Cmdr. Matthew D. Baird
CDR Matthew (Matt) Baird is a native of Canton, South Dakota. He attended Iowa State University under the CEC Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in December 2002. In August of 2014, he returned to Iowa State University and completed his Master of Engineering Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was commissioned through OCS as an Ensign in the Civil Engineer Corps on May 9th, 2003.
CDR Baird began his first tour at the Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA where he was the Facilities Manager from October 2003 to June 2005. His next assignment was to NMCB 74 where he served in various functions and completed two deployments from July 2005 to July 2007. His follow-on assignment was to the TWENTIETH Seabee Readiness Group as the Comms Officer and CCCT Division Officer from July 2007 to July 2010.
From August 2010 to February 2013 he was assigned to NAVFAC EURAFSWA, Public Works Department Rota, Spain. There he served as the Facility Maintenance/Facility Support Contract Branch Head and later as the Facility Engineering and Acquisition Director. During his Rota tour CDR Baird was deployed to Afghanistan as an Individual Augmentee. He was assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Uruzgan where he served as the Detachment Chorah Officer in Charge.
After leaving PWD Rota, he transferred to the reserve component where he served as the NOSC Des Moines Operational Support Unit OIC from March 2013 to December 2013. He went on to NMCB 18 for one year serving as the Region North Commander. His next assignment was with NAVFAC Contingency Engineering Unit (CEU) from December 2014 to December 2016 where he served as the Detachment Central Officer in Charge. CDR Baird returned to NMCB 18 and served as the Battalion Training Officer and Air Detachment OIC. During this tour, he mobilized NMCB 18’s Air Detachment to support NMCB 1 on their regular six-month deployment to the AFRICOM and CENTCOM AORs. In December 2019, CDR Baird returned to the NAVFAC CEU as the unit Operations Officer. Once he completed his second tour with NAVFAC CEU he assumed command of NMCB 25.
CDR Baird’s current civilian assignment is with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Omaha District Construction Division) as the Senior Resident Engineer for the Ellsworth AFB Resident Office located in Box Elder, South Dakota.
CDR Baird is a qualified Seabee Combat Warfare Officer and is a registered engineer in the state of Iowa. He is certified for Contracting and Facility Engineering under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act. He is also a warranted Contracting Officer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His personal awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal (three awards), the Combat Action Ribbon, and other various unit and personal awards.