Major Matthew Wood is a native of Illinois. He attended the United States Naval Academy where, upon graduation in May of 2008, he received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.
After TBS, he reported to Naval Air Training Command, Pensacola, Florida and was designated a Naval Aviator in September of 2011. He then reported to Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron (HMHT-302) aboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina for training in the CH-53E Super Stallion.
Major Wood’s first fleet assignment was with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 from 2012 to 2016. In February of 2013, he deployed with HMH-461 to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 13.1. Upon return from Afghanistan, he served in various billets in the Operations Department to include Current Operations Officer before attending Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course 2-15. As a Weapons and Tactics Instructor, he deployed with the inaugural Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Southern Command (SPMAGTF-SC) to Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras. Upon return from the SPMAGTF-SC deployment, Major Wood served as the Quality Assurance Officer until executing orders to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
In August of 2016, Major Wood reported to AFIT, where he earned a Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering. Following graduation in June of 2018, Major Wood was assigned to the United States Naval Academy where he served as an Aeronautical Engineering Instructor, a Company Marine Mentor, and a Leatherneck Staff Platoon Commander.
In June of 2021, Major Wood executed orders to Marine Aircraft Group 29, where he assumed the role of Future Operations Officer. From February until April of 2022, Major Wood deployed with MAG-29 to Bardufoss, Norway, where MAG-29 served as Site Command Bardufoss in support of Exercise Cold Response 22.
In May of 2022, Major Wood reported for duty with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464 as the Operations Officer.
Major Wood’s personal decorations include an Air Medal with Strike/Flight Numeral “3”, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with one gold star, and a Navy and Marine Corps Achievements Medal