held numerous leadership positions including squadron operations officer, troop commander, operational support troop commander, selection and training commander, A Squadron commander, as well as deputy commander and unit commanding officer from 2005 to 2007.[5] He participated in numerous combat operations during Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia, Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In October 1993, Miller was the ground force commander during the Battle of Mogadishu while Lieutenant Colonel Gary L. Harrell held operational command of C Squadron, 1st SFOD-D. Miller graduated from United States Army Command and General Staff College in June 1997. He is a graduate of the United States Marine Corps War College, 2003 and Joint and Combined Warfighting School.

As a Colonel, Miller received assignment as Director of the Interagency Task Force, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida from August 2007 to June 2008. Hs was assigned Deputy Director for Special Operations, J-37, The Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. till 2009. From September 2011 through August 2012, Miller was special assistant to the Director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization in Arlington, Virginia. He was a special assistant to the deputy commanding general, United States Special Operations Command in Washington D.C. from August 2012 through June 2013. From June 2013 to June 2014, Miller was commanding general of the Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command in Afghanistan, or CFSOCC-A, responsible for employment and coordination of special operations forces and assets to achieve NATO and US military objectives. In 2014, he became commanding general of the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning.[6] From 2016 to 2018, Miller served as the commanding general of the Joint Special Operations Command.[7] In 2018, he assumed command of United States Forces — Afghanistan and the Resolute Support mission.

On October 18, 2018, Miller was in the room at the governor's compound in southern Kandahar when a Taliban gunman shot Abdul Raziq. Miller was not harmed,[8][9] but drew his sidearm during the shooting, waited until the wounded were attended, and flew out with the casualties afterwards[10] which included Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley.[11]

Dates of rank

Rank	Date
Second lieutenant	May 25, 1983
First lieutenant	November 24, 1984
Captain	May 1, 1987
Major	December 1, 1994
Lieutenant colonel	June 1, 1999
Colonel	May 1, 2004
Brigadier general	June 15, 2009
Major general	June 15, 2012
Lieutenant general	March 17, 2016
General	September 2, 2018

Awards and decorations

Combat Infantryman Badge with Star (denoting 2nd award)

Master Parachutist Badge

Ranger tab

Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge

Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

Special Operations Joint Task Force – Afghanistan Combat Service Identification Badge

325th Infantry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia

13 Overseas Service Bars

Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Army Distinguished Service Medal

Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster

Legion of Merit

Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and oak leaf cluster (1 award for Valor)

Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster

Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster

Meritorious Service Medal

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster

Joint Service Achievement Medal

Army Achievement Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Valorous Unit Award

Army Superior Unit Award

National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with campaign star)

Iraq Campaign Medal (with three campaign stars)

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Korea Defense Service Medal

Army Service Ribbon

Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 2

NATO Medal for service with ISAF

References

1. "Leadership in the Current Operating Environment: JSOC Commander Lt. Gen. Austin Miller – Modern War Institute". Retrieved October 22, 2018.
2. "Miller Takes Over NATO, U.S. Commands in Afghanistan". Defense.gov. September 2, 2018. Retrieved 2018-09-03.
3. "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy". October 22, 1989. Retrieved October 22, 2018 – via Google Books.
4. Gal Perl Finkel, A NEW STRATEGY AGAINST ISIS, The Jerusalem Post, March 7, 2017.
5. "Biographical Data Book, Class 2010-2, 25 Jan – 5 Mar 2010, National Defense University". Retrieved August 5, 2020.
6. "New Benning commander named to succeed Maj. Gen. H.R. McMaster". Retrieved October 22, 2018.
7. "This Army general is likely to lead the shadowy Joint Special Operations Command". Washington Post. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
8. nytimes.com: Afghanistan Delays Election in Province as Key Security Leader Is Buried
9. Salahuddin, Sayed; Constable, Pamela (October 18, 2018). "U.S.I Austin commander in Afghanistan I survives deadly attack at the governor's compound that kills top Afghan police general". The Washington Post.
10. cnn.com (19 October 2018): US commander drew firearm in Kandahar attack
11. Browne, Ryan. "US brigadier general wounded Thursday in Afghanistan attack". CNN. Retrieved October 22, 2018.