Biography

MICHAEL W. COLLINS

MICHAEL COLLINS ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS AT RECRUITING STATION INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA AND ATTENDED RECRUIT TRAINING AT MCRD SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA IN MAY 1969.  UPON GRADUATION, HE ATTENDED BASIC ELECTRONICS AND FUNDAMENTALS OF DIGITAL LOGIC COURSES AT THE MARINE CORPS COMMUNICATION-ELECTRONICS SCHOOL, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.  MICHAEL WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO FORT MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY WHERE HE ATTENDED THE FIXED CIPHONY REPAIR COURSE.  IN FEBRUARY, 1971, MICHAEL GRADUATED FROM THE FIXED CIPHONY REPAIR COURSE AS AN AUTOMATIC SECURE VOICE COMMUNICATIONS TECHNICIAN, AND HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, EL TORO, CALIFORNIA.  FROM SEPTEMBER 1972 TO AUGUST 1974, MICHAEL SERVED WITH HEADQUARTERS AND SERVICE SQUADRON, MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, IWAKUNI, JAPAN WHERE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE GROUND ELECTRONICS MAINTENANCE SECTION, TECHNICAL CONTROL FACILITY.  DURING SEPTEMBER, 1974, MICHAEL WAS TRANSFERRED TO MARINE CORPS BASE, CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA WHERE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO BASE ELECTRONICS AS AN AUTOSEVOCOM TECHNICIAN..  FROM SEPTEMBER, 1975 TO FEBRUARY, 1979, MICHAEL SERVED WITH MARINE CORPS COMMUNICATION-ELECTRONICS SCHOOL, 29 PALMS, CALIFORNIA AS AN INSTRUCTOR FOR THE TERMINAL EQUIPMENT THEORY COURSE AND THE MOBILE DATA COMMUNICATIONS TERMINAL TECHNICIAN COURSE (AN/TYC-5A).  IN FEBRUARY 1979, MICAHEL WAS TRANSFERRED TO MARINE WING COMMUNICATION SQUADRON-18, 1ST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING, OKINAWA, JAPAN AS A MOBILE DATA COMMUNICATIONS TERMINAL TECHNICIAN.  FROM MARCH, 1980 TO MARCH, 1983 MICHAEL SERVED WITH THE COMMAND, CONTROL, AND COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION, MARINE CORPS DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION COMMAND, QUANTICO, VIRGINIA.  DURING THIS TIME, MICHAEL HELD BILLETS AS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OFFICER FOR SEVERAL TRI-TAC PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE THE LONG-HAUL FIBER OPTICS SYSTEM AND INITIATED THE MARINE CORPS FIBER OPTICS PROGRAM.  IN MARCH, 1983, MICHAEL WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE TRAINING AND AUDIO-VISUAL SUPPORT SECTION, MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, 29 PALMS, CALIFORNIA WHERE HE SERVED AS A BROADCAST ENGINEER, CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION TECHNICIAN AND AS THE MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT CHIEF.  IN FEBRUARY, 1986, MICHAEL WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 3D MARINE DIVISION, WHERE HE WAS INITIALLY ASSIGNED AS THE MAINTENANCE CHIEF FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, HEADQUARTERS BATTALION AND LATER AS THE ASSISTANT MAINTENANCE OFFICER IN THE DIVISION G-6 SECTION.  FROM JANUARY, 1989 TO PRESENT, MICHAEL COLLINS HELD BILLETS AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPUTER SUPPORT CHIEF FOR THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT SECTION, MARINE CORPS COMMUNICATION--ELECTRONICS SCHOOL, 29 PALMS, CALIFORNIA.  MICHAEL COLLINS' AWARDS INCLUDE:

NAVY COMMENDATION MEDAL

NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL

GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, 6TH AWARD

NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL

SEA SERVICE DEPLOYMENT RIBBON

MICHAEL COLLINS AND HIS WIFE RETIRED IN TWENTYNINE PALMS WHERE THEY NOW OWN A COMPUTER RETAIL/SERVICE BUSINESS, A RADIO SHACK FRANCHISE AND ARE THE COMMUNITIES LOCAL INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER.  SINCE MICHAEL’S RETIREMENT FROM THE MARINE CORPS IN 1989, HE HAS SERVED AS THE VICE PRESIDENT AND THE PRESIDENT OF REACHOUT 29, AN INTER-FAITH CAREGIVING ORGANIZATION, A BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBER OF ACTION COUNCIL FOR 29 PALMS, AND IS CURRENTLY SERVING HIS SECOND YEAR AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE 29 PALMS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

MICHAEL COLLINS IS MARRIED TO THE FORMER SHARON KAY JOHNSON OF MILAN INDIANA.  THEY HAVE TWO CHILDREN; MICHAEL JASON, AGE 29, AND JOSHUA B, AGE 27.