Lt Col (RET.) Mark Michels

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Mark Michels is a native of Buffalo, New York, and currently resides in Canastota, New York. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1988 and served in a wide range of enlisted roles, including Infantryman, Finance Specialist, Combat Engineer, Drill Sergeant, and Army Recruiter. He rose to the rank of Sergeant First Class (SFC) before earning his commission as a Second Lieutenant in 2001 through the Army’s Green to Gold ROTC Program at Syracuse University. He was initially commissioned as an Air Defense Artillery (ADA) officer and later transitioned to the Functional Area 52 (FA52) career field as a Counter-Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) and Nonproliferation Officer.

Throughout his military career, LTC Michels served in a wide range of command, operational, and strategic roles across joint and interagency environments. His assignments included Counter-Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Planner for Joint Task Force–Civil Support (JTF-CS), and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). He provided operational planning support across EUCOM, AFRICOM, and NORTHCOM, integrating chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) capabilities into both homeland defense and global contingency operations. His final assignment on active duty was as a Counter-Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Planner for Joint Task Force–Civil Support (JTF-CS) and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

Last active duty assignment, Dr. Michels continued his service to national defense in senior military roles. He was appointed as Provost and Operations Officer at the Defense Nuclear Weapons School (DNWS), overseeing curriculum development, training operations, and interagency collaboration for nuclear and radiological response.

After his retirement in 2019, Dr. Michels took a position as the Commander’s Non-Lethal Effects Advisor at U.S. European Command (EUCOM), where, as a civilian, he supported EUCOM and NATO component commands in the integration of non-lethal capabilities and strategic influence effects into regional plans and operational design.

Dr. Michels also held the position of Director of Operations (G-3/5/7) at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), where he led operational planning for Army experimentation, technology integration, and future force development. He was the senior approver for DEVCOM-sponsored unmanned aerial systems (UAS) test requests prior to submission to the Department of the Army.

He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Global Integrity Alliance, a defense consulting firm specializing in strategic advising, counterterrorism training, and operational support to U.S. and international government clients. He is also the founder of Global Defense Solutions, LLC, where he leads projects supporting defense modernization, export compliance, and security force development in Oman, Iraq, and Libya.

Personal Decorations:  Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4 awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (5 awards), and the Army Achievement Medal (3 awards).

Education: Fellow, Management and Strategy Institute Fellowship Program; Doctor of Business Administration (Dissertation: Homeland Security Leadership and Policy), Northcentral University; Master’s Certificate, Higher Education Administration (Adult Education), Post University; Master’s Degree, National Security Studies (Terrorism), American Military University; and a Bachelor’s Degree, Sociology (Criminology), State University of New York.