T. Christian Miller

Reporter

Photo of T. Christian Miller

T. Christian Miller is a reporter for ProPublica. In more than 25 years as a professional journalist and foreign correspondent, Miller has covered four wars, a presidential campaign and reported from more than two dozen countries. He has won numerous accolades for his work in the U.S. and abroad, including two Pulitzer Prizes: one in 2016 for explanatory reporting, which he shared with co-author Ken Armstrong for coverage of sexual assault; and a second in 2020 for national reporting, which he shared with colleagues Robert Faturechi and Megan Rose for coverage of the U.S. Navy. In 2015, he won two Emmy Awards for his work with Marcela Gaviria on a PBS Frontline documentary about the link between the Firestone tire company and the Liberian war criminal Charles Taylor. Miller’s work has been featured in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, PBS Frontline, PBS Newshour, NPR and “All Thing Considered,” among other major media outlets.

As an investigative journalist, Miller specializes in the military and international affairs. He has extensive experience with public records, the Freedom of Information Act and data-driven reporting. In 2011, Miller was awarded a yearlong Knight Fellowship to study at Stanford University. He has lectured at the University of California, Berkeley; Stanford; the University of Southern California; Columbia and Duke, among other schools. Miller has served as an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and as a member and treasurer of the Board of Directors for Investigative Reporters & Editors.

During the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Miller was the only journalist in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to covering the reconstruction process. Miller’s groundbreaking work led to the expulsion of a top Pentagon official, the cancellation of a major arms contract and the initiation of several investigations. His work on traumatic brain injuries in the military led the U.S. Army to award Purple Hearts for such wounds. In 2006, Miller published “Blood Money: Wasted Billions, Lost Lives and Corporate Greed in Iraq” (Little, Brown), which the Post called one of the “indispensable” books on the Iraq war. In 2018, Miller and Armstrong published “A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America” (Crown Books), described as a “riveting true-crime story” by O: The Oprah Magazine. Their work was the basis for the Netflix miniseries “Unbelievable,” which won a Peabody Award and attracted 32 million viewers worldwide.

Miller was a foreign correspondent based in Bogotá, Colombia, where he covered that nation’s guerrilla conflict and its connection to Washington’s war on drugs. While there, he was briefly captured and held hostage by leftist guerrillas. Miller graduated from UC Berkeley with highest honors. He lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife and three children.

Pentagon Health Plan Won't Cover Brain-Damage Therapy for Troops

The Pentagon’s health care program run by Tricare denies coverage of cognitive rehabilitation to troops with traumatic brain injuries, claiming the treatment does not meet their standards, despite medical groups’ consensus that it improves the quality of life and despite criticism of the study Tricare did to justify its position.

This Year, Contractor Deaths Exceed Military Ones in Iraq and Afghanistan

More than 250 civilian contractors have died in Iraq and Afghanistan in the first half of 2010, while 235 soldiers died in the same period, the first time contractor deaths have exceeded military ones.

Congresswoman Calls for Review of Purple Heart Decisions

Rep. Chellie Pingree, a House Armed Services Committee member, says soldiers with concussions should be recognized if they meet the Army’s criteria.

Pentagon Spokesman Wrong on Purple Heart

An error, though soon corrected, shows confusion about medals for soldiers with brain trauma.

Soldiers With Brain Trauma Denied Purple Hearts, Adding Insult to Injury

Soldiers with mild traumatic brain injuries have been denied Purple Hearts, even though the injury is specifically mentioned as eligible for one.

Rep. Teague Pledges Deeper Inquiry Into Treatment for Brain-Injured Soldiers

Rep. Harry Teague promises to dramatically expand an inquiry into the treatment of soldiers who have suffered mild traumatic brain injuries. The New Mexico Democrat opened his investigation after our reports that the military seemed to be ignoring many of those injuries.

Fort Bliss Says It Will Examine Its Handling of Brain Injuries

After soldiers' reports of problems, officials at Fort Bliss tell a congressman that they will review the base's care for traumatic brain injuries. But the base is now providing information that seems to contradict earlier statements.

Pentagon Shifts Its Story About Departure of Leader of Brain Injury Center

The Pentagon now says that a general who led the military’s effort to handle brain injuries was asked to step down. A spokeswoman for the general had earlier said that the reassignment was routine.

Pentagon Issues New Policy for Diagnosing and Treating Brain Injuries

The new rules address weaknesses in the handling of mild traumatic brain injuries, requiring rest periods and enhanced tracking for soldiers exposed to blasts.

Leader of Military’s Program to Treat Brain Injuries Steps Down Abruptly

After criticism of her program's work, an Army general resigns as the director of a center that focuses on troops' brain injuries. ProPublica and NPR have reported that the military is failing to diagnose and treat traumatic brain injuries in many troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Congress Demands Answers on Brain Injury Care at Texas Base

Three congressmen are questioning officials at Fort Bliss about soldiers' frustrations in getting treatment for concussions. An investigation by ProPublica and NPR found that soldiers at the Texas base struggled to receive diagnosis and care for their injuries.

Soldier Brain Injuries to Get Senate Scrutiny After ProPublica, NPR Report

Responding to an investigation by ProPublica and NPR, Sen. Carl Levin said he would expand a hearing on soldier suicides to include a more extensive discussion of the military’s handling of traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Top Officer Says Military Takes Brain Injuries 'Extremely Seriously'

The Army's vice chief of staff says it takes the treatment of soldiers with mild traumatic brain injuries "very seriously." Gen. Peter Chiarelli said the military plans to evaluate soldiers exposed to nearby blasts by two separate tests before being returned to the battlefield. But our investigation has found problems with the tests now being used.

At Fort Bliss, Brain Injury Treatments Can Be as Elusive as Diagnosis

Even when traumatic brain injury is diagnosed in soldiers, treatment can be hard to come by. At Fort Bliss, Texas, a building to screen for such injuries remains closed nearly a year after its completion.

After Our Investigation, Pentagon Puts Its Spin on Brain Injuries

The Pentagon sent out a talking points memo that makes it sound as if it's doing all it can to treat brain injuries, which our investigation says is not the case. Though it's not a direct response to our investigation, it says that the U.S. offers the "world's best TBI medical care for our service members."

Brain Injuries Remain Undiagnosed in Thousands of Soldiers

The military medical system is failing to diagnose brain injuries in tens of thousands of soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and many of them receive little or no treatment for lingering health problems, despite years of promises, an investigation by NPR and ProPublica has found.

Contractor Deaths Accelerating in Afghanistan as They Outnumber Soldiers

Of the 289 civilian contractors killed since the war in Afghanistan started, 100 have died in just the last six months, a recent analysis shows. That's a reflection of both growing violence and the importance of the civilians flooding into the country.

FRONTLINE Video: Donnell Herrington

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