RETIREMENT — Col. Michael Halligan II, formerly of Toronto, received numerous medals during his more-than 26 years in the Marine Corps. During his graduation ceremony, he expressed his appreciation to his family and Ohio Valley leaders who instilled in him a values-based foundation growing up. -- Contributed

TORONTO — Col. Michael “Mike” Halligan II, a 1995 graduate of Toronto High School, retired May 30 from the Marine Corps after completing more than 26 years of active-duty military service.

He is the son of Michael and Patricia Halligan of Toronto; and the grandson of Robert and Mary Lou Neeper of Fairview Heights and of Richard and Billie Payne of Empire.

Halligan’s retirement comes on the heels of his most recent assignment — spending the last two years serving as the senior military adviser to the undersecretary of the Navy.

Throughout his career, Halligan served in locations throughout the United States, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Indo-Pacific Region. He completed 16 distinct assignments and participated in combat deployments in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

During the six years leading up to his final assignment, he served as the commanding officer of Third Recruit Training Battalion at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C. Halligan completed graduated studies at National Defense University’s Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, and performed as the military adviser to the deputy under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

INSTRUCTOR — Former Toronto resident Col. Michael Halligan II retired May 30 after 26 years in the Marine Corps. His service entailed combat deployments in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, and serving as company commander at Parris Island, above. -- Contributed

While Halligan’s career has taken him far afield, his family and the Ohio Valley have remained at the forefront of his head and heart. He stated he credits everything he has achieved in life to a combination of two things: The first and most important, is the values-based foundation his family and local leaders created while he was growing up; the second, is a recurring pattern of people seeing his potential and providing him with opportunities, mentoring him along the way.

Although his aspiration to become a Marine arrived early in life, he did not envision a career in the Marine Corps — certainly not one as an officer.

In fact, it was only through his mother’s insistence that that he attended college immediately following graduation that he was able to obtain the education credentials necessary to become a commissioned officer. In addition to this single event that changed the course of his life, Halligan credits his father and grandfathers with three lessons that have carried him through life and his military career. The first lesson was when a man pays you a nickel, give him a dime’s worth. The second lesson was to act like you have been there before. The third was to always play until the whistle blows.

In Halligan’s view, the transcendent values embedded in these life lessons have immeasurably shaped his life. These values include, but are not limited to: Respect, work ethic, pride, attention to detail, humility in victory and defeat, grace, teamwork, perseverance and tenacity.

In Halligan’s case, it was simply good fortune that these values aligned with the Marine Corps’ core values, which are honor, courage and commitment. It was a perfect match.

The Marines use the metaphor “Steel Sharpens Steel” to describe the process whereby leaders teach, coach and mentor the next generation of Marines who will lead.

“This same process occurs every day in the Ohio Valley,” Halligan explained. “Families, teachers, coaches and community leaders are often unrecognized, working day in and day out to mold the next generation of people who will make a difference in this world. On behalf of all those who have benefited from your selflessness and sacrifice, thank you!”

Halligan and his wife, Marissa, reside in Northern Virginia with their two French bulldogs, Hugo and Marley. Their 22-year-old son, Colin, graduated from the University of Virginia in May with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. He will attend the Georgetown School of Law in the fall.

Their 20-year daughter, Cailee, is entering her third year of undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia.

Jennifer Beckner Fellows, a graduate of Buckeye North High School, has been Halligan’s good friend since high school. She, too, is retired from the Marines, noting Halligan was her re-enlisting officer in addition to her attending his boot camp graduation.

Fellows quoted “The Wedding Ringer,” saying, “The true measure of friendship isn’t about how you feel about someone else, but about how they make you feel about yourself.”

“I’m grateful for his friendship, how it has endured over the years,” Fellows said of Halligan. “And I’m proud of all he has accomplished.”

Halligan’s personal awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit medal, Defense Superior Service medal, Bronze Star medal, Defense Meritorious Service medal, Meritorious Service medal, Joint Service Commendation medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal.

In addition to graduating from Toronto, Halligan attended Ohio University, graduating in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology/criminology. He attended Marine Corps Command and Staff College in 2016, obtaining a master’s degree in military studies. He attended National Defense University and in 2021, obtained a master’s degree in national resource strategy.

Halligan’s immediate plans since his retirement include spending more time with his family while he weighs his options for his next career.

Halligan stated he keeps his favorite quote close to his heart. It was said by President Theodore Roosevelt and entitled, “It is Not the Critic Who Counts.” He noted the quote is hanging on his office wall at home and was displayed on his office wall when he was commanding officer of the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion at Parris Island.

“I would recite this quote to the new recruits on the day before they started training, while offering my respect for the fact they entered the arena by even accepting the challenge of Marine Corps recruit training,” Halligan commented.

He shared that quote, saying: “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

Halligan shared some of his personal thoughts, saying one always needs to believe in setting your expectations “extremely high,” and then leading yourself and those around you to exceed them.

He says that dreaming is the easy part … “It’s the hard work that sucks.”

And concluded by saying, “After reading “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” maintain perspective. You don’t need to make a big splash. Don’t underestimate the power of positively changing one person’s life … make that your goal.”