Fallen Classmate: Captain Rhett W. Schiller

RHETT W. SCHILLER

CPT, Infantry

Waterford, Wisconsin

Balad Ruz, Iraq; KIA – Small Arms Fire

Captain Rhett W. Schiller was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC. He died November 16, 2006 of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations in Balad Ruz, Iraq.  Rhett is survived by his parents William and Karla Schiller of Waterford Wisconsin; a brother, Captain Ryan (Martha) Schiller of the United States Marine Corps; two sisters, Renee (Brian) Ray, who is a Warrant Officer at Fort Bragg, and Rhonda (Raj) Sutaria; a nephew; his grandmother Augustine Schiller; and his fiancée, Tiffany Phelps.

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Captain Rhett W. Schiller died November 16, 2006, at 26 years old, of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations in Balad Ruz, Iraq.  Captain Schiller was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.

Schiller was a 2003 graduate of the United States Military Academy.  “Consistently caring for his soldiers and always leading through his own example, Rhett raised the entire spirits and motivation of all those that knew him,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Poppas.

In September of 2005, Captain Schiller’s brigade was assigned to New Orleans for relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina.  They were to be deployed in 7 hours. Leading officers to deployment on such short notice is a skill, and Captain Schiller had it.

About a year later, during his deployment to Iraq, Schiller was killed by enemy forces using small arms fire.  To this day, Schiller is remembered as someone who never gave up or lost hope, and who did whatever it took to complete his job with success.  “He continued to push himself until he succeeded,” said his father, William.

Schiller is survived by his parents William and Karla Schiller of Waterford, Wisconsin; a brother, Captain Ryan (Martha) Schiller of the United States Marine Corps; two sisters, Renee (Brian) Ray, who is a Warrant Officer at Fort Bragg, and Rhonda (Raj) Sutaria; a nephew; his grandmother Augustine Schiller; and his fiancée, Tiffany Phelps.