Lieutenant Colonel Michael Paul was born in Heilbronn, Germany, on 22nd October 1976. He joined the German Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) as a volunteer and NCO cadet in 1994. From 1996 to 1997, he served as S1 NCO for the (DEU) National Support Element at SHAPE. In July 1997, he changed the career and became an Officer Cadet. His appointments were as HF-Radio Site Team Head at (DEU) Signal Battalion 1 and as Platoon Leader at (DEU) Signal Battalion 820, Graduating from 2001 to 2005 in business administration, with focus on Personal Management and Employment Law.
Beginning 2005 he served as platoon leader at (DEU) Signal Battalion 610 and went on to become Company Commander of the 3rd Company. In 2009 he attended the Signals Captains Career Course (SCCC) at the US Army Signal Centre of Excellence at Ft. Gordon, Georgia, USA. From 2009 to 2011 he served as S1 officer for the Bundeswehr Federal Office for Personnel Management in Cologne.
In 2011 he was selected to attend the National General/Admiral Staff Officer Course at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College in Hamburg.
From 2013 to 2017, he served as G1 Specialist for Personal Management at the (DEU) Army Headquarters in Strausberg. In 2017 he became a Strategic Advisor for Personnel Management related to German missions abroad at the Strategy and Operations Branch of the (DEU) Ministry of Defence in Berlin.
Beginning in 2019 he served as G6 Section Chief for CIS Operational Planning at the (DEU) 1st Armoured Division staff in Oldenburg. During this time he acted as J5 Chief Policy and Plans and (DEU) Deputy Senior National Representative at KFOR HQ in Pristina from January to July 2021.
On 4th October 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Paul assumed Command of 1st NATO Signal Battalion. He is married to Sandra and they have two teenage children, Erik and Jannik. His particular interests are in politics and sports.