Rear Admiral Edward S. McGinley, II, U.S. Navy (Retired)

Skip McGinley was born and raised in Allentown, PA. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1961, he entered the submarine service, eventually serving on three submarines. One of his first duties was in close, clandestine support of the Cuban Crisis in USS SEALION (APSS 315). He subsequently served on those three submarines in the capacities of Communications, Weapons, Navigator, and Engineer Officer,

Lieutenant McGinley was selected as a Naval Engineering Duty Officer in 1967. As a result, he was sent to and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1970 with master's and engineer's degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, where he was selected for the honorary societies of Sigma Xi and Tau Beta Pi. He then reported to the Naval Safety Center in Norfolk as Head of the Submarine Systems Analysis Division. In 1972 he received a master's degree in Industrial Management from George Washington University.

In early 1973 Lieutenant Commander McGinley reported to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, where he worked as a project manager in the overhaul of nuclear submarines. During that time, his submarine overhaul project set a time record for completion that has never been broken. In 1976 after his selection for Commander, he became Repair Officer of the submarine tender USS SIMON LAKE (AS 33) in Rota, Spain, responsible for repair and maintenance of all nuclear ballistic missile submarines in Submarine Squadron 16.  In 1978 he transferred to the Charleston Naval Shipyard, where he was in charge of all ship projects, both submarines and surface ships. While there, he also was selected for and attended the Executive Program at the Darden School, University of Virginia. In 1983 Captain McGinley reported to Mare Island Naval Shipyard for four years as Production Officer. During that time, the shipyard was designated as “The Navy’s Most Improved Shipyard.” He subsequently commanded the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (the Navy’s largest, which performs overhauls on all types of naval ships) from 1987 to 1990. During his tenure at the shipyard, it won various awards from the Secretary of the Navy, OMB, the Institute of Industrial Engineers, and the U.S. Senate. After his shipyard command, Captain McGinley was promoted to Rear Admiral, and assigned to Hawaii as Pacific Fleet Maintenance Officer, in charge of upkeep, repair, and modernization of all fleet ships, submarines, and aircraft. During this time, the Pacific Fleet supported Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and the Subic Bay Naval Base was evacuated and closed after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, transferring all ship repair work to the private sector in the Far East under McGinley’s direction.  In 1993, he was assigned command of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, the Navy’s largest R, D, T&E laboratory command, and in 1994 was subsequently appointed as Vice Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, the Navy’s top command for all ship design, engineering and procurement. At that time, Rear Admiral McGinley was also the Navy’s senior Engineering Duty Officer, leading this elite officer corps responsible for the design, procurement, maintenance, and repair of all naval ships. He retired from the Navy in 1996.

Subsequent to his leaving the Navy, Rear Admiral McGinley was employed as a VP/engineering executive with the Fluor Corporation for four years. Afterward, he became an independent engineering consultant, principally to the Institute for Defense Analyses. He has served as a board member of two engineering corporations, and occasionally has performed as an expert witness in naval engineering.

His service decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Meritorious Service Medal (both with gold star), among others. RADM McGinley has held several offices in the American Society of Naval Engineers, and the United Way. He is an active member of the Navy Submarine League, the Navy League, the Naval Institute, and the Naval Historical Association. He is also a past President of the Capitol Hill Executive Service Club.