Captain Michael J. Herlands was born and raised in Northern Virginia and is a 2000 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California, in 2007 with a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, specializing in communications.
Captain Herlands previous tours include the National Security Agency, Commander Naval Security Group, USS KEARSARGE, Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Norfolk VA, Expeditionary Strike Group 5, NIOC Sugar Grove WV, Fleet Cyber Command/TENTH Fleet, NIOC Colorado, Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group, and United States Cyber Command. He served as Flag Aide to VADM Tighe at Fleet Cyber Command, was the Executive Officer at NIOC Sugar Grove WV, the Commanding Officer at NIOC Colorado.