Michael Wardell is a husband, a father, a disabled veteran. and small business owner. He is a retired United States Marine, having honorably served from 1984 to 2001.  He retired October 1, 2001 after a service-connected injury and multiple spinal surgeries left him unable to walk.

He was born on October 10, 1965 on the US Naval Base, Yokosuka, Japan to William L. Wardell, Commander USN (Ret), and Virginia M. Wardell, a former Lt. Commander in the US Navy Nurse Corps.  His father is a native of St. Louis, and his mom was originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Michael and his family moved many times during his father's military career, eventually settling in Lebanon, PA upon his retirement.  Michael graduated from Cedar Crest High School in 1983 and attended Harrisburg Area Community College prior to enlisting in the Marine Corps.

Michael attended boot camp in November 1984, and is one of very few marines selected not once, but twice, to serve with the Department of State as a Marine Security Guard in Accra, Ghana and Tokyo, Japan.  He then served a three-year tour with the US Amphibious Base in Coronado California, after which he was personally selected to work once again with the Department of State. 

In addition to Japanese, Michael also spoke French, which lead to his assignment as the Deputy Commander in Bujumbura, Burundi, Central Africa, where he was witness to the Hutu and Tutsi Genocide that ultimately lead to more than 800,000 killed in the region.  It was in Central Africa that Michael was first injured. After which, he was stationed in Tokyo and served as both the Deputy Commander and interim Commander until February 1995 – one month before the sarin gas attack on the subway system.

In April of 1995, Michael’s injury exacerbated.  Unable to walk, he underwent multiple spinal surgeries and procedures, and then medically retired on October 1, 2001 after 17 years of service and more than 10 years holding a Top Secret security clearance.

Michael remained in Japan, and as a civilian was appointed chairman and CEO of Achieve Group Inc., in Tokyo - an interpreting and translating company, and language school.  He served on the board of directors for the USO Japan and as the Secretary of the Republicans Abroad from 2001- 2002.

He returned to the United States to attend to his mother after she was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2004.

In 2007, he was appointed to the board of directors of Bug Blocker Inc. and served as the Chief Operations Officer from December 2007 to February 2009.  He still maintains his seat on the board of directors.

Michael is married to the former D. Nicole Ivy of Hominy Oklahoma, a ballroom and swing dance champion, judge, and coach.  He is  president of BFI, LLC., and together, he and his wife, own and operate Oscar’s Ribs and BBQ in Nixa.  They have one daughter, Anastacia, born February 4, 2008.