Kirk Donald, a native of Norlina, North Carolina, joined the United States Navy on June 30, 1971, as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. After graduating in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Engineering, he volunteered for service in the Submarine Force and made numerous deployments in the Atlantic and Arctic Ocean from 1977 to 1987 aboard USS Batfish, USS Mariano G. Vallejo, and USS Seahorse in support of the nation’s effort in the Cold War. He commanded USS Key West from 1990 to 1993 and Submarine Development Squadron 12 from 1995 to 1997, was promoted to flag rank in 1999, and later commanded Submarine Eight in Naples, Italy, leading Mediterranean Sea operations for the United States and allied submarines in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In September 2003, at the rank of Vice Admiral, he assumed command of United States Naval Submarine Forces and North Atlantic Treaty Organization submarine operations in the Western Atlantic, and in November 2004 he was selected for four-star rank and assigned as Director, Naval Reactors, a joint Department of the Navy and Department of Energy program responsible for the safe and effective operation of all nuclear propulsion plants on Navy submarines and aircraft carriers. He received several military awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Meritorious Service Medal, earned a Master’s Degree Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, and graduated from Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellows Program.