Michael is a former U.S. Navy SEAL with more than 20 years of operational and instructional experience in the Special Operations (SPEC OPS) arena. During his 13 years of active duty service in the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community, Michael also served as a SEAL BUD/s Instructor. Upon being honorably discharged in 2007, he continued to serve as a Civilian BUD/s Instructor for seven years. Serving with SEAL Teams 2, 8, and 5, Michael completed multiple combat deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.
Toward the end of Michael’s successful career in the SEAL Teams, he started a military, patriotic-inspired apparel company called Forged® (Forged.com) and helped co-found The Murph Challenge® in 2012, which has become an annual, worldwide Memorial Day tradition in honor of LT Michael P. Murphy (TheMurphChallenge.com). Through The Murph Challenge® fundraiser, Forged® has raised more than $2 million for the LT. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation, the construction of the LT Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum, and several other highly-ranked military and first responder affiliated, non-profit organizations.