Kenneth Ray Whitesell^[1] (born July 19, 1961) is a retired vice admiral in the United States Navy, and the past Commander, Naval Air Forces.^[2] He retired on September 7, 2023.^[3]

Whitesell grew up in Stuarts Draft, Virginia. He graduated from Old Dominion University in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.^[4] He is also a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College and the Naval War College, where he earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.^[4]

Whitesell became a Naval Flight Officer in the United States Navy, being commissioned at Officer Candidate School in February 1985 and earning his Naval Aviator Insignia in October 1986. He graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School and flew the F-14 Tomcat and, later, the F/A-18 Super Hornet. He has over 4,000 flight hours. ^[2]

His operational assignments have been:

• Fighter Squadron VF-142, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)
• Top Gun training officer and assistant operations officer with VF-74, USS Saratoga (CV 60)
• VF-32, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)
• Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-41, USS Nimitz (CVN 68)^[4]

Whitesell has participated in Operations Desert Shield, Southern Watch, Deliberate Guard/Allied Force, Iraqi Freedom and Inherent Resolve.^[4]

Overseas assignments ashore:

• Combined Air and Space Operations Center battle director, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
• Chief of staff and director, Maritime Operations Center, Commander, United States Navy Central Command/Commander, United States Fifth Fleet^[4]