Michael G. Wenger
Chief Warrant Officer 4, USMCR(Ret)
Marine Chief Warrant Officer 4 Mike Wenger was born on 19 September, 1952 in Madison, Wisconsin. A graduate of Lodi High School in Lodi, Wisconsin, he entered the Marine Corps Reserve on 27 January, 1971. He served in the 4th 105 Howitzer Battery, which was redesignated as an infantry company to Golf Company, 2d Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment in October, 1971.
After graduating from Madison Area Technical College with his Associates Degree in Business Administration, Data Processing in 1973, Corporal Wenger re-entered active duty. Upon completion of further training at the Marine Corps Computer Sciences School in Quantico, Virginia, he served as a computer programmer at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD), San Diego, California; Camp Foster, Okinawa; and Camp LeJuene, North Carolina.
He left active service in 1980 at the rank of Gunnery Sergeant to pursue a civilian career with the Rayovac Corporation in Madison, Wisconsin. He resumed his reserve career serving as the Company Gunnery Sergeant in the infantry with Madison’s Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment. In October of 1981, he was appointed to the rank of Warrant Officer and assumed the duties of 2nd Platoon Commander. He transferred to Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48 in 1988, serving as Wire Platoon Commander and Assistant Operations Officer, attaining the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 in October of 1991.
In 1996, he was assigned to the Marine Forces Pacific Command in Camp Smith, Hawaii as the Assistant Director, System Integration Hub. During these years, Mike served as a Senior Project Manager at the firms of Compuware Corporation and IBM in his civilian career.
Immediately after the attacks of 9/11, he was called to active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was ordered to the Marine Central Command (MARCENT) Headquarters at Mac Dill Air Force Base in Tampa. He served as assistant to the G6 Systems Officer. His duties included liaison officer between the US Central Command (CENTCOM) systems staff, the MARCENT Forward Headquarters in Bahrain, and the International Joint Systems Coalition Team until his mandatory retirement on 31 Dec, 2002. In his civilian career, he joined the Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) as an IT Manager for their large scale computer complex.
He volunteered for retired recall duty in October, 2007 to join his old infantry battalion, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, as member of the battalion staff when they were activated for a combat tour in Iraq. He continued his retired recall duty with CENTCOM, serving as a communications officer in Tampa, Afghanistan, and Qatar. His duties at CENTCOM included Executive Officer and Operations Officer for the J6 Operations Division.
He earned his BA Degree in Human Resources Management from Pepperdine University while on active duty in 1978 and a MBA from Cardinal Stritch University’s evening program in 1989. His military schools include the Amphibious Warfare School, Communications Officer Course, Marine Air Ground Task Force Staff Planning Course, Ground Combat Element Communications Planning Course, Reserve Warrant Officers Basic Course, and numerous other technical and leadership courses.
His personal military awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Navy Meritorious Unit Citation w/star, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal w/star, Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal w/4 stars, National Defense Service Medal w/2 stars, Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/2 stars, Navy Arctic Service Ribbon, and Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/silver hourglass, M device and numeral 3, and the NATO Afghanistan Medal.
Mike currently is retired and enjoys sharing time with his family and wife Terri who retired from the FDA as a Nutritional Scientist/Food Technologist in the Washington, DC area.