Michael Linnington

Awards Expert Infantryman's Badge

During his time as director, the agency nearly doubled identification of missing service members.

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)

On July 18, 2016, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Michael S. Linnington was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Wounded Warrior Project, He told a reporter he felt compelled to lead WWP after he observed the organization began suffering due to a media scandal in 2016. The allegations of the scandal were later disproved by several audits and investigations held by third parties, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance. Media coverage resulted in a severe drop in donations and revenue. As a result, Linnington's first actions were focused on reducing costs while maximizing impact from veterans programs,

On March 9, 2017, Linnington testified to Congress about veterans healthcare needs highlighting four major areas:

Collaboration between government and nonprofits Improving care for veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) Improving health insurance for severely injured veterans Extending In Vitro Fertilization benefits provided by the VA

On February 5, 2019, Linnington announced to ABC/NBC-owned First Coast News that WWP has "turned the corner" and is doing more with less resources. "We are serving more warriors today than ever before in impactful ways that change their lives."

In April 2022, Linnington lobbied for H.R. 3967 (Honoring our PACT Act of 2022), a bill to provide healthcare and resources to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service.

In March 2023, Linnington was named the Grand Marshal of the New York Veterans Day Parade. As the Grand Marshal, Linnington will lead over 20,000 people up Fifth Avenue on November 11, 2023.

Linnington also saw the number of peer support group leaders rise to hundreds leading events in their communities as volunteers. He saw the organization shift its focus to provide long-term financial aid for wounded veterans, emotional support for families, career guidance, and social events across the U.S.