James N. Miller, former undersecretary of Defense for Policy, is the recipient of the 2016 Ronald Reagan Missile Defense Award for his service and commitment to advancing the development and deployment of critical ballistic missile defense capabilities.

Vice Adm. James D. Syring, Missile Defense Agency director, presented Miller with the award during the Ronald Regan Missile Defense Forum held July 19 at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

“Over the course of a career dedicated to the security of the United States, Dr. Miller has distinguished himself through his expertise and leadership in government and in the field of missile defense,” said Syring. “MDA is honored to present Dr. Miller with the Ronald Reagan Missile Defense Award for his meritorious achievement in missile defense and his vital role in the deployment of the Ballistic Missile Defense System.”

From April 2009 to May 2012, Miller served as the principal deputy undersecretary of Defense for Policy. In that position he guided the Quadrennial Defense Review, Nuclear Posture Review and Ballistic Missile Defense Review. He was twice awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service for his role in negotiating the New START Treaty and for his leadership in developing national defense strategies for space and cyberspace.

In May 2012, Miller was appointed undersecretary of Defense for Policy, where he served as the principal civilian advisor to the secretary of Defense on strategy, policy and operations and as the department’s deputy for National Security Council policymaking and crisis management.

In his years of service to the department, Miller was as a staunch advocate for homeland ballistic missile defense systems, serving as the guiding force behind the strategy to ensure the nation would be protected against the rapidly developing North Korean threat.  In support of that strategy, Miller championed the completion of 14 new missile silos at the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense site at Fort Greely, Alaska. He also pushed for the mothballing of the existing six-silo missile field, which was slated for full dismantling. This decision turned out to be appropriate, as that field is now being refurbished to make room for the additional ground-based interceptors being fielded through 2017.

Miller also helped the nation achieve considerable progress with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on European ballistic missile defense. In 2010, NATO leaders decided to pursue a missile defense capability to provide protection for the alliance’s populations, territories and forces in Europe against ballistic missile attacks. Implementing the president’s direction, Miller helped develop and then implement the European Phased Adaptive Approach, which is the U.S. contribution to NATO’s missile defense mission.

Throughout his career, Miller has emphasized the importance of realistic and rigorous missile defense testing prior to deployment. He embraced the MDA’s plan to maintain an integrated master test plan, which sets out test activities over the full course of each system’s development.

Since leaving government service in 2014, Miller has continued to serve the defense interests of the United States, serving as a senior fellow at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab and Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, and as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Defense Science Board.  

MDA Media Contact:

• Chris Johnson, 571-231-8212, christopher.johnson@mda.mil