COL (Ret) Michael P. Courts
A native of Tacoma, Washington, Mike made West Point harder than it needed to be. In a constant battle with the Dean, Mike managed to spend 3 years in the Summer Term Academic Program. Although academics were not his priority, he was fully committed to many other worthwhile pursuits, including the Cadet Acting Troop (served as Director of our 100th Night Show), Ski Club (preparation for a retirement career), and the Marathon Team.
Initially branched Air Defense (the old Dean thing again) and assigned to Ft Lewis, WA, Mike quickly applied to and was accepted to Flight School. Mike spent most of his time in attack helicopter units and was fortunate to get into the AH-64 program early. Assignments included Ft Lewis, WA, Ft Hood, TX (2x), FT Bragg, N.C., Heidelberg, GE, Bosnia-Herzegovina (2x), Ft Rucker, AL, The Pentagon, Ft Riley, KS, and Baghdad, Iraq (2x). Mike’s notable assignments include Troop, Battalion, and Brigade Command, serving as Chief of Staff for 1stID and I Corps. Mike retired in 2011 after 30 years on active duty.
Following retirement, Mike ran for and was elected to the City Council of DuPont, WA, and later as Mayor of DuPont, WA. Additionally, Mike has worked as a ski instructor at The Summit at Snoqualmie since 2012. He remains very active in his church, Christ Lutheran Church, Lakewood, WA, and currently serves on the Synod Council for the Southwestern Washington Synod. Mike and Robbie are avid skiers, have spent a great deal of time kayaking in the PNW, and Mike is also a committed golfer.
Mike and his lovely bride, Robbie Courts (a retired Army Major, Occupational Therapist), have been married since December 1983, and they have two children, Benjamin, born in 1989, and Samantha, born in 1993
Author Profile
Letters from Baghdad Vol 1 Tea with Terrorists
Letters from Baghdad Vol 2 Herding Cats
Available on Amazon
Initially branched Air Defense (the old Dean thing again) and assigned to Ft Lewis, WA, Mike quickly applied to and was accepted to Flight School. Mike spent most of his time in attack helicopter units and was fortunate to get into the AH-64 program early. Assignments included Ft Lewis, WA, Ft Hood, TX (2x), FT Bragg, N.C., Heidelberg, GE, Bosnia-Herzegovina (2x), Ft Rucker, AL, The Pentagon, Ft Riley, KS, and Baghdad, Iraq (2x). Mike’s notable assignments include Troop, Battalion, and Brigade Command, serving as Chief of Staff for 1stID and I Corps. Mike retired in 2011 after 30 years on active duty.
Following retirement, Mike ran for and was elected to the City Council of DuPont, WA, and later as Mayor of DuPont, WA. Additionally, Mike has worked as a ski instructor at The Summit at Snoqualmie since 2012. He remains very active in his church, Christ Lutheran Church, Lakewood, WA, and currently serves on the Synod Council for the Southwestern Washington Synod. Mike and Robbie are avid skiers, have spent a great deal of time kayaking in the PNW, and Mike is also a committed golfer.
Mike and his lovely bride, Robbie Courts (a retired Army Major, Occupational Therapist), have been married since December 1983, and they have two children, Benjamin, born in 1989, and Samantha, born in 1993
Author Profile
Letters from Baghdad Vol 1 Tea with Terrorists
Letters from Baghdad Vol 2 Herding Cats
Available on Amazon