Mangold began his aviation career in 1974 as a skydiver while attending the United States Air Force Academy. He went on to USAF pilot training in 1977 and learned to fly fighters, graduating from the academy the following year with a B.S. degree, and eventually attending the United States Air Force Fighter Weapons School. Mangold graduated first in his class in 1983 and earned the "Outstanding Graduate" award. During his military career Mike served in the Pacific and CONUS theaters, flying nuclear, conventional, smart weapons, and air intercept missions in the F-4 Phantom, including the F-4G Wild Weasel variant. He flew Phantoms for the USAF for about 10 years. After leaving active duty in 1989, he became a commercial airline pilot for US Airways and then American Airlines, flying a variety of jetliners, including the Boeing 767.