CMDCM Kirby is from Ft. Lauderdale, FL and reported to Recruit Training Command Orlando in September 1987. He began his career after completing Aviation Storekeeper (AK) "A" School in Meridian, MS. His first duty station was NAS Adak, Alaska, where his primary duties involved supply support for the P-3B Aircraft. He then transferred to Patrol Squadron Twenty-Two (VP-22) in Barbers Point, HI completing two deployments to Okinawa, Japan and Cubi Point, PI where he was advanced to Second Class Petty Officer. Following this sea tour he joined the "Scorpions" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light Four Nine (HSL-49) in San Diego, CA working as Tool Control Coordinator and IMRL Manager.
Overseas he served at NSA Souda Bay, Crete, Greece where he was assigned as Installation Hazardous Material Control Program Manager. He transferred to USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67) homeported in Mayport, FL in 1997 and was promoted to First Class during the first of three med cruises on JFK. At NAS Jacksonville, he was assigned to Aviation Support Detachment (ASD) where he was selected as the NAS Jacksonville and Commander Navy Region Southeast (CNRSE) Sailor of the Year (SOY) in 2000 and was promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 2001. After the horrific events of September 11th, Chief Kirby, terminated shore duty to join the JFK once again and immediately departed for the Middle East in support of Operations Enduring/Iraqi Freedom. He was advanced to Senior Chief Petty Officer in 2004.
In 2005, he reported to Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, IL, where he commanded two recruit divisions before holding various LCPO duties, most notably, RDC "C" School LCPO, the Navy's only Drill Instructor School. He was selected to the Command Senior Chief Program in 2008 and assigned to USS KLAKRING (FFG-42) in Mayport, FL. He completed two independent deployments onboard KLAKRING, visiting 40 foreign ports, including a circumnavigation of South America. He was promoted to Master Chief in May 2009 and transferred to Patrol Squadron SIXTEEN (VP-16) where he completed a deployment to Okinawa Japan before leading the "War Eagles" through the first ever P-8A Poseidon transition. He most recently served as Training Support Center, Great Lakes, CMC. He assumed his current assignment as CMC of the U.S. Naval Academy in December 2016.
Command Master Chief Kirby is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 117 Green); CMC/COB Course (Class 48); National Defense University Keystone Course 16-2 and the Navy Senior Leadership Symposium at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He is a qualified Master Training Specialist, Aviation and Surface Warfare Specialist and is entitled to wear the Navy Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Navy Commendation Medal (2 awards), Navy Achievement Medal (6 awards) and other various unit and personal awards.