Brigadier General David C. Walsh, a native of Brooklyn, New York, was commissioned into the Marine Corps in August 1992 after graduating from the University of Virginia. He reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola for flight training and was designated a naval aviator in February 1995.

Brigadier General Walsh served with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron-167 as an AH-1W pilot deploying with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. He attended the Marine Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course at Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1, earned every AH-1W qualification possible, and served in various operations and maintenance billets.

Brigadier General Walsh later served as the H-1 lead test pilot for Air Test and Evaluation Squadron-31 and Weapons System Support Activity military deputy at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. He participated in developmental flight testing of the AH-1Z and UH-1Y, as well as multiple other flight test programs.

Brigadier General Walsh was selected in the first cadre of Marine Corps Acquisition Officers and has held numerous acquisition positions within the aviation community to include the H-1 assistant program manager for systems engineering and the director of operations at Fleet Readiness Center East, managing all depot-level operations including flight testing. He served as the Program Manager for Specialized and Proven Aircraft, responsible for the H-46 helicopter, Naval Test Pilot School aircraft, adversary aircraft, contracted air services, and multiple Foreign Military Sales cases. He then served as the Program Manager for the Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Program.

In March 2021, Brigadier General Walsh was selected as the Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition. He was appointed as the acting Program Executive Officer Land Systems in February 2022 and assumed command of Marine Corps Systems Command in June 2022.

Brigadier General Walsh is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School and U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. He earned a master’s degree in technical management from Johns Hopkins University and graduated from USAF Air War College. He is Level III acquisition certified in Program Management, Test and Evaluation and in Production, Quality and Manufacturing; and Level II certified in Engineering. Brigadier General Walsh has accumulated over 2,500 flight hours in more than 30 types of aircraft. His decorations include the Legion of Merit (three awards), Meritorious Service Medal (four awards), Navy Commendation Medal, and various campaign and unit awards.