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Current Short bio
00:56 Jun 27 2013
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My name is Michael and I have lived in a wide spot in rural Louisiana called LeCompte (Pronounced by locals as La Count.) since August 1998 with a few times off for bad behavior in the Middle East with the Army Reserve (Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom). I was born on 12 February 1958 which makes me old. I guess?

I earned my PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1990 at OK State U at Stillwater, OK. I have been a lab director and educator for most of my professional career with a short part time stint as a quality control chemist at a local zeolite plant. I was from June 2005 to October 2011 at Natural Advantage (Flavorings) at Oakdale, LA as the Senior Chemist. I am now a cosmetic chemist in Lafayette, LA.

My other life for many years was the Military. I was an ROTC graduate and commissioned as a Chemical Corps Officer in May 1980. After training I was shipped off to Wiesbaden, West Germany for 3.5 years. After release from active duty I joined an Infantry OSUT reserve unit in Stillwater, OK for my time in graduate School. I was the Commander of an Infantry OSUT Company then Brigade Operations Manager.

After graduate school I moved to a lab director / instructor job at Miss State U in Starkville, MS and transferred to the 386th Personnel Battalion as Theater Personnel Operations Planner. November 1991 brought Desert Storm activation and a new job as the S1/Personnel Staff Officer as the old one was relieved for incompetency days after arriving in Saudi Arabia. That was a tremendous learning curve as the Personnel NCO was delayed till February with issues surrounding his mother's death. This left me with a new Buck Sergeant and a PFC as my staff. (Lots of experience?) Needless to say I spent a lot of time in the Brigade S1's office.

My next chemistry position was at Tulane U as the director of undergraduate laboratories this coincided with my final move in the reserves to the 377th Theater Support Command in New Orleans, LA. My duties were initially as a Theater Ammunition Manager then to CBRNE Defense, and picking up other tasks as needs of the unit required including assistant theater mortuary affairs officer.

From November 2001 to June 2003 I had a vacation from Louisiana State University at Alexandria and my duties as an assistant Professor (Aug 1997 - Aug 2005) for Operation Iraqi Freedom. While in OIF/OEF I filled many roles: CBRNE Defense, Multifunctional Theater Logistics Planner, Mortuary Affairs Manager. While in Kuwait I was promoted to LTC into my final position as TSC Chemical Officer. I finally hung up my uniform in April 2004.

In June of 2005 I was hired on as the senior production chemist at Natural Advantage a natural flavorings company based in Oakdale, LA. I was still finishing up at LSUA with a night class until August 2005. I am no longer at NA as my health suffered from overwork and I left 29 October 2011.

Currently I am at AMCOL Health and Personal Care in Lafayette, LA since June 7, 2012 as the formulation chemist and supervise personnel, equipment, and processes in the formulation part of the plant where we make lotions, sunscreens, and other cosmetic creams.