Maj. Clayton Wade Piersall, training lead for the Marine Corps’ CH-53K program, earned Admiral Merlin O’Neill Officer of the Year during a ceremony in January at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

NAS Patuxent River and Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division leadership give the annual Adm. Merlin O’Neill Officer of the Year award to a junior officer assigned to activities onboard NAS Patuxent River who demonstrates superior performance and leadership, with an emphasis on volunteer activities and involvement in the community.

“Maj. Piersall exemplifies the Corps’ three values of honor, courage and commitment,” said Col. Jack Perrin, H-53 Heavy lift Helicopters (PMA-261) program manager. “He is an ethical and moral leader for the training team and an upstanding model for all who know him and work with him.”

Piersall received the award in part for his community involvement. He is very active in a non-profit organization called Signs of Hope, which supports deaf and hard-of-hearing orphans. In 2019 Maj. Piersall traveled to North Carolina as a volunteer, caring for these children in a camp setting while his wife taught families sign language.

“I am honored to be chosen for this award,” said Piersall. “It is a privilege to be able to share with others a little bit of what I have been given.”

A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Piersall began his military career following graduation from the Virginia Military Institute when he received his officer commission in the Marine Corps. He completed flight training to become a CH-53D Sea Stallion pilot and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He then transitioned to a CH-53E Super Stallion pilot where he coordinated and flew with Royal Australian Air Force counterparts to increase training and interoperability.

Following his deployment to Australia, Piersall served as the CH-53E Super Stallion instructor pilot at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, where he became the aviation safety officer and crew resource management instructor. During his time at New River, he also served as the naval air training and operating procedures standardization evaluation officer and the director of safety and standardization for the CH-53E community.

“Because of his background as a flight instructor, he is committed to making sure training mechanisms for the CH-53K efficiently and effectively meet current fleet needs, as well as those of future heavy-lift pilots and aircrew,” said Perrin. “He has consistently demonstrated an aptitude for navigating and thriving within the demanding acquisition community.”

Since 2018, Piersall has served as the H-53E and CH-53K training integrated product team lead. He is responsible for the development of flight training devices for the new CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter. He delivered the final CH-53E flight simulator ready for training as part of a $27.7 million technical trainer upgrade. He has also executed management of upgrades to flight simulators for the CH-53E Super Stallion and the MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters.