Edmonton soldier working for NATO dies from ‘non-operational’ medical complications

An Edmonton-based former commanding officer of a Canadian Armed Forces engineering regiment has died in Europe, the Department of National Defence (DND) said in a media release on Wednesday.

According to the release, Lt.-Col. Kent Miller was working in Casteau, Belgium, when he died on Monday from “non-operational” medical complications.

He was working there for NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in a planning and co-ordination capacity, the DND said, adding that Miller had 24 years of experience as an engineering officer.

The DND said Miller was serving under Operation Unifier, an Armed Forces program that trains Ukrainian military and security personnel in battlefield tactics and advanced military skills.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Miller lived in Edmonton and was employed full-time on a contract the last six months as a senior military officer with the Canadian Armed Forces.

Before that, he worked in several positions for ATCO Electric from February 2015 until May this year.

Miller served as commanding officer of the 41 Combat Engineer Regiment from May 2020 to May 2023. His background before joining ATCO Electric was in the armed forces. He graduated from the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., in 2007, and served as a troop commander in Afghanistan from 2008-10, according to LinkedIn.

Lt.-Gen. Steve Boivin, commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command, said the military is “deeply saddened” by the death of Miller, who was “a father, a husband and a comrade and his loss will be felt by many.”