LtCol Kiraly was
commissioned in January 1990 from Penn State University. After being commissioned, he attended The
Basic School with Charlie Company in spring of 1990, graduating in August 1990. He reported to Naval Flight Training
immediately after TBS and awaited training from September through January
1991. During this period, LtCol Kiraly
attended Aircraft Maintenance Officer School and earned a secondary MOS as a
6002, AMO. LtCol participated in primary
flight training in Whiting Field, FL, where he was selected for the Strike
pipeline at NAS Kingsville. LtCol Kiraly
was winged in June 1993 and was selected for the EA-6B Prowler. After a year of training in NAS Whidbey Island,
he reported to his fleet squadron, VMAQ-4 in Nov 1994.
With the Seahawks, LtCol Kiraly deployed twice to Italy in support
of Operation Deny Flight over the former Yugoslavia, in the winter of 1994-95
and fall of 1996. Between his
deployments in Italy, LtCol Kiraly deployed to MCAS Iwakuni in the summer of
1995. Throughout his time in VMAQ-4,
LtCol Kiraly worked as a maintenance officer with airframes and quality
assurance divisions. Upon returning from
his final deployment, LtCol Kiraly received orders to VT-21, NAS Kingsville, as
a flight instructor in the advance strike syllabus, flying the T-45A. In addition to his primary duties as a flight
instructor, LtCol Kiraly served as a schedule officer, weapons standardization
officer and weapons detachment Officer-in-Charge.
In March of 2000, LtCol Kiraly resigned from the Marine Corps and
accepted a position with American Airlines.
Initially being based at Miami and then Washington DC as a Flight
Engineer on the B-727 before being transferred to New York where he was type
rated in the B-757/767. Throughout the
next 5 years, LtCol Kiraly flew primarily throughout Europe, South America and
the Caribbean. In March 2005, the
effects of September 11 and the stagnated economy finally took its toll on
American and LtCol Kiraly was furloughed for 25 months. During this time, he started his own IT
business which he successfully operated until its sale in January 2011. In 2008, he was recalled to American Airlines
and continued flying the B-757/767 on similar routes. In December 2014, LtCol upgraded to the 777
and currently flies to London, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo.
LtCol Kiraly rejoined the SMCR in May 2010, as a transition pilot
with VMGR-452. In the first 2 ½ yrs with
the “Yankees,” LtCol Kiraly mobilized twice in support of MARFOREUR’s Theater
Security Cooperation exercise, Black Sea Rotational Force 2011 & 2012. He participated as the Aviation Combat
Element (ACE) Operations Officer and Executive Officer. The experience allowed LtCol Kiraly the
opportunity to meet and train with Officers and Soldiers from several Eastern
European Partner Nations. LtCol Kiraly
earned his Transport Plane Commander (TPC) qualification in the summer of 2012
and was designated as an Assistant NATOPS Instructor in 2014.
In November 2012, LtCol Kiraly deployed to CENTCOM as the Det OIC for
VMGR-452 Det F. Det F consisted of 53
Marines and 2 KC-130T aircraft and was part of MAG-40, initially, and then
MAG-50, based in Bahrain. Upon returning
from the six month deployment, LtCol Kiraly assumed the duties as Executive
Officer for VMGR-452. LtCol Kiraly
remained in this capacity until June 2015, when he transferred to MAG-49 and
assumed the duties as the Executive Officer.
LtCol Kiraly is a First Degree Black Belt in the Marine Corps
Martial Arts Program. LtCol Kiraly has
received an Air Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy-Marine
Corps Achievement Medal (x3).