Michael Dane Steele, born September 15, 1960, in Statham, Georgia, is a retired U.S. Army Colonel who served from 1983 to 2010. He attended the University of Georgia, playing as an offensive lineman for the Bulldogs football team during the Vince Dooley era; the team won the national championship in 1980. Steele graduated from the University of Georgia in 1983 and was commissioned as an infantry officer through Army ROTC. He earned a master's degree from Central Michigan University and completed military training including Airborne School, Ranger School, and Army Command and General Staff College.

His military career included early assignments such as the Berlin Brigade in West Berlin and company command roles in the 4th Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment and B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. In 1993, as company commander, he led operations during the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia (Operation Gothic Serpent), fast-roping into Bakara Market on October 3 to secure the crash site of Super 61 helicopter and fighting for 15.5 hours; he was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor Device. He later served as Battalion Commander of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment and commanded the 3rd Brigade (Rakkasan), 101st Airborne Division from June 2004 to November 2006, overseeing its transformation to a six-battalion brigade combat team. During this time, the brigade deployed to Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom, Fall 2005–2006) in Saladin Governorate, where Steele commanded the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment and led major operations including Operation Swarmer (March 2006, the largest air assault since 2003), Operation Katrina, Operation Rita, Operations Red Light I/II/III, Operation Swift Sword, Operation Starlight, and Operation Iron Triangle. Post-command, he served as Deputy G3 (Training) for United States Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson, Georgia, from 2006 to 2010.

Steele was portrayed by actor Jason Isaacs in the film Black Hawk Down (2001) and briefly appeared in the documentary I Am an American Soldier.

His career included controversies, notably Operation Iron Triangle in May 2006, where he was investigated in connection with the murders of three unarmed Iraqi civilians by soldiers under his command. Four soldiers were charged; Steele testified that he instructed them to 'kill all military-age males' but denied giving such an order or using 'specific language,' stating 'we don't shoot people with their hands up.' He refused to testify at the Article 32 hearing, which was unusual for a commander. Although not charged, he was formally reprimanded by Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli for failing to report the deaths and raid details, ending his promotion prospects according to anonymous DoD officials. He also instigated 'Kill Boards' to track enemy kills by companies. One subordinate, Lt. Col. Nathaniel Johnson, Jr., criticized Steele for pressuring the battalion to be more aggressive against insurgents.

Steele retired in 2010 with no further public career details identified.