Major General Michael A. Canavan was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 7 September 1967. His first duty assignment was as Special Forces A Detachment Commander, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Bad Tolz, Germany. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Commander, Special Forces A Detachment A-401 and Operations Officer, Special Forces B Detachment B-40, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Vietnam; Commander, Special Forces B Detachment B-43, 6th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Commander, Headquarters Company, United States Army John F. Kennedy Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Search Team Commander, Joint Casualty Resolution Center, Thailand/Vietnam; Assistant Brigade S-3, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington; Assistant Battalion S-3, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington; Commander, B Company, 2d Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington; Assistant Professor of Military Science, ga Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia; Brigade S-1, 3d Brigade and Battalion Executive Officer, 2d Battalion, 505th Infantry, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina (Operation URGENT FURY, Grenada, West Indies); Chief, Current Operations, G3 and Deputy Chief of Staff, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry, 2d Infantry Division, Korea; Chief, J3 Current Operations and Director of Operations, J-3, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Brigade Commander, 3d Brigade, 7th Infantry Division (Light), Fort Ord, California; Director, Joint and Combined Operations, Commmand and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Analysis Command (TRAC), Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Assistant Division Commander for Operations, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Commanding General, Special Operations Command, Europe; Commander, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. | General Canavan's military awards and decorations include: the Defense Distinguish Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit w/ one oak leaf Cluster, Bronze Star w/ one oak leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall badge, Ranger Tab, Pathfinder Badge, Scuba Badge and Special Forces Tab.