His Excellency John M. Wilson
Grand Chancellor to Grand Prior for the USA
COL John M. "Mich" Wilson has over 40 years experience as a defense contractor and military officer in the active Army, the Army National Guard, and the California State Military Reserve. His employment with the Northrop Grumman Corp. spans over 26 years. For 21 years he served as a Program Manager on contracts with the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and the U.S. Coast Guard. He also served as Northrop Grumman's Chief Helicopter Test Pilot and Director of Helicopter Flight Operations. The programs he has managed encompassed a variety of technologies which include medical equipment that would be used to treat and resuscitate victims of trauma on the battlefield and in civilian life, helicopters and helicopter subsystems, daylight vision systems, forward-looking infrared systems, lasers, atmospheric acoustic weapon systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
While serving as a Cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, California Army National Guard, and California State Military Reserve COL Wilson has served as a Brigade Commander, Troop commander, Aide-de-camp, Chief Of Staff, Squadron Operations Officer, Squadron Intelligence Officer, and Executive Officer among other duties. While serving in the Combat Developments Experimentation Command he flew as a technical test and evaluation Pilot. While serving in Vietnam he was an Operations Officer and Rescue Mission Coordinator as well as Medical Officer in the U.S. Army Air Cavalry. He flew frequent behind enemy line search and rescue missions searching for and recovering downed Army, Navy, and Air Force pilots. As Medical Officer he was responsible for the primary medical care and welfare of over 400 people in an isolated location. After the war ended, he served as Mission Coordinator and Pilot for the International Commission for Control and Supervision where he helped plan and implement the investigations of Vietnamese cease-fire violations by officers from the Armies of Poland, Canada , Hungary and Indonesia
Mr. Wilson has a BAAS from the University of Delaware in Dramatic Arts and Speech and Intercultural Communications. He is a Graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He is a graduate of the Defense Acquisition University/Defense Systems Management College Courses in Program Management, Acquisition Management, and Acquisition Funds Management. He is also a graduate of the Stanford University Advanced Management College and Executive Course in Humanities. Mr. Wilson also holds and FAA Airline Transport Rating in Rotorcraft including Single Pilot Instrument Flight Rules and is type rated in the SA-341, BH-212, and BH-206 helicopters.
Mr. Wilson's awards and decorations include The Combat Infantry Badge, The Combat Medical Badge, Army Aviator Wings, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal (14), Meritorious Service Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, State of California Medal Of Merit (2) and the US Army Order of St. George.