Lt. Col. Michael Oliveira graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2007 and received a commission as an infantry officer.
His first assignment was to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division from 2008 through 2011. During this time, Oliveira was a rifle platoon leader, company executive officer, and he completed a twelve-month deployment to Afghanistan. Upon graduation from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2013, Oliveira reported to A Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) where he served as the executive officer and a detachment commander. His detachment command time included a deployment to Wardak Province, Afghanistan conducting combat operations alongside Afghan National Army Special Forces. Oliveira next assignment was to the U.S. Army Human Resources Command as the Special Forces captain's assignment officer. Oliveira then attended the Naval Postgraduate School, earning a Master of Science in Defense Analysis. Oliveira then returned to A Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) as the company commander in 2019 and again deployed to Afghanistan as the Advanced Operations Base – South Commander. Oliveira then served as the operations officer for 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) and moved on to Special Operations Command Pacific where he served as the commanding officer’s executive officer, a military liaison team leader at the US Embassy in Malaysia, and the joint operations center chief.
Oliveira’s military education includes the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course, the Maneuver Captains Career Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, Intermediate Level Education (Command & General Staff Officer Course), and the U.S. Army Ranger, Combat Diver, Military Free Fall, Airborne, and Air Assault Schools. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal (2OLC), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (2OLC), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (2OLC), the Combat Infantry Badge, and the Expert Infantryman Badge.