Sergeant Major Matthew W. Golden 

Sergeant Major Golden was born on 10 November 1978 in Kansas City, Missouri.  He enlisted in the Marine Corps and completed recruit training at MCRD/WRR, San Diego, California in August 1997.  Following recruit training, he was sent to the School of Infantry, Camp Pendleton, California.  After graduating from SOI, he was assigned to 3d Bn, 1^st Marines.

During this tour, he served as an infantryman with Kilo Company and was deployed on two Western Pacific deployments.  After his first deployment, Lance Corporal Golden was given the opportunity to work with the Operations Section.  He served as the schools Non-Commissioned Officer as well as the Assistant Operations Chief.  It was during this time he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

In May of 2002 Sergeant Golden received orders to Recruiting Duty at Permanent Contact Station Gillette, Wyoming.  After a successful tour on Recruiting Duty, he was assigned to 3d Bn 5^th Mar as a Section Leader for Kilo Company, Weapons Platoon.  Shortly upon arriving to 3/5 Sergeant Golden was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant and became the Platoon Sergeant for the Weapons Platoon.  In January 2006, Staff Sergeant Golden deployed to Iraq with 3/5 and acted as the Personal Security Detachment Leader for the Company Commander.

In April of 2007 Staff Sergeant Golden received orders to 1^st Bn, 23d Marines.  Staff Sergeant Golden acted as the Training Chief from April 2007 to March 2010.  He also ran the Toys for Tots program, coordinated all the funerals for the unit, and volunteered his time to the Young Marines Program.  Staff Sergeant Golden was promoted to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant in February 2010. 

Gunnery Sergeant Golden checked in to 2d Bn, 4th Marines, in June of 2010 where he became the Weapons Platoon Sergeant for Golf Company.  Shortly after that it was identified that Headquarters and Service Company was in need of a Company Gunnery Sergeant.  He deployed to Afghanistan with Headquarters and Service Company where he acted as the Camp Commandant for FOB Musa Qalah.

Gunnery Sergeant Golden executed orders to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4 in July 2012 where he served as the tactical military adviser.  His primary mission while stationed with NMCB 4 was to ensure that every Navy Seabee was proficiently trained in the art of tactics and weaponry.  Gunnery Sergeant Golden was promoted to First Sergeant in April 2015 and received orders to Weapons and Field Training Battalion.

First Sergeant Golden checked in to Weapons and Field Training Battalion in April of 2015 and assumed the billet of the Field Company First Sergeant.  During his tenure with WFTBN he served with all three companies before receiving orders to 1^st Tank Battalion.

First Sergeant Golden checked in to 1^st Tank Battalion in March 2018 and assumed the billet of Alpha Company First Sergeant for the next 10 months.  In January of 2019 he was re-assigned to Headquarters Company to help bring stability and continuity to the company during numerous personnel changes.  First Sergeant Golden was promoted to Sergeant Major in August 2019 and assumed his post as Sergeant Major of Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron 302 on 30 August 2019.  After serving with HMHT-302 for approximately two years, Sergeant Major Golden received orders back to the West Coast.   

Sergeant Major Golden arrived aboard Camp Pendleton, CA in October 2021 and served with Combat Logistics Battalion 1 and Landing Support Battalion before he retired in August 2023. 

 His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Gold Star in lieu of 3rd award), Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V (with 2 Gold Stars in lieu of 3rd award), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (with 2 Gold Star in lieu of 3rd award) and Combat Action Ribbon.