Thomas John Kilcline Jr. (born November 19, 1951) is a retired vice admiral of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

who served as

Commander, Naval Air Forces Commander, Naval Air Forces ( COMNAVAIRFOR, and CNAF; and dual-hatted as Commander, Naval Air Force, Pacific, and COMNAVAIRPAC) is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for all United States Navy naval aviation units. Type Commanders are in Admini ...

from June 22, 2007, to July 1, 2010.

Naval career

Kilcline graduated from the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of ...

in 1973 with a

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...

in operations research. He was selected for

naval aviation Naval aviation is the application of Military aviation, military air power by Navy, navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft ...

and upon receiving his commission was sent to NAS Pensacola for initial flight training. He earned his wings in 1975. Following completion of replacement air group training at

NAS Miramar Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) , formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Miramar and Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the avi ...

, California, he was assigned to

VF-51 VF-51, Fighter Squadron 51 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy known as the "Screaming Eagles". It was originally established as VF-1 on February 1, 1943, redesignated as VF-5 on July 15, 1943, redesignated as VF-5A on November 15, 1946, ...

aboard the flying the

F-4 Phantom The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bo ...

. Soon afterward, the squadron transitioned to the

F-14 Tomcat The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after t ...

and moved aboard the . Next he was selected for

VF-126 Fighter Squadron 126 (VF-126) was an aggressor squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was originally established as Attack Squadron 126 (VA-126) on 6 April 1956, it was redesignated VF-126 on 15 October 1965 and disestablished on 1 April 1994. ...

, where he flew as an adversary pilot. Two deployments followed with VF-213 aboard . His first command was of

VF-154 Strike Fighter Squadron 154 (VFA-154), also known as the "Black Knights", is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The Black Knights are an operational fleet squadron flying the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super ...

, stationed in

NAS Atsugi is a joint Japan-US naval air base located in the cities of Yamato and Ayase in Kanagawa, Japan. It is the largest United States Navy (USN) air base in the Pacific Ocean and once housed the squadrons of Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5), which ...

, Japan aboard the . He later assumed command of

Carrier Air Wing 14 Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14), was a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. Mission To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the planning, control, coordination and integr ...

aboard . His most recent operational assignment was as commander,

Carrier Strike Group Two } Carrier Strike Group 2 (CSG-2 or COMCARSTRKGRU 2) is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group, tracing its history originally to 1931. The aircraft carrier is the strike group's current flagship. As of Aug 2020, other units assigned to Carrier Stri ...

and commander, Carrier Strike Group. He has flown over 5,600 hours in F-4, A-4, F-5, F-14 and

F/A-18 The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, twinjet, twin-engine, supersonic aircraft, supersonic, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, ...

aircraft, and has logged 63 combat missions. He has made 1,150 carrier aircraft arrested landings, making him a member of the 1000 trap "Grand Club". Assignments to shore and staff billets include Fighter AEW Wing Pacific strike officer; Joint Task Force Southwest Asia DJ3; Air Operations Officer to Commander 2nd Fleet; Chief of Naval Operations Chair to the

National War College The National War College (NWC) of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. History The National War Co ...

; executive assistant to Deputy, European Command; and Chief of Staff for Commander, Naval Air Forces. Kilcline earned a

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast ...

in Systems Management from the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8. ...

, graduating with distinction; He received a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies and National Affairs from the

U.S. Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associat ...

, and earned his Master of Science in National Security Strategy while assigned to the National War College. Kilcline's first shore duty flag assignment was as director, Naval Aviation Plans and Requirements (N780) on the OPNAV Staff. Following his strike group command, he assumed duties as director, Air Warfare Division (N88) followed by his assignment as director, Warfare Requirements and Integration/Senior National Representative (N8F). He assumed the duties of

on June 22, 2007. Kilcline handed over command on July 1, 2010, to Vice Admiral

Allen G. Myers Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Univ ...

, retiring shortly afterward.US Navy Biographies: VADM Thomas J. Kilcline, Jr.
''www.navy.mil'', (July 1, 2010). Retrieved 17 November 2010.

Awards and decorations

References

External links

Official Navy Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kilcline, Tom, Jr. 1951 births Living people United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War United States Naval Aviators University of Southern California alumni United States Navy personnel of the Gulf War Recipients of the Air Medal Naval War College alumni National War College alumni United States Navy admirals Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal