Richard Miles
Encyclopedia
Richard Monroe Miles was born in 1937 in Little Rock, Arkansas
. He grew up in rural and small-town Indiana
. After serving in the Marine Corps from 1954 to 1957, he obtained degrees from Bakersfield College, the University of California
at Berkeley and Indiana University
. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Russian Institute, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
, Germany
.
Ambassador Miles worked for the South Carolina Voter Education Project
from 1964 to 1967 in the field of voter registration and political leadership training. He entered the Foreign Service in 1967 and has served abroad in Oslo
, Moscow
, Belgrade
, as Consul General in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg
), and as Principal Officer of the U.S. Embassy Office in Berlin
.
Ambassador Miles served as Ambassador to Azerbaijan
from 1992 to 1993, as Chief of Mission to Belgrade
from 1996 to 1999, and as Ambassador to Bulgaria
from 1999 to 2002.
In the State Department, he also worked in the Offices for Soviet and East European and Yugoslav Affairs and in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
.
Ambassador Miles worked for Senator Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC) on an American Political Science Fellowship in 1983-1984, and in 1987-1988 he was a fellow at Harvard University's Center for International Affairs.
Mr. Miles was US Ambassador to Georgia
from April 19, 2002 until August 15, 2005. He retired from the State Department in August, 2005. From April, 2006 until December, 2006, he served as Executive Director of the Open World Leadership Center headquartered in the Library of Congress. In November, 2008, Ambassador Miles was recalled to active duty to serve as Charge of the American Embassy in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. He returned to Washington, DC and retirement in September, 2009.
Ambassador Miles has been awarded the State Department's Meritorious Honor Award and Group Superior Honor Award (twice). In 1992 he was awarded a Presidential Meritorious Service Award and a national award for reporting. In 2004 he was the recipient of the State Department's Robert C. Frasure Award for peaceful conflict resolution. Many claims have been made about Mr. Miles’ contributions to the ousting of Slobodan Milošević
in Serbia
and Georgia’s Rose Revolution
.
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. He grew up in rural and small-town Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. After serving in the Marine Corps from 1954 to 1957, he obtained degrees from Bakersfield College, the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
at Berkeley and Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Russian Institute, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the Oberbayern region, and the district is on the border with Austria...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Ambassador Miles worked for the South Carolina Voter Education Project
Voter Education Project
From 1962 to 1968, the Voter Education Project raised and distributed foundation funds to civil rights organizations for voter education and registration work in the American South...
from 1964 to 1967 in the field of voter registration and political leadership training. He entered the Foreign Service in 1967 and has served abroad in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, as Consul General in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
), and as Principal Officer of the U.S. Embassy Office in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Ambassador Miles served as Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
from 1992 to 1993, as Chief of Mission to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
from 1996 to 1999, and as Ambassador to Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
from 1999 to 2002.
In the State Department, he also worked in the Offices for Soviet and East European and Yugoslav Affairs and in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs is an agency within the United States Department of State that bridges the Department of State with the Department of Defense. It provides policy in the areas of international security, security assistance, military operations, defense strategy and policy,...
.
Ambassador Miles worked for Senator Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC) on an American Political Science Fellowship in 1983-1984, and in 1987-1988 he was a fellow at Harvard University's Center for International Affairs.
Mr. Miles was US Ambassador to Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
from April 19, 2002 until August 15, 2005. He retired from the State Department in August, 2005. From April, 2006 until December, 2006, he served as Executive Director of the Open World Leadership Center headquartered in the Library of Congress. In November, 2008, Ambassador Miles was recalled to active duty to serve as Charge of the American Embassy in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. He returned to Washington, DC and retirement in September, 2009.
Ambassador Miles has been awarded the State Department's Meritorious Honor Award and Group Superior Honor Award (twice). In 1992 he was awarded a Presidential Meritorious Service Award and a national award for reporting. In 2004 he was the recipient of the State Department's Robert C. Frasure Award for peaceful conflict resolution. Many claims have been made about Mr. Miles’ contributions to the ousting of Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and Georgia’s Rose Revolution
Rose Revolution
The "Revolution of Roses" was a change of power in Georgia in November 2003, which took place after having widespread protests over the disputed parliamentary elections...
.