.

Chief Towner entered the U.S. Navy Delayed Entry Program during his junior year of high school and subsequently enlisted on 18 June 1984 following graduation from Flagler Palm Coast High School in Palm Coast, Florida. Following recruit Training at RTC Orlando, Florida he reported to Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station Pensacola, Florida, for CTR/T A-school.

CTRC(SW/SS) Towner retired 1 July 2022 after a 38 year combined U.S. Navy and Defense Intelligence Agency/United States Cyber Command career. 

United Sates Navy career 18 June 1984 to 30 June 2005.

1984 Recruit Training Center Orlando, Florida

1984-1985 Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station Pensacola, Florida. Cryptologic Technician Collection School.

1985-1986 Naval Security Group Activity Clark Air Force Base, Philippines. 18 month tour. Collection Operator and Direct Support. Deployed aboard.

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)

1987 Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station Pensacola, Florida. Direct Support Course.

1987-1989 Naval Security Group Activity Misawa Air Force Base, Japan. Collection Operator and Direct Support. Deployed aboard.

USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
USS Midway (CV-41)
USS Long Beach (CGN-9)
USS Truxtun (CGN-35)
USS Bunkerhill (CG-52) (twice)
USS Oldendorf (DD-972)
USS Knox (FF-1052)
USS Pintado (SSN-672)
USS Tunny (SSN-682)
USS Omaha (SSN-692)

1989-1991 Commander-in-Chief United States Naval Forces Europe London, England. Communications Security Telephone Monitoring Operator.

1991 National Cryptologic Scool. CK-155 Cryptoligic Skills for Non-Commissioned Officers.

1991 Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station Cryptologic Combat Support Console (CCSC) Operator Course.

1992-1994 USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) homeported in San Diego, California. Ship’s Signal Exploitation Space Leading Petty Officer.

Crossdecked to USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

1995-1998 Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station Pensacola, Florida. Instructor duty; taught CCSC, Ships Signal Exploitation Equipment Phase 2 Increment Alpha/Beta, and JMICS, Course Manager for the Direct Support Course.

1996 National Cryptologic School. CY-200 Senior Enlisted Cryptologic Course.

1998-2000 Naples, Italy Southern Region Joint Operations Intelligence Center; Deputy Chief National Security Agency Cryptologic Services Group.

1999 Damneck, Virginia Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Center. Mid Career Course.

2000 Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station Pensacola, Florida. Afloat Cryptologic Management Course.

2000-2003 U.S. Navy/Canadian Forces Personnel Exchange Program Victoria British Columbia Canada. Cryptologic Direct Support Liaison Officer.

Deployed aboard.

HMCS Algonquin (DDG-283)
HMCS Winnipeg (FFH-338)

2003-2005 Naval Information Warfare Activity Fort Meade, Maryland. Naval Information Support Operations Center Leading Chief Petty Officer.

Following retirement, Kirk accepted a United States Air Force Civilian GG-13/14 position with United States Strategic Command Fort Meade, Maryland. Kirk served as an intelligence analyst with the newly formed Joint Functional Component Command for Network Warfare (JFCC-NW). Joint Task Force Global Network Operations and JFCC-NW combined to form United States Cyber Command in 2010. Kirk served in three Intelligence career fields (Analysis, Planning, Policy, authored and reviewed publications). Kirk served as an Operations Officer and Division Chief for Intelligence Plans, Policy, Strategy, and Engagements. 17 years of experience in Cyber Intelligence analysis, planning, and policy & strategy at the Defense Intelligence Agency as a United States Cyber Command Combatant Employee. Kirk provided a myriad of intelligence support to the Network Attack Support Staff, Joint Functional Component Command for Network Warfare, Joint Task Force Global Network Operations, and eight Combatant Commands. Kirk bought his military time back and retired at 56 years old on 1 July 2022.