ADM Richard W. Mies (USN, Ret.) completed a distinguished 35-year career in the U.S. Navy. He commanded U.S. Strategic Command for four years prior to retirement. As Commander in Chief, he was directly responsible for the command and control of the Nation’s strategic nuclear forces supporting the national security objective of strategic deterrence. Admiral Mies has a unique breadth and depth of operational and policy experience in undersea and strategic warfare. He has held both U.S. and Allied commands at senior military levels. After completing training for submarine duty, he served on two nuclear attack submarines and a ballistic missile submarine before commanding the nuclear attack submarine, USS SEA DEVIL. He subsequently served in a wide range of distinctive command positions including Commander Submarine Development Squadron TWELVE, Commander, Submarine Group EIGHT and Commander, Allied Submarines, Mediterranean, and Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Commander, Submarine Allied Command, Atlantic. Admiral Mies is one of a few flag officers to complete qualification as both a submariner and naval aviation observer. In addition to unit and service awards, his decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal (two awards), Legion of Merit (four awards), National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, Meritorius Service Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy Achievement Medal, and Secretary of Energy Gold Medal. Admiral Mies is a native of Chigcago, Illinois. A distinguished scholor and athelete, he graduated first in his class with highest honors from the U.S. Naval Academy. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree with majors in mechanical engineering and mathematics. An intercollegiate wrestling champion and an all-conference lightweight football player, he was awarded the Thompson Trophy for contributing the most to the promotion of athletics at the Naval Academy. He has completed post-graduate education at Oxford University, England, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and Harvard University. He holds a Masters degree in government adminsitration and international relations; he also holds an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree from the University of Nebraska. His professional education includes the Flag Officers’ Capstrone course, the program for Senior Executive in National and International Security at Harvard Unviersity, and the Joint Flag Officer Warfighting course. Following retirement from the Navy, Admiral Mies served as a Senior Vice President and Deputy Group President of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hicks and Associates, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of SAIC. He presently serves as the CEO and President of The Mies Group, LTD. Admiral Mies served as the Chairman of the Department of Defense Threat Reduction Advisory Committee from 2004-2010 and Chairman of the Board of the Navy Mutual Aid Association from 2003-2011. He presently serves as the Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Group for U.S. Strategic Command and Chairman of the Board of the Naval Submarine League. He is a member of the Committee on International Security and Arms Control of the National Academy of Scineces, the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board, the Board of Governors of Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Board of Directors of BWX Technologies Company, Exelon Corporation, the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, and the U.S. Naval Institute. He also serves on numerous other advisory boards.