Mike Roger Vining was born in Greenville, Michigan on 12 August 1950 to Roger and Arlene Vining. He graduated from Tri-County High School in 1968 and enlisted in the Army in July of 1968.
After completing Basic Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he attended the Ammunition Renovation Course, at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Sergeant Major Vining completed the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Program, Indianhead, Maryland in May of 1969 and reported to the Technical Escort Unit, Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland during which time he completed the Nuclear Weapons Disposal Course. In 1970 he deployed to the Republic of Vietnam where he was assigned to the 99th Ordnance Detachment (EOD; Phuoc Vinh. Upon completion of 12 months of combat duty, Sergeant Major Vining was honorably discharged from the United States Army on February 1971.
Sergeant Major Vining reentered the Army in 1973 and was assigned to the 63rd Ordnance Detachment (EOD; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. In 1978, he was accepted to the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment (SFOD) - Delta, where he served with distinction until 1985. He completed the first Operator Training Course, subsequently participating in numerous combat operations including Operation EAGLE CLAW, the Iranian Hostage Rescue Mission and Operation URGENT FURY, the invasion of Grenada. From 1985 to 1986 he was assigned to the 176th Ordnance Detachment (EOD; Fort Richardson, Alaska. He then returned to 1st SFOD - Delta from 1986 to 1992 where he served as Chief EOD Technician, Research and Development Sergeant Major, and Breaching Sergeant Major. During this tour he deployed in support of Operation DESERT STORM, Saudi Arabia. He served as Exercise Planner at the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) from 1992 to 1996. During Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, Sept-Oct of 1994, he served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Joint Special Operations Task Force aboard the Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. America (CV-66) off the coast of Haiti.
He served
