Michael Margolius

Michael Margolius is a faculty instructor in the Department of Distance Education at the US Army War College where he graduated in June of 2024. Previously, he served as the J3 operations branch chief, Joint Personnel Recovery Agency. As the J3, he oversees JPRA support to active PR cases, the Non-Conventional Assisted Recovery Program, the DoD Blood Chit Program, engages with the Inter-Agency as well as allies on operational support matters. He leads the J3 Division in responding to a myriad of requirements that come into JPRA and are distributed throughout the Agency. He also coordinated the Post Isolation Support Activities for a Canadian Citizen held hostage in Africa and is the Agency COVID-19 task force commander. While serving as the J3, he acted as the test director for the Joint Test – Joint Updating Measurements for Personnel Recovery (JT-JUMPR). 

Margolius grew up in Catskill, New York, graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He received his commission in January of 2001 upon completion of Officer Candidate School and was designated a naval aviator in May 2002. CDR Margolius completed JPME Phase I through the Naval War College distance learning program, graduated from Naval Aviation Safety School, and is a 2013 graduate of American Military University, where he was awarded a Master of Arts degree in military studies with distinction. 

Upon completion of his initial H-60F/H Fleet Replacement Squadron training with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Ten, Margolius supported operations while deployed onboard the USS George Washington (CVN 73), as deputy director of the Joint Search and Rescue Center at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar where he coordinated the first joint PR exercise utilizing Army and Air Force assets, and coordinated the rescue/recovery mission for the downed airliner, Kam Air flight 904 in Afghanistan and for the special Operations C-130, Hilton 21 in Iraq, He then deployed with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Five Det West on the USNS Stockham (T-AK 3017) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines and then on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) where he supported counter-terror operations in Somalia. He then returned to the Philippines with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron TEN, Expeditionary Sea Combat Unit ONE for more counter-terror operations where he supported combat operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group and rogue factions of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He then returned to Afghanistan and Iraq as a sensor operator in the U-28A with the 319th Special Operations Squadron supporting the Joint Special Operations Task Force conducting counter-terror operations. He then deployed twice on the USS Enterprise CVN 65 where he supported the counter-piracy operations for the US Sailing Vessel Quest and also rescued a man-overboard.

While at Joint Interagency Task Force South, he was responsible for the detection and monitoring of hundreds of tons of cocaine and revamped the organization on the Joint Operations Center Watch Floor, streamlining communications, standardizing schedules, and vastly improving morale. While deployed onboard the USS America LHA 6 with Tactical Air Control Squadron Eleven, he was the SAR coordinator for the USS McCain DDG 56 collision and coordinated counter-terror strikes in Yemen. Margolius is a mission commander with more than 3,100 hours of flight time and over 1000 hours of combat time in the U-28A and HH-60H. He has deployed and flown in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines, and Counter-Piracy/Counter-Terror operations in Somalia. 

He is married to Keira Margolius and they have a son, Gideon, and a daughter, Julia.