Kirkland H. Donald | |
---|---|
Born | September 15, 1953 |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1975–2012 |
Rank | Admiral |
Commands held | Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Deputy Administrator, NNSA's Naval Reactors COMSUBFOR |
Awards | Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (5) Commander of the Order of the British Empire (United Kingdom) |
Kirkland Hogue "Kirk" Donald (born September 15, 1953)[1] is a retired Admiral in the United States Navy, who in his last assignment served as the dual-hatted position of Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion and Deputy Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration. Donald previously served as Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and Commander, Submarine Allied Command, Atlantic. He retired from active duty on November 2, 2012.
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.
As of April 2022, he was chairman of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest military shipbuilding company in the United States.[6] In mid-January 2024, shortly after the high-profile Alaska Airlines 1282 mid-air door plug incident on a Boeing 737 MAX, Boeing appointed Adm Donald as special advisor to help investigate its quality management practices.[7][8]
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 |