Kenneth R. Blackmon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | c. 1967 (age 56–57) |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1989-1993 (active) 1993-present (reserve) |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Awards | Legion of Merit Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2) Meritorious Service Medal |
| Alma mater | George Washington University (BA) |
Kenneth R. Blackmon is a reserve United States Navy officer who has been serving as Vice Commander, of United States Fleet Forces Command since October 1, 2023.
Blackmon is a native of Chesterfield Township, New Jersey. He was commissioned in 1989 through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program at George Washington University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs with a specialization in International Economics. He also holds a Master of Science in Financial Planning, and is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College.
As a surface warfare officer, he served as strike warfare officer; electrical officer, and navigator/administrative officer aboard USS David R. Ray (DD-971). He was affiliated with the United States Navy Reserve in 1993.
Blackmon deployed five times in support of Operations Earnest Will, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Noble Eagle, and Enduring Freedom. He has operated at sea in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans; Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Red Seas; Gulf of Mexico and the Arabian Gulf. Mobilizations include March to December 2003 to U.S. Pacific Fleet and June 2010 to July 2011 to U.S. Central Command. His last deployment was from July to August 2014 aboard USS America (LHA-6) as chief of staff, Task Force 49 during America's maiden transit around South America.
Staff assignments include Navy Reserve (NR) NATO Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Centre of Excellence, NR Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, NR Tactical Training Group Atlantic, NR Allied Command Transformation Detachment 106, NR Naval Control of Shipping Atlantic 304, and NR Naval Base Philadelphia.
Reserve Commands include NR Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 2, NR Expeditionary Strike Group 3, NR Fleet Technical Support Center Detachment 204, NR Recruiting Support Unit Detachment 466 and NR Mobile Mine Assembly Unit 3. He has joint experience with U.S. Central Command, U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Transportation Command and NATO.
Blackmon served as Deputy Commander of the United States Third Fleet from October 2019 to September 2021. He assumed duties as Reserve Director, Maritime Operations, United States Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, VA on 1 October 2021. [1] In March 2023, he was nominated for promotion to rear admiral (upper half) with assignment as vice commander of United States Fleet Forces Command. [2] [3] [4]
The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) under the authority of the Secretary of Defense. Originally formed as United States Atlantic Fleet (USLANTFLT) in 1906, it has been an integral part of the defense of the United States of America since the early 20th century. In 2002, the Fleet comprised over 118,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel serving on 186 ships and in 1,300 aircraft, with an area of responsibility ranging over most of the Atlantic Ocean from the North Pole to the South Pole, the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the waters of the Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Central and South America.
Edmund Peter Giambastiani Jr. is a retired United States Navy admiral who served as the seventh vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2005 to 2007. He retired in 2007, after 37 years of service.
The United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF), is the United States Navy component command of the United States European Command and United States Africa Command. Prior to 2020, NAVEUR-NAVAF was previously referred to as United States Naval Forces Europe – Naval Forces Africa and sometimes referred to as United States Naval Forces Europe – Africa.
Rear Admiral William VanMeter Alford Jr. was the chief of staff for the United States Pacific Command between August 2004 and September 2007.
Rear Admiral Jay Allan DeLoach served as the Director of Naval History and Director of the Naval History and Heritage Command and the Curator of the Navy from 2008 to 2012. He was an American submarine officer who played a role in implementing a visionary "Memorandum of Understanding" between the Submarine Force Active component and the Reserve component. He helped pioneer many key initiatives that have since been adopted Navy-wide. DeLoach was the Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Resources, Requirements and Assessments.
The Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (COMUSFF/COMFLTFORCOM) is the title of the United States Navy officer who serves as the commanding officer of the United States Fleet Forces Command. The U.S. Fleet Forces Command was originally established in 1905 as the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and as a two-star rear admiral's billet; the position has been held by a four-star admiral since March 10, 1915. The 45th, and current, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command is Admiral Daryl L. Caudle.
Harold Webster Gehman Jr. is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT), Commander-in-Chief of the United States Joint Forces Command, one of the United States' Unified Combatant Commands, and Vice Chief of Naval Operations. He was also the Co-Chairman of the Commission that investigated the terrorist attack on the USS Cole and was Chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) after the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry in 2003, killing all seven crew members.
Gerald Roger Beaman is a retired Vice Admiral in the United States Navy and an ex Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Daniel S. Mastagni is a retired Rear Admiral of the United States Navy Reserve who, from July to September 2003 served as Commander Naval Forces Korea.
Rear Admiral Douglas John McAneny, USN (Ret.) serves as HDR's Federal Business Group Director. He is responsible for guiding and growing HDR's federal government business practice across all HDR operating companies. He serves on both the architecture and engineering company executive teams and is a member of the Board of Directors of HDR Environmental Operations and Construction (EOC). McAneny has extensive command experience having served in a variety of operational assignments. His final at sea assignment was as Commander Submarine Forces Pacific. In this role McAneny was responsible for attack and strategic ballistic missile submarines which operated from the west coast of the United States to the Suez Canal conducting a broad array of missions in support of critical national security objectives. Rear Admiral McAneny served as commandant, National War College, National Defense University, Washington, D.C. in his final post and was previously the Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Sandra Elizabeth Adams is a retired rear admiral in the United States Navy.
Arthur Cayley Davis was an admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II and the Cold War. He was a pioneer of dive bombing.
Christopher Watson Grady is a United States Navy admiral who is currently serving as the 12th vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since December 20, 2021.
Joint Force Command - Norfolk (JFC-NF) is a joint operational level command part of the NATO Military Command Structure under Allied Command Operations. Its headquarters is located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
Nancy S. Lacore is a vice admiral who serves as the chief of Navy Reserve. She previously served as the 93rd commandant of Naval District Washington from 2022 to 2024. She also served as the director of the Maritime Partnership Program, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, with additional duties as vice commander of U.S. 6th Fleet in Naples, Italy.
Daryl Lane Caudle is a United States Navy admiral who is the 35th commander of United States Fleet Forces Command since December 7, 2021. He most recently served as commander of Naval Submarine Forces (COMSUBFOR), Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic (COMSUBLANT) and Commander, Allied Submarine Command (ASC). As COMSUBFOR, he was the undersea domain lead, and is responsible for the submarine force's strategic vision. As COMSUBLANT, he commanded all Atlantic-based U.S. submarines, their crews and supporting shore activities. These responsibilities also include duties as commander, Task Force (CTF) 114, CTF 88, and CTF 46. As commander, Allied Submarine Command, he was the principal undersea warfare advisor to all North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) strategic commanders.
Stephen Thomas Koehler is a United States Navy admiral who serves as the commander of the United States Pacific Fleet. He previously served as the director for strategy, plans, and policy of the Joint Staff from 2022 to 2024 and as commander of the United States Third Fleet from 2021 to 2022.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .