Colonel Michael (Mike) Cullinane serves as the Army Attaché (ARMA) for the U.S. Defense Attaché Office (USDAO) in the Kingdom of Sweden.
COL Cullinane enlisted in the U.S. Army an infantryman in October 1994 after graduating from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. He was commissioned in the Infantry from Officer Candidate School in April 1997. COL Cullinane completed the Infantry Officer’s Mortar Course and Infantry Officer’s Basic Course at Ft. Benning, GA in 1997. His first assignment was as a Rifle Platoon Leader, then as Executive Officer, Mortar Platoon Leader, and Assistant Operations Officer in the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (AASLT).
From May 2001 to September 2001, COL Cullinane successfully completed the Infantry Career Course and graduated from the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. In 2002, COL Cullinane graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from the Special Forces Officer Qualification Course.
COL Cullinane commanded Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 331, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC. He deployed twice as a detachment commander in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. He then served as the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) Assistant Operations Officer and as the J-35 for the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan.
COL Cullinane matriculated as the U.S. Fellow at the Turkish War College in Istanbul, where he received a Masters of International Policy and Military Studies. In 2009, COL Cullinane received a Masters of International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins University (School of Advanced International Studies).
COL Cullinane served as the Army Attaché (ARMA) to the Kingdom of Denmark. COL Cullinane deployed with the Danish SOF numerous times in support of ISAF and was temporarily assigned to be the U.S. advisor to the Turkish Special Forces on the border of Northern Iraq. COL Cullinane served as the Office of Defense Cooperation Chief and the EUCOM Representative to the OSCE in Vienna, Austria. In 2016 to 2019, COL Cullinane was assigned to the United States Department of State in the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance as a military advisor.
From 2020-2021, Colonel Cullinane served as the Chief of Attaché Operations and Army Attaché (CAO/ARMA) for the USDAO in Baghdad, Iraq. Most recently, COL Cullinane served as the Army Attaché in the USDAO London.
COL Cullinane’s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal with C device, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal with C device, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal with two Star Devices, Operation INERENT RESOLVE Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with Star Device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with a three numeral device, Good Conduct Ribbon, the Superior Honor Award and Meritorious Honor Award (2 oak leaf clusters) from the United States Department of State, Combat Infantryman Badge, NATO ISAF Medal, Expert Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Jordanian Senior Parachutist Badge, Brazilian Parachutist Badge, Turkish Parachutist Badge, Danish Parachutist Badge, Pakistani Parachutist Badge, the Austrian Parachutist Badge and the Yemeni Parachutist Badge. COL Cullinane was awarded the Order of the Dannebrogordenen in the rank of Kommandør by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
