Our seventh recipient, Brigadier General (Ret) Kevin J. Killea, completed the AMP at Harvard Business School in May 2014.  Kevin retired in July 2019 and is now the Director of Marine Corps Programs at BAE Systems Inc.  Kevin previously served as the Commanding General at Marine Corps Installations West – Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.  He served as the Chief of Staff Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq from June 2015 to June 2016.  Prior to his overseas tour, he served as the Director of Futures Directorate, Commanding General, Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, and Vice Chief of Naval Research.  Kevin’s command tours include Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 from November 2004 to June 2006, participating in the Unit Deployment Program and exercises in the Western Pacific; and Marine Aircraft Group 11 from July 2009 until June 2011, which supported multiple unit deployments in support of global commitments.  His operational tours include: VMFA-323 where he deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Carrier Air Wing 2 and participated in Operation Southern Watch; and VMFA(AW)-224 where he deployed to Aviano, Italy, in support of Operation Deny Flight and Deliberate Guard and to Iwakuni, Japan, as part of the Unit Deployment Program.  Kevin’s staff tours have been with Aviation Plans, Programs and Budget Branch of Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation; the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Policy in Washington, D.C., as the Assistant Director, Land Domain, for Homeland Defense Policy; and as the Aviation Weapons Requirements Branch Head, Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation.  His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with Gold Star, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star, and the Air Medal Strike/Flight Award with Bronze Numeral “2.”  He is a graduate of St. John’s University in Queens, NY; the Naval War College in Newport, RI; and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Kevin and his wife, Kathy, have three children.