# Mike Vining

Mike R. Vining (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). 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". 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.
In 1973, he rejoined the Army, serving as an EOD specialist in the 63rd Ordnance Detachment at Fort Leonard Wood. In 1978, he tried out for and was selected to Delta Force, a newly formed unit of which he was its first EOD specialist. 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.

## 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

The photo of Vining in his Army Service uniform has become an internet meme, often to contrast 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."

## Awards and decorations

SGM Vining earned the following throughout his military career:
| Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge |
| Badge | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming | Basic Parachutist Badge with United States Army Special Operations Command background trimming |
| 1st row | Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit | Bronze Star | Bronze Star | Bronze Star | Bronze Star | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster |
| 2nd row | Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Army Commendation Medal | Army Commendation Medal | Army Commendation Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster | Joint Service Achievement Medal with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster | Joint Service Achievement Medal with 1 bronze Oak leaf cluster |
| 3rd row | Army Achievement Medal | Army Achievement Medal | Army Achievement Medal | Army Good Conduct Medal with 4 silver Good conduct loops | Army Good Conduct Medal with 4 silver Good conduct loops | Army Good Conduct Medal with 4 silver Good conduct loops | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service Star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service Star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service Star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 1 Campaign star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 1 Campaign star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 1 Campaign star |
| 4th row | Vietnam Service Medal with 3 bronze Campaign stars | Vietnam Service Medal with 3 bronze Campaign stars | Vietnam Service Medal with 3 bronze Campaign stars | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Humanitarian Service Medal with 1 Service Star | Humanitarian Service Medal with 1 Service Star | Humanitarian Service Medal with 1 Service Star | NCO Professional Development Ribbon with award numeral 4 | NCO Professional Development Ribbon with award numeral 4 | NCO Professional Development Ribbon with award numeral 4 |
| 5th row | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Service Ribbon | Vietnam Campaign Medal with "60-" clasp | Vietnam Campaign Medal with "60-" clasp | Vietnam Campaign Medal with "60-" clasp | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
| Badges | Military Freefall Parachutist Badge | Military Freefall Parachutist Badge | Military Freefall Parachutist Badge | Military Freefall Parachutist Badge | Military Freefall Parachutist Badge | Military Freefall Parachutist Badge | Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge | Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge | Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge | Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge | Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge | Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge |

## 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.