Lieutenant Colonel Michael D. Henderson was born in Emmett, Idaho and holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwest Nazarene College in Physical Education and a Master’s Degree from Western Kentucky University in Public Administration. In December of 1990 he was commissioned a Reserve Army Officer from the Boise State University ROTC program and entered active duty in November 1991. He currently serves as an Army War College Fellow at the Bush School of Government and Public Service’s Scowcroft Institute at Texas A&M University.
Upon entering active duty, Lieutenant Colonel Henderson served as a Tank Platoon Leader, Tank Company Executive Officer and Headquarters Company Executive Officer in 2nd Battalion, 72nd Armor, 2nd Infantry Division Camp Casey Korea and in 4th Battalion, 37th Armor First Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. After completion of the Armor Officer’s Advanced Course in June 1996, Lieutenant Colonel Henderson was assigned to the 3rd Brigade, First Cavalry Division, FT Hood, Texas where he served as an Assistant Brigade Operations Officer and then a Tank and Headquarters Company Commander in 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry. Upon reassignment in May 1999, Lieutenant Colonel Henderson served as a Tank Company Observer/Controller at the Combat Maneuver Training Center, Hohenfels, Germany. Following his two year assignment in Germany, Lieutenant Colonel Henderson was assigned to the United States Army Armor Center, FT Knox, Kentucky where he served as a Combined Arms Doctrine Writer with emphasis on Force XXI doctrine.
In July 2004 Lieutenant Colonel Henderson was once again assigned to the 3rd Brigade, First Cavalry Division where he served as a Brigade Logistics Officer, Battalion Operations Officer in 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry and as the Brigade Operations Officer. During this period he deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom to include the surge of 2007. In July of 2007, he was reassigned to the III Corps/Multi-National Corps-Iraq as the Executive Officer to the Corps Operations Officer. In May of 2008, Lieutenant Colonel Henderson was assigned to the Pentagon where he served as the Assistant Executive Officer to the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management on the Army Staff. In May of 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Henderson assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor at FT Riley, Kansas deploying to Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn. In May of 2012, he relinquished command and reported to FT Irwin, California where he served as a Senior Battalion Trainer at the National Training Center until his assignment to the Army War College in July 2013. His military education includes: the Armor Officer Basic and Advance Courses; Combined Arms Services Staff School; and Command and General Staff College.
Lieutenant Colonel Henderson’s awards and decorations include: the Bronze Star Medal (3rd Award); the Meritorious Service Medal (5th Award); the Joint Service Commendation Medal; the Army Commendation Medal (4th Award); the Army Achievement Medal (3rd Award); the Iraqi Campaign Medal; the Combat Action Badge and the Parachutists Badge.
Lieutenant Colonel Henderson is married to the former Elizabeth Burnett PhD. of Austin, Texas and they have twin sons Peter and Timothy.
