2012

On 16 October 2012 Michael Murphy arrived in Barbados for her first international port of call. Led by Ambassador Larry L. Palmer, dozens of sailors ventured out into the community to help the children of Barbados at the Boscobelle Primary School and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The sailors presented stuffed animals to the children at the hospital. At the primary school, the crew members helped to beautify the school grounds by planting trees, as well as clearing away brush and debris. The students of the primary school also had stuffed animals donated to them by the sailors.^[13][14] On 21 November, Michael Murphy arrived at her home port of Naval Station Pearl Harbor, part of Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam.^[15][16]

2013

On 15 February 2013 Michael Murphy held her first family day cruise.^[17] On 23 May 2013 Michael Murphy held her first change of command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam.^[18]

2014

On 4 February 2014 Michael Murphy participated with aviation forces from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps in joint training exercise Koa Kai. Participating units conducted integrated flight operations, anti-surface and anti-submarine training.^[19] On 28 February, the Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Protecteur suffered a fire and breakdown approximately 340 nautical miles (630 km) northeast of Pearl Harbor that left the ship stranded without power, lighting or water. Michael Murphy, already underway, was immediately dispatched to assist in towing and recovery efforts. Michael Murphy received 17 family members of the crew and two civilian contractors from Protecteur; however, due to adverse weather conditions, Michael Murphy's attempts to take her under tow were unsuccessful. USS Chosin, a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, arrived two days later, connected to and towed the stricken ship until the towing cable broke.^[20] Finally, USNS Sioux, a Powhatan-class fleet ocean tug, arrived on 2 March to assume the towing duties and brought Protecteur into Naval Station Pearl Harbor on 6 March.^{[21][22][23][24]}

On 7 July 2014 Michael Murphy departed Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam to participate in the at-sea phase of the multinational exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC). On 26 June, RIMPAC 2014 commenced and Michael Murphy participated in all 36 days, including the closing reception on 1 August.^[25] On 20 October 2014, Michael Murphy departed on her first deployment to the Western Pacific with the United States Seventh Fleet.^[26]

2015

On 26 May 2015, Michael Murphy was awarded with a Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation in recognition of the service she provided to the stranded Canadian naval vessel HMCS Protecteur after she had caught fire at sea.^[27]

2017

The Fiji Military Forces Band performs as the USS Michael Murphy docks in Suva, Fiji.

In January 2017, Michael Murphy, along with sister Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer and Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Lake Champlain, accompanied Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in a deployment to the western Pacific. In April of that year, the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (CSG) cancelled a scheduled port call in Australia in response to increasing tensions between North Korea (DPRK) and the United States over the DPRK's nuclear weapons program.

2018

Michael Murphy participated in KAKADU 2018, a multinational exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Navy. During the sea phase of the exercise, forces from twenty-seven countries will train together in several complex warfighting scenarios, including an air defense exercise, gunnery exercise, search and rescue training, underway replenishment approaches, anti-submarine warfare vulnerability training, and divisional tactics.^[28]

2019

Michael Murphy deployed to the U.S. Fourth Fleet area of operations, following her participation in exercises UNITAS LX and Teamwork South 2019 in Valparaiso, Chile, from 24 June to 3 July.