1. Kenneth Braithwaite attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated with a bachelor's degree in naval engineering and political science in 1984.
21 Facts About Kenneth Braithwaite
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Kenneth Braithwaite later earned a master's degree in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania, Fels Institute of Government, in 1995.
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Kenneth Braithwaite obtained additional graduate qualifications from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, as well as the Air Command and Staff College at the Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.
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From 1993 to 1996, Kenneth Braithwaite was town councilman for the borough of Ridley Park, Pennsylvania.
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Kenneth Braithwaite later became a top advisor for former US Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania from 1997 to 2000, serving as his state director.
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Kenneth Braithwaite was commissioned as an ensign in 1984, and was initially selected as a special assistant in the Office of Legislative Affairs on Capitol Hill.
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Kenneth Braithwaite became a naval aviator in April 1986 and was assigned to anti-submarine patrol missions with Patrol Squadron 17 out of Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii.
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Kenneth Braithwaite made NATO deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean in response to the start of the Gulf War.
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Kenneth Braithwaite was nominated to the rank of rear admiral in early 2007 while serving as director of the Joint Public Affairs Support Element at Norfolk.
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Kenneth Braithwaite served as the Navy's vice chief of Information until his retirement in June 2011.
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Kenneth Braithwaite was later assigned to ARCO's Washington DC office to work on regulatory affairs.
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In January 2020, CBS News reported that Kenneth Braithwaite may have had a business relationship with Cambridge Analytica before he became ambassador to Norway, as documents from the company showed that he had a one-year contract with the company beginning on November 1,2016.
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Kenneth Braithwaite denied having entered into a contract with Cambridge Analytica, saying he only conducted short-lived discussions with the company, only informally provided advice, and that he only entered into a non-disclosure agreement.
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Kenneth Braithwaite was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the US ambassador to Norway.
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Kenneth Braithwaite's nomination was confirmed by the US Senate on December 21,2017, by voice vote.
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On November 24,2019, after the firing of Richard V Spencer, Trump said he would nominate Braithwaite to become the US secretary of the Navy.
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Kenneth Braithwaite was formally nominated on March 2,2020, confirmed by voice vote on May 21, and sworn in on May 29,2020.
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At the time, other senior civilian staff reduced their travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic; Kenneth Braithwaite travelled more than any other senior Pentagon civilian.
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The week prior to Joe Biden's inauguration, Kenneth Braithwaite spent $232,000 to fly to Wake Island, a tiny atoll where no sailors or Marines are stationed.
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Kenneth Braithwaite made more than one visit to Hawaii during his 8 months.
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Kenneth Braithwaite is married to Melissa Losito Kenneth Braithwaite and they have a daughter Grace, and a son Harrison.