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Michael Martinko

Biography

Michael Martinko's boyhood dream was to become a naval aviator. As a child, he had explored the National Airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and been captivated with the warbirds of World War II. Although his goal was put in jeopardy in 1997 by a serious facial injury requiring reconstructive surgery, he was able to overcome this adversity and gain appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.

While Michael came to the Academy consumed with the thought of earning an assignment to flight training, he has since expanded his goal to embrace the Academy's broader mission of assuming "the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government." He now believes that "shaping our nation's security strategy would be an unparalleled honor" and sees attending a graduate educational institution as the first step.

At the Academy, Michael became a quantitative economics major because it blended his interest in economics with his mathematical abilities. Through this program, he developed valuable analytical skills and, more importantly, he says, "realized my enthusiasm for problems of global significance." A course examining Russia's transition economy, which included a two-week study program in Moscow, cemented Michael's vision of a career and a promising future.

Michael says attendance at the Naval Academy has created opportunities for many rewarding activities, but that two stand out. In the summer of 2000, he shadowed the enlisted crew of the USS Oak Hill, participating in all aspects of the crew's lives and learning "the true meaning of being deployed."

The following summer, he interned as an assistant for the Research and Development Team at the Center for Naval Analyses Corporation, where he contributed to a detailed study of the readiness of naval aircraft and pilots.

Michael now plans to pursue a master's degree in national security policy. He would like to stay in the Navy beyond 20 years. Following his initial 10-year commitment (standard for naval aviators), he will be a middle-grade officer and begin the transition to the higher ranks, at which time he hopes to use his professional and academic training as a strategic planner.

While formulating the Navy's war-fighting doctrine is his "capstone goal," Michael realizes that life is unpredictable and that few officers achieve that rank. He says he would also be interested in pursuing a career in Washington, D.C., with such institutions as the National Security Agency or the Central Intelligence Agency.

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