 Executive Officer, VT-7 United States Navy photograph Commander Kinnane, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Science. He was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy on 18 December 1981, reporting to Pensacola, Florida in January 1982 for flight training. He earned his Wings of Gold with VT-7 at Naval Air Station Meridian on 3 June 1983. Selected to fly the Grumman A-6E Intruder, Commander Kinnane reported to Attack Squadron FORTY-TWO at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia for training as a replacement pilot. In January of 1985, he joined the "Black Panthers" of Attack Squadron THIRTY-FIVE, completing two Mediterranean deployments aboard United States Ship NIMITZ (CVN- 69). From April 1988 to August 1989, Commander Kinnane served with the "Roadrunners" of Attack Squadron THIRTY-SIX. While assigned, he completed a Mediterranean deployment aboard the United States Ship THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71), serving as the Conventional Weapons Officer and a wing qualified Landing Signal Officer. In August of 1989, Commander Kinnane reported to the "Vampires" of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron FIVE in China Lake, California where he served as a conventional weapons and systems test pilot, Foreign Materiel Exploitation Officer and Tactics Officer. Following his tour in the "Vampires", Commander Kinnane reported to the "Sunday Punchers" of Attack Squadron SEVENTY-FIVE in October of 1992 for his department head tour. During this tour he served as the Tactics Officer and Operations Officer while conducting two deployments to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf aboard United States Ship JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67) and United States Ship DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69). Both deployments were conducted in support of Operation's Deny Flight and Southern Watch. In June 1995, Commander Kinnane reported to the Naval Strike Warfare Center (Strike University) in Fallon, Nevada. Here he served as the Tactics Officer Department Head while training deploying Carrier Air Wings in Integrated Strike Warfare. It was during this tour where Commander Kinnane transitioned to the FA -18 Hornet and became a plankowner in the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center which combined the commands of Strike University, Topgun and the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Weapons School into a single command. In February 1999, Commander Kinnane reported to the United States Ship KITTY HAWK (CV-63) in Yokosuka, Japan where he served as the Air Operations Officer conducting a deployment to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. For his most recent assignment, Commander Kinnane attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island where he earned a Masters of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies in November of 2000. During his career, Commander Kinnane has accumulated more than 3300 flight hours and 750 carrier arrested landings. He has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals along with various unit and campaign awards. |