OKLAHOMA CITY - Cmdr. Brian Kirschenbaum serves as the command chaplain assigned to Strategic Communications Wing ONE in Oklahoma City. His wife, Gigi, originally from Bethany, Oklahoma, graduated from Putnam City West High School. The couple currently resides in Oklahoma City.
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Kirschenbaum joined the Navy 16 years ago.
“I always wanted to join the Navy because my family served as missionaries overseas, and I met a Navy chaplain in Slovakia,” Kirschenbaum said.
Kirschenbaum supports the nation’s nuclear deterrence mission at Strategic Communications Wing One (STRATCOMMWING ONE). Its “Take Charge and Move Out” (TACAMO) mission provides airborne communication links to nuclear missile units of U.S. Strategic Command.
The TACAMO mission originated in 1961 when a Marine Corps aircraft was used to test the feasibility of an airborne Very Low Frequency (VLF) communications system. Once the test was successful, funding for the program was granted, and it has continued to grow ever since.
The U.S. Navy’s presence on an Air Force base in a landlocked state may seem strange, but the position is strategic, allowing squadrons to quickly deploy around the world in support of the TACAMO mission.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Kirschenbaum has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve others,” Kirschenbaum 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 serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security.
“We serve a great country that has had a great impact on others around the world,” Kirschenbaum said. "The U.S. Navy not only keeps the nation and our allies free, we also come alongside other nations in their time of need. 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 is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my parents, Howard and Susan, for the work ethic they instilled in me,” Kirschenbaum added. "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."