COL Michael E. Franco is a graduate from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and was commissioned in the Medical Service Corps as a Distinguished Military Graduate prior to transitioning to the Army Medical Specialist Corps. Before receiving his commission he served in the Texas National Guard with Company C, 6th Battalion, 112th Armor and Company G (Long Range Surveillance), 143rd Infantry Regiment.
COL Michael E. Franco assumed command of the 4-393rd Medical Battalion, 120th Infantry Brigade on July 11, 2016, Fort Hood, TX. Before assuming his current duties as the Battalion Commander, 4-393rd Medical Battalion, he served as the Deputy for Health and Medical Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Homeland Defense and Global Security, Pentagon, Washington DC. His other military assignments include: Medical Strategy and Plans Officer, Joint Staff J4, Human Intelligence Support Detachment (HSD), Pentagon, Washington, DC where he led an Overreaching Integrated Product Team (OIPT) to developed the Joint Concept for Health Services describing how the future medical enterprise will support Global Integrated Operations; Deputy Director, Human Systems Transformation, Office of the Army Surgeon General, Falls Church, VA; Chief, Medical Plans and Operations, US Army Emergency Medical Services, Joint Base San Antonio, TX where he developed the structure for the Center for Pre-deployment Medicine; Battalion Medical Officer, Task Force 62d Medical Brigade; Director, Medical Field Crafts and Pre-deployment Training, Department of Combat Medic Training (DCMT), JBSA, TX; Battalion Medical Officer, 2d Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC; Aide-de-Camp, Commanding General, Army Medical Department Center and School (AMEDD C&S), JBSA, TX; AMEDD Small Group Instructor, Officer Basic Course; JBSA, TX; Division Support Command (DISCOM) Support Operations Officer, Division Support Command, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC; G4 Plans and Operations Officer, 82d Airborne Division; Company Commander, 782d MSB, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC; Commander, 82d Forward Surgical Team, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC; Medical Operations Planner, United States Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC; Battalion S4, 2d Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH), 36th Engineer Group, Fort Benning, GA; Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer, 690th Medical Company, Fort Benning, GA.
COL Franco is a graduate of the AMEDD Officer Basic and Advance Courses, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Defense Strategy Course, Intermediate Level Education – Command & General Staff College (ILE-CGSC), Army War College, Joint Medical Planners Course, Joint Senior Medical Leaders Course, Support Operations Course, Intermediate Acquisitions Course, AMEDD Executive Skills Course, Joint Interagency Planning Course, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Course.
He has earned a Master of Science Degree in Business Management, a Master of Science Degree in Allied Health Studies, a Masters of Arts Degree in National Security & Strategy (Navy War College) and Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies (Army War College). He is also a graduated from the National Executive Leadership Seminar and a RAND-Arroyo Army Fellow.
COL Franco’s awards, decorations, and honors include the Bronze Star Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (with four Oak Leaf Cluster), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Iraq Campaign Medial with 4 Bronze Stars, and the Order of Military Medical Merit. He has earned the Combat Action Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge, Army Flight Surgeon Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Master Rated Parachutist, Ranger Tab, Army Staff Identification Badge, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Staff Identification Badge.
Acknowledgments: This biography was written by LTC Amelia Duran-Stanton, MAJ Patrick Walsh, and COL Michael Franco and was submitted to the Society in September 2017. Photographs are courtesy of COL Franco.
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Disclaimer: The authors’ views do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
