Vice Admiral Kevin J. Cosgriff graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y., and began active duty with the Navy directly thereafter. He was among the first to receive a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College. He also earned the Naval War College Foundation Award for Outstanding Performance. He is an alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI Program.

At sea Vice Adm. Cosgriff was a "plank owner" aboard USS Wabash (AOR 5). He served in the guided missile destroyer USS Sampson, was engineer officer of USS Fanning (FF 1076) and materiel officer at Commander, Destroyer Group 13. His executive officer tour was in USS Arthur W. Radford (DD 968). He commanded USS Robert G Bradley (FFG 49) and Destroyer Squadron 32. He also commanded Cruiser Destroyer Group 8/Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group.

Ashore, Vice Adm. Cosgriff was an analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency/National Military Intelligence Center. He was Executive Assistant to Navy's Director of Strategy and Policy and later served as Assistant Director for House Liaison in the Office of Legislative Affairs. He was the Deputy Director of the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel and also served as Executive Assistant and Naval Aide to the Under Secretary of the Navy.

Vice Adm. Cosgriff was Director, White House Situation Room and Director of Systems and Technical Planning for the National Security Council. He served as Director, Office of Program Appraisal in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy and was Director for Warfare Analysis Integration for the Chief of Naval Operations. Most recently he was the Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Va.