Michael is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army with over 30 years service and is one of Australia's most decorated military soldiers. He currently occupies a senior position within the Army of the United Arab Emirates as Commander of the UAE Presidential Guard, that includes both conventional and special forces units.
- He entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1976, graduating into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1978
- Saw regimental service as a Platoon Commander with the 2nd/4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and as a Troop Commander, Squadron Commander and Commanding Officer with the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR)
- Other appointments include: SO3 Operations at HQ Land Command; SO2 Training at HQ UK Special Forces; SO1 Operations at HQ Special Forces; and Brigade level tactics instructor at the Land Warfare Centre
- As Commanding Officer of the SASR, commanded the ANZAC Special Operations Force detachment to Operation Pollard in Kuwait during 1998; later appointed to command the Special Operations Component on Operation Bastille and Operation Falconer in the Iraq War
- Awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) on 14 June 1999
- Awarded Member (AM) of the Order of Australia on 27 November 2003 for exceptional leadership in force preparation and logistic support as the Commander of Task Force 633.3 in the Middle East Area of Operations, during Operation FALCONER
- Served as the Commander of the Australian Special Operations Command from October 2004 to February 2008
- Awarded Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2008
- Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) on 8 June 2009 for distinguished command and leadership in action in the Middle East Area of Operations as the Commander Joint Task Force 633 for Operations CATALYST and SLIPPER.
