Terence E. McKnight

Rear Admiral Terence E. McKnight, United States Navy, is a former American naval officer in command a new multi-national naval force tasked to confront piracy activities off the coast of Somalia.

Educational Background
Rear Admiral Terence E. McKnight, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in May 1978. He completed his master's degree in International Relations at Salve Regina University in May 1998. Additionally, he graduated from the U.S. Army War College in 1994 and attended the National Security Seminar at Syracuse University in 2001.

Sea Duty
Rear Admiral McKnight's early sea duty assignments included the USS El Paso (LKA-117), USS John L. Hall (FFG-32), USS Shreveport (LPD-12) and Executive Officer of the USS Cayuga (LST-1186). He commanded the USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41) from January 1995 until November 1996 and the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) from July 2002 until December 2003.

Shore Duty
Duties ashore included the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) as Assistant Lieutenant Commander Detailer, Aide and Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Naval Personnel, Surface Warfare Officers School, Command Training Department as Head Expeditionary Warfare Instructor, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Executive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower & Reserve Affairs), the Office of Chief of Naval Operations N6/N7, and Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary of the Navy.

McKnight currently serves as the 85th Commandant of Naval District Washington (the oldest continuously operated Navy installation in the nation), and the Deputy Commander of the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region.

Last Assignment
As of January 8, 2009, Admiral McKnight commanding a new multi-national naval force to confront piracy off the coast of Somalia. This new anti-piracy force was designated Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151), a multinational task force of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

In the summer of 2009, Admiral McKnight retired from the Navy.

In October 2012 he authored a book on maritime piracy titled - Pirate Alley - Commanding Task Force 151 in the Gulf of Aden

After Retirement
McKnight is currently employed by Cobham plc. Vice President for Government Relations at Cobham's Defense System Division.

Honors and awards
McKnight's personal decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, as well as various other unit awards and decorations.

Surface Warfare insignia

Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge