Michael Cheramie was born in South Louisiana in 1965, spending his first years living in Bayou Lafource. Later he move to Slidell, and graduated from Salmen High School in 1983.

      In the same year he joined the Marine Corps, attending bootcamp in San Diego. Upon completion of bootcamp he attended Infantry Training School at Camp Pendleton.

      His first duty assignment was with Marine Barracks Hawaii where he served in security forces protecting vital Naval facilities.

He was transferred to Camp Lejeune for assignment with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines. He served in a rifle company and completed a deployment as a platoon sergeant while only holding the rank of Corporal. After the deployment he passed a screening and became a scout-sniper with the same unit. As a sniper he deployed to the Philippines and conducted deep jungle operations during Operation Subic Presence. As a sniper with this unit he attended and graduated French Foreign Legion Jungle Commando School in French Guiana. 

     In January 1991 he reported to San Diego for duty as a Drill Instructor.  He served 4 platoons as a Drill Instructor, 3 as a Senior Drill Instructor, and served as a Senior Drill Instructor for a Special Training Platoon.  

In 1993 he reported to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines where he served in the unit in various sniper billets. In 1994 he deployed as a sniper to Mogadishu, Somalia and participated in Operations Continue Hope and Quick Draw. The same year he was sent as a sniper to Burundi and Rwanda for Operation Distant Runner which was the rescue of American, British, Belgian, and French citizens. He later deployed with the unit to the western Pacific.

He next served as an instructor and chief instructor as the Staff Noncommissioned Officers Academy for the Sergeants Course. 

      He next served as a Company Gunnery Sergeant for Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. With this unit he deployed to the western Pacific and served as a liaison officer to the Australian army, and launch and recovery officer for small boat raids on an Australian ship.

He was transferred to 5th Marine Headquarters where he served as Assistant Operations Chief and later put in charge of the regimental marksmanship training unit infantry weapons training unit.

2003 he was assigned as the security team leader and personal body guard of Regimental Combat Team 5 commanding officer, deploying to Iraq. During the invasion he was in combat with the lead element of the regiment everyday from 20 March to 10 April, serving in combat with every battalion from the regiment. 

He retired in August of 2003. 

Personal decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V for valor, the Purple Heart Medal ,the Meritorious Service Medal, two Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medals, three Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and two Combat Action Ribbons, and 15 campaign and service awards with 14 stars.