Michael Watson Biography


My name is Michael Dennis Watson and I was born November 16, 1969, in Los Angeles CA; I am 38 years of age.

  I was raised in the San Fernando Valley and am a graduate of the local schools.  My initial indoctrination into the United States Military was when I joined the United States Coast Guard Reserve at the age of 20.  I graduated from the Coast Guard Recruit Training Center in Cape May, NJ, and later went on to complete the Boatswains Mate “A” School in Yorktown, VA.

  I was called to active duty during the build-up of United States Forces in the Persian Gulf (Desert Shield) and was sent to Florida for port security training in anticipation of deployment into the theater of operations; ground operations were completed prior to the completion of our units training and subsequently we were not deployed. 

  Two months after my return back to California I enlisted into the active duty United States Marine Corps as a Rifleman, 0311.

  My first 2-years were spent onboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) as a member of the Marine Detachment (MARDET), upon completion of that assignment I was reassigned to the 1^st Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion, “Delta” Company.  I served as an infantry scout until my discharge from active duty in 1995.

  Following the Summer I left active duty, I returned to the Marine Corps as a reservist.  My first reserve duty station was the 2^nd Battalion, 23^rd Marine (2/23) Heavy Weapons Company out of Port Hueneme, CA.  I served at that unit for 2-years and obtained a secondary military occupational specialty (MOS) as a machine gunner, 0331.  I left the Marine Corps Ready Reserve, and dropped to the inactive reserve, in 1997, in order to attend the LAPD Police Academy.

  Upon graduation from the police academy I was assigned to Van Nuys Division as a probationary Police Officer.  Since then I have worked both the Devonshire and Mission Divisions in a variety of assignments, including bicycle patrol, vice, and narcotics enforcement.  In 2000 I left the LAPD and laterally transferred to the Culver City Police Department, but returned to the LAPD a year and a half later.

  Not soon after returning to the LAPD I was called to active duty during the build-up of coalition forces inside of the country of Kuwait in preparation of the up and coming conflict with Iraq; I was at this point back in the Ready Marine Corps Reserve with the 4^th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, “Alpha” Company, as an infantry scout.  We were assigned and attached to the 1^st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion as their “Alpha” Company, this was in lieu of the active duty 1^st LAR “Alpha” Company who were at that time deployed onboard ship as part of the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).  My unit subsequently participated in the initial push into Iraq in the late part of March, 2003; we returned back to the United States approximately 7-months later.

  Following my initial call to active duty, I returned to the LAPD but volunteered about a year and a half later for a second tour to Iraq.  This time I deployed with the 3^rd Civil Affairs Group (CAG) as a team sergeant for a civil affairs tactical team.  A CAG tactical team consists of 4 to 5 Marines who support a given area of operations in the rebuilding of the infrastructure of a given country.  My team and I worked in the Fallujah/ Abu Ghrabe area for a 7-month deployment.

  I again returned back to my regular profession as a Police Officer but again volunteered for my latest tour to Iraq.  This time I deployed with 3^rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) as the team chief for a Fire Support Control Team (FCT).  A FCT consists of 4 to 5 Marines who specialize in the integration of indirect fire assets, such as Marine artillery/mortars, naval gunfire, and close air support (CAS) for non-Marine Corps units; we were attached in support of the United States Army’s Task Force 2-7 Infantry Battalion, located out at the western edge of the Al Anbar Province. 

  In conclusion, I am married to my wife Carrie (9-years) and the father of our children, Abbey and Chad, whose support has made these accomplishments possible.