Dr. Mike Colson is a former Marine and Navy commander, a former chaplain, restricted line officer, and combat veteran. He is a National Service Fellow, a recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, was awarded the Iraq (and) Afghanistan War on Terrorism Medal, and is a significantly disabled American veteran. As a chaplain he served with Battalion 3/10, 2/6, and 2/4 at Second Marine Division, USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Harlan County, USS Kearsarge, USS Ashland, NS Guantanamo Bay, COMFLEACT Chinhae (Korea), NS Everett, and NAS Whidbey Island. He held ADDU positions with U.S. Marine and Navy Infantry (6th and 8th Marines) and Air Wing (COMVAQWINGPAC and Wing 10) commands forward deployed, Center for Career Development, and the Navy Safety Center as a special staff officer focused on health and well-being training protocols, prevention program media design and implementation, command health risk assessment, and on-site human services support during multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Germany, and Turkey. He continued this work as a readjustment and outreach coordinator at both the Veterans Administration, with Triwest Health care Alliance, and under contract to the Department of Defense and international defense contractors. He separated from active service in 2005 and later was transferred to the medical retiree rolls due to injuries sustained and multiple surgeries.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and Educational Psychology from Eastern Michigan University (1977); a Masters of Arts in Educational Psychology and Counseling from Western Seminary (Portland OR, 1979); a Honors Degree (Ph.D. equivalent) in Psychology and Pedagogy from UNISA, (S Afr) earned while working war refugees in Africa in 1987; and a PhD. in Clinical Human Services from Walden University he earned through dispersed residency while serving on active duty worldwide. He is a licensed clinical provider in Washington State and Hawaii, a Nationally certified K-12 public school educator (K-12/School Counseling), and a former credentialed provider for the Veterans Administration.
He began his career as a Kindergarten teacher in Michigan and took that training to Africa where he was a teacher and then principal/headmaster at Mankayane High School in Swaziland. During a 14 year African tenure, he advanced his influence as a adjunct college professor and U.S. Foreign Service Officer, assisting in drought relief and refugee recovery and support programming during the Mozambican Civil War and its aftermath. He started with his wife first one then a second orphanage for children affected with HIV/AIDS. He regularly advocates for a non-profit foundation, Military Chaplains Services, which receives all proceeds from his book sales, consulting and speaking fees. He is expanding the orphan work to India and Afghanistan and volunteers in the Hawaiian Public School system.
Past accomplishments include three books: “The Paradox of Underachievement” from EMI that explores military dissonance in a benefit-laden society - “In Irons” from Bookmasters that is a humorous diatribe on the art of living well - and - “We Are Mysterious”. He has developed mixed media material targeting military and youth issues, suicide, depression, stress, education, decision making, and post-combat readjustment. He has developed a virtual and interactive post-combat zone assessment vehicle and transition of care program. Dr. Colson was the subject of a two-part NPR expose on post-combat care, regularly speaks at colleges and universities, military bases, community events and celebrations. He most recently returned from Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East. He is an advocate for youth, orphans, refugees, military and contract personnel serving their country, and those suffering from HIV/AIDS worldwide. He lives in Kamuela on the Big Island of Hawaii. He can be reached at mike@mikecolson.com.
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