BG US Army
He was the highest ranking American to die in Afghanistan at the time. A 1984 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he began his career as an Armor officer with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was reassigned in 1988 to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Federal Republic of Germany. He served as the regimental training officer and subsequently commanded a ground cavalry troop. During his company command, his troop deployed with the regiment as part of the US VII Corps' attack into Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, as well as conducting the last US patrol along the East-West German border before its reunification. Returning from Germany, he served in several assignments at Fort Hood to include 2nd Armored Division comptroller and aide-de-camp to the 4th Infantry Division commanding general. Following his transition to the Quartermaster Corps and attendance at the US Army Command and General Staff College in 1997, he served in a variety of staff positions to include battalion executive officer of the 296th Forward Support Battalion, Supply and Services chief for I Corps Logistics at Fort Lewis, WA, and logistician for Joint Task Force 6, a Department of Defense's counterdrug task force. In 2003, he assumed command of the 13th Corps Support Command's Special Troops Battalion at Fort Hood. During nearly three years in command, the battalion conducted two operational deployments. The first came in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a combat sustainment support battalion, providing general logistical support to units located around Joint Base Balad, as well as the Abu Gharib prison complex. The battalion's second deployment came in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, as Logistical Task Force Lone Star, providing both military and humanitarian support operations. From July 2007 to July 2009, he commanded the 23rd Quartermaster Brigade at Fort Lee, VA, training more than 20,000 Soldiers annually for deployment in support of contingency operations across the globe. In 2009, he was the Combined Arms Support Command's director of training and doctrine. He departed Fort Hood in December for Afghanistan to support the NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan. He took command of 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) in August, 2010. Among his military awards and decorations were the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Army Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters; US Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Valorous Unit Award; National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star; Southwest Asia Medal with 2 bronze stars; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War of Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Combat Action Badge; and Parachutist Badge. He died of natural causes while deployed.
He was survived by his parents, Robert Edward Hildner and Susan Marie Hildner; his wife; his four children; a brother; and a sister.
Interment on February 29, 2012.
He was the highest ranking American to die in Afghanistan at the time. A 1984 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he began his career as an Armor officer with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was reassigned in 1988 to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Federal Republic of Germany. He served as the regimental training officer and subsequently commanded a ground cavalry troop. During his company command, his troop deployed with the regiment as part of the US VII Corps' attack into Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, as well as conducting the last US patrol along the East-West German border before its reunification. Returning from Germany, he served in several assignments at Fort Hood to include 2nd Armored Division comptroller and aide-de-camp to the 4th Infantry Division commanding general. Following his transition to the Quartermaster Corps and attendance at the US Army Command and General Staff College in 1997, he served in a variety of staff positions to include battalion executive officer of the 296th Forward Support Battalion, Supply and Services chief for I Corps Logistics at Fort Lewis, WA, and logistician for Joint Task Force 6, a Department of Defense's counterdrug task force. In 2003, he assumed command of the 13th Corps Support Command's Special Troops Battalion at Fort Hood. During nearly three years in command, the battalion conducted two operational deployments. The first came in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a combat sustainment support battalion, providing general logistical support to units located around Joint Base Balad, as well as the Abu Gharib prison complex. The battalion's second deployment came in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, as Logistical Task Force Lone Star, providing both military and humanitarian support operations. From July 2007 to July 2009, he commanded the 23rd Quartermaster Brigade at Fort Lee, VA, training more than 20,000 Soldiers annually for deployment in support of contingency operations across the globe. In 2009, he was the Combined Arms Support Command's director of training and doctrine. He departed Fort Hood in December for Afghanistan to support the NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan. He took command of 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) in August, 2010. Among his military awards and decorations were the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Army Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters; US Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Valorous Unit Award; National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star; Southwest Asia Medal with 2 bronze stars; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War of Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Combat Action Badge; and Parachutist Badge. He died of natural causes while deployed.
He was survived by his parents, Robert Edward Hildner and Susan Marie Hildner; his wife; his four children; a brother; and a sister.
Interment on February 29, 2012.
BG US Army
He was the highest ranking American to die in Afghanistan at the time. A 1984 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he began his career as an Armor officer with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was reassigned in 1988 to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Federal Republic of Germany. He served as the regimental training officer and subsequently commanded a ground cavalry troop. During his company command, his troop deployed with the regiment as part of the US VII Corps' attack into Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, as well as conducting the last US patrol along the East-West German border before its reunification. Returning from Germany, he served in several assignments at Fort Hood to include 2nd Armored Division comptroller and aide-de-camp to the 4th Infantry Division commanding general. Following his transition to the Quartermaster Corps and attendance at the US Army Command and General Staff College in 1997, he served in a variety of staff positions to include battalion executive officer of the 296th Forward Support Battalion, Supply and Services chief for I Corps Logistics at Fort Lewis, WA, and logistician for Joint Task Force 6, a Department of Defense's counterdrug task force. In 2003, he assumed command of the 13th Corps Support Command's Special Troops Battalion at Fort Hood. During nearly three years in command, the battalion conducted two operational deployments. The first came in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a combat sustainment support battalion, providing general logistical support to units located around Joint Base Balad, as well as the Abu Gharib prison complex. The battalion's second deployment came in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, as Logistical Task Force Lone Star, providing both military and humanitarian support operations. From July 2007 to July 2009, he commanded the 23rd Quartermaster Brigade at Fort Lee, VA, training more than 20,000 Soldiers annually for deployment in support of contingency operations across the globe. In 2009, he was the Combined Arms Support Command's director of training and doctrine. He departed Fort Hood in December for Afghanistan to support the NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan. He took command of 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) in August, 2010. Among his military awards and decorations were the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Army Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters; US Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Valorous Unit Award; National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star; Southwest Asia Medal with 2 bronze stars; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War of Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Combat Action Badge; and Parachutist Badge. He died of natural causes while deployed.
He was survived by his parents, Robert Edward Hildner and Susan Marie Hildner; his wife; his four children; a brother; and a sister.
Interment on February 29, 2012.
He was the highest ranking American to die in Afghanistan at the time. A 1984 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he began his career as an Armor officer with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was reassigned in 1988 to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Federal Republic of Germany. He served as the regimental training officer and subsequently commanded a ground cavalry troop. During his company command, his troop deployed with the regiment as part of the US VII Corps' attack into Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, as well as conducting the last US patrol along the East-West German border before its reunification. Returning from Germany, he served in several assignments at Fort Hood to include 2nd Armored Division comptroller and aide-de-camp to the 4th Infantry Division commanding general. Following his transition to the Quartermaster Corps and attendance at the US Army Command and General Staff College in 1997, he served in a variety of staff positions to include battalion executive officer of the 296th Forward Support Battalion, Supply and Services chief for I Corps Logistics at Fort Lewis, WA, and logistician for Joint Task Force 6, a Department of Defense's counterdrug task force. In 2003, he assumed command of the 13th Corps Support Command's Special Troops Battalion at Fort Hood. During nearly three years in command, the battalion conducted two operational deployments. The first came in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a combat sustainment support battalion, providing general logistical support to units located around Joint Base Balad, as well as the Abu Gharib prison complex. The battalion's second deployment came in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, as Logistical Task Force Lone Star, providing both military and humanitarian support operations. From July 2007 to July 2009, he commanded the 23rd Quartermaster Brigade at Fort Lee, VA, training more than 20,000 Soldiers annually for deployment in support of contingency operations across the globe. In 2009, he was the Combined Arms Support Command's director of training and doctrine. He departed Fort Hood in December for Afghanistan to support the NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan. He took command of 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) in August, 2010. Among his military awards and decorations were the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Army Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters; US Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Valorous Unit Award; National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star; Southwest Asia Medal with 2 bronze stars; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War of Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Combat Action Badge; and Parachutist Badge. He died of natural causes while deployed.
He was survived by his parents, Robert Edward Hildner and Susan Marie Hildner; his wife; his four children; a brother; and a sister.
Interment on February 29, 2012.
