Colonel Michelle Avolio received a B.A. in Government and Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!) and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1998 from their Army ROTC program. Entering active duty, she attended flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama qualifying on the UH-60 Blackhawk. Her first duty assignment was as an Air Traffic Services Company Executive Officer in 2000 at Hanau, Germany with the 12th Aviation Brigade. COL Avolio then transferred to the 1st Armored Division with the Aviation Brigade and served as a UH-60 VIP platoon leader, S2 (intelligence officer), and Rear Detachment Commander for the 2-501st Aviation Battalion.
In 2003, COL Avolio moved back to the United States and attended the Air Defense Artillery Captain’s Career Course and was then assigned to 4th Infantry Division in Fort Hood, Texas. She served as an assistant Brigade S3 for 4th ID Combat Aviation Brigade, an Air Assault UH-60 Company Commander, and a Battalion S4 (supply officer). Michelle led an aviation task force in humanitarian assistance with Hurricane Katrina relief and served a year as S4 and flying over 200 hours of general support missions in Iraq, OIF 05-07. In 2007, COL Avolio moved to the National Capitol Region in Virginia, assigned to Army Test and Evaluation Command, Army Evaluation Center in Alexandria, VA. She was lead evaluator for the Army’s premiere UAV, Gray Eagle. She led a team of scientists and engineers to develop and test the Gray Eagle in regard to effectiveness, suitability and survivability.
In 2010, Michelle left the active component after giving birth to her daughter. In 2011, she entered the U.S. Army again as an Army Reserve Troop Program Unit (TPU) participant with the Atlantic Training Division (ATD), 75th Training Command and served as an Observer, Controller, Trainer (OC/T) for training audiences in the Reserves Command Support Training Program (CSTP). After serving as an OC/T for three years, COL Avolio served as Brigade S3 for 3rd Brigade, ATD for a year before assuming battalion command. Michelle took command of 10-80th OES Battalion from April 2016 to April 2018. Her battalion led the Command and General Staff College’s Department of Distance Education program offered to Army Reserve Soldiers, National Guardsman, and Regular Army officers in the Northeast United States region. Beginning in May 2018, Michelle served in the Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) program as a plans officer with G3/5/7, HQDA. For two years she worked on both the security cooperation and interoperability teams for DAMO-SSC drafting regulations, campaign plans, and serving as Security Cooperation Team Lead during COVID response. She moved to DAMO-SSR in May 2020 where she mobilized and served as the Army’s lead action officer for SecArmy- initiated U.S.-UK modernization collaboration. During this assignment, COL Avolio graduated from the Senior Service College in July 2020 as a distinguished graduate. In January 2021, she mobilized with the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve (OCAR) to serve as the Assistant Chief of Staff. COL Avolio assumed command of 97th CGSC Brigade in July 2021.
COL Michelle Avolio lives in Woodbridge, VA with her husband and their daughter. COL Avolio has also completed SSC, CGSOC CC, AOC, and the Joint Combined Warfighting Course-Hybrid. COL Avolio has a variety of military awards, including the Air Medal and Humanitarian Services Medal.