Michael was born and raised in San Antonio, where he attended public school. His father was in the Navy and was stationed aboard the Battleship Texas on D-Day. After graduating from Alamo Heights High School, Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Tulane University and a law degree from St. Mary’s University. He has also completed graduate work in the College of Business at the University of Texas in San Antonio. 

Upon graduation from Tulane University in 1969, Michael was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy Supply Corps and received orders to the Supply Corps School in Athens, Georgia. Upon his successful completion of the basic Supply Officer training course, he received orders to the Navy Ship Repair Facility on Guam. He agreed to extend his stay on Guam for an additional year in order to continue to serve at the Ship Repair Facility but was ordered to the staff of Coastal Squadron Three headquartered in Guam as the Staff Supply Officer. It was during this tour of duty that he volunteered for a mission to Vietnam. The experiences he had during that week formed the basis of his first book, “A Week in Vietnam”.

Michael left active duty in June of 1973 and attended law school at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. He graduated in the summer of 1975 and received his license to practice law in Texas. 

While in law school, Michael was contacted by the Navy Reserve and was recruited to become a member of the active Naval Reserve. He accepted, and over the next 22 years, had many interesting and varied assignments. He developed a specialty in Navy fuel operations that resulted in several tours in the Pentagon. He retired as a Captain from the Naval Reserve in 1996. He retired from the active practice of law in 2017 to pursue a lifelong dream of writing.   

Michael now lives in Austin with his wife, Helen, and their two dogs, Maggie and Dewey. They continue to collect new adventures while traveling in their RV.