Chief West

  Chief Petty Officer David West, Navy Retired

Chief Petty Officer David West was born in Indiana but considers himself a native Floridian 

He graduated from Fort Myers High School, enlisting first in the U.S. Marine corps and then in the U.S. Navy. During his 24-year career, he graduated from both Marine Corps Boot Camp, Parris Island and Navy Boot Camp, Great Lakes. He has visited and conducted operations in the Mediterranean, Middle East and South America. Stateside ports o' call, include Texas, Virginia, Illinois and California.

While on active-duty Chief West Earned the following personal awards: Marine Corps Commendation USMC Good Conduct, Meritorious Mast USMC (2), Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Good Conduct (6), Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal (5), National Defense Service Medal (2), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (4), Global War on Terrorism Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary (2), Battle "E" Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (4), Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.

Chief West retired in 2017 and always having a heart for teaching applied and received certification as a NJROTC instructor. He was hired by Charlotte County Public Schools and became the Naval Science Instructor at Lemon Bay High School in August 2020.

Chief West became an instructor because he cares about the students and the future of our great nation. "Our nation was founded on basic principles that demand us to be both responsible and good moral leaders within our communities. As an instructor, I have the formidable, yet rewarding task of teaching these same principles and developing them in the cadets; fervently motivating them to become the next generation of exceptional leaders" 

Chief West is married to the "love of his life", has three amazing children and three gorgeous granddaughters.

He was most recently nominated and awarded as a Class Nobel Educator of Distinction in recognition of his impact as an educator, leader and role model; for 2021.