A U.S. Navy commander serving in a critical nuclear deterrence mission has deep ties to Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
Commander Brian Kirschenbaum, the command chaplain assigned to Strategic Communications Wing ONE in Oklahoma City, is the son of Howard and Susan Kirschenbaum, who reside in The Villages.
Kirschenbaum, who has served in the Navy for 16 years, credits his parents for the values that guide his military career.
“I want to thank my parents, Howard and Susan, for the work ethic they instilled in me,” Kirschenbaum said in a statement to the Navy Office Of Community Outreach.
In his current role, Kirschenbaum supports the nation’s nuclear deterrence efforts at Strategic Communications Wing One (STRATCOMMWING ONE). The wing executes the “Take Charge and Move Out” (TACAMO) mission, which provides vital airborne communication links to nuclear missile units of the U.S. Strategic Command.
The TACAMO mission traces its roots to 1961 and operates out of Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, a strategic, central location that allows squadrons to deploy quickly around the globe.
Kirschenbaum said his path to the Navy began overseas.
“I always wanted to join the Navy because my family served as missionaries overseas, and I met a Navy chaplain in Slovakia,” he said.
As the Navy celebrates its 250th birthday this year, officials are highlighting the service of sailors like Kirschenbaum who support global prosperity and security. For Kirschenbaum, the role is about supporting those who serve.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve others,” he said. “I’m proud to hear from people I’ve served with in the past to let me know that they’re doing well.” Kirschenbaum added that serving in the U.S. military offers unique freedoms.
“The U.S. Navy not only keeps the nation and our allies free, we also come alongside other nations in their time of need,” Kirschenbaum said. “Not every country has chaplains or even believes in the freedom of religion. It’s an honor to serve a military that affords service members the freedom to practice their faith.”
Kirschenbaum’s brother and father, Mark and Howard, have led and appeared in several play productions in The Villages, including “Gypsy,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and “Man of La Mancha.”
In addition to his parents in The Villages, Kirschenbaum expressed gratitude for his own immediate family.
“I want to thank my wife, Gigi, for making me a better person for the past 30 years, and our two children, who are both great human beings,” he said.