Colonel Kearney was
commissioned through the Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) Program on 1 July
1975. After graduating from The Basic School in 1976, he served
with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton,
California in assignments as Platoon Commander, Company Executive
Officer, Battalion Legal Officer, and Company Commander.
In December 1978 he
was transferred to Marine Corps Base Camp S. D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan
for service as the Recreation Officer for Base Special Services.
In December 1979 he
was transferred to Marine Barracks, Vallejo, California with an initial
assignment as Range Officer. Promoted to Captain in July 1980, he
was reassigned as Barracks Guard Officer, and subsequently reassigned in
July 1982 as Barracks Executive Officer, a billet occupied until
transfer to the Amphibious Warfare School (AWS), Quantico, Virginia in
July 1983.
Following graduation
from AWS in June 1984, he was transferred to 1st Battalion, 9th Marines
at Camp Pendleton, California for service initially as the Battalion
S-4. In January 1985 he was reassigned as the Battalion S-3, and
in July 1985 further reassigned as Weapons Company Commander.
In July 1986 he was
transferred to the Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation
Activity, Quantico, Virginia for duty as an Operational Test Project
Officer. Promoted to Major in August 1986 he assumed primary
responsibility for Ground Firepower Projects and the Position Location
Reporting System (PLRS) Project.
In July 1989 he was
transferred to the 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan serving initially
as the S-3 and subsequently as the Regimental Executive Officer for 4th
Marines. He participated in Operation Desert Shield, and combat
operations in Operation Desert Storm.
In July 1991 he was
reassigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force serving initially as
the Operations Officer, 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (9th MEB), and
subsequently as the G-3, 9th MEB.
In December 1991 he
was reassigned as G-3, U. S. Marine Forces Thailand for Exercise Cobra
Gold-92.
In June 1992 he was
transferred to Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. where
he concurrently served as Head, Current Operations Section; Head,
Exercise Section; and Head, Marine Corps Command Center, within Current
Operations Branch, Operations Division, Plans, Policies and Operations
Department.
Promoted to Lieutenant
Colonel on 1 October 1992, he was transferred in July 1993 to the
National War College, Fort Leslie J. McNair, Washington, D.C. where he
graduated with a Master's Degree in National Security Strategy in June
1994.
Reporting to the 1st
Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Lieutenant Colonel
Kearney assumed command of 3d Battalion, 3d Marines "America's
Battalion" on 28 July 1994. He relinquished command on 15 February
1996.
In March 1996,
Lieutenant Colonel Kearney reported to Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific
Command for duty as the Country Director for Japan, within the Policy
and Strategy Branch of the Strategic Planning and Policy Directorate
(J-5).
Promoted to his
present rank on 1 July 1998, Colonel Kearney was transferred to
Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., serving has Head,
Unified Commands and International Issues Branch, Strategy and Plans
Division, Plans, Policies, and Operations Department. Colonel
Kearney served in this capacity until June 2000.
Arriving in Okinawa in
August 2000, Colonel Kearney assumed command of the 4th Marines on 7
September 2000. Upon relinquishing command of 4th
Marines in August 2002, Colonel Kearney was reassigned as Chief of
Staff, III MEF, a position he held until he assumed his current
assignment as Chief of Staff, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe on 15
August 2003.
His personal
decorations include the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medal with Combat
“V”; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Navy Commendation Medal; Joint
Service Achievement Medal; Navy Achievement Medal; Combat Action Ribbon;
National Defense Service Medal; Kuwaiti Liberation Medal; Kuwaiti
Liberation Medal (K); Southwest Asia Service Medal.
