Golin, Mihail

Sgt. 1st Class Mihail Golin was a Special Forces engineer sergeant assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Fort Carson, Colorado. A native of Fort Lee, New Jersey, he was 34 years old at the time of his death. Golin had enlisted in the Army in 2005 and had previously deployed to Iraq in 2007 and 2009.

Golin was killed on January 1, 2018, while conducting combat operations in Nangarhar Province, eastern Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, he was engaged by enemy small-arms fire during a dismounted patrol. He was the first American service member to die in combat in Afghanistan that year.

His death occurred during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. military mission that succeeded the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) combat role in January 2015. The operation focused on counterterrorism and training Afghan forces. In 2018, Nangarhar Province was a significant area of operations against Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) militants.

The Pentagon confirmed Golin's death the following day. He was posthumously promoted from staff sergeant to sergeant first class. His awards included the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal.

Golin is survived by his wife and a young daughter. He was remembered by his unit for his technical skill and dedication. His name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Mihail Golin was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (ongoing since 2015). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Golden, Jonathan Joseph, Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael, Ruiz, Pablo Allende Iii.

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