Kyle White was born on March 27, 1987, in Seattle, Washington. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on February 15, 2006, and he then attended Army Infantry One Station Unit Training for Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, from February to June 2006. SPC White served with Company C, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, from 2006 to 2008, and during this time he deployed to Afghanistan from May 2007 until he was injured in combat on November 9, 2007, during a mission for which he would later be awarded the Medal of Honor. Sgt White served with the 4th Ranger Training Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia, from 2008 to 2010, and he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in May 2011. Kyle White was awarded the Medal of Honor on May 14, 2014.

His Medal of Honor Citation reads:

Specialist Kyle J. White distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a radio telephone operator with Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on November 9, 2007. On that day, Specialist White and his comrades were returning to Bella Outpost from a shura with Aranas Village elders. As the soldiers traversed a narrow path surrounded by mountainous, rocky terrain, they were ambushed by enemy forces from elevated positions. Pinned against a steep mountain face, Specialist White and his fellow soldiers were completely exposed to enemy fire. Specialist White returned fire and was briefly knocked unconscious when a rocket-propelled grenade impacted near him. When he regained consciousness, another round impacted near him, embedding small pieces of shrapnel in his face. Shaking off his wounds, Specialist White noticed one of his comrades lying wounded nearby. Without hesitation, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire in order to reach the soldier and provide medical aid. After applying a tourniquet, Specialist White moved to an injured Marine, similarly providing aid and comfort until the Marine succumbed to his wounds. Specialist White then returned to the soldier and discovered that he had been wounded again. Applying his own belt as an additional tourniquet, Specialist White was able to stem the flow of blood and save the soldier's life. Noticing that his and the other soldier’s radios were inoperative, Specialist White exposed himself to enemy fire yet again in order to secure a radio from a deceased comrade. He then provided information and updates to friendly forces, allowing precision airstrikes to stifle the enemy’s attack and ultimately permitting medical evacuation aircraft to rescue him, his fellow soldiers, Marines and Afghan Army soldiers. Specialist Kyle J. White’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company C, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade and the United States Army.