Anthony Kurta

{{Short description|American Navy admiral and government official (born 1959)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Anthony M. Kurta

|image = Anthony M. Kurta.jpg

|office1 = Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness

|president1 = Donald Trump

|term_start1 = January 20, 2017

|term_end1 = November 30, 2017

|predecessor1 = Peter Levine

|successor1 = Robert Wilkie

|office3 = Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy

|term_start3 = September 8, 2014

|term_end3 = January 20, 2017

|succeeding3 =

|successor3 =

|president3 = Barack Obama

|birth_name =

|birth_place = Deer Lodge, Montana

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|09|04}}{{cite book |title=Montana, Birth Records, 1919-1986 |publisher=Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services |location=Helena, Montana}}

|death_place =

|party =

|spouse =

|relations =

|children =

|education = United States Naval Academy
Georgetown University

|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

|branch = {{flag|United States Navy}}

|serviceyears = 1981–2013

|rank = Rear Admiral

|awards = Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Distinguished Service Medal

}}

Anthony Michael Kurta (born September 4, 1959{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T5DfAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA129 |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Reserve Officers on the Active-Duty List |page=129 |date=October 1, 1984 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel |access-date=9 January 2021}}) is a retired United States Navy Rear Admiral and government official. Having served as the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness for most of 2017, he was President Donald Trump's nominee to become Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.{{cite news|last1=Tritten|first1=Travis|title=Trump nominates Robert Wilkie, Anthony Kurta to head Pentagon personnel and readiness|url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-nominates-robert-wilkie-anthony-kurta-to-head-pentagon-personnel-and-readiness/article/2629206|access-date=6 September 2017|publisher=Washington Examiner|date=July 20, 2017}} Kurta previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy and Director of Navy Flag Officer Management and Development.

Kurta is the son of John Anthony Kurta (January 27, 1922 – June 17, 1993){{cite web |url=https://billiongraves.com/grave/John-Anthony-Kurta/29052406 |title=John Anthony Kurta |website=BillionGraves |access-date=9 January 2021}} and Virginia Elizabeth (Malone) Kurta (May 3, 1922 – January 12, 1970).{{cite news |magazine=Montana Certificate of Death |title=Virginia Elizabeth Kurta |issue=70 0152 |publisher=Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services |location=Helena, Montana}} He was born in Deer Lodge, Montana and raised in Columbia Falls, Montana. Kurta graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1981. He later earned an M.A. in National Security Studies from Georgetown University.{{cite web |url=https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/602728/anthony-m-kurta/ |title=Anthony M. Kurta |website=U.S. Department of Defense |access-date=9 January 2021}}

Kurta served 32 years on active duty as a Navy Surface Warfare Officer, during which time he commanded the USS Sentry (MCM-3), USS Guardian (MCM-5), USS Warrior (MCM-10), USS Carney, Destroyer Squadron Two Four, and Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. He is a recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award.{{cite news|title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/07/19/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-personnel-key|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720192559/https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/07/19/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-personnel-key|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 20, 2017|access-date=6 September 2017|publisher=The White House|date=July 19, 2017}}{{PD-notice}}

Kurta's nomination to be a Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense was reported favorably by the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services on November 16, 2017 but failed to receive consideration by the full Senate. The nomination was withdrawn on September 28, 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/812 |title=PN812 — Anthony Kurta — Department of Defense |website=U.S. Congress |access-date=2 October 2018}}