VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Kyle Gilbert

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Kyle Gilbert, who was killed while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Kyle Gilbert was born in January 1983 to Robert and Regina Gilbert. He was raised in Brattleboro, Vermont, and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School. As a child, he enjoyed martial arts, attending his mother’s taekwondo classes and replicating movements he had seen. Later, he found success in the sport, ranking second on the East Coast for those aged 17 and under when he was only 12. He also received hundreds of awards and trophies, held a black belt and was a member of both the National Black Belt League and the Warrior Karate team of Brattleboro.

Following in the footsteps of his father and uncle, the latter of whom received a Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam, Gilbert enlisted in the Army two weeks after his high school graduation. He completed Jump School at Fort Benning, Georgia, and subsequently joined the 2nd Battalion, 325th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Gilbert deployed to Iraq on March 6, 2003. Exactly five months later, he was killed in an ambush by enemy forces while on patrol in the Al Mansour district in Baghdad. He was 20.

Gilbert was honored by his hometown. More than 1,000 people gathered at a procession for hi return and the trip to his burial site at Locust Ridge Cemetery, where he was buried with full military honors. Subsequently, a marker honoring Gilbert was also placed at a local bridge. He was also remembered at the 2021 NASCAR 600 Miles of Remembrance. Twenty years after his death, his family stated that they continued to miss him and hold his memory close to their hearts.

We honor his service.

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Writer: Khaled Maalouf

Editors: Ashley Shaut, Cate Manning

Researchers: John Bergstrom

Graphic Designer: Kaylie Ferguson