Timothy Szymanski

Timothy Gerard "Tim" Szymanski, a United States Navy vice admiral, is the deputy commander of United States Special Operations Command. He is the former commander of Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, California.[2][3]

Timothy G. Szymanski
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service1985–present
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands heldSpecial Boat Unit 26
SEAL Team 2
NSWG 2[1]
Naval Special Warfare Command (2016–2018)
Deputy Commander, USSOCOM
AwardsNavy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (4)
Legion of Merit (3)

Early life and education

Vice Admiral Szymanski is a native of Wilmington, Delaware. He graduated from the Salesianum School in 1980, where he was a three-year varsity letterman in wrestling and, in 1980, represented the United States in an international AAU Freestyle wrestling tournament in Tokyo, Japan.[4] He then attended the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School from 1980 to 1981, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1985.[5]

He completed a Masters of Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy at Joint Advanced Warfighting School.[5]

After receiving his commission in 1985, Szymanski served in the Surface Warfare community and qualified as a surface warfare officer before transitioning to the SEALs.[2][4] He volunteered for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) graduating with Class 161 in 1989.[6] Following SEAL Tactical Training (STT) and completion of six month probationary period, he received the 1130 designator as a Naval Special Warfare Officer, entitled to wear the Special Warfare insignia also known as "SEAL Trident".

Szymanski’s Naval Special Warfare (NSW) and operational assignments include platoon commander and task unit commander at SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. In 1992, Szymanski volunteered for assignment to Naval Special Warfare Development Group in Damneck, Va and completed a specialized selection and training course known as Green Team. He then served as troop and squadron commander with the unit until 1997 and returned as operations officer and then severed as deputy commander of DEVGRU from 2000 to 2002. He commanded Special Boat Unit 26, SEAL Team 2 from 2002 to 2004, O6-level Joint Task Force in Afghanistan, and Naval Special Warfare Group TWO. He served as deputy commanding general sustainment to Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan/NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan.[5]

Szymanski’s previous staff assignments include officer community manager for NSW and enlisted community manager for SEALs, Navy Divers, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians, and special warfare combatant craft crewmen (SWCC). He served on the Joint Staff as the J3 deputy directorate for Special Operations as the Global War on Terror branch chief and as chief staff officer of Pakistan-Afghanistan Coordination Cell.[5]

On 3 August 2016, Szymanski succeeded Rear Admiral Brian L. Losey as Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command. His prior assignment was the assistant to the commander of Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.[2][4]

On 19 July 2018, Szymanski was nominated for promotion to vice admiral[7] but his next assignment was not disclosed at the time.

Awards and decorations

Szymanski has received multiple awards and recognitions:[2]

Badge SEAL Insignia
1st Row Navy Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal w/ three bronze oak leaf clusters
2nd Row Legion of Merit Medal w/ 2 gold award stars Bronze Star w/ 2 award stars Defense Meritorious Service Medal w/ 1 oak leaf cluster
3rd Row Meritorious Service Medal w/ 1 award star Joint Service Commendation Medal Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
4th Row Combat Action Ribbon Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/ 1 bronze service star Joint Meritorious Unit Award w/ oak leaf cluster
5th Row Navy Unit Commendation Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Navy E Ribbon w/ 2 Battle "E" devices
6th Row Navy Expeditionary Medal National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
7th Row Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ 2 campaign stars Iraq Campaign Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
8th Row Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 7 service stars Overseas Service Ribbon
9th row NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia Rifle Marksmanship Medal Pistol Marksmanship Medal
Badge Surface Warfare Officer Insignia
Badge Naval Parachutist insignia
Badge Command at Sea insignia
Badge Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

In 2015, Szymanski was inducted into Salesianum School's hall of fame.[4]

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Navy document: "Rear Admiral Tim Szymanski".

  1. Parker, William S. (August 30, 2012). "Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Holds Change of Command". Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Public Affairs (NNS120830-16). United States Navy. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  2. Myers, Meghann (1 March 2016). "Former SEAL Team 6 deputy tapped to lead Navy SEALs". Navy Times. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  3. Naval Special Warfare Editor (4 August 2016). "Naval Special Warfare Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony". Naval Special Warfare Command. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  4. "Hall of Fame 2015". Salesianum School. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  5. "Vice Admiral Tim Szymanski". U. S. Navy Biographies. United States Navy. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  6. "Vice Admiral Tim Szymanski". U.S. Navy. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  7. "PN2321 — Rear Adm. Timothy G. Szymanski — Navy". U.S. Congress. Retrieved 11 September 2018.

Media related to Timothy G. Szymanski at Wikimedia Commons

Military offices
Preceded by
Scott A. Howell		 Deputy Commander of the
United States Special Operations Command
2018–present		 Incumbent
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.