Rear Adm. C. Kenneth Carodine
Deputy Commander, Navy Warfare Development Command

Rear Adm. Carodine is the first naval officer from a family of military veterans and is a Huntsville, Ala., native. He is a 1982 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a Master of Science in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1994.

At sea, he served in USS Impervious (MSO 449) as operations and mine counter-measures officer, and in USS Jesse L. Brown  (FF 1089) as navigator and anti-submarine warfare officer.

Carodine affiliated with the Navy Reserve (NR) in 1989 and mobilized in 1990 with NR Carrier Group 770 to support Carrier Group 7/Battle Force Zulu. During combat operations, he served as the Force Over-the-Horizon Track coordinator during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in USS Ranger (CV 61) in the Northern Arabian Gulf.

Significant NR tours include: chief of staff, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Maritime Operations Center and assistant chief of staff for Information Technology, Naval Reserve Readiness Command South. His numerous command tours include: NR Sealift Logistics Command, Atlantic; Military Sealift Command Expeditionary Port Unit 113; NR USS Princeton (CG 59); NR Mine Warfare Command Detachment 109; and NR USS Sentry (MCM 3).

In 1991, he was selected as the Naval Reserve Association’s National Selected Reservist of the Year. His personal awards and decorations include four Navy Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy Commendation Medals, and two Navy Achievement Medals.

In his civilian occupation, Carodine serves as the director of Enterprise Information Requirements and Data Analysis for Health Care Service Corporation, a consortium of Blue Cross Companies serving Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico based in Chicago.

He is also a published fiction author. Working under the pen name of Ken Carodine, he writes novels centered on naval personnel and technology in today’s dynamic and dangerous world.

Rear Adm.
C. Kenneth Carodine
Deputy Commander, Navy Warfare Development Command

CDR Nick Tilbrook
Commanding Officer, USS Chicago (SSN 721)

CDR Nick Tilbrook was born in Pittsburgh, PA and grew up outside Chicago, Il.  He is a 1992 honors graduate of the University of Illinois with Bachelor of Science Degrees in Electrical Engineering and Physics.
          He was commissioned in 1993 at Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI.  CDR Tilbrook’s first assignment was on USS FINBACK (SSN 670) where he completed a Mediterranean deployment that resulted in the ship receiving the Navy Unit Commendation.  In March 1997, CDR Tilbrook decommissioned FINBACK.  He finished his Junior Officer tour on USS HARTFORD (SSN 768) where the ship earned the Battle Efficiency Award.  Following his Junior Officer assignments, CDR Tilbrook served at NAVSEA 08 and worked on VIRGINIA and SEAWOLF Class propulsion systems.  While serving at NAVSEA, he received a Master’s Degree in Engineering Administration from Virginia Tech in 2000.
After attending the Submarine Officer Advanced Course, he reported to USS HOUSTON (SSN 713) where he served as Engineer Officer and conducted an Engineered Refueling Overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA.
Following his Department Head tour, CDR Tilbrook served as Squadron FIFTEEN Engineer where he completed two missions in the Western Pacific while embarked on submarines homeported in Guam.
His next assignment was Executive Officer of USS NEWPORT NEWS (SSN 750) where he completed a deployment to the Arabian Gulf in support of the Global War on Terrorism.  CDR Tilbrook then completed a Joint Service Tour at US Strategic Command where he worked program funding and budget issues.
He is the recipient of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (4 awards) and Navy Achievement Medal (2 awards) in addition to several unit and campaign awards.
He is married to Erin Tilbrook of Boston, MA.  They have 4 children.

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