Instructor

NAVAL SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR

Fire Controlman First Class Michael Wilkinson, USN (Ret)

FC1 Wilkinson was born in Abington, PA and was raised in Cocoa Beach, Florida. He is a 1986 graduate of Merritt Island High School in Merritt Island, Florida.

He enlisted in the United States Air Force in March of 1992 and shipped to Recruit Training Command in San Antonio, Texas in April of 1992.

Upon graduation from Recruit Training Command he attended Security Police School in San Antonio, Texas and Air Base Ground Defense Training at Ft. Dix in Pemberton, New Jersey. He was meritoriously promoted to Airman in September of 1992. After graduation he was assigned to the 76th Security Police Squadron at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. His assignments included standing guard on Air Force One, securing down aircraft, and guarding a stealth fighter along with being part of the Squadron's Peacekeeper Challenge Team. He was meritoriously promoted to Airman First Class in July of 1993. After completing his first assignment he attended Communication Specialist School in Biloxi, Mississippi. After graduation he was assigned to the 91st Intelligence Squadron at Ft. Meade, Maryland an worked in the National Security Agency (NSA) building. 

He left the Air Force in May 1996 and enrolled at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida. He earned his Associates of Arts Degree in May 1997.

After graduation he shipped to the United States Nay Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. Upon completion of bootcamp he attend the Advance Electronics Computer Field school and Fire Controlman "A" school in Great Lakes.  He was promoted to Petty Officer Third Class in March of 1998 After completing "A" school he attended Q-21 Display "C" School at Dam Neck Naval Station in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

In 1999 after graduation from "C" school he was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) in Mayport, Florida. After passing the Navy Wide Exam was promoted to Petty Officer Second Class in November of 2002. While assigned to the JFK he earned his Surface Warfare and Air Warfare pins. He performed many duties to include MAMS custodian and workcenter supervisor.

In 2003 he went to shore duty and was assigned to Navy Recruiting District Philadelphia as a recruiter and was assigned to Navy Recruiting Station Atlantic City in Northfield, New Jersey. He enlisted over 23 individuals into the Navy and was eventually assigned as the Recruit-In-Charge of the station.

In 2006 he went back to sea and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) out of Coronado, California. After passing the Navy Wide Exam he was promoted to First Class Petty Officer on November of 2007. His duties included Combat Systems Officer of the Watch, Combat Systems Physical Training Coordinator, Division Training Petty Officer, Damage Control Training Team, and Workcenter Suppervisor. 

In 2010 he was assigned to shore duty again and this time he went to Dahlgren Naval Support Station as a FC "C" school instructor in Dahlgren, Virginia. While there he earned his Master Training Specials Certificate. His duties included Q-21 Display Track Supervisor and Student Control Leading Petty Officer. He retired from the U.S. Navy in March of 2013 after 20 years of combined service. 

His awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold stars in lieu of 4th award, Air Force Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and numerous other service awards and commendations.

After retirement he became a Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) instructor in 2014 starting at Maritime Industries Academy in the Baltimore City Public School System until the school was closed in 2016 and the program was moved to Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School. He started at Elizabethtown Area High School in 2022 when the school was awarded a Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) unit.