Riley, Micheal Bernard

Micheal Bernard Riley was a 32-year-old Master Sergeant from Heilbronn, Germany, serving on active duty in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Fort Carson, Colorado.

On June 25, 2019, Riley died from wounds sustained during combat operations in Shinia Village, located in the Chora District of Afghanistan's Uruzgan province. The Department of Defense stated his death resulted from hostile action, though it did not release further operational specifics. He was reportedly on his fifth combat deployment.

Riley's death occurred under Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan that succeeded Operation Enduring Freedom in 2015. The mission involved U.S. and NATO forces conducting counterterrorism operations and training Afghan security forces. The Chora District had been a contested area with significant insurgent activity.

Following the announcement, the 10th Special Forces Group and U.S. Army Special Operations Command publicly mourned his loss. Riley was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal. His remains were returned to the United States.

Master Sergeant Riley is remembered by his unit as a seasoned and respected Special Forces soldier. His name is inscribed on the Special Operations Memorial at Fort Campbell and is included on casualty lists documenting U.S. fatalities in the Afghanistan conflict.

Micheal Bernard Riley 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, Gonzalez, Jose Juan, Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael.

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