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Capt. Robert S. Kerno, Jr.
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Capt. Robert S. Kerno, Jr. will relieve Capt. Stephen W. Hampton of command at Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) in a ceremony that will be held Fri., July 30 at 10:30 a.m. at the Aegis Training and Readiness Center, Bldg. 1520 at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren.
Capt. Kerno leaves the OPNAV Staff, Surface Warfare Directorate, as Maritime Warfare Systems⁄Surface Strike Branch Head (N864) to come to CSCS.
Capt. Hampton will move on from CSCS to take a position with Naval Surface Forces Atlantic Command in Norfolk, Va.
Capt. Robert S. Kerno Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and grew up in Crofton, Md. He is a 1982 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. His first assignment was main propulsion assistant on the USS Austin (LPD-4), where he deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean in support of the Multi-National Peacekeeping Forces in Beirut, Lebanon.
In 1985 Capt. Kerno reported to the Precommissioning Unit Thomas S. Gates (CG 51) as damage control assistant. From 1989 to 1991 he served as a seamanship and navigation instructor at the United States Naval Academy. During this tour, Capt. Kerno earned a Masters of Science Degree in Information Systems from the George Washington University.
Capt. Kerno reported to Department Head School in 1991 and was subsequently assigned as engineer officer aboard USS Valley Forge (CG 50). During this tour, Valley Forge served as Air Warfare Commander for the USS Range Battle Group during Operation Southern Watch.
Following his department head tour he reported to the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., earning a Master of Arts degree in Foreign Policy and International Studies. From 1995 to 1998 Capt. Kerno served as the precommissioning executive officer on the USS Hopper (DDG 70). His next assignment was to the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations (N865E2) as a resource sponsor⁄action officer for ACDS Block 0⁄1, SSDS MK2, Distributed Engineering Plant (DEP) and Common Command and Decision (CC&D).
In July 2000 Capt. Kerno assumed command of USS Yorktown (CG 48). While on the Yorktown, he deployed in support of Unitas 43-02 and counter narcotics operations in the eastern Pacific. He then reported to the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations (N765) as branch head for area and self-defense weapons. Following his tour on the Navy staff, Capt. Kerno served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff (J5) as division chief for Stability Operations and Security Assistance. Capt. Kerno assumed command of USS Normandy (CG 60) in September 2006. While in Normandy, he deployed as the flagship for Standing NATO Maritime Group-One which included the first ever NATO circumnavigation of Africa.
All hands are invited to attend the change of command ceremony on Friday.
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