COL Troy Mills commissioned in 1999 from Sam Houston State University as an Infantry Officer.
Following completion of the Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning, GA, he was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) at Fort Myer, Virginia, from 2000-2003, and served as Escort Platoon Leader, Honor Guard Platoon Leader, Support Platoon Leader and HHC Executive Officer. While assigned to the Old Guard he participated in recovery operations at the Pentagon following the attacks on 9/11.
After completing the Captain’s Career Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, and the Combined Armed and Services Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, he served as a Battle Captain in Current Operations of I Corps at Fort Lewis, Washington, from 2003-2006. COL Mills then served in 4th Stryker Brigade at Fort Lewis as a Company Commander of F Company (Anti-Tank), 52nd Infantry Regiment from 2006-2008, deploying to Iraq during the surge from 2007-2008.
Following his assignments at Fort Lewis he went to Fort Polk, Louisiana, and served as a Company Observer/Control and Live Fire Task Force Operations Officer-In-Charge from 2008-2010. After this assignment, COL Mills completed ILE at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and was assigned to 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas. He served as the Operations OIC at the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, then for 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, and then at the brigade level from 2011-2014. During this assignment he deployed to Iraq in support of the final withdraw of combat forces in December 2011.
COL Mills was then selected to serve as an Aide-de-Camp for the Chief, Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad from 2014-2015. After this deployment, COL Mills was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, and served as a senior test officer for the Maneuver Directorate in the Operational Test Command from 2015-2017.
In 2017, COL Mills assumed command of 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment under 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2018. Upon completion of command, he was assigned to Operations Group, Joint Readiness Training Center and served as a Battalion and then Brigade Task Force Senior. His last assignment was attendance at the U.S. Army War College.
COL Mills’ major awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, The NATO Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (with V and C device), the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and the Expert Infantryman’s Badge. He is a graduate of the Ranger Course, Basic Airborne Course, and Military Mountaineering Course.