Biography

Colonel Donald C. Chipman was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in May 1991 after graduating from the United States Naval Academy. He graduated from The Basic School in December 1991. Upon completion of the Aircraft Maintenance Officer (AMO) School, Lieutenant Chipman was ordered to Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 13 in Yuma, AZ where he served as both the Airframes and ALSS division officer.

In 1995, he was assigned to Marine Attack Squadron 311, where he served as the Maintenance Material Control Officer for a 20-plane AV-8B Squadron. While serving with the Tomcats, Lieutenant Chipman deployed as part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and participated in various Western Pacific exercises operating within Australia, Guam, and both mainland and Okinawa, Japan.

Captain Chipman received orders in 1997 to be the Executive Officer (XO) of Aviation Maintenance Squadron 1 aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL. After serving for two years at the “A” school, he was re-assigned to the AMO School as the Marine Liaison Officer. While instructing in the AMO long/short course, he completed a Master’s degree and became a Master Training Specialist.

In 2001, Major Chipman received orders to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, NC where he was assigned as the KC-130 FREST OIC. During this time, The KC-130 FREST merged with the AV-8B FREST in order to stand-up NAMTRA Marine Unit Cherry Point. He served as the first XO of this newly established “C” School.

Major Chipman was re-assigned in 2002 to MALS-14 as the Operations Officer and began preparing the Dragons for deployment to Iraq. In Jan 2003, he deployed aboard the SS WRIGHT (T-AVB 3); remaining on station in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM until the end of major combat operations.

In 2003, upon returning from deployment, Major Chipman received orders to U.S. Strategic Command in Omaha, NE. He was assigned to the Global Strike Division where he earned a Space Operations designation and later became a J5 Regional Planner supporting Central Command Plans.

In 2006, Major Chipman was assigned to HQMC at the Pentagon in Arlington, VA as the ASL-40, Strategy and Plans Officer. While there, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and slated for command.

Lieutenant Colonel Chipman assumed command of MALS-11 at MCAS Miramar, CA in 2007. The Devilfish of MALS-11 earned recognition in both 2008 and 2009 as the Naval Aviation Enterprise AIRSpeed Site of the year and again in 2009 as the Marine Corps Aviation Association MALS of the year.

Following command, Lieutenant Colonel Chipman participated in the Commandant’s Fellowship program at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He was published in the Marine Corps Gazette and Hoover Digest.

Returning to the Pentagon in 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Chipman was once again assigned to HQMC, this time as the ASL-33 Aircraft Maintenance Section Head and 6002 Occupational Field Sponsor.

Recently, Colonel Chipman served as 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1stMAW) Aviation Logistics Department from 2013 to 2016 in Okinawa, Japan. 1stMAW Marines provided aviation logistics support for MV-22B and KC-130J HA/DR efforts in Operation DAMAYAN following the devastating effects of a Super Typhoon Haiyan on the Philippines in November 2013. They responded again in April 2015, by providing the same for UH-1Y, MV-22B, and KC-130J HA/DR efforts in Operation SAHAYOGI HAAT following the massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal.

His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (2nd award), the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (5th award), and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2nd Award).