Mark Kimmitt
Mark T. Kimmitt | |
|---|---|
| File:Kimm0206.jpg Brig. General Mark Kimmitt briefing the press in Washington DC. | |
| Service/ |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1976-2007 |
| Rank | Brigadier General (Retired) |
| Battles/wars | Bosnian War Kosovo War Iraq War |
| Awards | Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star NATO Medal (3) |
Mark Traecey Patrick Kimmitt[1] (born 21 June 1954) is the current Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, nominated by President George W. Bush on July 11, 2007[2] and confirmed by the Senate on June 27, 2008.[3]. Mr. Kimmitt was formerly a Brigadier General in the United States Army, and served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East.[2] prior to joining the State Department. Kimmitt has also served as Deputy Director for Strategy and Plans for the United States Central Command, and Deputy Director for Operations/Chief Military Spokesman for Coalition Forces in Iraq,[2] and served at NATO's SHAPE headquarters in Belgium.
Family
Mark Kimmitt's father is Joseph Stanley Kimmitt (Stan), former Secretary of the Senate and army colonel, who died in 2004. Kimmitt's brother, Robert M. Kimmitt is the current Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Treasury.
Education
Kimmitt graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point as a part of the class of 1976,[4] and earned a Masters in Business Administration degree from Harvard University as part of the class of 1984.[5] He also received master's degrees from the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the National Defense University.[2]
Military career
Kimmitt retired from the US Army a Brigadier General in 2006. While in the Army, Kimmitt had command and staff assignments throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, including planning positions within both Allied and Joint service commands. Additionally, he spent three years as an assistant professor and instructor with the Military Academy’s Department of Social Sciences.[4].
Kimmitt's professional military education includes the Field Artillery Officer Basic and Armor Officer Advanced Courses, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Advanced Military Studies Program, and the National War College.[6] Additionally, Brigadier General Kimmitt completed Ranger, Airborne, Jumpmaster, Naval Gunfire, Joint Firepower Control, Air Assault, Pathfinder, and Jungle Schools.[6]
Government Career
Subsequent to leaving the Army, Kimmitt served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Affairs, prior to joining the State Department as Assistant Secretary of State for Political - Military Affairs.
Nomination for Assistant Secretary
An investigation was requested by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in response to anonymous letters sent to the committee. The letters made allegations about Kimmitt's management style in his capacity as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Affairs. The inspector general did not find evidence that General Kimmitt had violated personnel regulations, engaged in physical intimidation, or used disparaging remarks to his subordinates. The report did find that General Kimmitt's aggressive leadership style, at times, had been intimidating to employees and inconsistent with standards expected for senior government leaders. The report also noted mitigating testimony of superiors, who maintain that General Kimmitt had strengthened the overall performance of his office.[7]
At the April 22 committee meeting, Chairman Joseph R. Biden Jr., D-Del., noted he was very close to Kimmitt's father, who had been secretary of the Senate years ago, and said he therefore would be willing to give Kimmitt the benefit of the doubt, saying, "I'm going to let my hope triumph over my worries. . . . I hope Mr. Kimmitt . . . understands with the delay his misconduct has caused . . . that he will be chastened." [8]
Kimmitt was confirmed by the full Senate on June 27, 2008.
Awards and decorations
Kimmitt's distinctive awards and decorations include the following:[6]
United States awards
- Defense Superior Service Medal
- Legion of Merit
- Bronze Star
- Defense Meritorious Service Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Army Commendation
- Joint Staff Commendation
- Korean Defense Service Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Medal (Expeditionary and Service)
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Master Parachutist Wings
Foreign and international awards
- NATO Medal for operations in Bosnia
- NATO Medal for operations in Kosovo
- NATO Medal for operations in Republic of Macedonia.[4]
- NATO Service Medal
- German Parachutist Wings
- German Leistungabzeichen in Gold.
External links
- Mark Kimmitt at IMDb Retrieved on 2008-02-19
References
- ^ "Presidential Nomination". The White House. Retrieved 2007-10-30.
- ^ a b c d "Personnel Announcement". The White House. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
- ^ "Reid Statement On Nomination Deal". The Senate. Retrieved 2007-06-27.
- ^ a b c "Iraq: Mission Continued?". The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
- ^ "New Horizons for Iraq". Harvard Business School Bulletin. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
- ^ a b c "Kimmitt, Brigadier General, US Army, to address military strategic planning in Iraq". Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
- ^ "Business Meeting, March 13, 2008, U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations" (PDF). U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ Al Kamen. "But His Dad Was a Good Guy". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-08-06.