S2

FIRST LIEUTENANT MICHAEL NELSON

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

 First Lieutenant Michael Nelson was born in Birmingham, Alabama and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Army in May 1987.  He attended Recruit Training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California and Advanced Individual Training at the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center at Dam Neck, Virginia.  He was mobilized for service in Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM as an Intelligence Specialist in 3^rd Battalion, 24^th Marines, a USMC-R infantry battalion based in St. Louis, Missouri.  He was discharged from the USMC-R in May 1995 after completing his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at The Ohio State University.   

First Lieutenant Nelson joined the Ohio Army National Guard in July 1995 as a 96B Intelligence Analyst in the 1^st Battalion, 137^th Aviation.  He then attended the 145^th Regiment Ohio Regional Training Center Officer Candidate School, earning his commission in August 1997.  1LT Nelson was then assigned to the 2^nd Squadron, 107^th Cavalry as the Tactical Intelligence Officer.  He completed the US Army Military Intelligence Officer Basic Course in November 1998.  1LT Nelson presently serves as the S-2, 2^nd Battalion, 174^th Air Defense Artillery (Avenger) and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Military History at The Ohio State University. 

His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two campaign stars, the Army Service Ribbon, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and the Kuwait Liberation Medal.

 First Lieutenant Nelson won the 73^rd Troop Command Top Officer Candidate award in OCS Class 44, and the Citizen Soldier Award for the top reserve component lieutenant in Military Intelligence Officer Basic Course, Class 98-06.

 1LT Nelson is married to the former Stephanie Graubner of Kensington, Ohio.