Colonel Michael J. Pruden enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1994, and after serving 10 enlisted years as a Flight Equipment Technician, he commissioned through the Enlisted Commissioning Program and served as an Air Defense Control Officer and, subsequently, as an Aviation Command and Control officer.
Colonel Pruden commanded Marine Air Control Squadron 2 (MACS-2); which included a deployment to Lithuania in 2022 in support of the defense of NATO’s eastern flank. Additionally, during his command tour, the squadron was named the 2022 Marine Corps Aviation Association (MCAA) Commandants Trophy for Superior Performance in Marine Aviation, an award rarely assigned to a non-flying unit. He also served as the Tactical Air Operations Center (TAOC) Detachment Commander (2007), MACS-2, MCAS Cherry Point, and as the Early Warning and Control (EW/C) Detachment (2008-2011), MACS-2, MCAS Beaufort. During his tour at MCAS Beaufort, he deployed the EW/C Detachment and elements of the TAOC Detachment to form the TAOC Detachment (FWD) (2009-2010), Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.
Colonel Pruden’s staff positions include Air Defense Control Officer, MACS-2; Air Defense Crew OIC, (MACS-2 & MACS-2 (FWD)); Patient Administrative Team OIC II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) (FWD); Electronic Key Management System (EKMS) OIC, MACS 2; Aviation Company Grade, Monitor Manpower Management Officer Assignment (MMOA), HQMC; Operations Officer, MACS-2; Executive Officer, MACS-2; J3/7, Special Operations Advisory Group (SOAG), Special Mission Wing (SMW), Joint Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan (JSOCC-AFG); Assistant Operations Officer, Marine Air Control Group 28 (MACG-28); Operations Officer, MACG-28; Operations Officer, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Fleet Week New York (SPMAGFT-FWNY); Branch Head, Experimentation, Wargaming, and Analysis (EWA) Branch, G9, Marine Forces Pacific (MARFOPAC); MACG-28 (FWD) OIC, Task Force Baltic Watchtower, Lithuania; Branch Head, Marine Air Command and Control System Integration Branch (MIB), ACE Division, Capabilities Development Directorate (CDD), Combat Development and Integration (CD&I); and Director, Marine Corps Fusion Cell, CD&I.
Colonel Pruden has deployed on the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to include Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR and JOINT GUARD in Bosnia-Herzegovina; Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461) Humanitarian Support Operations in Puerto Rico; two deployments in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (Al Asad and Baghdad, Iraq), three deployments in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (Bastion, AFG), Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL/RESOLUTE SUPPORT (Kabul, AFG), and one deployment to Lithuania in support of the defense of NATO’s eastern flank due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Colonel Pruden is a Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) and the recipient of the 2010 MCAA Air Command and Control Officer of the Year. He holds an associate degree from Pensacola Junior College, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of West Florida, two master’s degrees in military studies from Marine Corps University and in National Security and Strategy from the U.S. Naval War College.
Colonel Pruden’s personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with combat C device, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with one gold star, the Joint Service Achievement Medal with combat C device, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars.