Mike was born in Germany into a military family. His father, Lieutenant Colonel Michael W. Simpson, was an active-duty Army officer. As a child, Mike lived in Texas, Rhode Island, Washington, North Carolina, and Stuttgart, Germany, following his father’s assignments. In 1994, the family settled in San Antonio, Texas, where he enjoyed a well-rounded childhood, with interests in soccer, theater, and church youth group activities. Known for his humor, he was voted “class clown” by his peers at Tom C. Clark High School.

After graduating in 2001, Mike briefly attended Texas A&M University before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2003. He trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, and began his career as a rifleman in the 3rd Infantry Regiment, the “Old Guard,” at Fort Myer, Virginia. In 2006, he was reassigned to Germany with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. The following year, he deployed to Iraq as a fire team leader, taking part in combat operations in Baghdad and Diyala. He later volunteered for Special Forces training and completed the rigorous qualification course in 2011. He was assigned as a weapons sergeant to the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Joint Base Lewis- McChord, Washington. On April 6, 2013, he deployed to Afghanistan. Less than a month later, on May 1, he died from injuries sustained in an improvised explosive device attack.

Mike’s legacy lives on through his wife, Krista; his sons, Michael and Gabriel; and a wide circle of family, friends, and comrades. His memory is also honored through The Unquiet Professional, a nonprofit supporting U.S. service members, veterans, and Gold Star families.