- October 3, 2024
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This article was corrected and updated on Feb. 9, 2024.
Dennis Bird enlisted in the Navy as an Aviation Electrician's Mate and attended boot camp at Recruit Training Center in Orlando. He commenced his specialized training in the installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of various electrical systems on Navy P3 Orion aircraft, to include power distribution systems, navigation equipment, communication systems, radar systems, and other electronic components crucial to the functioning of the aircraft.
He served in that capacity for over 13 years, and due to his high competence and merit, he was selected for commissioning as an Aviation Electronics Chief Warrant Officer.
In that role he was trained as an aircraft maintenance and material control officer and an aircraft organizational maintenance officer. Bird is a veteran of the Gulf War, having supported Operation: Desert Storm. Upon retirement from honorable and distinguished Naval service, Bird was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with one bronze star, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with 4 devices, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, 3 Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, among others.
Bird retired in 1998 and he and his wife Judy of 47 years purchased a home in Palm Coast. He worked as a contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration and then Northrop Grumman after his Navy career. Bird is a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and volunteers his time as an instructor, providing guitar lessons to Veterans in support of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 86, Palm Coast, Guitars 4 Vets program.
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