Michael Ludwig:
CLASS OF 1997
Slidell High SchoolClass of 1997
Slidell, LA
Pope John Paul II High SchoolClass of 1997
Slidell, LA
Roncalli High SchoolClass of 1997
Indianapolis, IN
Holy Name Central SchoolClass of 1993
Escanaba, MI
Saint Jude SchoolClass of 1993
Indianapolis, IN
Michael's Story
Life
Since high school, I've been in the Marines which takes up most of my time. I sit behind a desk 90% of the time, but I still keep finding my way back to the Persian Gulf. Just got back AGAIN last June and I'll be heading that way AGAIN later this year. I think it'll be my 4th trip, 3rd in this war. My wife, Allyson, and I got married a week before my last trip to Iraq. We got married November 27th 2004 and are very happy together. We're currently deciding whether to stay in the military and get a retirement check or just get out so we can move out of San Diego to somplace more affordable. So while deciding that, I'm reconsidering career options for when my time in the military is done. I had been planning on finishing my mechanical engineering degree, but now I'm thinking a degree in criminal justice might be a more interesting move. San Diego definitely has a lot of law enforcement jobs and I just have a feeling that I'd be more satisfied with that than sitting behind a computer designing stuff.
School
There's not much of a high school biography that I can write. If you knew me, you knew me well. For those who weren't that familiar with me, I was that crazy kid trying so hard to do whatever it took to get noticed. Whether it be shaving designs in my head, piercing myself, wearing sunglasses with no lenses, or growing obnoxiously long and pointed sideburns, I did what I could to get noticed. As for extracurricular activities, I didn't really have many. I wrestled freshman year and that's about it. Getting involved really wasn't my thing. I dont know if I'd say I regret that, but I definitely learned from it. I feel that learning from my actions as a youth has built me into an honest and decent man. I gotta say, high school just wasn't nearly as enjoyable as the life I've had since high school. I went to three different high schools and as I look back, I cant believe how stuck up most people at my first two were. I guess one could chalk that up to private schooling.
College
My college biography isn't as much of a biography as it is a plan in progress. Being a Marine, my options are very limited so I've been piecing a degree together at two local colleges i...Expand for more
n SanDiego. I've had quite a few semesters interrupted by trips to Iraq, but I managed to squeeze two more courses into last summer. My plan was to get as many credits as possible while I'm still in the Marines so that my workload would be light when my last contract was up. Now that I've decided to stay in the military for another enlistment, I'm considering my other options. I had planned on majoring in mechanical engineering, but now I'm starting to think that law enforcement would be a more fulfilling job. Money isn't as much of a concern of mine as it used to be so I'm looking more for job security and job satisfaction....
Military
My experience with the military has been a good one overall. I was challenged in bootcamp, got into a good job, and have been pretty successful ever since. My current unit was actually my first unit, HMM-165 "WhiteKnights." When I started out, I maintained logbooks on our squadron's helicopters and helped to ensure that reoccuring maintenance got tracked so that it could be done on time. After a while, I started managing our technical publications (instruction books on how to fix helicopters), then I worked up to doing data analysis. It's tough to explain, but every job that gets done on our helicopters is documented with certain codes. I compile that data and then review it to look for trends so that we can improve our effectiveness. I also ran our squadron's computer systems as well. Then I went to MALS-16 for the start of my 2nd term. There, I managed technical publications, but I did it on a much larger scale. After a year and a half there, I was called back to HMM165 so that I could participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I'm currently back in the states doing data analysis once again and I'm liking it for the most part. Got promoted to Staff Sergeant about a year and a half ago so at least now I dont have to worry about half the BS that I used to. Actually, I just deal with a new kind of BS. I got accepted into an officer program a while back but turned it down. It wasn't the best option at the time. Right now I have to admit that the frequency of deployments to Iraq is getting to me so I'm deciding whether or not to stay in...
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