BG Clarence KK Chinn 2012 Grand Marshal CCCC Parade

BG Clarence KK Chinn

BG Clarence KK Chinn is a 1981 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Throughout his career, he has served in a variety of command and staff positions in Airborne, Air Assault, Light Infantry, and Ranger units.

Upon graduating from the Military Academy, his first tour of duty was with the 9th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington. There he served as a Rifle Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer with the 3rd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment. He was then assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Infantry (Ranger) where he served as a Weapons Platoon Leader and Rifle Company Executive Officer. In October of 1983 he participated in the combat parachute assault onto the island of Grenada during OPERATION URGENT FURY.

BG Chinn's next assignment took him to the 2d Infantry Division in Korea where he served as an Assistant G3 Operations Officer and as a Rifle Company Commander with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment. He then served as an Aide-de-camp to the Chief, Joint United States Military Assistance Group - Korea.

Following his tour in Korea, BG Chinn was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. During his second tour with the Rangers, he served as an Assistant S3 and commanded two Ranger Companies: Headquarters & Headquarters Company and Company A. In December of 1989, he participated in the night combat parachute assault onto Torrijos-Tocumen Airfield, Republic of Panama during OPERATION JUST CAUSE.

Upon graduation from the Army's Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, BG Chinn worked at the Pentagon in Contingency Operations and Plans as a Pacific Command Desk Officer. He was next assigned to Fort Shafter, Hawaii where he served as the Chief, Deputy Chief and Exercise Officer in the Exercise Division of the United States Army, Pacific Command. He then served with the 2d Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, as the Battalion Executive Officer. BG Chinn then returned to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas where he instructed Captains as a Staff Leader at the Combined Arms & Services Staff School.

From March of 1999 to May of 2001, BG Chinn commanded the 4th Ranger Training Battalion at Camp Rogers, Fort Benning, Georgia. The 4th Battalion is responsible for the first phase of the U.S. Army's Ranger School and the Army's Long Range Reconnaissance School.

Following graduation from the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania in June 2002, BG Chinn served as the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Army's elite 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Benning, Georgia from June 2002 to July 2004. In March of 2003, he deployed with the 75th Ranger Regiment for combat operations in Iraq as part of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM and in December of 2003 to March of 2004 he served in Afghanistan as part of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF).

From July 2004 to July 2006, BG Chinn commanded the Ranger Training Brigade responsible for Ranger School and the Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course. His next assignment from August 2006 to June 2008 was with U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base as the Chief of Operations in the Center for Special Operations.

BG Chinn was then assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division as the Chief of Staff from June 2008 to May 2009. In June 2009, BG Chinn deployed as part of OEF as the Chief of Staff for the ISAF Joint Command (Provisional) before becoming the Deputy Commanding General (Support) for Combined Joint Task Force 82 in Afghanistan in August 2009. Most recently, BG Chinn served as the Deputy Commanding General (Support) of the 82nd Airborne Division.

In addition to graduating from the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms & Services Staff School, the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College with a Masters degree in Strategic Studies, BG Chinn is also a graduate of the Ranger Course, Airborne School, Jumpmaster School, Infantry Mortar Platoon Course, Air Assault School and the Jungle Warfare Training Course. Some of his awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star with 2 oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster, the Valorous Unit Award, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Bronze Arrowhead with oak leaf cluster, the Master Parachutist Badge with two Bronze Service Stars, Foreign Parachutist Badges from, Jordan, Canada, Germany and Chile, Combat Infantryman's Badge (2d award), Expert Infantryman's Badge, and the U.S. Army Ranger Tab.

BG Chinn and his wife, Val, have two children, Ashley and Jared.