Was Kimmel only a peacetime officer?

Was Kimmel a good officer in peace but unproven in war?

No; he had operational experience at Veracruz and in the First World War and repeatedly served near the action available during his career.

The idea that Kimmel had proved himself only in peace does not fit his record. His career included the 1914 occupation of Veracruz, First World War service, and much of the action available to an American naval officer of his generation. Across 38 years he repeatedly served close to operational events and often held important responsibilities. Pearl Harbor denied him a later combat command, but it did not erase the wartime experience he already possessed.