Colonel Michael F. McCarthy
Colonel McCarthy was awarded a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, Marine Corps Option academic scholarship to attend the University of New Mexico and graduated with a BA in History, was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant , and reported to The Basic School in May 1982.
2ndLt McCarthy was designated a Naval Aviator in 1984, and was assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 265 at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, HI, As a HMM 265 “Dragon,” then Capt McCarthy was designated an Aircraft Commander, a Division and a flight leader, a TERF Instructor, ViP Pilot, and accumulated over 950 flight hours in the CH-46E helicopter. In 1987 he served as a Forward Air Controller, 3rd Battalion, 3d Marine Regiment, Kaneohe Bay, HI as the Battalion’s FAC, Air SORTS, Education, and Assistant S-3 Officer. From 1988 to 1991, Capt McCarthy served at Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron (H&HS), MCAS Beaufort, SC as a Search and Rescue Pilot, and company Executive Officer. As an (H&HS), “Swamp Fox,” Capt McCarthy was designated as and aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and maintenance check flight pilot in both the HH-46D SAR Helicopter and the UC-12B Turboprop, accumulating over 1580 flight hours total time. In September 1991, Capt McCarthy left active duty to pursuer a civil aviation career.
In 1994, Capt McCarthy joined the Selected Marine Corps Reserve for duty as a UC-12B Pilot with the Marine Aircraft Support Detachment, NAS New Orleans, LA accumulating over 1000 flight hours, was designated as an Instructor, Maintenance Functional check-flight, and as a Safety and Standardization Board Pilot. He was promoted to Major in July 1994 and to Lieutenant Colonel in May 1999. Hey then served as part of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing G-3 Joint Forces Air Component Commander directorate, followed by a tour as the Executive Officer of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 41, NAS Ft. worth, TX through March 2004. LtCol McCarthy took command of Marine Wing Support Squadron 473 in April 2004, and was promoted to Colonel in august 2004.
In March 2006, he relinquished command and re-affiliated with the Inactive Ready Reserves in order to facilitate his deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served as the Multi-national Corps-Iraq (MNC-I) Chief of Operations, Baghdad, Iraq in charge of the Joint Operations Center from December 2006- until July 2007. Col McCarthy then served with the force Readiness Assessment and Assistance Program (FRAAP), G-7, Marine “Forces Reserve as a senior assessment officer through 2008. Before joining MWSG47, he served at the Marine Forces Command, Norfolk, VA as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee, Joint and Service Training, G3/5/7.
His personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (2), the Navy and Marine corps Commendation Medal (2), the National Defense service Medal (2), the Sea Service Deployment Medal (3), the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Medal, the Armed forces Reserve Medal (m), and the SMCR Service Medal (4).