The Red Bulls

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – Spc. Michael S. Zetts III, currently serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as an intelligence specialist with Multi-National Division-South and 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, prepared for service in the military from an early age.

The 2001 graduate of Struthers High School in Ohio engaged in a number of extracurricular activities throughout his school-age years, including playing percussion in the school’s marching band and participating in student government and drama club. The drama club was a particular passion of his.
“I was the only student in my class who participated in every drama club event from freshman year to graduation,” said Zetts.
Despite attending school and participating in all of those activities, Zetts somehow found the time to participate in an after-school organization that gave him some of the tools he would need to succeed in the military.

Zetts was a member of Boy Scout Troop 101 from Struthers, Ohio, where he attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

He didn’t join the military immediately after high school, however. Zetts said he worked at Southern Park Mall in the Youngstown, Ohio area selling mobile phones for T-Mobile. The mall had a recruiting office and after an encounter with a U.S. Army recruiter, Zetts decided to join.

Zetts shipped to Fort Jackson, S.C. for basic combat training after joining in late 2002, and after completing BCT he went to Defense Language Institute Foreign Language School and Presidio of Monterey, California for advanced individual training, where he earned an associate’s degree in Korean.
It was during his training at the Presidio that Zetts developed his current passion: nightlife promotion.

“We had a multi-purpose building at (the Presidio) that featured parties,” said Zetts. “Upstairs they played Top 40 and hip-hop music and downstairs was electronic dance music.”

After serving on active duty, including a deployment with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division from Fort Hood, Texas to Iraq in 2005, Zetts decided to continue his military career in the Minnesota National Guard in 2007.

He currently resides in Coitsville Township, Ohio and hopes to turn his passion for nightlife into a successful promotion business. He plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in marketing. He also plans to attend the Winter Music Conference in Miami in March of next year to promote nightlife in the Midwest involving the dance music industry.