Master Chief Dave Bennett, a native of Aberdeen, Washington, enlisted in the Navy in November 1999 and attended Boot Camp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois. Upon graduation, he attended Hospital Corps "A" School at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois.
His first assignment was Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton, California as Program Student Input where he worked as a Hospital Corpsman in General Surgery. He then attended Field Medical Service School at Camp Pendleton, California. In September 2000, he reported for sea duty with the 1st Marine Division and was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines at Camp San Mateo. During this tour, he deployed as part of the Unit Deployment Program to Okinawa, Japan with Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion 5th Marines and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Essex LHD-2. After 9/11/2001, he returned from Okinawa and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, seeing combat in Iraq with 2nd Battalion 5th Marines.
In December 2003, he reported for instructor duty at Field Medical Service School, Camp Pendleton, California where he earned his Master Training Specialist qualification and was integral in the curriculum development of the Combat Lifesaver Course currently in use by the Marine Corps. He was promoted to First Class Petty Officer at Field Medical Service School in 2006.
Upon his completion of instructor duty, he reported for his second tour of duty with the 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California as the Leading Petty Officer for 1st Battalion, 4th Marines and deployed to Anbar Province, Iraq in 2007, seeing combat during counter-insurgency operations there with Regimental Combat Team Two. In September 2007, he was promoted to the rank of Chief Petty Officer at Al Asad air base and upon return from Iraq he was assigned as the Leading Chief Petty Officer for Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, deploying to the western Pacific with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS New Orleans (LPD-18) in 2009.
Upon return from this deployment, he reported for shore duty with Naval Dental Center, Camp Pendleton, California in January 2010. He served as the Senior Enlisted Leader for Camp Pendleton's largest Dental Clinic and was advanced to Senior Chief Petty Officer in May 2013. In November 2013, he reported to the Navy Senior Enlisted Academy in Newport, Rhode Island and is a graduate of Class 177.
In January 2014 he reported for his third tour of duty with the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton as the Senior Medical Department Representative for the 1st Marine Regiment at Camp Horno, California and was subsequently assigned as the Senior Enlisted Leader for the Division Surgeon's Office at 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California.
In February 2017 he reported for shore duty at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, Illinois where he was advanced to Master Chief Petty Officer in May 2018 and served as the Senior Enlisted Leader for Fleet Medicine at Recruit Training Command and Naval Station Great Lakes.
In August of 2019 he reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida for duty as the Senior Enlisted Leader for the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute. In July of 2022 he assumed his current duties as the Command Master Chief for 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, Camp Pendleton, California.
Master Chief Bennett has earned his Fleet Marine Force warfare and Master Training Specialist qualifications, and his personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (three awards), the Army Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.