Photo By Staff Sgt. Hannah Dickerson | Col. Robert I. Kinney addresses the 188th Intelligence, Surveillance and...... read more read more
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EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. - The 188th Wing welcomed Col. Robert I. Kinney to his present rank Feb. 8, 2015, in a promotion ceremony held at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Kinney is currently serving as the 188th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group commander and he received high praise from his wife, Col. Paige Kinney, senior intelligence officer for the Air Force Forces commander and the presiding officer for the ceremony.
"What’s not spoken in (Kinney’s biography) is that everything that he has done, he has done with enthusiasm and commitment and he has excelled in everything that he has done," Paige Kinney said. “Across his entire career, he has been recognized for the capabilities and talent that he brings to what he does.”
After the reading of his promotion order, Kinney was pinned by his wife, as well as his parents David and Alice Kinney and close friend, Col. Brandon Beightol.
The newly promoted colonel offered words of thanks and advice about teamwork to the audience mixed with family, friends and fellow Airmen.
Kinney credited his work ethic and dedication to those around him, especially his parents who raised him on a dairy farm in central Maine. His wife explained how the arduous chores he performed as the eldest son of a dairy farmer, including milking cows and shoveling manure, molded him into a hard worker.
Kinney enlisted in the Air National Guard in Bangor, Maine in 1990 as a jet engine mechanic and went on to earn his commission. He graduated from Intelligence Officer’s School in 1996 and has served in a wide variety of positions all around the United States, including chief of Intelligence in the 184th Bomb Wing on McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and as chief of ISR Plans and Integration at National Guard Bureau at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. Kinney joined the 188th in 2013.
"After a while, he started getting requested to go places to do difficult assignments that people knew they could count on him to do and work his hardest to get the job done," Paige Kinney said.
Kinney assumed command of the 188th ISRG during the conversion ceremony held June 7, 2014. Since then, he has led the group to becoming a prominent component of the wing as it converts from a flying mission to an ISR mission that includes the world’s first space-focused targeting squadron.
"I'm humbled and honored for the opportunity the 188th has provided me," Kinney said. "This is an outstanding wing with exceptional Airmen. This has been a challenging last year but the Airmen at this wing have stepped up to make the transition as smooth as possible. These airmen inspire me and I'll continue to do my utmost in leading them and taking care of them. These amazing Airmen make my job easier and are a reminder that the future is bright for the 188th."
The 188th ISRG consists of approximately 347 members of the wing, 100 of whom are full time. The group’s mission sets include processing, analysis and exploitation of information from numerous sources and dissemination of useful intelligence to air, ground and naval commanders around the world.
"Col. Kinney is a superb leader and without question is deserving of this promotion," said Col. Bobbi Doorenbos, 188th Wing commander. "He has done an incredible job helping charter our mission conversion down a successful path. His wealth of experience and wisdom in ISR have been invaluable to this transition. He will continue to be instrumental in aiding the 188th's efforts toward operational capability during the most complex conversion in unit history."
| Date Taken: | 02.08.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.11.2015 09:49 |
| Story ID: | 154190 |
| Location: | EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 110 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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