Mr. Joseph W. Kirby assumed responsibility as the Deputy to the Commandant, U.S. Army Ordnance School, on January 6, 2019.

A native of Rocky Mount, Virginia, Kirby enlisted in the Army in 1988 and completed over 20 years of military service before retiring in 2009.

His operational assignments include: Command Sergeant Major, Operations Sergeant Major, First Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, Senior Instructor Writer, Production Control Supervisor, and Squad Leader. He served in the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas; 2nd Infantry Division in Korea; 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California; 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; V Corps in Germany; 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii; and the 1st Theatre Sustainment Command at Fort Bragg.

Kirby's operational deployments include Operation Provide Comfort, Operation Joint Guard, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After retiring from military service, Kirby became an Instructional Systems Specialist (ISS) for the Power Generation Division, U.S. Army Ordnance School at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. Kirby left the Ordnance School in 2012 to become the Branch Chief of the CASCOM G3/5/7 Officer Leader Development Branch, Ordnance Training Development Division. In 2014, he was selected as the Division Chief of the Ordnance Training Development Division, where he was responsible for the development of training for Active and Reserve Component Soldiers across the Ordnance Corps.

In his current role as Deputy to the Commandant, Kirby serves as the primary advisor to the Chief of Ordnance and Commandant of the U.S. Army Ordnance School on all matters pertaining to budget, management, development, conduct, and resourcing of education and training for Active and Reserve Component Soldiers and Civilians in the Ordnance Corp.

Kirby holds a Master's Degree in Education from Northcentral University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resource Management from American InterContinental University. He graduated all levels of the Non-commissioned Officers Education System, culminating with the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy (Class #57). In 2016, Kirby completed the Continuing Education for Senior Leaders Course (CESL), the highest level of the Civilian Education System. He was also awarded a certificate of completion for the Senior Executive Fellows Program, June 2019, John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Executive Education.

Kirby's military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Senior Aircraft Crew Member Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge. He earned additional awards as a DA Civilian, including the Achievement Medal and Commander's Award for Civilian Service.

He is a recipient of the Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and the Order of Samuel Sharpe.