The Taliban’s machine gun pinned down the Marine platoon, which was trapped in the kill zone. Revere Alumnus Michael Borgschulte, flying an attack helicopter while serving in Afghanistan in 2010, came to the rescue, expertly maneuvering his flight in the face of enemy fire. At the same time, he struck the enemy bunker directly with a Hellfire Missile without injuring any of the friendly Marines. Borgschulte flew through further enemy fire, well within the enemy threat, helping to eliminate the enemy target.

  Since his tour of duty in Afghanistan, 1986 Revere graduate Michael Borgschulte achieved the rank of Colonel in the United States Marine Corp and will command a large air group at Camp Pendleton in California.

  Borgschulte obtained a Congressional recommendation to attend the United States Naval Academy after graduating from Revere, building up a strong application based on grades, excellent test scores, and leadership in football.

  “Revere prepared me well for my entry into a demanding physical and academic environment at the Naval Academy,” Borgschulte said.

  Following his entry into the United States Naval Academy, Borgschulte secured a spot in the Marine Corps as a pilot thanks to his grade point average performance and conduct grades. Borgschulte graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1991 with a Bachelors of Science in Oceanography, after which he earned his wings and graduated The Basic School later that year. He finished his training at the Naval Air Station Pensacola in 1993, serving in a variety of positions before volunteering for operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 as a major in the United States Marine Corps.

  “[Some] of the more challenging missions I have conducted would include the three combat tours I have completed, each approximately seven months, two to Iraq in 2003 and 2006, and one more recently to Afghanistan in 2010. The Iraq tours consisted of challenging operations during the kickoff of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the ouster of Saddam Hussein, followed by a second tour in the middle of the Sunni triangle outside of Fallujah and Ramadi during the Sunni Awakening. In Afghanistan, I commanded HMLA-367, callsign ‘Scarface,’ which consisted of 325 Marines and 27 attack and utility gunships. During this period, we supported the largest NATO mission to date in Afghanistan, which was the Battle for Marjah, a Taliban stronghold and drug producing community,” Borgschulte said.

  For his service in Afghanistan, Borgschulte won a Bronze Star, and his service on all his tours combined earned him fourteen air medals over the course of approximately 750 flights. Lieutenant General Joseph Dunford wrote a summary recommending Borgschulte for the Bronze Star following action in Afghanistan.

  “Lieutenant Colonel Borgschulte’s leadership, tenacity and tactical acumen drove his squadron to success through all phases of this complex, unique and challenging combat deployment . . . . Time and again throughout the squadron’s deployment, he provided detailed guidance and oversight to ensure each of the hundreds of combat missions flown emphasized tactical patience, sound judgment, and thorough risk mitigation . . . . For this, LtCol Borgschulte is recommended with enthusiasm for the Bronze Star,” Dunford wrote.

  Since his graduation from the US Naval Academy, he accumulated numerous promotions, culminating in a promotion to the rank of colonel on May 3, 2013.

  “I started my Marine Corps career as a 2nd Lieutenant and have since been promoted to 1st Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and now Colonel. Marine Corps promotions are based on performance relative to your peers and are extremely competitive boards due to the Marine Corps’ relatively small size. I often tell people that my personal achievements and certainly my promotion to the rank of Colonel were a team effort, based on my Marines outstanding accomplishment of combat missions while in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Borgschulte said.

  Shawn McKee, Borgschulte’s roommate from flight school and now brother-in-law, recalled fond memories of their time together in Tuma, Arizona. “[Borgschulte] and I were roommates on a detachment for training during our basic type/model/series helicopter training. 　We did not make a lot of money at the time so we skimped on food and ate frozen burritos for a couple weeks,” McKee said.

  Over the course of a distinguished military career, Borgschulte has earned many medals and awards. Additionally, Colonel Borgschulte represents Revere High School as a high-ranking officer in the Marine Corps as he continues to serve the United States by commanding an air group at Camp Pendleton.