CINCINNATI — The United States Navy promoted Keith M. Jones to the rank of Rear Admiral during a ceremony Oct. 4 at the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter.

Jones is the black serviceman to be made flag officer in the history of the U.S. Navy’s Supply Corps Reserve Component.

The Supply Corps has been in existence since 1795. At the time of its creation, the Corps was assigned the task of supporting the young Navy’s six original frigates.

Today, the Corps supplies over 1.6 million different items essential to the operation of modern ships, missiles, aircraft and facilities. It also provides fuel, food, transportation, clothing and services to the men and women of the Navy.

Nearly 3,280 active and reserve officers currently wear the oak leaf insignia of the Supply Corps.

Jones, a Ferriday native, has an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University.

He later earned a master of business administration from California State University-Bakersfield.

He was commissioned through officer candidate school in 1984.

He has completed additional military and executive education at the Navy War College, National Defense University and University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.

During his Navy career, he has served in both active duty and reserve leadership and staff positions in both seagoing and shore units.

He also served in multiple overseas recalls to active duty in support of Operation Southern Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

From 2011 to 2012, he was the commander of both Navy Expeditionary Support Group Forward MIKE and U.S. 5th Fleet Task Group 56.3 at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.

He has also served on the Secretary of the Navy’s National Navy Reserve Policy Board and has been chief of the Supply Corps Diversity Council.

Jones was the first Supply Corps reserve officer to receive the Vice Admiral Robert F. Batchelder Award from the U.S. Navy League.

He is also a qualified Seabee Combat Warfare Officer with multiple personal awards and unit, campaign and service awards.