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Colonel Michael L. Ernst

                               Retired effective Sep 1, 2009

Colonel Michael L. Ernst assumed the duties as Deputy G5 (Strategic Plans), 412th Engineer Command on 24 September 2008.

Colonel Ernst’s military service began when he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in September 1969. He was appointed a Second Lieutenant, United State Army, in 1979. His assignments include Commander, A Company 216th Engineer Battalion; Commander, C Company 216th Engineer Battalion; Executive Officer, 216th Engineer Battalion; Commander, 512th Engineer Battalion. During this command, the 512th was mobilized and was assigned to service in Iraq for a period of twelve months. The battalion was augmented with 2 US Marine Corps Bridge Companies with embedded US Navy Corpsmen, 2 US Air Force Utilities Detachments, an Army Diving Detachment, a US Army Reserve Fire Fighting detachment and an Arizona National Guard Well Drilling Detachment. Colonel Ernst had the distinction of commanding the only Battalion in Iraq to be composed of men and women from all four branches of service. The battalion was awarded a meritorious unit commendation for this service.

EDUCATION:

1984 University of Cincinnati – BS Mechanical Engineering
1999 University of Phoenix – MBA– Technology Management

ASSIGNMENTS:

  1. Jul 79 – Aug 79, Platoon Leader, Company B, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Manchester, OH
  2. Aug 79 – Sep 79, Student, Engineer Officer Engineer Basic, Fort Belvoir, VA
  3. Sep 79 – May 81, Platoon Leader, Company B, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Manchester, OH
  4. May 81 – Jul 81, Executive Officer, Company B, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Manchester, OH
  5. Jul 81 – Nov 82, Executive Officer, Company D, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Tarlton, OH
  6. Nov 82 – Nov 82, Garrison Support Engineer, HHC, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  7. Nov 82 – Mar 83, Platoon Leader, HHC, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  8. Mar 83 – Oct 83, Engineer Equipment Officer, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  9. Oct 83 – Jan 85, Company Commander, Company A, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Chillicothe, OH
  10. Jan 85 – Apr 85, Company Commander, Company C, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Felicity, OH
  11. Apr 85 – Oct 85, Engineer Equipment Officer, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  12. Oct 85- Jan 86, Operations Officer, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  13. Jan 86 – Oct 86, Assistant S-3, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  14. Oct 86 – Feb 88, Company Commander, Company C, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Felicity, OH
  15. Feb 88 – Nov 89, Operations Officer, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  16. Nov 89 – Oct 91, Engineer Equipment Officer, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  17. Oct 91 – Feb 93, S-3, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  18. Feb 93 – Sep 93, Executive Officer, 216th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Portsmouth, OH
  19. Sep 93 – Feb 95, Civil Engineer, 16th Engineer Brigade, Columbus, OH
  20. Feb 95 – Oct 96, Construction Management Officer, 16th Engineer Brigade, Columbus, OH
  21. Oct 96 – Feb 02, Area Damage Control Officer, 16th Engineer Brigade, Columbus, OH
  22. Feb 02 – Dec 03, Commander, 512th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Cincinnati, OH
  23. Dec 03 – Mar  05, Commander, 512th Engineer Battalion, 420th Engineer Brigade, United States Army, Iraq
  24. Mar 05 – Aug 05, Commander, 512th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, Cincinnati, OH
  25. Aug 05 – Mar 06, Deputy Facility Engineer, Joint Force Headquarters, OH, Army National Guard, Columbus, OH
  26. Mar 06 – Oct 06, Casual Duty – Unassigned
  27. Oct 06 – Mar 08, Director, HQ Detachment Eighth US Army, Indianapolis, IN
  28. Mar 08 – Sep 08, Deputy Chief of Staff, Engineer, HQ Detachment Eighth US Army, Indianapolis, IN
  29. Sep 08 – Aug 09, Deputy G5 (Strategic Plans), 412th Theater Engineer Command, Vicksburg, MS 

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 1 Silver and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with Bronze Service Star
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device and Silver Hourglass
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon
Army Reserve Component Overseas Deployment Ribbon with numerals 20
Ohio Distinguished Service Medal
Ohio Commendation Medal with numeral 3
Ohio Faithful Service Ribbon with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Ohio Special Service Ribbon with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS:

2LT ARNG 15 Jul 79
1LT ARNG 14 Jul 82
CPT ARNG 20 Sep 84
MAJ ARNG 3 Nov 90
LTC ARNG 28 Mar 95
COL USAR 13 Mar 06
(Current as of January 2010)