Navy Medicine > Naval Medical Research Command > R&D Commands > Naval Medical Research Unit EURAFCENT > NAMRU EURAFCENT Leadership

Commander Micah J. Kinney, MSC, USN
Executive Officer

Commander Kinney, commissioned in the U.S. Navy after selection for the Health Professions Scholarship Program while enrolled in Optometry School at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

His first duty assignment was as staff Optometrist and Head of the Ancillary Services Department at the Branch Health Clinic Oceana in Virginia Beach, VA. In 2012, CDR Kinney was selected as the Junior Medical Service Corps Officer of the Year for Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. This honor was the result of his proactive approach in delivering deck plate eye care onboard the USS Truman (CVN 75) and USS Eisenhower (CVN 69) prior to their deployments.

In 2013, CDR Kinney returned to UAB as a PhD student in the “Duty Under Instruction” program for Navy Optometry. After successfully defending his research on individual differences in human color vision discrimination, CDR Kinney entered flight training at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute (NAMI) in Pensacola, FL. Earning his “Wings of Gold” as the 30th Naval Aerospace Optometrist and was awarded the Navy Medical Service Corps Director’s Award for academic achievement during his aeromedical training. During his time at NAMI, he was one of three optometrists selected to update NASA Astronaut vision standards.

Following aeromedical training in 2017, CDR Kinney served as the Head of the Acceleration and Sensory Sciences Department and Aerospace Optometrist at the Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton. In this position he led a joint team of Air Force and Navy researchers in providing a low-cost laser eye protection solution to U.S. Coast Guard aircrew to combat CONUS low intensity laser threats in flight. Additionally, CDR Kinney managed a vision science portfolio investigating low-level neurotoxin exposure on aircrew and marksmanship visual performance, Naval Aviation vision wavier policy updates, spatial disorientation, and addressing physiological changes to visual perception in extreme aerospace environments. In 2020, CDR Kinney established Navy Optometry’s first Fleet billet at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) in Patuxent River, MD providing subject matter expertise to the Naval Aviation Enterprise on efforts in areas such as: protective and prescriptive flight approved eyewear, helmet mounted displays, night vision devices, and aircraft avionics. He also served as the Military Director for Science and Technology in the Human Systems Engineering Department of NAWCAD supporting efforts in physiological monitoring in flight, personnel recovery, aeromedical support, and updates to Navy and Marine Corps anthropometrics.

Commander Kinney assumed the duties of Executive Officer of the Naval Medical Research Unit EURAFCENT in June 2024.

His personal achievements and awards include Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, 2021 Military Health System Research Symposium Award Winner, Navy Medicine Research and Development Enterprise 2018 Junior Officer of the Year, Navy Medicine’s Stanley H. Freed Junior Optometrist of the Year for 2017, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 awards).

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Commander Micah J. Kinney, MSC, USN Executive Officer

Commander Micah J. Kinney, MSC, USN
Executive Officer