Micah Merrill
Bio
Staff Sgt. Micah Merrill hails from Detroit, Michigan. He is passionate about photography and communication design. He is committed to helping the community and volunteers with several non-profit organizations including Red Cross and SFRG. He loves hiking & painting, has three dogs, and is an avid reader of National Geographic.
Enlisted in the United States Army as an infantryman in February 2012. He served as an automatic rifleman, before becoming a team leader and intelligence support team leader in Afghanistan in 2013 and 2014. He served with 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division during the period for which it earned the Meritorious Unit Citation. He deployed to Korea in 2015 as an operations sergeant with the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. In January 2017, he reclassed from Infantry to Public Affairs. He was subsequently assigned as a Public Affairs NCO with the 14th Public Affairs Detachment, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division.
Throughout 2018, he supported five major exercises on the African continent. Merrill’s photos, videos, and stories have been included in major publications, news stations, and key locations all over the world. In addition to social media of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Army, Dept. of Defense, and Dept. of State some of the locations his work has appeared in include: Military Times, Army Times, Air Force Times, Association of the U.S. Army, Al Jazeera, Military.com, Stars & Stripes, University of Florida, Des Moines University, Ohio State University, Uniformed Services University, Popular Mechanics, U.S. News & World Report, Teletschad, The National Museum of the United States Army, and others.
In 2019, he was recognized as the FORSCOM Military Photographer of the Year. His most recent assignment was as Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of Public Affairs with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Staff Sgt. Merrill currently is completing the Military Visual Journalism program at Syracuse University.
Staff Sgt. Merrill’s military awards and decorations include: Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon (with numeral device), NATO ISAF Medal, Driver’s Badge, and Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He also served with 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division during the period for which it earned the Meritorious Unit Citation.