Sergeant Major (E-9) David Swaine completed a tour to Afghanistan with the Thunder Brigade of Fort Campbell in 2009. CONTRIBUTED

MADISON – Sergeant Major (E-9) David Swaine joined the Army in 1985 and attended Basic Training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He completed Advance Individual Training at Fort Dix, N.J. and Helicopter Repairer Course at Fort Eustis, Va.

His assignments included Apache Helicopter Maintenance Supervisor and Technical Inspector, Fort Campbell, Ky.; Platoon Sergeant, 3-227, 2-227 Aviation, Hanau, Germany; Aviation Observer Controller, 1-337 Aviation, Fort Knox, Ky.; First Sergeant A, 1-501st Aviation Regiment; Division Chief, Advanced Attack Helicopter Division, Fort Eustis, Va.; and Department Chief, Department of Attack Helicopter Training, USAALS.

Swaine culminated his 25-year Army career as Support Operations Sergeant Major, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Fort Campbell — Home of the Mighty 101st Airborne Division Air Assault. Swaine retired as Sergeant Major (E-9) in 2010, when he moved to Madison with his work.

His major deployments included Desert Storm, 101st Airborne Division; two tours in Bosnia, IFOR and SFOR; 14-month tour to Iraq, 1st Armored Division; and tour to Afghanistan with the Thunder Brigade, Fort Campbell in 2009.

His military education includes several Noncommissioned Officer Courses and graduation from Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Swaine’s awards and decorations include Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medals, Meritorious Service Medals, Army Commendation Medals, Master Aircraft Crewmember Badge and the coveted Air Assault Badge. He is a member of Sergeant Morales and Audie Murphy Club and recipient of the Order of Saint Michael.  

A Delray Beach, Fla. native, Swaine earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Excelsior University and a master’s degree in management/logistics from Florida Institute of Technology. He now works as team manager/acting logistics lead at MCR Federal.

His wife Denise holds a finance degree from University of South Florida and volunteers with Madison City Schools. Their daughters are Victoria, Auburn University sophomore majoring in psychology; Alexandria, James Clemens High School junior and president of Spanish National Honor Society and other honoraries; and Elizabeth, Heritage Elementary School student involved with Destination Imagination.

He holds membership in Sergeants Major Association, AAAA and the 101st Airborne Division Association.

His hobbies are racquetball, woodwork and traveling.