Kirk Lippold
Encyclopedia
Commander
Kirk S. Lippold, USN (Ret.), (born April 29, 1959) was the Commanding Officer
of the USS Cole (DDG-67)
on October 12, 2000 when the ship was attacked
and bombed by Al-Qaeda
terrorists during a refueling stop in the Yemen
i port of Aden
, killing 17 U.S.
sailor
s. Lippold assumed command of the Cole on June 25, 1999 and served until he was relieved on March 9, 2001.
. He received a Masters of Science in Systems Engineering (Joint Command, Control and Communications) from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
, which he attended from 1987 to 1989. He graduated from United States Army Command and General Staff College in 1994 and from Joint Forces Staff College
in 2001.
on USS Shiloh (CG-67)
. He also served as the Operations officer on the commissioning crew of USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51)
, the lead ship of the same destroyer class
as the USS Cole. He was division officer aboard USS Yorktown (CG-48)
and USS Fairfax County (LST-1193)
. Following his departure from the USS Cole, he received a series of desk positions at the Pentagon. Working in the War on Terrorism Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy, Lippold "was instrumental" in the creation of detainee policy in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
A Navy promotion board had selected Lippold for promotion to Captain (O-6) in 2002 but he was not confirmed by the Senate, this despite a 2001 Navy investigation that concluded that Lippold and his crew probably could not have prevented the attack and should not be punished (although investigators found that had Lippold followed twelve safety procedures, among several dozen which were not observed per the existing security requirements in Aden, the attack could have been mitigated or prevented).Following the Senate's rejection of Lippold's name from the list. Subsequent Navy promotion boards continued to select Lippold for Captain, and in all cases the selection was subsequently struck down by the U.S. Senate and Secretary of the Navy Winter. On 21 August 2006, the Associated Press
reported that the Senate was again denied him for promotion to the rank of Captain (O-6). Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter
concluded after reviewing the matter that Lippold's actions before the attack on October 12, 2000, "...did not meet the high standard..." expected of the Navy's commanding officers. Based on that assessment, Winter determined that Lippold was "...not the best and fully qualified for promotion to the higher grade..." of Captain and struck him from being further eligible for promotion.
Lippold's final U.S. Navy assignment was to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in the International Strategy Division. He retired as a Commander in May 2007 at the age of 47 during a ceremony at the United States Navy Memorial
in Washington, D.C.
.
On June 22, 2009, the Washington Times published an op-ed
by Lippold that was critical of the Barack Obama
Presidency, for not showing enough sympathy to American victims of terror.
Lippold asserted that the families of the victims of terror should play a role in deciding which terror suspects should be tried, and in which kind of court they should be tried.
On February 4, 2010, the Las Vegas Review-Journal
reported that Lippold was considering a run for U.S. Senate in Nevada against Harry Reid
.
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Kirk S. Lippold, USN (Ret.), (born April 29, 1959) was the Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the USS Cole (DDG-67)
USS Cole (DDG-67)
The second USS Cole is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis-equipped guided missile destroyer homeported in NS Norfolk, Virginia. The Cole is named in honor of Marine Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, a machine-gunner killed in action on Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945, during World War II...
on October 12, 2000 when the ship was attacked
USS Cole bombing
The USS Cole Bombing, or the USS Cole Incident, was a suicide attack against the United States Navy destroyer on October 12, 2000 while it was harbored and refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden. Seventeen American sailors were killed, and 39 were injured...
and bombed by Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
terrorists during a refueling stop in the Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
i port of Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, killing 17 U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
s. Lippold assumed command of the Cole on June 25, 1999 and served until he was relieved on March 9, 2001.
Education
Lippold is a 1981 graduate of the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. He received a Masters of Science in Systems Engineering (Joint Command, Control and Communications) from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
Naval Postgraduate School
The Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
, which he attended from 1987 to 1989. He graduated from United States Army Command and General Staff College in 1994 and from Joint Forces Staff College
Joint Forces Staff College
The Joint Forces Staff College located in Norfolk, Virginia, was established as the Armed Forces Staff College in 1946 and incorporated into the National Defense University in August 1981. It educates and acculturates joint and multinational warfighters to plan and lead at the operational level...
in 2001.
Military career
Before serving as Commanding Officer of USS Cole from 1999 to 2001, Lippold was Executive officerExecutive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
on USS Shiloh (CG-67)
USS Shiloh (CG-67)
USS Shiloh is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy, named in remembrance of the Battle of Shiloh in the American Civil War. She was built at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The vessel is commanded by Captain James T...
. He also served as the Operations officer on the commissioning crew of USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51)
USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51)
The USS Arleigh Burke , named for Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN , is the lead ship of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. She was laid down by the Bath Iron Works company at Bath, Maine, on 6 December 1988, and launched on 16 September 1989 by Mrs. Arleigh Burke...
, the lead ship of the same destroyer class
Arleigh Burke class destroyer
The Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers is the United States Navy's first class of destroyer built around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar. The class is named for Admiral Arleigh "31-Knot" Burke, the most famous American destroyer officer of...
as the USS Cole. He was division officer aboard USS Yorktown (CG-48)
USS Yorktown (CG-48)
USS Yorktown was a in the United States Navy from 1984 to 2004, named for the American Revolutionary War Battle of Yorktown.-History:...
and USS Fairfax County (LST-1193)
USS Fairfax County (LST-1193)
USS Fairfax County was a United States Navy Newport class tank landing ship.Fairfax County was named for a county in Virginia. She was laid down on 28 March 1970 at San Diego, California, by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company; launched on 19 December 1970; sponsored by Mrs. James W....
. Following his departure from the USS Cole, he received a series of desk positions at the Pentagon. Working in the War on Terrorism Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy, Lippold "was instrumental" in the creation of detainee policy in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
A Navy promotion board had selected Lippold for promotion to Captain (O-6) in 2002 but he was not confirmed by the Senate, this despite a 2001 Navy investigation that concluded that Lippold and his crew probably could not have prevented the attack and should not be punished (although investigators found that had Lippold followed twelve safety procedures, among several dozen which were not observed per the existing security requirements in Aden, the attack could have been mitigated or prevented).Following the Senate's rejection of Lippold's name from the list. Subsequent Navy promotion boards continued to select Lippold for Captain, and in all cases the selection was subsequently struck down by the U.S. Senate and Secretary of the Navy Winter. On 21 August 2006, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that the Senate was again denied him for promotion to the rank of Captain (O-6). Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter
Donald C. Winter
Donald Charles Winter is an American businessman who served as United States Secretary of the Navy. A former top executive of Northrop Grumman, he was nominated in 2005 by President George W. Bush, confirmed by the United States Senate, and took the oath of office on January 3, 2006...
concluded after reviewing the matter that Lippold's actions before the attack on October 12, 2000, "...did not meet the high standard..." expected of the Navy's commanding officers. Based on that assessment, Winter determined that Lippold was "...not the best and fully qualified for promotion to the higher grade..." of Captain and struck him from being further eligible for promotion.
Lippold's final U.S. Navy assignment was to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in the International Strategy Division. He retired as a Commander in May 2007 at the age of 47 during a ceremony at the United States Navy Memorial
United States Navy Memorial
The United States Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 7th Street Northwest and 9th Street Northwest in Washington, D.C., honors those who have served or are currently serving in the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the Merchant Marine....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Civilian career
Lippold is a senior military fellow with Military Families United, an advocacy group opposed to the release of prisoners held in GuantánamoGuantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located on of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba which the United States leased for use as a coaling station following the Cuban-American Treaty of 1903. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas...
.
On June 22, 2009, the Washington Times published an op-ed
Op-ed
An op-ed, abbreviated from opposite the editorial page , is a newspaper article that expresses the opinions of a named writer who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper's editorial board...
by Lippold that was critical of the Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
Presidency, for not showing enough sympathy to American victims of terror.
Lippold asserted that the families of the victims of terror should play a role in deciding which terror suspects should be tried, and in which kind of court they should be tried.
On February 4, 2010, the Las Vegas Review-Journal
Las Vegas Review-Journal
The Las Vegas Review-Journal is published in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada, and one of two daily newspapers in Las Vegas . It is the flagship publication of Stephens Media LLC...
reported that Lippold was considering a run for U.S. Senate in Nevada against Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
.
External links
- Official website of USS Cole
- navsource.org: USS Cole
- USS Cole Association
- Official Department of Defense FOIA files on the USS Cole http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/reading_room/navynews.pdf http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/reading_room/navynews2.pdf http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/foi/reading_room/navynews3.pdf
- Kirk Lippold's U.S. Senate Campaign Website