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Command Biography
MWHS-2 Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Colonel Michael J. Souza

Lieutenant Colonel Souza graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in May 2003 and was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy. In June 2003, he reported to the USS Hopper (DDG 70) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he served as a Surface Warfare Officer and completed a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In October 2005, Lt. Col. Souza transferred to Destroyer Squadron 31 and served as the Training and Readiness Officer.  

In 2007, Lt. Col. Souza completed an inter-service transfer from the U.S. Navy to the U.S. Marine Corps.  Upon completing The Basic School, he reported to Pensacola, Florida for initial flight training and Kingsville, Texas, for intermediate and advanced jet training.  Lt. Col.  Souza completed initial F/A-18 training with Fighter Attack Squadron 122 at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California.

In 2012, Lt. Col. Souza reported to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 in Iwakuni, Japan, for duties as the Airframes Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, and Pilot Training Officer.  In 2017, Lt. Col. Souza briefly served as an Action Officer in the G-3 of Training Command in Quantico, Virginia.  

In 2018, Lt. Col. Souza transferred to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 in Beaufort, South Carolina to serve as the Quality Assurance Officer and Aircraft Maintenance Officer.  While serving with the “Bengals,” Lt. Col. Souza deployed to Norway and Japan on the Unit Deployment Program.

In 2020, Lt. Col. Souza reported to Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command (MAGTFTC) to serve as the Air Officer of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California.

In August 2022, Lt. Col. Souza transferred to Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC) at Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, to serve as the Aviation Operations Branch Head and Tactical Aircraft (TACAIR) Planner.  While serving at MARFORPAC, Lt. Col. Souza was selected for command of Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron Two, and he reported for his present duties in the spring of 2024.

Lt. Col. Souza is a native of Connecticut and graduate of the Marine Division Tactics Instructor Course, Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, and Command and Staff College, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Military Studies and the Colonel Bevan G. Cass Award from Marine Corps University.  His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three Gold Stars, and the Marine Corps Achievement Medal with three Gold Stars.  Lt. Col. Souza was promoted to his current rank on January 1, 2020.

Tags
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing