Joseph D. Kernan

Who is Joseph D. Kernan?

Joseph D. "Joe" Kernan is a retired United States Navy vice admiral. His last military assignment was as the Military Deputy Commander of U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Florida from May 23, 2011 To September 2013. He was the second-in-command of one of nine unified commands under the Department of Defense. SOUTHCOM, which conducts military operations and promotes security cooperation throughout the 16,000,000-square-mile area of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Admiral Kernan formerly served as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense from August 2009 to May 2011. Prior to that, he previously served as Commander, U.S. Fourth Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command from July 1, 2008 to June 12, 2009 and as Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command from June 2007 to June 30, 2008. He assumed his current assignment in May 23, 2011.