Ceremony set in Platte City on Sunday, Nov. 10
An annual Veterans Day ceremony in Platte City will feature a retired United States Marine as the keynote speaker.
Col. Michael Fogal, USMC (Ret.), will take the podium at the ceremony, which this year will be held on Sunday, Nov. 10, a day ahead of the official observance of Veterans Day.
The ceremony begins at 1 p.m. and will be held outdoors in the Settler’s Crossing Park at the foot of Main Street (First and Main St.) in downtown Platte City.
The event is hosted by the City of Platte City, the Daughters of the American Revolution and VFW Post 4055.
In addition to his long record of military service, Fogal spent some time as an elected alderman for the City of Platte City.
According to his official bio, Col. Michael R. Fogal enlisted into the U.S. Army in 1971 and served as a squad leader in the 1st Division in West Germany. Upon release from active duty he attended Northwest Missouri State University receiving a BS & MBA. He then attended University of Tulsa, College of Law receiving a JD degree. In 1982 he was commissioned under the OCS program and attended TBS in Quantico, VA. In 1983 he attended and graduated as a first lieutenant from the Naval Military Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island.
From June 1983 through August 1985 during which he was promoted to captain, he served with the 2nd MAW, as a defense counsel, prosecutor andSAUSA at Cherry Point, NC. After release from this tour of active duty, Col. Fogal dedicated over 25 years in participation with the USMC Reserve. This extended period included duty in the Selected Marine Corps, as an Individual Marine Augmentee (IMA), as an active duty reservist and on active duty.
In 1985 as a reservist, Fogal in Kansas City served as staff judge advocate for the 2nd MEB until 1988. He then served from 1988 to 1990, as the legal officer for the Marine Corps Reserve Support Command (MCRSC). At MCRSC request, Col. Fogal became an active duty reservist and served as the commands first SJA. He was promoted to major and served from 1990 to 1995. In 1995, Col. Fogal returned to the Selected Marine Reserve and acted as the legal advisor to Region 9 PWST, KCMO during which time he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Then from 1998 to 2002 as an IMA, Col. Fogal served as judge advocate in Colorado Springs, Colo. to NORAD/USSPACECOM. Near the end of his tour of duty he was selected to the rank of colonel.
In 2002 Col. Fogal joined MRAOG in Kansas City and served as the command’s G-1 until 2004.
In 2004 Col. Fogal was placed on active duty and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During this deployment until April 2005 he served as a liaison officer for 2nd MEF and served as the deputy director Humanitarian Operation Center in Kuwait.
Upon return from deployment he was assigned as SJA, 24th Marine Regiment in Kansas City. During his tour as the command’s SJA he served extended active duty tours for MARFORKATRINA in Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Katrina and two major training exercises in Chile and Peru. In June 2008 Col. Fogal retired from active participation in the Marine reserves.
Col Fogal’s awards and decorations include: Meritorious Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; Armed Forces Services Medal; Expert Infantryman Badge and Parachutist Badge.
He is married to the former Sherry Cox and they have two sons, Zachary and Brandon.