Rear Admiral Terence E. McKnight, USN (RET) a native of Norfolk, graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in May 1978. He completed his master's degree in International Relations at Salve Regina University in May 1998. Additionally, he graduated from the U.S. Army War College in 1994 and attended the National Security Seminar at Syracuse University in 2001.

He commanded USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) from January 1995 until November 1996 and USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) from July 2002 until December 2003.

Duties ashore included the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS), Surface
Warfare Officers School, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), executive assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Navy (Manpower & Reserve Affairs), the Office of Chief of Naval Operations N6/N7, and executive assistant to the Under Secretary of the Navy.

He served as the 85th commandant of Naval District Washington, the oldest continuously operated Navy installation in the nation and the deputy commander, Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region.

He assumed duties as Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 2, in September 2007 and served as the first Commander of Task Force 151 for counter-piracy operations in January 2009.

McKnight's personal decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, as well as various other unit awards and decorations.

He retired from the Navy in the summer of 2009 and currently works for Cobham a top fifty defense contractor.

Since his retirement, he has lectured extensively on counter-piracy operation and is considered an expert in the field of maritime security. He has written several articles on piracy and is currently writing a book on the operation – Pirate Alley – Commanding Task Force 151 in the Gulf of Aden - that is due to be published by Naval Institute Press in 2012.