American sailor, physician, and astronaut (born 1984)
This article is about the American sailor, physician, and astronaut. For the South Korean film producer, see
Jonathan Kim .
Jonathan Yong Kim (born 5 February 1984) is an American U.S. Navy lieutenant commander , former SEAL , flight surgeon , Naval aviator , physician , and NASA astronaut .
Born in Los Angeles, Kim enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the early 2000s before earning a Silver Star , Bronze Star with V device , and his commission . While a U.S. sailor, Kim also received his Bachelor of Arts in mathematics with distinction, his Doctor of Medicine , and an acceptance to NASA Astronaut Group 22 in 2017. He completed his astronaut training in 2020 and is scheduled serve on Expedition 72 /73 to the International Space Station in March 2025.
Personal life and education
Jonathan Yong Kim was born on 5 February 1984 in Los Angeles , California .[ 1] His parents emigrated from South Korea to the United States in the early 1980s,[ 2] and his father had scarcely completed a high-school education. The family opened a liquor store in South Los Angeles , and his mother worked as a substitute elementary school teacher while raising Kim and his younger brother.[ 3] In a 2018 interview with Annals of Emergency Medicine , Kim described himself as "the epitome of that quiet kid who just lacked complete self-confidence ."[ 4] In 2020, The Chosun Ilbo reported that the adolescent Kim had been the victim of domestic violence at the hands of his father; in February 2002, after threatening his family with a gun, Kim's father was shot to death in his attic by police.[ 5]
At Santa Monica High School ,[ 6] Kim received high grades in his classes, including several Advanced Placements , while participating in swimming and water polo ;[ 3] he graduated in 2002. Kim received a Bachelor of Arts , summa cum laude , in mathematics from the University of San Diego in 2012, and a Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School in 2016. Kim was a Pat Tillman Foundation "Tillman Scholar" selectee. In 2017, Kim completed his medical internship in emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital .[ 6]
As of January 2020[update] , Kim was married[ 7] with three children.[ 8]
Career
U.S. Navy
Kim learned about and decided to become a Navy SEAL at age 16, investing his remaining high-school years physically conditioning himself for the rigors of Special Warfare training. Of this decision, Kim said, "Going into the Navy was the best decision I ever made in my life because it completely transformed that scared boy who didn't have any dreams to someone who started to believe in himself."[ 4]
After enlisting with the United States Navy in 2002 as a seaman recruit , Kim graduated BUD/S class 247 and was assigned to SEAL Team 3 with the rating Special Warfare Operator . He deployed twice to the Middle East and participated in over 100 combat missions as a combat medic , sniper , navigator , and point man .[ 6] During his tenure with the SEALs, Kim served with PO2s Marc Alan Lee and Michael A. Monsoor .[ 7] In 2009,[ 6] Kim was accepted to the STA-21 commissioning program;[ 9] when he graduated from the University of San Diego in 2012 and left the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps , Kim entered the Medical Corps .[ 6]
On 6 June 2022, Kim completed his first solo flight in a Beechcraft T-6 Texan II at the Naval Air Training Command , part of a common training regimen for U.S. Navy – NASA astronauts who lacked previous military pilot experience.[ 9] After further training on the Northrop T-38 Talon and TH-57 helicopter, Kim formally completed his flight training in March 2023 at Naval Air Station Whiting Field , receiving the rare dual-designation as both a Naval flight surgeon and naval aviator .[ 10]
Kim is a recipient of a Silver Star , Bronze Star Medal (with Combat "V" ), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with Combat "V"), and Combat Action Ribbon .[ 7] According to Jocko Willink , Kim's Silver Star was awarded for rescuing multiple wounded Iraqi soldiers in the face of enemy fire.[ 11] As of July 2023[update] , Kim was still described as a Naval officer with the rank of lieutenant commander .[ 12]
NASA
Astronaut Group 22 with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (2018). Kim is visible in the upper left corner.
