BANGOR – Michael Tracy retired from the U.S. Army on Dec. 1 after 20 years of service to the United States.

After graduating from Bangor High School, Tracy joined the U.S. Army on Sept. 16, 1986. He joined the Army as a private first class because of his high school Junior ROTC training. He enlisted as a UH-1H helicopter mechanic. After advanced training he volunteered for airborne duty and was stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C.

In 1988, Sgt. Tracy received orders to serve a year in Sinai, Egypt, with the Multinational Forces and Observers. He came back to Fort Bragg and in September 1990 he deployed to Saudi Arabia to participate in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Tracy went to Honduras in 1992 as a UH-1 crew chief. After a year he came back to Fort Bragg with the 82nd Airborne Division. He then deployed to Bosnia for six months.

He served as a U.S. Army recruiter in 2001, assigned to the Airborne Recruiting team at Fort Knox, Ky., until the team was moved to Fort Bragg.

Tracy was promoted to the rank of master sergeant in November 2004 and assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division as a first sergeant in Delta Company 2-82nd Aviation Regiment.