Garrison Commander Col. Midles
Colonel Ringo L. Midles completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and commissioned into the U.S. Army in 2002 following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. After completing the Infantry Officer Basic Course, his first assignment was with the 25th Infantry Division, where he served as a rifle platoon leader, anti-tank platoon leader, Headquarters and Headquarters Company executive officer, and battalion assistant S-3. During this time, his vehicle led the division into combat for the first time since the Vietnam War. Following a 14-month combat deployment to Iraq, he transitioned to the Finance Corps.
After graduating from the Finance Captains Career Course in 2006, Midles volunteered for and was selected to attend the Civil Affairs Qualification Course in 2007. Upon completion, he was assigned to the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force–Afghanistan. After redeployment, he participated in a Joint Combined Exchange Training exercise with the Royal Thai 3rd Army and was later selected to lead the Civil-Military Support Element for U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.
In 2009, Midles returned to Washington state to serve as the civil-military operations officer (S-9) for 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group. The unit deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 as Special Operations Task Force–West, focusing on village stability operations and ring road construction. He later assumed command of Bravo Company, 92nd Cavalry Battalion, and deployed in support of Theater Special Operations Command Europe and U.S. embassies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Georgia, and Turkey, conducting operations and engagements across Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and the Levant. He subsequently served as a battalion executive officer before completing the Command and General Staff Officers Course in 2015.
From 2016 to 2018, Midles served as a planner on the Civil Affairs Planning Team Europe, contributing to DEFENDER-Europe exercises, and later as deputy chief of staff, G-9, U.S. Army Europe, where he led the G-39 information operations staff section. While serving as deputy chief of staff, G-9, and assistant chief of staff for the 8th Theater Sustainment Command, he led the Department of Defense’s only military-to-military engagement with the People’s Liberation Army, executing the Disaster Management Exchange. Midles later served as commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, U.S. Army Pacific, during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Red Hill response. He also served as chief of the Theater Civil Affairs Planning Team at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and most recently as chief of staff for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Taiwan Headquarters Element.
Midles holds a Master of Management and Leadership from Webster University and a Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College.
His top awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and Meritorious Service Medal (four oak leaf clusters). His unit awards include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award (one oak leaf cluster), Valorous Unit Award (one oak leaf cluster), Meritorious Unit Citation (one oak leaf cluster), and Army Superior Unit Award.
He and his wife, Figen, have four children.
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