Michael was born in Kingston, New York. As
a baby, he was baptized in the Lutheran church. He and his family, dad Paul, mom Mary Jo, brother Steven,
and sister Christine, moved to Pinckney, Michigan, when he was 14 years old. Michael graduated from
Pinckney High School in 2003. He has wanted to join the military since he was quite young but his parents
told him he had to attend college first. So Michael majored in Mechanical Engineering at Lawrence Technological
College, graduating in 2009 with Honors. (Christine is currently majoring in Political science at MSU and
living in East Lansing.)
Michael applied to both the Air Force and the Navy. The Navy responded
first and Michael flew to Washington, DC, for an interview. He was hired and in June, flew to Rhode Island
to begin Officer Candidate School (OCS).
He graduated OCS on August 26, 2009,
and on October 3rd, he was married to his beautiful wife, Tara Novack. Michael and Tara first
became acquainted at a Labor Day Party in 2004. They dated while attending college, Tara at Eastern Michigan
University where she majored in Psychology. His hobbies are dirt-biking, repairing and remodeling his dirt
bike, hunting, and fishing. The couple now resides in Charleston, South Carolina, where Michael has been
assigned.
In SC, Michael is attending the Navy Nuclear Power School (aka “Nerd Capital of the
World”). Due to the top-secret nature of the information being taught, Michael and his classmates
must return to base to study after class rather than take books or notes home. They attend class five days
a week for twelve hours each day. This course of study will last for six months. They are learning atomic
and nuclear physics in preparation for running a nuclear power plant aboard a submarine or aircraft carrier. After
completion of Power School he will attend Nuclear Prototype School for 6 months. Upon successful completion of these courses,
he will be assigned duty aboard a submarine for on-the-job-training, working with actual operating reactors. At
the end of eighteen months, Michael’s official title will be Nuclear Propulsion Engineer.
Please
pray for Michael’s successful completion of this training. Please pray that Michael and Tara’s
marriage will be blessed and strengthened by our Lord.
