Encyclopedia · Person
Christopher C. Miller
American retired Army officer and former acting U.S. secretary of defense
Personal details
- Full name
- Christopher Charles Miller
- Born
- October 15, 1965 · Platteville, Wisconsin
- Education
- George Washington University, B.A. in history; Naval War College, M.A. in national security studies
- Military
- U.S. Army and Special Forces; served 1983–2014
- Spouse
- Kathryn Maag Miller
- Children
- Three (public Defense Department biography)
- Government office
- Acting secretary of defense, Nov. 9, 2020 – Jan. 20, 2021
Christopher C. Miller is an American retired Army officer who served as acting U.S. secretary of defense.
Military and government service
Miller served in the Army Reserve, Army infantry and Special Forces, including service in Afghanistan and Iraq. He later worked on counterterrorism policy at the National Security Council, led the National Counterterrorism Center and served as acting secretary of defense.
Project 2025
Miller authored the Department of Defense chapter of the 2023 Heritage Foundation volume Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise.
References
Research compiled through November 12, 2026. Sources and historical roles are dated where known.