Los Alamos native LCDR Britton A. Girard stands near his F/A-18 jet. Courtesy/Molly Girard

LCDR Britton A. Girard with his wife Molly and their daughters Maggie and Evie. Courtesy/Molly Girard

By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com

Los Alamos native LCDR Britton A. Girard returned last weekend from the Middle East where he was deployed as a F/A-18 pilot with the United States Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). 

The “Ike” and other naval vessels in the Carrier Strike Group (CGS-2) have been deployed to the Middle East and Mediterranean for nearly nine months. Much of this time was spent in the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman defending international shipping against the threats posed by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen.

The Strike Group was under almost constant alert and LCDR Girard flew many missions against the Houthi missiles and UAVs targeting innocent merchant vessels. LCDR Girard received two Strike/Flight air medals as well as the distinguished Single Mission Air Medal for his defense against a multi-axis Hothi attack.

LCDR Girard returned to the F/A-18 base, Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Friday, July 12 preceding the return of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to Naval Station Norfolk. Upon his return with his F/A-18 squadron, he was met by his wife Molly and their daughters Maggie, 3, and Evie, 2.

Girard attended Los Alamos Public Schools to high school; he graduated from the New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) in 2008 in Roswell. After receiving his B.S. degree in applied math from the University of New Mexico in 2013, he joined the United States Navy and was commissioned as an officer in 2014. Girard received his Naval Aviator Wings in 2016 and did a full tour of duty as a carrier-based E-2/D Advanced Hawkeye pilot before transitioning to jets as a F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot.

LCDR Girard’s parents Wiley and Robin Davidson raised their six children in Los Alamos and they now live in Santa Fe.

“From early on, Britton’s number one career choice was to be a fighter pilot,” Wiley recalled.

Robin spoke of the things she would do to let her son know they were thinking of him.

“As a mother, I am so thankful that Britton is safely back on United States soil,” she said. “My pride in his accomplishments is not limited to his military achievements; he is also an amazing man. Britton really enjoyed the beautiful pictures of Los Alamos that I sent to him when he was on the other side of the world.”