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Michael Strobl

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Michael R. Strobl, Ph.D.
Michael R. Strobl, PhD (2023)
Assistant Deputy Commandant
Manpower & Reserve Affairs, USMC
Born1966 (age 58–59)
Grand Junction, Colorado
Alma materColorado Mesa University (BBA)
Averett University (MBA)
Naval Postgraduate School (MS)
George Mason University (PhD)[1]
Military career
Allegiance United States
Service / branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service1983–2007
RankLieutenant Colonel
Battles / warsOperation Desert Storm
Other work
  • Deputy Director, Manpower Plans & Policy Division, DOD
  • Assistant Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, USMC

Michael R. Strobl (born 1966)[2] is an author and retired U.S. Marine Corps officer from Stafford, Virginia. Since 2021, he has been serving as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Headquarters, United States Marine Corps.[1][3][4]

Biography

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Early life and education

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Michael Strobl was born in 1966 in Grand Junction, Colorado. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1983, at age 17.

He holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA) degree from Colorado Mesa University, a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Averett University, a Master’s of Science (MS) degree in Manpower Systems Analysis, with distinction, from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University.[3]

Military career

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He was commissioned as second lieutenant in December 1987, with the MOS of artilleryman. During Operation Desert Storm,[5] he was deployed to both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, serving in both the 13th and 15th Marine Expeditionary Units. He served as an artillery platoon commander with the 11th Marines, battery commander with the 12th Marines, and Battalion Operations Officer and Regimental Fire Direction Officer with the 10th Marines.[4]

His later tours included roles as instructor and Staff Platoon Commander at The Basic School; Assistant Operations Officer, Total Force Structure Division (MCCDC); and Head, Officer Distribution Branch at HQMC, Manpower & Reserve Affairs.[4]

After retiring from the Marine Corps in 2007, Strobl accepted a position as an Operations Research Analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation) at the Pentagon. While serving at CAPE, he was the lead analyst on military manpower and compensation issues, as well as the Defense Health Program. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in September 2016 and served as the Deputy Director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division until assuming his current position as Assistant Deputy Commandant, Manpower & Reserve Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps, in August 2021.[4][3]

Chance Phelps

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Michael R. Strobl and Kevin Bacon at the premiere of Taking Chance (2009)
Michael R. Strobl and Kevin Bacon at the premiere of Taking Chance (2009)

LtCol Strobl was the final military escort for the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps,[A][7] a Marine killed in the Iraq War on April 9, 2004 (Good Friday), outside Ar Ramadi, Iraq.[8][9]

At the time, Strobl assigned to the Combat Development Command in Quantico, working as Marine Corps manpower analyst.[10] After reading a Department of Defense press release about Phelps’ death, which listed Clifton, Colorado as his hometown—a suburb of Strobl’s own hometown of Grand Junction—Strobl volunteered to escort Phelps’ remains from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to their final resting place.[7][10][11] However, Phelps had only lived in Clifton for his senior year of high school. His final destination and resting place would be Dubois, Wyoming, where he spent his early childhood.

During the trip, Strobl kept a diary of his experience. After returning home, he wrote an essay from the notes in the diary and shared it with Phelps' father, John. Strobl's 12-page narrative essay followed his journey with the remains of Lance Corporal Phelps from the military mortuary at Dover Air Force Base to Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Billings, Riverton, and Dubois. With the approval of John Phelps, a condensed version of the essay appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on May 2, 2004, titled "A Marine's Journey Home".[12][13] Subsequently, a longer version of the essay appeared in the July 2004 issue of Marine Corps Gazette as "Taking Chance".[14]

Strobl's essay was the basis for the 2009 HBO film, Taking Chance.[15][16] Strobl was portrayed in the film by Kevin Bacon. Strobl, along with the film's director, Ross Katz, wrote the screenplay for the film.[17] Subsequently, he and Katz won the Writers Guild of America Award in Long Form Adaptation in Television at the Writers Guild of America Awards 2009 and were nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Dramatic Special.[18]

Decorations and awards

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Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal Combat Action Ribbon Navy Unit Commendation National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star
Southwest Asia Service Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 2 service stars Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Strobl received the Vietnam Veterans of America President's Award for Excellence in the Arts at the organization's national convention in Louisville, Kentucky in August 2009.

See also

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End notes

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  1. ^ At the time of his death, Phelps was a private first class (PFC). He was posthumously promoted to Lance Corporal.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Rich, Colleen Kearney (November 1, 2010). "Patriot Profile: Michael Strobl". Mason Spirit. Retrieved 13 May 2013.[dead link]
  2. ^ Strobl, Michael R. "A Marine's Journey Home" (PDF). What So Proudly We Hail. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Michael R. Strobl, Ph.D. biography" (PDF). www.secnav.navy.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2023.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ a b c d "SES Michael R. Strobl, Ph.D., Assistant Deputy Commandant, Manpower & Reserve Affairs". Manpower & Reserve Affairs, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved April 14, 2025.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ Strauss, Gary (2009-02-19). "Marine officer went the distance in 'Taking Chance'". USA Today. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  6. ^ Welder, Web (March 19, 2016). "Chance Phelps' Honor Bell Artifacts". HonorBell.org. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Lange, Katie (January 10, 2024). "With Dignity and Care: Inside the Process of Bringing Our Overseas Fallen Home". DOD News. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  8. ^ Taking Chance Archived 2009-02-17 at the Wayback Machine by Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl (ret)
  9. ^ "Taking Chance Home". BlackFive. Archived from the original on 2012-01-18.
  10. ^ a b "Lieutenant Colonel Michael R. Strobl". Discover Stafford. The Stafford County Historical Society. 3 January 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  11. ^ Foundas, Scott (Feb 18, 2009). "Coming Home: Taking Chance Writer Lt. Col. Michael Strobl and Producer-Director Ross Katz on the Iraq Movie About America". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  12. ^ Rich, Colleen Kearney (November 1, 2010). "Patriot Profile: Michael Strobl". Mason Spirit. George Mason University. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  13. ^ Strobl, Michael R. (May 2, 2004). "A Marine's journey home". San Francisco Chronicle.
  14. ^ "Taking Chance". Marine Corps Gazette. 88: 42–47. July 2004.
  15. ^ "Chance Phelps". KMIR TV. 27 May 2006 – via www.youtube.com.
  16. ^ "HBO Official web page for Taking Chance". Max (formerly HBO). Retrieved 2025-04-13.
  17. ^ Shales, Tom (February 21, 2009). "HBO's 'Chance' Finely Renders Solemn Honor For Fallen Troops". TV Preview. Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
  18. ^ Michael Strobl at IMDb
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