New Commandant of Midshipmen Announced

The Academy announced that Captain John C. “Jay” Kennedy, USMS is the United States Merchant Marine Academy’s new Commandant of Midshipman.

CAPT Kennedy is a 1982 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and retired after 30 years of active duty service in the Marine Corps, holding the rank of Colonel, US Marine Corps. His last assignment on active duty was as the Director, Humanities and Social Sciences Division and Senior Marine Corps Representative at the U.S. Naval Academy.

A CH-46 pilot, CAPT Kennedy’s service in the Operating Forces has included tours as Commanding Officer, Marine Aircraft Group-16, Commanding Officer, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-263, Deputy Commander/Chief of Staff, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing (Iraq), Deputy Commander, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing (Iraq); and multiple tours as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer in squadrons based on the East Coast. CAPT Kennedy’s staff assignments include a tour in the J-3 at U.S. Central Command and as the Aviation Safety Officer/Functional Check Pilot at the Naval Aviation Depot, Cherry Point.

CAPT Kennedy served as the Marine Corps Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. He is a graduate of the USMC Amphibious Warfare School, the USMC Command and Staff College, and the National War College. He holds Master’s Degrees from the National Defense University and the University of Denver.

CAPT Kennedy is married to the former Cathy Negus of Falls Church, Virginia.