Vice Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division

Capt. Kevin Snode was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and was commissioned in May 1996. After graduation from the Naval Academy, Capt. Snode reported to the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., where he was responsible for developing mapping, charting and geodesy requirements for the Oceanographer of the Navy before transferring to Pensacola, Florida, to begin aviation pre-flight indoctrination. He then moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, for initial and intermediate pilot training with the VT-27 Boomers, completing in June of 1998.

Following initial and intermediate pilot training in Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, he transferred to Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, to complete flight training. After earning his wings and completing the FRS syllabus with the Naval Training Support Unit at Tinker Air Force Base, he reported for his first fleet tour with the “Shadows” of VQ-4 in October 1999. During this tour, Capt. Snode qualified as Aircraft Commander, Mission Commander, and Instructor Pilot, and held such positions as the Public Affairs Officer, Aircraft Division Officer, and Aviation Safety Officer.  

In May 2003, Capt. Snode transferred to the Professional Development Department of the U.S. Naval Academy, and was responsible for the summer training and career information programs for the Brigade of Midshipmen. He also coordinated an Aviation Capstone course and managed the service assignment process for midshipmen in their first-class year.

Following this tour, he transferred to Norfolk, Virginia, in September 2005 to serve as a Catapult and Arresting Gear Officer (Shooter) onboard aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). He completed his “Shooter” training during a cross-deck assignment onboard the forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in the North Arabian Gulf. Upon completion of his qualifications, he rejoined the Eisenhower, which deployed in October 2006 to May 2007, where Capt. Snode assisted in the launch and recovery of over 10,000 sorties in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, as well as Horn of Africa operations. During this tour, he held positions as the Waist Catapult Branch Officer, V-0 Division Officer, “Shooter,” and was qualified as an Assistant Air Boss and Helicopter Control Officer.

In October 2007, Capt. Snode moved back to Oklahoma and joined the “Ironmen” of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three (VQ 3) for his Department Head tour. During this tour he served as the Training/NATOPS Department Head, the assistant Operations Officer, and ultimately ending his tour with VQ-3 serving as the Operations Officer.  

Capt. Snode then returned to Norfolk, reporting to Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic, to serve as the Aircraft Maintenance and Material Class Desk Officer responsible for the maintenance and material readiness of the E-6B, KC-130J Harvest Hawk, and all Navy and Marine Corps Unmanned Aerial Systems from June 2009 to July 2011.      

During this tour, Capt. Snode was selected for command and returned to Tinker Air Force Base in October of 2011 as a student with the Roughnecks of VQ-7, and became their Executive Officer in March of 2012, assuming command in May 2013. 

Following a successful command tour, Capt. Snode and his family moved to Patuxent River, Maryland, and he immediately deployed to Bahrain in August 2014, unaccompanied for a year, as the Maritime Operations Center Executive Officer for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT), U.S. Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. During his time at USNAVCENT, he was responsible for maintaining the battle rhythm for the Commander in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, New Dawn, and Restoring Hope, and maritime security operations in the region.

Upon completion of his tour in Bahrain in September 2015, he returned to his family and reported to Naval Air Station Pax River and Naval Air Systems Command as the Sustainment Integrated Product Team Lead for the E-6B Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications Program (PMA-271). During this tour he was responsible for completely overhauling the depot induction process for the E-6B in support of an ongoing Service Life Extension Program, allowing this critical national asset to meet demanding readiness requirements in support of its Airborne Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications mission.

Following his tour with PMA-271, Capt. Snode transitioned to PMA-266 as the Deputy Program Manager for Development and Production, in charge of fielding multiple unmanned systems in various stages of the acquisition lifecycle. He was team lead for the MQ-8C, achieving a successful Initial Operational Capability Decision in summer of 2020, developed the initial acquisition strategy for the Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Expeditionary UAS (MUX), and led the requirements development and procurement of the MQ-9 for the Marine Corps. He completed his tour with PMA-266 in the summer of 2021.

Capt. Snode then served as the Military Director for the Digital Analytics Infrastructure and Technology Advancement Group, and provided liaison support to Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons as their Product Director until February of 2023, when he transitioned to his current role as the Vice Commander of Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division.

Capt. Snode has earned three Meritorious Service Medals, five Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals and numerous other personal and unit awards.