Kinnan was commissioned a
second lieutenant upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy with the Class of 1970. He was a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours, primarily in the F-4, F-15 and F-16. In 1977, he was awarded the first
Risner Trophy as the outstanding graduate of the
USAF Weapons School. In 1993, as commander of the 401st Fighter Wing in Aviano, Italy, he led the beddown and support of joint and combined airpower in NATO's Deny Flight Operation over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Later, as commander of the 347th Wing, he was responsible for the first operational deployment to Southwest Asia under the Air Force's aerospace expeditionary force concept. Other commands include an F-15 squadron, the Air War College and Air Force Doctrine Center. General Kinnan served as vice director for strategic plans and policy with the Joint Staff in Washington, D.C., supporting the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in developing military strategy and policy within the interagency process in Washington. His final active duty assignment was U.S. military representative to the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military Committee, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium. He represented the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in deliberations and actions of the military committee, NATO's highest military authority. He also worked with military representatives of NATO and
Partnership for Peace member nations to develop policy recommendations for the political authorities of the alliance. ==Civilian career==