BAY CITY, MI — In 2026, it will be a safe bet to guess that Lt. Gen. Heidi Hoyle will spend at least a few mornings sleeping in.

After a celebrated, decorated 31-year career with the United States Army, the self-proclaimed “night owl” will officially be a retiree as of Dec. 31.

“I enjoyed my time in the military – except for the getting up early,” Hoyle said during a recent interview with MLive, ahead of her Nov. 21 retirement ceremony. “I am not a morning person.”

A stand-out athlete during her time at Bay City Central , Hoyle was recruited by West Point, which launched an unexpected but incredibly successful military career for the 53-year-old.

When the letter came from the distinguished military academy during her junior year at Central, Hoyle said her immediate thought was, “No wa

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