U.S. ARMY, RETIRED
Major Kenneth Robinson enlisted in the Army in 1975 and was immediately nominated to West Point Preparatory School. He declined his acceptance to West Point and proceeded to 1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry. He continued through his enlistment in several Ranger, Special Forces and mechanized units.
Major Robinson completed his initial enlistment and enrolled in Army ROTC at Marion Military Institute. He graduated from the Marion where he received the prestigious George C. Marshal Leadership Award. After being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant he completed his undergraduate education at Auburn University. He applied for active duty and was branched Military Intelligence. While at Fort Huachuca for the Intelligence Officer Basic Course, Major Robinson designed, instructed, and led the schools first viable pre-Ranger Training program. This program significantly improved the selection rate of MI officers to attend the U.S. Army Ranger School.
Major Robinson moved on to the XVIII Airborne Corps in December 1985 where he served as the Operations and Plans Officer, Operations Battalion, 525th Military Intelligence Brigade. Subsequently, in 1986, he oversaw the establishment of the Long Range Surveillance Company (LRSC) within the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion. In that same year, Major Robinson was the XVIII Airborne Corps representative at the World Wide LRSC Conference where he successfully defended the retention of a long-range surveillance capability within the Army MI Brigade force structure.
Major Robinson assumed command of A Company, 519th Military Intelligence Battalion in June 1987. During this command he designed new methods of screening, video surveillance monitoring, and mission critical reporting. These innovations were made into an instructional tape and integrated into the doctrinal program of instruction for interrogation at the Intelligence Center and School. After command, while still a Captain, he was selected to serve as the Operations and Intelligence Officer for a special intelligence mission in support of Joint Task Force 118 in the Middle East. The Task Force’s mission was to support operations against forces laying mines and attacking Kuwaiti oil tankers. Major Robinson not only planned missions, he actively participated in combat operations, flying with aircrews and deploying with special boat units on their combat patrols. Upon his return from the Middle East in October 1988, the newly promoted Major Robinson was selected to serve as the Battalion S3 of the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion.
In 1990, Major Robinson was then selected to attend the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Post Graduate Intelligence Program (PGIP) but upon arrival in Washington, D.C. he was diverted to be the Intelligence Requirements Officer to the Assistant Secretary of Defense – Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict. Subsequently, when Iraq invaded Kuwait, Major Robinson was singled out to be the Operations and Intelligence Officer of a special liaison element assembled in support of CINCCENT’s command, control, communications and intelligence efforts.
After the Gulf War, he returned to his duties at OSD where he worked intelligence policy issues closely with the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) regarding non-official cover activities. Upon completion of this assignment Major Robinson returned and graduated PGIP. In June 1993, following his graduation, he was again requested to work on the Joint Staff as the Intelligence Policy Officer in the J3 Special Operations Division – Operations Support Branch. In June 1994 he became the Detachment Commander of a DOD Special Mission Unit. This assignment sent him to many countries to include Bosnia, Columbia and Haiti on sensitive intelligence missions.
After graduating from the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College in 1997, Major Robinson was again assigned to the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense where he dealt with a number of intelligence related issues. His daily duties included interaction with the Directors of both CIA and DIA on Gulf War issues. He testified and performed liaison with the President’s Special Oversight Board for Investigations of the Gulf War. MAJ Robinson was recognized for his efforts by the Secretary of Defense and received the Defense Superior Service Medal.
In 1998, Major Robinson was selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel but was soon after diagnosed with an acute medical problem for which he was medically retired in 1999. In 2001 MAJ Robinson, now a civilian, accept a position with Cable News Network (CNN) as a Senior Terrorism and National Security Analyst.
MAJ Robinson’s schools include Jungle Warfare School, Ranger School, Special Forces Qualification Course, Infantry Officer Basic Course, Jumpmaster School, Military Intelligence Officer Basic Course, Military Intelligence Officer Advanced Course, Post Graduate Intelligence Program, Defense Management College, CAS3, and Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal (2OLC), Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (3OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army commendation Medal (4OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3OLC), Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal and the NATO Service Medal. He holds an Army Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Master Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge and Defense Intelligence Agency Identification Badge.