Washington, DC – Michael Tognalli, Tag to his friends, worked to make his country a better place over decades of government and political service.  In his final position he brought his experiences to bear to help another nation as a long term observer for IRI's August 2009 Afghanistan election mission.

After graduating from the University of Connecticut, Tag signed on as field representative for the 1980 Reagan Presidential Primary Campaign, serving first as the field representative for the eastern region of Connecticut, then as Executive Assistant to the Campaign Director of the Reagan-Bush election effort, with responsibilities for the day-to-day campaign management in support of the state director.

Moving to Washington, DC with the Reagan-Bush transition team, Tag first worked as Administrative Assistant to the Federal Home Loan Bank Board transition office, before appointment to the position of Assistant to the Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Policy Development, assisting the Senior Domestic Policy Advisor for Education, Health, Housing, Veterans Affairs and the thrift industry.  Joining the Office of Presidential Personnel, Tag was Assistant Director for Personnel Clearances before appointment as Associate Director with responsibility for the Energy and Natural Resources portfolio.

Tag was one of a handful who worked for the Reagan White House the full eight years.  In honor of his service, Tag was awarded the Reagan Revolution Medal of Honor in 1989 for “exceptionally distinguished service to the Presidency of Ronald Reagan.”  Tag received the honor concurrently with five Reagan cabinet secretaries and one ambassador.

Leaving government service in 1989, Tag became a developer, publisher and distributor of multimedia consumer software, including military simulation software, in an 80-employee firm in which he was a principal.  His business career was interrupted when he took on the responsibility of sole caregiver for a parent with progressive degenerative Alzheimer’s disease before her death 10 years later.  Tag remained involved in politics, serving, for example, as a McCain delegate from Connecticut to the Republican National Convention in 2000.

Tag Tognalli passed away on Thursday, August 27, in Washington, DC.  He had just returned from several weeks as an election observer in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan.  Before his return, Tag wrote “…this election is important.  Important to the world, the US and most importantly to the Afghan people.  It represents validation of eight years of blood and sacrifice here for our side, all our young guys and gals who didn’t come home alive.  A successful election keeps the Afghan people on the road to taking back their country from the extremists and providing a safe haven to those whom would again attack our country and kill more Americans…while my contribution is insignificant to the big picture, personally, being a part of this is something I CAN DO and has become very personal in defining who I am, or at least, the man I want to be.  This opportunity may be the only chance I’ll ever have in my life to really make a contribution to the country I love…I am excited to be part of this and humbled to be with the many men and women whom have put their lives on the line with the goal to give this country back to its people.  I am committed to do everything I can to accomplish the goals of this organization [IRI] which has been working towards this day [election] for years…”

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