Department of Defense

Colonel Michael E. Rawlins was appointed deputy adjutant general by Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano on April 1, 1995. He previously served as the Hawaii Army National Guard’s chief of staff from October 1994 to May 1995 and the Hawaii Army National Guard’s U.S. Property and Fiscal Office logistics management officer from February 1989 to September 1994. He was federally recognized as a colonel on February 13, 1989.

After graduation from Seattle University and commissioned as a second lieutenant in June 1967, Colonel Rawlins joined the U.S. Army and attended the Quartermaster Officers Basic Course and the Army and Air Force Exchange Operations at Fort Lee, Va.

His first assignment was as an assignment battalion supply officer at Fort Sill, Okla. and was promoted to first lieutenant on Nov. 12, 1968.

Colonel Rawlins served in Vietnam as an operations officer for the Army and Air Force Exchange in Cam Rahn Bay from November 1968 to October 1969. He later returned to the states and was assigned to the adjutant for the 502nd Supply and Transportation Battalion, 2nd Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas, and was promoted to captain on November 12, 1969.

Colonel Rawlins joined the Hawaii Army National Guard in October 1970. He served in various staff positions with the 297th Service and Supply Battalion until his assignment as commander of the 291st Maintenance Company in March 1975 to December 1977. He moved to the engineer and aviation command and control unit of Headquarters Installation Command and later became the S-1 (personnel officer) earning his gold major and silver lieutenant colonel oak leaves in April 1980 and October 1984, respectively. Colonel Rawlins transferred to the 4960th U.S. Army Reserve School in March 1996 and served as the school’s secretary until returning to the Hawaii Guard as logistics officer in January 1989.

Before working full-time for the Hawaii National Guard, Colonel Rawlins was employed in sales and management positions with the Gibson Greeting Cards, Transpacific Drugs, and HOPACO Office Products.

His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Hawaii National Guard Commendation Medal, Hawaii National Guard Service Medal and the State Active Duty Ribbon.

He is a member of the Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association, Board of Directors, Hawaii National Guard Association and the Seattle University Alumni Association.

Colonel Rawlins is married to the former Nancy L. Pool of Oklahoma City, Okla. They have a son, 1st Lt. Michael E. Rawlins Jr., who is a C-130 pilot with the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 204th Airlift Squadron.

Last updated July 1997