Wheaton North Grad Killed in Combat Could Have COD Building Named After Him

Photo credit: U.S. Army website

A Wheaton North High School graduate who was killed while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan in 2008 could have a College of DuPage building named after him.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller, who grew up in Wheaton, is a Medal of Honor recipient. Before College of DuPage trustees can approve the naming of the Homeland Security Education Center in honor of Miller, the COD board must first vote to void an employment contract for embattled school president Robert Breuder, including a $763,000 buyout deal, according to the article. A part of Breuder’s buyout agreement was to have the building named after him.

Miller’s family moved to Wheaton when Miller was 5 years old. He attended kindergarten at Emerson Elementary School, and then first through eighth grades at St. Michael School in Wheaton, according to the U.S. Army website.

Miler took gymnastics lessons as a child and also played baseball, basketball and track, while participating in Boy Scouts and playing trumpet in band. He was the co-captain of the Wheaton North High School’s gymnastics team during his junior and senior years, leading them to fifth place in the state tournament.

Miller enrolled at the University of Iowa for the 2002-2003 school year and enlisted in the Army in August. 2003.

He was deployed to Afghanistan from August 2006 to March 2007. During this deployment, Miller received two Army Commendation Medals for Valor for his courage under fire. Miller returned to Afghanistan for his second tour in October 2007, where he served as a Weapons Sergeant for his team.

Breuder Vote

The vote by COD Board Thursday is ”another move in a series of attempts to scuttle his controversial severance package,” the Chicago Tribune reports.

Breuder has been on paid administrative leave since April. The board voted in August to being termination proceedings again Breuder, which are expected to continue even after Thursday’s vote.

Even if trustees vote to void Breuder’s contract, he is still expected to continue to receive most of his $495,000 compensation package though he may have some perks taken away , the Chicago Tribune reports.

Read more on the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald