ALUMNI In Service to Our Country

ERIN MCKENNA ‘04

Since graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 2013, the United States Navy has sent Erin McKenna to many amazing places in the world, such as San Diego, Australia, the Solomon Islands, Guam, Singapore, Japan, and Alaska. Erin’s first assignment and deployment was on the USS Cape St. George, based in San Diego, CA. She then served aboard the USS Barry, whose homeport is Yokosuka, Japan. Erin served her “shore tour” at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, as the West Coast Admissions Representative, Navigations Instructor, and faculty advisor to the Triathlon Team. After completing her assignment in the Admission Office, Erin spent most of 2021 at Department Head School at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, preparing for her next assignment on the USS Gridley.

Erin is currently deployed as the Operations Officer aboard the USS Gridley, a guided missile destroyer, based in Everett, Washington. The Operations Officer coordinates the ship’s operations, training, and tactical planning. The top 3 officers on the Gridley are female and, like Erin, all are graduates of the United States Naval Academy! Erin is scheduled to return to Everett in August, after participating in RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) exercises. RIMPAC is the world’s largest international maritime exercise involving 25,000 personnel from 26 countries.

One of Erin’s recent tasks was planning a “Tiger Cruise” from San Diego to Everett, Washington at the end of the deployment. The Tiger Cruise is a Navy tradition that allows family members of the deployed personnel to join the ship and sail back to the homeport. The family members spend time aboard the ship to learn about the ship’s day-to-day operations and what role their deployed son/daughter performs aboard the ship. Erin’s mom, Kate McKenna, the former technology director at WMA, is very excited to join the August Tiger Cruise! Erin’s dad, Fran McKenna, did the Tiger Cruise on Erin’s first ship from Hawaii to San Diego and declared it “the trip of a lifetime”!

Erin has spent her four years at the Naval Academy and nine years on active duty living one of the Navy’s slogans – “Join the Navy, See the World!” Erin’s assignments and 3 deployments have taken her from Annapolis, to San Diego, to Yokosuka, Japan, Newport, Rhode Island and Everett, Washington.

Erin is very proud to serve her country in the United States Navy!

ALEX LABRUNO ‘08

Alex LaBruno ‘08 has completed a tour at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) in 29 Palms, CA as an Infantry and Tactics Instructor. He was promoted to Captain in Nov 2020. Alex is now transitioning from active duty to reserves to earn an MBA at Georgetown in the fall. Alex is a founding member of Green Star Families of America where they aim to pass congressional approval of benefits and provide a support network for families of those who have lost loved ones to military suicide. A graduate of St. Joseph’s Prep and the University of San Diego with a Bachelor of Accountancy, Alex and his wife Erin are the proud parents of a son, Elliot, who was born September 21, 2020.