Kenneth Braithwaite

Braithwaite was born on December 24, 1960, and is from Livonia, Michigan.[1][2] He attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated with a bachelor's degree in naval engineering and political science in 1984.[3][4] He later earned a master's degree in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania, Fels Institute of Government,[5] in 1995.[6]

Braithwaite obtained additional graduate qualifications from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, as well as the Air Command and Staff College at the Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.[7]

From 1993 to 1996, Braithwaite was town councilman for the borough of Ridley Park, Pennsylvania.[8] He later became a top advisor for former U.S. Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania from 1997 to 2000, serving as his state director.[9]

Official portrait of Rear Admiral Braithwaite, c. 2007

Braithwaite was commissioned as an ensign in 1984,[1] and was initially selected as a special assistant in the Office of Legislative Affairs on Capitol Hill. He became a naval aviator in April 1986 and was assigned to anti-submarine patrol missions with Patrol Squadron 17 out of Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii.[6] In April 1988 he was reassigned to public affairs duties[6] as director of public affairs aboard the aircraft carrier USS America (CV-66), and in 1990 he became the chief of public affairs to the commander of Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.[10] He made NATO deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean in response to the start of the Gulf War.[11]

Braithwaite's active duty service ended in 1993, but he immediately joined the Navy Reserve.[6] From 1993 until 2002, he served in different roles with numerous commands, including the 6th Fleet, 7th Fleet, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Commander Carrier Group Two.

In 2002, he was selected as commanding officer of Navy Combat Camera Atlantic (Reserve) and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he was deployed with his command in support of combat operations. In 2004, he was selected as the director of the Joint Public Affairs Support Element-Reserve, part of Joint Enabling Capabilities Command. In this role, he commanded a 50-person joint public affairs expeditionary unit that was forward deployed to support Combatant Commanders in time of conflict. In 2005, he deployed to Islamabad, Pakistan to serve as the director of Strategic Communications, concurrently reporting to the commander for Disaster Response and to the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan.[12][13]

He was nominated to the rank of rear admiral (lower half) in early 2007[14] while serving as director of the Joint Public Affairs Support Element at Norfolk.[15] His promotion was approved by the U.S. Senate that June.[16][17] He served as the Navy's vice chief of Information until his retirement in June 2011.[18]

Braithwaite, then-vice chief of Information, meets with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick on July 1, 2008

Upon leaving active duty in June 1993, Braithwaite enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania.[19] Shortly thereafter he was hired by Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) as Manager of Operations where he managed a multi-disciplined, union-represented workforce. He was later assigned to ARCO's Washington DC office to work on regulatory affairs.[20]

Braithwaite being sworn-in as the 77th U.S. secretary of the Navy, with his wife Melissa holding the Bible, on May 29, 2020

Braithwaite was nominated by President Donald Trump[22] to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Norway. His nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 21, 2017, by voice vote.[22]

On November 24, 2019, after the firing of Richard V. Spencer, Trump said he would nominate Braithwaite to become the U.S. secretary of the Navy. He was formally nominated on March 2, 2020,[23] confirmed by voice vote on May 21,[24] and sworn in on May 29, 2020.[25][26][27]

In his 8 months as Secretary of the Navy, Braithwaite incurred approximately $2.4 million in travel costs paid by taxpayer funds. At the time, other senior civilian staff reduced their travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic; Braithwaite travelled more than any other senior Pentagon civilian. The week prior to Joe Biden's inauguration, Braithwaite spent $232,000 to fly to Wake Island, a tiny atoll where no sailors or Marines are stationed. He spent more than $24,000 to attend the Army–Navy football game. He made more than one visit to Hawaii during his 8 months. Braithwaite defended his extensive travel at taxpayer expense, saying, "I submit it's impossible to lead men and women deployed around the world from behind a desk in Washington."[28]

Braithwaite's personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V”, Navy Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon and various other awards.[12][29]

Braithwaite is married to Melissa Losito Braithwaite and they have a daughter Grace, and a son Harrison.[30]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kenneth J. Braithwaite II.

• Kenneth Braithwaite (US department of state)
• Kenneth Braithwaite Archived September 2, 2021, at the Wayback Machine at U.S. Embassy in Norway
• Biography U.S. Secretary of the Navy