Sinco's photograph of Miller was published in many newspapers. CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather singled out the photo for its excellence, and turned the then-unidentified Marine into a celebrity. Sinco was told to find the Marine for a follow-up story and tracked down Miller four days later in an auditorium near Fallujah's civic center. Miller was embarrassed about the photo's fame, but shared information with Sinco. The two would remain friends thereafter.

After his identity was made public, people sent him care packages, including many cigarettes; President George W. Bush sent cigars, candy and memorabilia from the White House. The forward command center soon featured a large blowup of the photo. The Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division, Richard F. Natonski, made a special trip to see Miller, to Miller's surprise. The general shook Miller's hand and let him know that, because Americans had "connected" with his photo, and nobody wanted to see him wounded or dead, he was offered a trip home. Miller turned down the offer because he did not want to leave his comrades behind.

After his tour, Miller returned to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He was married in June 2005. Divorce papers were filed a year later. He was deployed aboard USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), to assist recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina. During that period he blacked out during a PTSD episode. In November 2005, Miller was medically discharged from the Marine Corps.
In 2008, Miller was living in his hometown and having difficulty receiving care from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. By 2013, he had reunited with his wife and, with the help of Sinco, has sought psychological help.