NAVAIR

Lt. Col. David C. Walsh, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., was commissioned in August 1992 through the Officer Candidate School after receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia. Upon completion of the Basic School in February 1993, he reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola for flight training. He was designated a Naval Aviator in February 1995.

Walsh was trained as an AH-1W pilot at Marine Helicopter Training Squadron (HMT) 303 in Camp Pendleton, Calif., and he was subsequently assigned to Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron (HML/A) 167 at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.

In October 1996, he transferred to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 261 (Reinforced) for operations with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). While deployed with HMM-261 (REIN), he participated in Operation Guardian Retrieval in Congo and Operation Noble Obelisk, the non-combatant evacuation of Sierra Leone.

Walsh returned to HML/A-167 in November 1997 and in spring 1999, he attended the Marine Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course at MAWTS-1 and upon graduation was assigned as the tactics officer.

Walsh transferred from HML/A-167 in July 2000 to attend the Amphibious Warfare School (AWS) in Quantico, Va. He completed AWS in June 2001 and was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

Upon graduation from Test Pilot School in June 2002, Walsh was assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31, Naval Air Warfare Center China Lake, Calif., where he served as the H-1 lead test pilot and Weapon System Support Activity (WSSA) Military Deputy/Integrated Program team lead.

Walsh was the project lead for the Cobra Dos Operational Flight Program (OFP) development and subsequently led a team to Iraq and Afghanistan to install the modification and train all H-1 units on the new capabilities. He also participated in developmental flight testing of the H-1 Upgrades aircraft (AH-1Z and UH-1Y) and multiple other flight test programs.

In July 2005, Walsh was reassigned to Marine Aviation Detachment, Patuxent River, to serve as the Program Management Air 276 (PMA-276) assistant program manager for Systems Engineering. In this billet, Walsh led an engineering team of military and civilian personnel to support the H-1 Upgrades program and the operational fleet of AH-1W and UH-1N aircraft.

In 2006, Walsh was selected as an Acquisition Management Professional officer. In May 2008, he completed a Master’s of Science in Technical Management from Johns Hopkins University, graduating with honors, and in December 2008, he completed Lean/Six Sigma Black Belt training.

His most recent assignment was as the director of operations at Fleet Readiness Center East, MCAS Cherry Point, N.C., managing depot-level maintenance, repair, and overhaul of aircraft, engines, and components and supervising production flight test operations.

Walsh has earned Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level III certifications in Test and Evaluation and in Production, Quality, and Manufacturing; and Level II certifications in Program Management and in Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering. He is a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and the Marine Corps Aviation Association.

Walsh has accumulated more than 2,500 flight hours in more than 30 types of aircraft. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (with two Gold Stars in lieu of third award), the Navy Commendation Medal, and various campaign and unit awards.