Kirkland H. Donald

Originally from Norlina, North Carolina, Donald graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in ocean engineering. He also holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and is a graduate of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellows Program.

After completing his initial nuclear power and submarine training, he served on the USS Batfish (SSN-681), USS Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN-658), and USS Seahorse (SSN-669).

Donald was Commanding Officer of the USS Key West (SSN-722), from October 1990 to February 1993. He served as Commander, Submarine Development Squadron Twelve from August 1995 to July 1997. From June 2002 to July 2003, he was assigned as Commander, Submarine Group Eight; Commander, Submarine Force Sixth Fleet (CTF 69); Commander, Submarines Allied Naval Forces South; and Commander, Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine Force (CTF 164) in Naples, Italy. Most recently, he served as Commander, Naval Submarine Forces; Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Commander, Allied Submarine Command, Atlantic; and Commander, Task Forces 84 and 144 in Norfolk, Virginia.

His shore assignments include the Pacific Fleet Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board and on the staff of the Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion. He also served at the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS), on the Joint Staff, and as Deputy Chief of Staff for C4I, Resources, Requirements and Assessments for the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Admiral Donald began his tenure as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, on 5 November 2004 -- a uniquely eight-year posting which was originally created and served in by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover. The appointment as Director is both a military and civilian position as it is the head of both Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program in the Department of the Navy and National Nuclear Security Administration in the Department of Energy.[2] See Naval Reactors for more information.

As reported on March 25, 2008, Donald was assigned by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to investigate the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident where nuclear missile fuses that were mistakenly sent to the island of Taiwan.[3] Gates, when accepting the resignations of both Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley on June 5, 2008, cited the report's findings of a "decline in the Air Force's nuclear mission focus and performance" and a "lack of a critical self-assessment culture" in the Air Force.[4] However, details of Admiral Donald's specific report remain classified.

Admiral Donald was relieved as Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion by Admiral John M. Richardson, on 3 November, 2012.[5]

Donald's awards include:

Submarine Warfare insignia

Silver SSBN Deterrent Patrol insignia with two gold stars

Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

	Navy Distinguished Service Medal with 1 gold star
	Defense Superior Service Medal
	Legion of Merit with four gold stars
	Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star
	Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars
	Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold star
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award
	Navy Unit Commendation with two bronze stars
	Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with two bronze stars
	Battle "E" with 2 "E"s
	Navy Expeditionary Medal
	National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars
	Global War on Terrorism Medal
	Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with silver service star
	Navy Arctic Service Ribbon
	Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (United Kingdom)
	Navy Expert Rifleman Medal
	Navy Expert Pistol Medal

• Official Biography (This work is in the public domain.)
• VFW seeks financial assistance for Donald monument
• Henderson Daily Dispatch: Admiral Kirkland Donald honored with monument by Veterans of Foreign Wars
• Pentagon Admits Mistake in Arms Shipment

Media related to Kirkland H. Donald at Wikimedia Commons