Matthew L. Klunder
Encyclopedia
Commandant of Midshipmen
The Commandant of Midshipmen is the second-in-command at the United States Naval Academy. According to the Naval Academy, the Commandant of Midshipmen is "responsible for the professional development and day-to-day activities of all 4,000 Midshipmen in the Brigade" and equates to a dean of students...
of the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
.
Klunder is a native of Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. He graduated in 1982 from the United States Naval Academy.
After completing a short assignment at the Naval Research Laboratory 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....
, he entered Naval Aviator
United States Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
training, receiving his "Wings of Gold" on 26 September 1984 in Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Klunder's first squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
tour was with Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 112
VAW-112
Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One One Two is a United States Navy airborne early warning squadron. Nicknamed Golden Hawks, they fly the E-2 Hawkeye...
from May 1985 to May 1988. While a member of the "Golden Hawks
Golden Hawks
The Golden Hawks were a Canadian military aerobatic flying team established in 1959 to celebrate the 35th anniversary or the Royal Canadian Air Force and the "Golden" 50th anniversary of Canadian flight, which began with the AEA Silver Dart in 1909....
," he made two Western Pacific/Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
deployments aboard the supercarrier
Supercarrier
Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial descriptive term for the largest type of aircraft carrier, usually displacing over 70,000 long tons.Supercarrier is an unofficial...
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
The supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk , formerly CVA-63, was the second naval ship named after Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the site of the Wright brothers' first powered airplane flight...
, including a round-the-world
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
cruise.
Assigned to VAW-110, in May 1988, Rear Admiral Klunder served as flight instructor, Pilot NATOPS Officer, and COMNAVAIRPAC Evaluator. During this time he was awarded the “1988 Hawkeye of the Year”. In June 1989, he reported to Patuxent River, MD where he completed one year at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and two years with the Force Warfare Test Directorate. During this assignment, he was awarded the “1991 Test Pilot of the Year”, established 21 world flying records, and obtained a Masters in Aerodynamics and Aviation Systems from the Univ. of Tennessee. From October 1992 to February 1995, he served in Japan as the Safety Officer and Maintenance Officer for the “Liberty Bells” of VAW-115. His tour included one Operation SOUTHERN WATCH deployment and multiple surge operations to the Western Pacific. He next served as the Senior Operations Officer and SIOP Officer for the Joint Staff J-3/National Military Command Center in the Pentagon. During this tour, he was involved in such operations as JOINT ENDEAVOR, DESERT STRIKE, and the O’Grady Rescue.
In October 1997, Rear Admiral Klunder again reported to Japan and VAW-115 as Executive Officer and continued with command of the “Liberty Bells” from January 1999 to May 2000. During his command tour, VAW-115 received the Battle E, AEW Excellence and Golden Anchor awards. Following command, he reported to the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
and graduated with a Masters in Strategic Studies in June 2001.
Rear Admiral Klunder was then assigned as a Joint Staff Liaison Officer to the U.S. State Department. There he was the Middle East Section Chief for Political-Military Affairs and heavily involved in diplomatic and coalition efforts for Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. During this tour, he received the “2002 George C. Marshall Statesman” award and screened for command of CVW-2. He completed an assignment as CAOC Deputy Director from August 2003 to November 2003 at Al Udeid AB in Qatar and reported as Deputy Commander, Carrier Air Wing TWO in November 2004. He assumed command of Carrier Air Wing TWO on 24 February 2006. During his tour, he completed two CVW-2 Western Pacific/Indian Ocean deployments with highlights including Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina Relief and Exercises VALIANT SHIELD
Valiant Shield
Valiant Shield was a large United States military war game held 19-24 June 2006 in the Pacific Ocean. According to the Navy, Valiant Shield focused on cooperation between military branches and on the detection, tracking, and engagement of units at sea, in the air, and on land in response to a wide...
, FOAL EAGLE
Foal Eagle
Foal Eagle is an annual combined Field Training Exercise conducted between the Republic of Korea and United States armed forces under the auspices of Combined Forces Command within the Korean Theater of Operations . It is one of the largest military exercises conducted annually in the world...
, RIMPAC
RIMPAC
RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is the world's largest international maritime exercise. Conducted biennially , it is hosted and administered by the United States Navy, with the United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces under the leadership of...
, and JADED THUNDER.
In September 2007, Rear Admiral Klunder reported to OPNAV staff where he served as Deputy Director for Information, Plans and Security under N3/5. In May 2008, he was selected as the 83rd Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. Klunder was selected in 2009 for promotion to Rear Admiral, and was relieved as Commandant of Midshipmen by Captain Robert E. Clark II on 17 April 2010. Rear Admiral Klunder pinned on his first star on 28 May 2010.
Notable Achievements
- Rear Admiral Klunder has accumulated over 5,800 flight hours and 750 arrested landings while flying over 45 different aircraft. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2), Meritorious Service Medal (2), Joint Commendation Medal (2), Navy Commendation Medal (4), and various unit and campaign awards.
- Rear Admiral Klunder was the Commander of the Carrier Air Group during the filming of the now famous video "Pump it" (http://youtube.com/watch?v=DqaWdkdFb3Y). He is featured numerous times throughout the film.