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Colonel Richard C. Runner Biography

Colonel Richard (Rick) C. Runner is currently the Defense and Army Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.

Colonel Runner was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery following graduation from Western Maryland College, Westminster, Maryland in 1982.  Since commissioning, he has served in a variety of Field Artillery assignments in the continental United States and Europe, including battalion and brigade fire support officer, fire direction officer, and firing battery executive officer with C Battery, 94th Field Artillery, Berlin Brigade; squadron fire support officer and howitzer battery commander with 1st Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment; and brigade fire support officer and battalion executive officer with 3d Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, 10th Mountain Division.

Colonel Runner was designated a U.S. Army Foreign Area Officer in 1986 with Europe as his Area of Concentration.  He has served previously on the Army Staff as an analyst and both as Chief of Operations and as Director, Army Foreign Liaison Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G2.  From July 2002 to July 2005, Colonel Runner served as the U.S. Defense and Army Attaché in Slovenia.  He speaks Polish, German and Slovene.

Colonel Runner has a Bachelor of Arts degree in the German language and European history from Western Maryland College, a Masters of Art degree in International Affairs from The George Washington University, and a Masters degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.  He is a graduate of the Field Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the U.S. Army War College, and the Joint Military Attaché School.

Colonel Runner is married to the former Jackie Smith of Ellicott City, Maryland.  The Runners have three children; Gregory, Matthew and Stephanie.