[1][3] He enlisted in the PLA in December 1969, serving as a soldier in the 274th regiment of the 92nd division of the 31st Group Army, in the Nanjing Military Region.

In August 1999, Miao became director of the Political Department of the 31st Group Army, and attained the rank of major general in July 2001.

In July 2014, he was promoted to political commissar of the Lanzhou MR, replacing General Li Changcai, who had retired.

[1] It was a highly unusual move, as navy political commissars, including his predecessor Liu Xiaojiang, were normally promoted internally.

Observers have interpreted the move as related to the fall of General Xu Caihou, the former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.