:Mike Vining
{{Short description|American soldier (born 1950)}}
{{Not to be confused with|Mike Vining (coach)}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Mike R. Vining
| image = File:SGMVining.jpg
| caption = Vining in Army Service Uniform in 1999
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1950|08|12}}
| birth_place = Greenville, Michigan, U.S.
| branch = United States Army
| serviceyears = 1968–1999
| rank = Sergeant major
| unit = 99th Ordnance Detachment (EOD)
Delta Force
| battles = Vietnam War
Operation Eagle Claw
Operation Urgent Fury
Gulf War
| awards = Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
| alma_mater = Excelsior University
| spouse = Donna Ikenberry
| children = 2
}}
Mike Roger Vining{{Cite web |title=Biography |url=https://nateoda.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SGM-Mike-R.-Vining-USA-Retired-NATEODA-Bio.pdf |website=National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Association}} (born August 12, 1950) is a retired sergeant major in the United States Army, who was one of the first members of Delta Force. He joined the Army in 1968, and served until 1999.
Early life
Mike Vining was born on August 12, 1950 in Greenville, Michigan, to Roger Earl (1927–2020) and Dolores Arlene Vining (née Croff, originally Rector; 1930–2003).{{Cite web |date=2022-05-30 |title=Encore: Mike Vining - A Delta Force Original |url=https://shapingopinion.com/encore-mike-vining-a-delta-force-original/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=Shaping Opinion |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530150555/https://shapingopinion.com/encore-mike-vining-a-delta-force-original/ |url-status=live }} Vining had an interest in serving in the military since childhood and developed a hobby of crafting small scale explosives after ordering a manual on the subject via an ad in Popular Science.{{Cite web |last=Caltrider |first=Mac |last2=Mandaville |first2=Jack |date=2022-12-25 |title=Living Legends: The Incredible True Stories Behind Three Iconic Photographs |url=https://www.coffeeordie.com/article/living-legends |access-date= |website=Coffee or Die |language=en}} When he was in high school, he saw news of the Tet Offensive, which inspired him to join the military. He graduated from Tri-County High School in 1968 and enlisted in the United States Army the same year.
Military career
Vining completed the Army's explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) program before being sent to Vietnam in 1970. He served in the 99th Ordnance Detachment for a year before being honorably discharged. While in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star for "meritorious service in ground operations and EOD duties".{{Cite web |title=Sergeant Major Mike R. Vining, Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame Inductee 2018, U.S. Army Ordnance Corps |url=https://goordnance.army.mil/hof/2018/vining.html#:~:text=In%201978,%20SGM%20Vining%20volunteered,Operation%20Urgent%20Fury%20in%20Grenada. |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=goordnance.army.mil |archive-date=2021-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028061257/https://goordnance.army.mil/hof/2018/vining.html#:~:text=In%201978,%20SGM%20Vining%20volunteered,Operation%20Urgent%20Fury%20in%20Grenada. |url-status=dead }} After completing his tour in Vietnam, Vining left the Army and returned home to Michigan. He got a job at a plant that stamped out automotive body parts for Ford Motor Company and then became the lead employee on the third shift of the largest press in the plant, a 500-ton press.{{Cite web |last=Ham IV |first=Walter T. |date=2023-01-17 |title=Retired sergeant major paved way for EOD technicians in elite Special Forces unit |url=https://www.army.mil/article/263293/retired_sergeant_major_paved_way_for_eod_technicians_in_elite_special_forces_unit |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=www.army.mil |language=en}}
In 1973, he rejoined the Army, serving as an EOD specialist in the 63rd Ordnance Detachment at Fort Leonard Wood. In 1978, he joined the newly-formed Delta Force as the unit's first EOD specialist.{{Cite web |last=Giles |first=Rosemary |date=2022-09-12 |title=Delta Force's Mike Vining Participated In Some of the US Military's Worst Operation Failures |url=https://www.warhistoryonline.com/vietnam-war/mike-vining.html |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=War History Online |language=en |archive-date=2022-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925200330/https://www.warhistoryonline.com/vietnam-war/mike-vining.html |url-status=live }} Vining served in Delta until 1985, taking part in Operation Eagle Claw and Operation Urgent Fury. From 1985 to 1986, he was assigned to the 176th Ordnance Detachment in Alaska, before being brought back to Delta from 1986 to 1992, taking part in the Gulf War, Operation Uphold Democracy, and serving as a demolitions expert during the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing. He retired from the Army in January 1999.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-19 |title=Vining, Mike R. |url=https://uscs.org/vining-mike-r/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=USCS |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-09-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916102019/https://uscs.org/vining-mike-r/ |url-status=live }}
Later career
Vining has a Bachelor of Science in sociology from Excelsior University, and he has worked as a historian for the National EOD Association and the EOD Warrior Foundation. He has also written articles on naval postal history, for which he received the Joseph M. Hale Award for excellence in research. In 1991, Vining became a member of the Universal Ship Cancellation Society, and served as its director from 2007 to 2009.
In 2018, he was inducted into the United States Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame.
Internet meme
{{expand section|date=March 2024}}
Since the early 2000s, a photo of Vining in his Army Service uniform has become an internet meme, often in contrast to his unassuming appearance with his military career or to be used as a reaction image. Commenting on the trend, Vining said, "I do not know how any of the memes got started. One of my grandchildren saw that someone even did a Pokémon card on me."https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/mike-vining-most-badass-meme/
Awards and decorations
SGM Vining earned the following throughout his military career:{{cite web|title=Roll of Honor - Vining, Mike, SGM|url=https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ROHSBV&type=Person&ID=102761|website=army.togetherweserved.com|accessdate=October 17, 2022}}
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |
| colspan="4"|File:Combat Infantry Badge.svg |
| colspan="4"|120px100px |
| colspan="4"|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|106px}}{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=106px}}{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Defense_Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|106px}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106px}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Joint_Service_Commendation_ribbon.svg|106px}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=106px}} |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|name=Joint Service Achievement Medal ribbon|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Good Conduct Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}100px |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}18px18px18px
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Humanitarian_Service_ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|name=NCO Professional Development Ribbon|width=106}}22px |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| colspan="6"|180px130px |
Personal life
In January 1999, he married Donna Ikenberry on Mauna Kea, in Hawaii. Vining lives with his wife, a freelance photojournalist, in South Fork, Colorado. They have two children, Terri and Lorri.
References
{{US Army|article=Retired sergeant major paved way for EOD technicians in elite Special Forces unit|url=https://www.army.mil/article/263293/retired_sergeant_major_paved_way_for_eod_technicians_in_elite_special_forces_unit|author=Walter T. Ham IV|accessdate=2024-03-29}}
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=102761 US Military Service Tribute to Mike Vining]
Category:People from Greenville, Michigan
Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
Category:United States Army personnel of the Gulf War
Category:USNY Regents College alumni