Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan is a 1980 Cum Laude graduate of the University of Virginia where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering.
Donegan commanded Battle Force 7th Fleet and USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group in Japan. He also commanded the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson on a combat deployment to the Middle East earning the Battle Efficiency Award, the 3rd Fleet command ship USS Coronado, earning three command excellence awards, and Strike Fighter Squadron 131 on a combat deployment to the Arabian Gulf.
Ashore, Donegan's most recent joint assignment was Director of Operations (J3) for United States Central Command. He served in the Pentagon as Acting Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy (N3N5), and Director of the Navy Quadrennial Defense Review. On the Navy staff, he served as Director of Strategy and Policy Division, as Director of Warfare Integration, and as the Aide/Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy and Operations. Donegan also spearheaded the Naval Aviation Enterprise's Aircraft Carrier Readiness Team. He served with NATO on the staff of Commander, Allied Forces Southern Europe in Naples, Italy. During that tour Donegan deployed to Sarajevo as the NATO Liaison Officer to the Commander, United Nations Protection Force serving as the principal air advisor during NATO's air strikes in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
He served as a Department Head in Strike Fighter Squadron 37 earning the Strike Fighter Wing's Longhart Leadership Award. His first operational assignment was as a plank owner to Strike Fighter Squadron 131 where he made the first East Coast deployment of the FA-18A Hornet culminating in the successful air strikes against Libya in April 1986.
Donegan graduated the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School as the Outstanding Student, the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN), the Navy Nuclear Power School, the USAF Air Command and Staff College, the Joint Forces Staff College and completed Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Executive Education Program in National and International Security.
Donegan was honored as the Tailhook Association's Tailhooker of the Year for 2006. His military awards include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, five Legions of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Air Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals and multiple unit, service, and campaign awards. His flying experience includes over 3,800 hours in 31 different types of aircraft and over 800 arrested landings on 15 different aircraft carriers.