Major Chirhart was born 18 December 1985 in Anchorage, Alaska. Growing up in Alaska, Maj Chirhart held a number of jobs at an early age, and was actively
engaged in sports and extracurricular activities. He graduated from Dimond
High School in 2004. Following high school graduation, he attended the
United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD where he earned his Bachelor's
degree in Astrospace Engineering and on May 23rd, 2008 he was commissioned a
Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.
After graduation, Second Lieutenant Chirhart attended The Basic School in
Quantico, Virginia from June 2008 through January 2009. After completing
basic officer training, he reported to MATSG-21 in Pensacola, FL to begin
aviation pre-indoctrination. His primary flight training consisted of
familiarization, navigation, and formation training in the T-34C as part of
VT-2, and advanced flight training in the TH-57B and TH-57C with HT-28.
First Lieutenant Chirhart was winged on 17 December 2010 and reported to
HMLA(T)-303 in Camp Pendleton CA for flight training in the UH-1Y. He
completed the FRS and reported to HMLA-367 "Scarface" where he worked as the
Ground Safety and NATOPS Officer until the squadron re-located to MAG-29 in
Hawaii in 2011. Capt Chirhart spent 2 months as an augment pilot to HMLA-169
"Vipers" during Operation RIMPAC in 2012, before reporting to HMLA-267
"Stingers" where he became a schedule writer and the Anti-Terrorism Force
Protection Officer.
In February 2013, Capt Chirhart deployed on an IA billet with MAG-50, MWHS-3
to Isa Air Base in Bahrain. During this time he served as the Senior Watch
Officer, monitoring and coordinating the actions of aircraft in support of
CENTCOM operations, and was also trained as the Personnel Recovery
Coordinator, implementing training and communication architecture to support
the CENTCOM Joint Personnel Recovery Center. Capt Chirhart returned to
HMLA-267 in September 2013 where he assumed the duties as the Corrosion
Control, HAZMAT, Flight Equipment, and Airframes Division OIC. Following his
assignment in the maintenance department, Capt Chirhart transitioned into
the operations department where he served as the Current Operations Officer,
overseeing the daily flight schedule and supervising the actions of the
operations duty officer while progressing in the UH-1Y syllabus, achieving
his designations as a basic instructor pilot, terrain flight instructor,
weapons training officer, forward air controller airborne, and night systems
instructor. In 2015, Capt Chirhart graduated from the Weapons and Tactics
Instructor Course 1-16 and upon his return to the squadron assumed the
duties as a Weapons and Tactics Instructor and the squadron's UH-1Y pilot
training officer. During this time Capt Chirhart earned his qualifications
as a defensive aerial combat maneuvering instructor (DACM-I), forward air
controller airborne instructor (FAC(A)-I), Air Mission Commander, and NATOPS
instructor.
In November 2016, Captain Chirhart deployed with HMLA-267 to Okinawa Japan
in support of the Unit Deployment Program. During this deployment, Capt
Chirhart flew over 220 hours and developed and implemented procedures for
UH-1Y Bambi bucket operations, sustaining the HMLA support to firefighting
operations on the island of Okinawa. Capt Chirhart also earned a Navy and
Marine Corps achievement medal for planning, organizing, and leading a week
long squadron detachment for training on the island of Ie Shima.
After returning from deployment in May 2017, Capt Chirhart accepted orders
to the Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One in Marine Corps
Air Station Yuma, Arizona. During this time Capt Chirhart served as the
Airframes officer in charge, and participated in multiple test and
evaluation projects including testing the Intrepid Tiger II, TTP development
for full motion video/digital interoperability, Future Vertical Lift
Maneuverability/Agility study, an Army Aviation Development Directorate
(ADD) sponsored Manned/Unmanned teaming (MUM-T) training event, small UAS
and H-1 integration TTP development, Joint Aircrew Survival Mask gas chamber
testing, and augmented multiple WTI courses as a UH-1Y WTI instructor.
In October 2018, he was promoted to Major and during his remaining time at
VMX-1 completed the USMC Command and Staff Distance Education Program, Lean
Six Sigma Yellow and Green Belt training, and Defense Acquisition University
level 1.
During his tour at VMX-1, Major Chirhart took an interest in the unmanned
aircraft community, submitted for re-designation, and was accepted for
transition to the Unmanned Aircraft Officer 7315 MOS. He then accepted
orders to Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron One in Yuma Arizona, and
after attending the Unmanned Aircraft Commander's RQ-21A Mobile Training
Team Course, Maj Chirhart received his 7315 designation and Unmanned
Aircraft Officer wings.
After joining VMU-1 in July 2019, Major Chirhart was assigned as the
Aircraft Maintenance Officer, and department head of the Operational Support
Department (OSD). As the OSD department head, Maj Chirhart coordinated the
functions of the S-4, S-6, and aviation maintenance division, to support the
squadron's operational and training requirements. Maj Chirhart quickly
learned his new community and platform, and after only 3 months in the
squadron, planned, coordinated, and led a squadron wide detachment for
training called Exercise Chaos Scorpion. This event was meant to enforce the
squadron's bounding launch and recovery capability, utilizing organic ground
support assets to move to, and fly from, multiple locations within the
R-2507 north and south aerial gunnery training ranges. During his time as
Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Maj Chirhart also led the maintenance
department through multiple detachments for training in support of exercises
Summer Fury, Steel Knight, Integrated Training Exercises, and WTI courses,
all while preparing the squadron for the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron
13, Third Marine Air Wing, and Commander Naval Air Forces maintenance
inspections. Later assigned as the MQ-9A department officer in charge, Major
Chirhart led MQ-9A aircrew and augment Unmanned Mission Commanders
supporting Task Force Southwest from MCAS Yuma in support of OPERATION
RESOLUTE SUPPORT and OPERATION FREEDOM SENTINEL.
In May of 2020, Maj Chirhart assumed the duties as the unit's Operations
Officer, coordinating the specific training, scheduling, and operational
support for MQ-9 aircrew. At this time, the unit was simultaneously
operating two distinctly separate type/model/series aircraft, as well as
preparing for the divestment of the RQ-21A, and generating TTPs for Group 5
employment in the CENTCOM AOR. During this time, Maj Chirhart continued
progression through the RQ-21A syllabus, becoming a Basic Instructor Pilot
and Weapons Training Officer before departing to Holloman AFB in New Mexico
to receive his MQ-9A qualification. As a member of A Flight in the 6th
Attack Squadron, Maj Chirhart graduated as the top pilot, and top overall
academic student, earning the 7318 MOS upon graduation. Upon returning to
VMU-1, Maj Chirhart assumed the role as Executive Officer, and continued
progression through the MQ-9A T&R syllabus as the squadron continued to
build the foundation for the MQ-9A enterprise throughout the Marine Corps
through TTP development, transition to 24/7/365 work schedule, and
acquisition of the Marine Corps' first two MQ-9As and associated ground
equipment.
In May 2022, Maj Chirhart executed orders to the Capabilities Development
Directorate of USMC Combat Development and Integration, where he currently
serves as the Senior UAS Capabilities Integration Officer with the Air
Vehicle Integration Branch, Aviation Combat Element.
Major Chirhart's personal awards include two Navy and Marine Corps
Achievement Medals and two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, as well
as multiple letters of appreciation. He is an FAA Certified Private Pilot
who is rotary and fixed wing instrument and commercial rated, and holds a
Part 107 small UAS license. He has over 1,820 hours in the T-34C, TH-57, and
UH-1Y aircraft.
