Richard M. Mills, Jr.

Richard M. Mills, Jr. is a U.S. diplomat and as of January 20, 2017, the former United States Ambassador to Armenia.

Mills was born in Louisiana and grew up in Michigan. He received a B.A. from Georgetown University, a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, and an M.S. in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University.

Prior to his Foreign Service career, Mills was an Associate Attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Duncan, Allen and Mitchell, as well at the Washington, D.C. office of Wickwire, Gavin and Gibbs.

Mills' first tour as a Foreign Service Officer was at the U.S. embassy in Paris in 1988, where he served as a consular officer and staff assistant to Ambassador Walter Curley. He has had assignments in the Executive Secretariat at the Department of State (1996–1998), Dublin (1999–2001), the United States Mission to the United Nations in New York (2001–2003), Islamabad (2003–2004), Riyadh (2005-2006), London (2006–2009), Baghdad (2009–2010), and Valletta (2010–2012).

His most recent assignment was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. embassy in Beirut, from 2012 to 2014.

During his career, Mills has also served in the Office of Legislative Affairs, at the U.S. Consulate in Saint Petersburg, and in the now-defunct Bureau of Soviet Union Affairs.

Mills was a Nominee for the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Year Award in 2012 and has received nine Superior Honor Awards from the Department of State. He speaks French and conversational Russian.

In July 2014, Mills was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the U.S. ambassador to Armenia.

Previous roles in the Foreign Service

• Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France (1988–1990)
• Desk Officer in the Bureau of Soviet Union Affairs (1990–1993)
• Political Officer at the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg, Russia (1993–1995)
• Legislative Affairs Officer at the Office of Legislative Affairs (1995–1996)
• Line Director in the Executive Secretariat at the Department of State (1996–1998)
• Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, Ireland (1999–2001)
• Political Officer at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York (2001–2003)
• Deputy Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan (2003–2004)
• Energy Attaché and Acting Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (2005–2006)
• Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in London, England (2006–2009)
• Senior Democracy Advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq (2009–2010)
• Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Valletta, Malta (2010–2012)
• Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon (2012–2014)

• ^ "U.S. Ambassador to Armenia: Who Is Richard Mills?". AllGov. October 12, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2015. 
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• "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". The White House. July 10, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2015. 

Mills is married to Leigh Carter, a retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer.