Deputy Director, Modeling and Simulation Coordination Office (M&S CO)
Colonel Mike Sanders is the Deputy Director of the Modeling and Simulation Coordination Office (MSCO) in Alexandria, VA.
Colonel Sanders entered the Army in March 1985 after graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles as a Distinguished Military Graduate. His with troops assignments include: Rifle, Mortar, TOW Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer in the 2nd Battalion, 505th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division; S3Air and Company Commander, 1st Battalion, 41st In, 2nd Armored Division (FWD); and Brigade Logistics Officer, 1st Brigade and Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (AA). Additional training assignments include: two tours at the Joint Readiness Training Center, where he served as a Platoon, Company and Task Force Operations Observer/Controller and the Chief, Plans and Operations; and an Infantry Company and Staff Trainer on a Readiness Training Detachment while assigned to the 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry Regiment, MSARNG. Colonel Sanders also served two tours on the Headquarters, Department of the Army Staff, as an action officer for the Synthetic Theater of War-Army project and the Experimentation Officer on the Objective Force Task Force. Prior to his arrival at MSCO, Colonel Sanders served as an Advisor to the Kuwait Armed Forces J3. He began serving as the Deputy Director, MSCO, in July 2007.
Colonel Sanders's academic accomplishments include: UCLA B.A., History; Central Michigan University - M.S., Administration; University of Central Florida - M.S., Interactive Simulation and Training Systems; United States Army War College - M.A., Strategic Studies. He has attended both the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Operations Research/Systems Analysis Military Application Course, Simulation Operations Course, Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.
Colonel Sanders's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal (five Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (one Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Achievement Medal (one Oak Leaf Cluster), Combat Infantryman's Badge, Ranger tab, Master Parachutist and Air Assault badges.