Colonel Kim was born in South Korea and commissioned in the United States Marine Corps in 2003. He has completed Recruit Training, Marine Combat Training, Officer Candidate School, Basic Officers Course, and Infantry Officer Course. He is a graduate of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School and Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Virgina, and the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Colonel Kim’s assignments in the Fleet Marine Forces include: Crew Chief for 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion (2000-2003); CAAT Platoon Commander and Weapons Company Executive Officer for 1st Battalion, 7th Marines (2003-2007); Company Commander for 3d Battalion, 1st Marines (2011-2013); Company Commander for 1st Battalion, 4th Marines (2013-2014); Executive Officer for 1st Battalion, 5th Marines (2018-2019); and Executive Officer for 3d Battalion, 5th Marines (2019-2020).
Colonel Kim’s assignments outside of the Fleet Marine Forces include: Platoon Commander for Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST) Company, Marine Corps Security Forces Regiment (2007-2009); Company Executive Officer for Training Company, Marine Corps Security Forces Regiment (2009-2010); Commanding Officer of Recruiting Station Seattle (2014-2017); Commanding Officer of Infantry Training Battalion, School of Infantry-East (2020-2022); Branch Chief, J552 Special Plans, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command (2023-2025); and Division Chief, J52 Strategy, Policy, and Doctrine, NORAD and USNORTHCOM (2025-2026).
Colonel Kim has deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (2001), Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003, 2004, and 2006), Force Deployment Program (2009), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Western Pacific Patrol (2013 and 2019), and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Western Pacific Patrol (2014).
Colonel Kim has a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Army War College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Colonel Kim’s personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars and one combat distinguishing device, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with one gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon.