TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. —
The Air Drive Sustainment Middle household is mourning the lack of retired Lt. Gen. Donald E. “Gene” Kirkland, who died Oct. 5 in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Kirkland was the third commander of AFSC, which is headquartered at Tinker Air Drive Base, Okla. He served within the function from 2018 till his retirement from the U.S. Air Drive in 2021. He had 33 years of service.
“Lt Gen Kirkland is a huge throughout the historical past of AFMC leaders,” stated Gen. Duke Richardson, commander of Air Drive Materiel Command. “He held and wildly succeeded in our hardest logistics management positions throughout the command. Much more importantly, he was only a good man. Gene will all the time be a fondly remembered member of our AFMC Household.”
In late 2007, the Air Drive assigned Kirkland as group commander at Minot AFB, North Dakota, after an incident involving unauthorized switch of nuclear weapons revealed vulnerabilities throughout the Air Drive’s strategic deterrence.
His management helped rebuild the proficiency of the group and restore confidence within the group however, when requested, Kirkland would share the credit score and shift the main target to the significance of the mission, as he typically did in regard to the successes of AFSC.
“He was a humble patriot who cared deeply for his nation and his Airmen,” stated Lt. Gen. Stacey Hawkins, AFSC commander. “I used to be blessed to work straight for him, twice, over the previous decade and witnessed his servant management, first-hand. I discovered so many management classes from him and we’re all extremely saddened by his passing.”
Kirkland joined the Air Drive by Officer Coaching Faculty in 1988. He served in quite a few assignments all through the US in addition to in South Korea and Qatar.
Following his retirement as AFSC commander, Kirkland served because the College of Oklahoma’s inaugural govt director of the Oklahoma Aerospace and Protection Innovation Institute (OADII) since Dec. 2021.
“Gene was an excellent American and an excellent chief. His influence on the College of Oklahoma throughout the brief time he was capable of be with us might be felt for generations. We had been privileged to have him with us at OU for the time we did,” stated OU Vice President for Analysis and Partnerships Tomás Díaz de la Rubia.
In lieu of flowers, the household requests donations be made to Particular Olympics of Oklahoma.