While studying at Harvard Medical School , Kim met and was inspired by astronaut –physician Scott E. Parazynski to apply for Astronaut Candidacy .[ 4] On 7 June 2017,[ 13] Kim was one of twelve candidates chosen from a pool of over 18,300 applicants to join NASA Astronaut Group 22 .[ 14] He reported for duty on 21 August 2017,[ 4] and graduated from training on 10 January 2020.[ 6]
According to NASA, Kim will work in the Astronaut Office while awaiting a flight assignment.[ 6] In 2020, Kim began working as a capsule communicator at the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center .[ 12] On 9 December 2020, NASA formally announced that Kim would join 17 other astronauts in training for a 2024 Moon landing .[ 15] In July 2023, he was serving as operations officer, supporting crew operations.[ 12] In August 2024, NASA announced that Kim was scheduled as a member of the Expedition 72 /73 crew to the International Space Station , launching aboard the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft in March 2025.[ 16]
References
^ "Jonathan Yong Kim" . Military Times . Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2022 .
^ Kim, Jonny (22 August 2017). Jonny Kim/NASA 2017 Astronaut Candidate . Johnson Space Center . Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2019 .
^ a b Choi, David (17 January 2020). "How an insecure teenager became a NASA-trained Navy SEAL, and convinced his Korean-American mom to allow him to join the military" . Business Insider . Archived from the original on 19 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020 .
^ a b c d Faust, Jeremy S. (March 2018). Milling Jr, Truman J. (ed.). "Annals Q&A With Dr. Jonny Kim" . Annals of Emergency Medicine . 71 (3). American College of Emergency Physicians : A13–A16. doi :10.1016/j.annemergmed.2018.01.034 . ISSN 0196-0644 . LCCN 80643758 . OCLC 5729547 .
^ Cho, Eui-jun (10 August 2020). '가정폭력 아버지, 경찰에 피살' 韓人 첫 NASA 우주인의 고백 ['Father of Domestic Violence, Police Killed' Confession of First Korean NASA Astronaut]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020 . This January, Johnny Kim became an astronaut on NASA's Mars expedition. Confessions of a Childhood Abused by His Father
^ a b c d e f g Tonnessen, Heather, ed. (March 2022). "Astronaut Jonny Kim" . NASA . Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022 .
^ a b c Robson, Seth (15 January 2020). "Navy SEAL with Harvard medical degree becomes NASA astronaut" . Stars and Stripes . Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2024 .
^ Choi, David (18 January 2020). "This Harvard-educated, NASA-qualified, Navy SEAL gives his kids this simple advice every day" . Business Insider . Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2024 .
^ a b Altman, Howard (9 June 2022). "SEAL-Doctor-Astronaut Jonny Kim Is Adding Pilot To His Crazy Resume" . The War Zone . Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022 . The 'wouldn't believe it if it weren't true' list of accomplishments of Astronaut Jonny Kim keeps growing. Now he's becoming a pilot.
^ "NASA Astronaut and former SEAL completes Navy Flight Training" . Corpus Christi, Texas : Defense Visual Information Distribution Service . 17 April 2023. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023 .
^ Willink, John Gretton "Jocko" (18 March 2020). "Jocko Podcast 221: Jonny Kim. Navy SEAL, Doctor, Astronaut. The Unimaginable Path" (Podcast). YouTube . Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2020 .
^ a b c "Astronaut Biography: Jonny Kim" (PDF) . NASA . July 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2024 .
^ Powell, Alvin (21 July 2017). "SEAL-tested, NASA-approved" . Harvard Gazette . Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2019 . Harvard Medical School grad to depart residency for astronaut training
^ Harwood, William (7 June 2017). "NASA introduces 12 new astronauts" . CBS News . Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2020 .
^ Robbins, Gary (9 December 2020). "NASA picks 4 San Diego university graduates to train for missions to the moon" . The San Diego Union-Tribune . ISSN 1063-102X . Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020 .
^ Doyle, Tiernan P. (28 August 2024). "NASA Assigns Astronaut Jonny Kim to First Space Station Mission" . NASA . Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024 .
Further reading
External links