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<p><em>Michael Edward Krieger</em>’s was a life very well lived. He was born in San Bernardino, CA to Burt and Sheila Krieger on January 28, 1956. Mike, an Eagle Scout, graduated from Righetti High School in Santa Maria, CA in 1974 and was nominated to USMA by Senator Alan Cranston and Congressman Charles Teague. Mike’s desire to attend West Point started when he was young; he pursued this path to serving his country with a dedication worthy of the leader he became.</p>
<p>Mike’s Long Gray Line journey began in July 1974. He was a member of the F-2 “Zoo” all four years. Academy leadership recognized Mike’s potential by selecting him to command F-2 as a cadet captain. In this leadership role, Mike was affectionately known as the “Head Zookeeper.” During his firstie year, Mike was Scoutmasters Council president and honor representative. </p>
<p>Bill, Mike’s plebe roommate, shared that Mike went out of his way to explain Jewish customs and traditions such as the meaning of the Menorah as well as the importance of the Seder during Passover. Joe, Mike’s roommate cow year, fondly remembered Mike’s visit to Joe’s home in Kentucky: “My family was not well off—my mother was a single mother to six kids. I was concerned how Mike might view the humble house, especially when I discovered that the screen door on the front of our house was broken and off the hinges when we arrived. Mike took one look at it and simply said, ‘I think we can fix that.’ We did manage to fix it but, after leaving it outside to let the paint dry, a large branch fell on it and broke it again. Mike just smiled, shook his head, and set off to fixing it again.” </p>
<p>Mike graduated in June 1978 as a second lieutenant and became a Signal Corps Airborne Ranger—a rare breed! His first assignment was with the 304th Signal Battalion in Camp Colbern, Korea, where he married the former Second Lieutenant Shirley Estep Murphy in 1980. In 1987, the Army sent Mike to Georgia Tech to earn an M.S. degree in physics and then to West Point to teach physics for three years. After Command and General Staff College, Mike’s family went to Germany; Mike was a battalion executive officer as well as a brigade S-3. He would say the most fun he had was when he commanded the 121st Signal Battalion at Fort Riley, KS. Following command, Mike earned an M.S. in national security strategy from the National War College in 1997. Mike’s strategic assignments included serving on the J-6 and DOD Command, Control and Communications infrastructure staffs. Mike and his family chose to stay in the Fairfax, VA area, where he retired as a colonel after 25 years of honorable military service. </p>
<p>Mike continued his public service by joining the Senior Executive Service at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration (chief information officer), where, from 2004 to 2008, he influenced and led the implementation of critical DOD IT modernization projects. He excelled in IT strategic planning, modernization, building coalitions, enterprise data strategies, and information sharing. In 2008, he became the Army deputy CIO/G-6 and led the Army’s strategic plan implementation for its enterprise network infrastructure. Among his most satisfying accomplishments was leading the Army’s move to a cloud-based enterprise email solution. A retired three-star shared, “It was my honor to serve with the most technically qualified leader in our regiment. Mike truly cared about his team and his is a legacy that touched many.” </p>
<p>Mike ended his professional career with his own business, Krieger Consulting. Mike enjoyed his career so much, he frequently said he never worked a day in his life. The professional legacy he would be most humbled by (and proud of) is the extraordinarily complimentary words his colleagues used to describe his leadership and his kinship. </p>
<p>Mike was diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in late 2013. This coincided with Mike and Shirley’s “snow birding” in Mesa, AZ. For the next 10 years they traveled coast to coast, visiting family and friends and exploring much of our wonderful United States. Mike put considerable drive and determination into learning the game of tennis. He loved the game, and amid many cancer hiccups his goal was to get back on the courts. He continued to work on projects around the house, served on the HOA and assisted friends and families with their IT issues. His interests included woodworking, stain glass, home improvements and computer programming. He loved to kayak, sail, run and hike. It was a joy to watch his boys FaceTime him as they learned home improvement and called upon their Dad’s expertise. </p>
<p>Mike passed away peacefully at home on February 1, 2024. Mike is survived by his wife of almost 44 years, Shirley; his two sons, Joshua (Katie) and Daniel (Liza); and four grandsons: Cole, Kennedy, Nolan and Lincoln. He was also survived by his father, Burt, and his sister, Robyn (Dee). </p>
<p>Mike’s love for his wife and sons defied description. His caring and giving to his family and friends were immeasurable. He was loved so very much. Their hearts are broken; he will not be forgotten. Indeed, his was a life very well lived.</p>
<p><em>— LTC Dan Krieger’09 and MG (R) Stuart Dyer’78 (USAR)</em></p>
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