Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Michael Papadopoulos was raised in Troy, New York. He graduated from Siena College in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance and was later commissioned a Second Lieutenant through the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. He received a Master’s of Science in Systems Management from Florida Institute of Technology in 1990. He served on active duty in the Army for over 25 years and retired on September 30, 2008 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Currently, Mike serves as the Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students at Siena College.
LTC (R) Papadopoulos served in a variety of assignments in both the United States and overseas. His most recent assignment was the Professor of Military Science at Siena College from 2004-2008. He previously held the same position at the University of Rhode Island. From 1998-2000, he was assigned as the U.S. Representative and Liaison Officer to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Advanced Command Post in Thessaloniki, Greece, where he coordinated the movement of US and allied forces through Greece to the former Yugoslavia, in support of the Kosovo operations. Other previous assignments include Executive Officer and Support Operations Officer of the 3d Forward Support Battalion in the 3d Infantry Division as well as Logistics Plans and Operations Officer in the 24th Infantry Divisions at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The tour of duty included deployments to Kuwait for Operation Vigilant Warrior, and Egypt for a multinational exercise “Bright Star”; served as Executive Officer and Logistics Officer of a Technical Intelligence Battalion in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; and as Logistics Plans and Operations Officer with 2d Corps Support Command, in Stuttgart, Germany supporting VII U.S. Corps. During Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm the unit deployed other major units defending the former inner-German border.
His military education includes: the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, NATO Staff Officers Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff Officers Course, and the Quartermaster Officer Basic and Advanced Courses.
LTC (R) Papadopoulos’ awards and decorations include: the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4th Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Commendation Medal (2d Oak leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Medal with Three Bronze Stars, NATO Medal, Kosovo Medal, Saudi Arabia Liberation Medal, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal.